Au Virage Lepic, a Montmartre Bijou de Gastronomie

Buttery croissants, a giant bowl full of moules accompanied by a side of fat frites, fluffy broccoli quiche, duck confit, crème brûlée, yes indeed, one of the highlights of our Paris weekend was definitely the food. As it should be.

On our last night in Paris, we decided to wander down Rue Lepic and look at the menus in the windows. Loads of restaurants had pricey menus and so so decor. Luckily for us, we happened to stumble upon a bijou de gastronomie! Au Virage Lepic on Rue Lepic 61, is a tiny, quaint bistro run by the charming duo of Rino and Maurice. The walls were covered with small framed photographs of stars from France and Hollywood's golden age. Red and white checkered handkerchiefs dangled cunningly from antique light fixtures, giving the place a warm glow. Blues and classic soul music filled the room and mingled with the bustling sounds of the packed bistro. When we walked into the already crowded place the owners were uncertain they could seat us, one said "wait", the other said "impossible". In the end they found us a table tout de suite and we had an incredibly delicious meal. 

We started with a mushroom salad that was the perfect combination of crisp raw mushrooms, lettuce, thinly sliced prosciutto and a lightly flavored oil dressing. Then I had the duck confit, salt-cured duck slow cooked in its own juices that fell off the bone and melted in my mouth. I will have dreams about this delectable dish for a long time.. For dessert we shared the crème brûlée and it was perfect. The service was attentive and friendly, the food excellent, and the prices very reasonable. 

There's not one negative thing I can say about this place. Just why Au Virage Lepic, is so popular with the Monmartre village locals and bohemian bourgeois is abundantly clear. It is a rustic bistro with tasty traditional French food, but I suggest making reservations because I think we simply lucked out with getting a table that Saturday night. Next time I'm in Paris, my belly and tongue will undoubtedly compel me to visit this bistro again. Encore. Encore.

Photos taken by me between yummy courses at Au Virage Lepic, in Montmatre, Paris.