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On her last visit to Paris, I introduced my cousin who’s a Franco-phile, to confit de canard, knowing that she’d love it. When I saw the rapture that took over when she put that first forkful in her mouth, I could see that she was hooked as I am.

I’d taken her to Chez Dumonet, which is reliably excellent. This time, though, I’d like to take her somewhere else. A lot of restaurants offer duck confit, occasionally, but it doesn’t reliably appear on menus.


And other times, even if it is, you might be subjected to a less-than-stellar version. To me, there’s nothing worse than being presented with a greasy leg of duck, covered with fatty, flabby skin, when you could be eating shatteringly-crisp skinned cuisse de canard, every bite making you happily forget how much duck fat you’re ingesting.

Duck Confit

Au Trou Gascon used to have a great version, but it’s a bit too fancy for right now, and I’m wondering if the nearby Baracane has a good one. But I ate there once and the waiter didn’t bring back the change, and responded when I asked, “Oh, I thought it was a tip.” Which is annoying anywhere, but especially in France where tipping isn’t required, or necessarily expected. When I told Romain about that, he flipped out. I don’t think too many places here would ever pull that with a French person.

I checked Gourmet Paris, which lists specialties by restaurant in Paris. But since the guide is a few years old, its suggestions many not be au courant. Thoumieux has confit de canard, but the skin-crispiness is consistently inconsistent. Another classic spot, Chez René, lists it on their menu. But I haven’t tried it and I know they’ve changed owners, so I wonder how theirs is. The blackboard above is from La Bastoche, in the Bastille, and the price is right. But the two Rick Steves-recommend stickers in the window kind of give me pause.

(He also recommends Bouillon Racine and Polidor, both of which serve pretty dreadful food, although the hostess at Polidor has the most amazing, um, seins. And she isn’t shy about featuring them, either. My guess is that he’s easily swayed?)

Duck Confit

When I moved here, I asked someone where the best confit de canard was, and she responded: Chez Clément, which is a chain of family-style restaurants, upscale fast-food if you will. It might sound far-fetched, but in my experience, chain restaurants often do respectable versions of fried foods. Except I checked out the menu at the one across the boulevard and the dégustation de canard features a heart-stopping trio of magret de canard, confit de canard, and a slab of foie gras.

Oh yes, and if that’s not enough, it comes with a big pile of buttered mashed potatoes. I like duck fat. I like butter. And lord knows I like mashed potatoes. But I also like my heart, and seeing as I’d like to live a little bit longer, we’ll probably skip this one.

So I thought I’d ask: Are there any restaurants that you recommend that have a stunning, reliably-excellent version of duck confit in Paris?


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69 comments

    • Sunny

    Hi, David — still haven’t found the best confit, but you can rest easy.

    Do some pottering about here on the intarwebs and some searches on the health impacts of duck fat.

    You’ll find that it’s not nearly as bad as you think it is!

    The old folks in the Dordogne (where duck and goose production is highest) attribute their documented longevity and cardiac health to goose fat.

    Seems they’re on to something — goose fat is significantly different than most other animal fats, and is actually healthy.

    It has less saturated fat than margarine or butter, very high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats (the healthy ones!), and is high in oleic acid, which actually helps reduce cholesterol levels.

    Duck fat has similar qualities.

    So…bring on the confit, the foie gras and the pommes de terre Sarladais!

    • Fiona

    I’m no help on where to go, but I *am* relieved to see your swipe at Rick Steves. When Mother and I were in Paris two summers ago, the *only* bad meal we had was in a restaurant he recommended.

    Now, I should have known better. There was a cheeseburger on the menu. But we’d walked a long way and we were hungry, and it was raining. Foolish girl.

    Anyway, I have nothing in particular against the man, but I wouldn’t eat in another restaurant he recommends. Thanks for the backup – it makes me feel more…official.

    • adrian

    That’s funny, I didn’t think Rick Steves would be , erm, “swayed” by a member of the fairer sex….

    • Lynn in Tucson

    Au Trou Gascon! I used to live around the corner, il y a longtemps….

