Chez Allard opened in 1932 and is a large place spread over several rooms. The tiny tables are closely placed and set with white clothes and napkins.  French music is in the background of this old style restaurant.  The lower half of the walls is dark wood and the top half is covered in fabric where there aren’t windows.  Red velvet bench seating lines the walls that serve that tables that have wooden chairs opposite.  Art is on the walls, the floor is tile and service is friendly and efficient.  They offered a special 3 course lunch menu or an a la carte menu.  The lunch menu is a good value at 34 euros but we wanted to try some of the items on their regular menu so chose to order a la carte.  

 

An amuse bouche was a cucumber salad  with a vinegar and parsley sauce.  It was well seasoned and the crisp cucmubers were light and tasty.

 

Bread service was sliced brown bread with butter shaved from an enormous mound housed under a glass on the bread carving cart.  Both were good.

 

Curled endives, bacon and croutons was one of the starters we chose to try.  The well dressed frisee was topped with large lardoons and and croutons that had been soaked in the tasty dressing.  It was exquisite.  Each bite filled with flavor and texture.

 

The preserved duck foie gras with toasted country bread was two rounds of foie gras alongside an apple compote and some slices of the bread that had been toasted.  The foie gras was creamy and well flavored and the compote added a fun bit of fruitiness.  The crisp toast was the perfect vehicle to spread the rich foie gras on.  It was really good.

 

Beef entrecôte was served with a peppered sauce on the side.  It was cooked as requested with a good char on the outside.  The surprise in this dish was the fabulous little potatoes that were underneath.  Cooked to a perfect tender they had a wondeful texture and lovely potato flavor.

 

Tender ox cheeks and carrots came in a serving bowl that you could dish onto your plate.  The bright carrots were a perfect contrast to the brown meat surrounded by its tasty brown gravy.  The meat was tender and good and the serving very generous.

 

We were totally full and so had decided to not order dessert but had asked the server if the cake we saw on the cart was for the rum savarin.  He then couldn’t let us leave without trying it and so gave us a couple slices to eat with our expresso.  The Rum savarin cake is doused with rum, which was left at the table in case we wanted more, and served with lightly whipped Chantilly.  It was rich and delicious and my fullness vanished when I tasted this traditional treat that was done perfectly.