    • krysalia

    Sunny is perfectly right, your heart won’t have any problems with duck fat, because it’s full of unsaturated fat instead of other animal fats.
    It’s still fat though, of course you could say that maybe you’ll become a little more comfortable with a lot of duck fat in your alimentation :)

    But anyway, it won’t clutter your arteries.

    I do not have any adresses because i’m not parisian, but I like a lot the menu of la Bastoche, the way it is organised and the offer for the price (less choices means the chef has time to do each properly, as a chef friend of mine told me once). Walking in paris to find a good restaurant for lunch or something, I’m sure that I would have stopped there.

    About the waiter and the tip, this guy is definitely a grossier blaireau, pfff…

    • lisa

    In my many trips to Paris, I’ve eaten confit de canard more than anything else. It’s not that I am not adventurous — I simply adore that dish. (My Santa Fe equivalent is green chile.)

    The version at Thomieux is uneven, I agree. I’ve had it several times.

    I like the duck and sauteed potatoes at Le Suffren, a brasseries on the corner of ave Suffren and ave de la Motte Picquet. The plate arrives steaming, and its heady aroma of chopped garlic and parsley makes me swoon. I eat there on every trip.

    The best I’ve ever had, though, was at some little place near Gare de Lyon. The perfect combination of unctuous and crispy. I have tried to find that place and cannot. It’s like Brigadoon.

    Thanks for posting this topic. I look forward to seeing what others recommend and adding to my list for next time.

    • amy

    Sigh…..I SO want some….

    • Doolz

    Whoa, I’m just knocked out you’re asking “us”.

    I ate a confit with extreme crackling, covering moist garlicky flesh without any stringiness, at L’Avant Gout near Place d’italie.

    I still think the crispiest, juiciest least fatty, fried goose and duck marylands I’ve had, were at a Jewish eatery in Budapest. They also had the best waiter EVER.

    Dillon

    • Stephanie

    I’ve never had it, but I will remember to try it next time I’m in France, which is hopefully soon.

    • Margie

    Drool, drool, and more drool. The simple thought of good duck leaves me wanting. I hope you find this delicacy soon.

    • Lauren

    Well, West Oakland ain’t no Paris, but next time you’re in town, come to my house. We’ve got duck fat coming out of the wood work.
    And also, many moons ago, I went to a party at your place in sf. If I remember correctly, you had an insane collection of Fiesta ware. Was that you?

    • Dani

    Hi David. I’m a first time contributor. Love this blog. I live in Paris so it’s a great treat to be able to do actual field testing when you make recommendations! I completely agree with you and others about Thoumieux–inconsistent. I’ve had better luck with Au Petit Sud-Ouest, also in the 7th on ave. de la Bourdonnais (http://www.linternaute.com/restaurant/restaurant/12060/au-petit-sud-ouest.html).

    • Susan

    This is so timely–I’ve been trying to find a yummy confit de canard since late October. At L’Avant Gout it was stringy and tough, my pal ordered it at Le Troquet and I didn’t hear any raves. After a couple of other disappointments (among them the otherwise delightful Au Gout Dujour) I’ve given it a rest. You’ve given me courage and some new names to try, thank you!

    • Alexander

    Hi David,

    The most consistently good (and consistently there – it’s a menu mainstay) is at La Poule au Pot. I’ve never had a bad experience here. The service is warm, unpretentious and professional. And the confit is excellent. Occasionally it can be a bit too salty but usually it’s fantastic. Indeed, you can even ask for crispy. The waiters are that friendly.

    • Paula Maack

    Hi David,

    I think you nailed it the first time. The version at Chez Dumonet – Josephine is by far the best I have had to date. And, their waiter is too precious for words. I actually blogged about Chez Dumonet, their duck confit, and the cute waiter, should you be interested.

    There’s nothing wrong with sticking with a sure-fire winner. IMHO, their acclaim is well deserved, and their duck confit and frites are worthy of every calorie – good for you or not.

    I wish I were your cousin. Lucky girl!

    I haven’t commented here in weeks. I have just been so crazy busy! So, happy new year David!! And, a happy belated birthday, too!!!

    Cheers,

    ~ Paula

    • David

    Hi Fiona: I wasn’t necessarily making at swipe at Rick Steves, since he likely has scouts now doing some of the footwork. I think he takes a pretty broad stroke with restaurants, but it’s a double-edged sword, since once he recommends a place, everyone descends on it, which can radically change a restaurant. (And not always for the better.)

    Polidor is an interesting place, historically, but the food is definitely not the reason to go there. And Boullion Racine isn’t at all interesting, and the meal I ate there—once, was so less-than-average, that I was certain everything had been purchased at the frozen-food chain Picard.

    But the link I gave to his site shows how vastly different experiences at restaurants can be depending on the person, which I mentioned in my post about Jadis. The Café du Marché, that I guess is listed in his guide, has such wildly-different reviews from readers and it was interesting to see how people either loved, or hated, the exact same restaurant.

    Alexander: That sound good, and I’m not one to shy away from salt. In fact, that’s what makes confit so good.

    Susan and Doolz: I’ve had mixed experiences at L’Avant Goût. Their fixed-price lunch is a bargain, but I’ve not been wild about the food on various visits. Both your diverging opinions concur with my meals there.

    Paula: Glad you liked Chez Dumonet. It’s a pretty great place, and the waiters are indeed, charmers.

    Dani: With a name like that, I’m hopeful, and am putting that place in the running, too.

    Sunny: Good thing, as I have a lot of jars of duck fat both in my fridge, and in the freezer. Perhaps I should make my own confit (which I did, in the pictures above) but it’s kind of a mess and perhaps best left to the professionals….or ones who have a cleaning crew that can come in afterward : )

    • ever

    Hello David

    It’s a shame that I only recently discovered duck confit and missed out eating it in its country of origin, France on the numerous times I was there. I’ve been making my own here in Manila and I just want to know what’s the standard taste of a true “good” duck confit aside from having super crisp skin? Tried duck confit in cans from France, ate them in 4 local restos and quite recently, at Joel Robuchon’s HongKong joint. Should they border on the salty side in order to be authentic tasting? Hope you can clear up this salty issue of mine :–)

    • Lola

    Au Fil des Saisons

    • Aretta Anderst

    You might try “La Rôtisserie du Beaujolais” – 19, quai de la Tournelle. Had some great duck there about 6 years ago. Don’t know if they’re still owned by La Tour d’Argent. Otherwise, take a weekend trip to Sarlat in the Dordogne where it’s all good.

    • Jeremy

    David,
    I am almost embarrassed to say it but I had a really fine confit with pomme de terre Sardalaise at the airport when I arrived during a terrorist alert where we were on hold four hours, took me so long to get to Switzerland! But when we went into this resto in the airport it was like a routier and had great service, my Mother even was blown over by the cafe, she is a stickler and she is French!
    Nothing like making it yourself though, eh?

    • Kate Hill

    I know you can’t come to Gascony every time you want confit, BUT really the best is made here or by someone from the Southwest. Salt and time are the two most important ingredients after the big meaty ducks themselves. Salt: contrary to kitchen myths, the best use a meager amount of salt- a scant tablespoon per leg rubbed in well and allowed to sit just 12 hours. Time: long SLOW (1-1/2 hour) simmering in fat and then after canning, time on the shelf to tenderize (2-6 months min) to allow the meat to go from stringy to silky. Oops… sorry, why don’t you just come down for a ‘Fat Weekend’ and we’ll make you a year’s supply!

    • Cathy

    It is good news about “healthy” duck fat. I enjoyed a bowl of salty “duck fries” last night with a tangy cocktail. The french fries were cooked in duck fat, and oh so good! (Another possible use for the fat in your fridge?)

    • Sandra

    When we went to Chez Dumonnet in January 2007 ( the cousinS and aunt lunch!!)
    it was truly incroyable!! And while she is there this week ( and I’m in WH, aunt-and mom-sitting), take them to other incredible places–enough to make me utterly jealous.

    • Jennifer

    How about Le Petit Canard, in the 9th? I haven’t been there in about three years, so things might have changed, but as you can tell, it’s a restaurant all about the duck. I believe the ducks even come from the farm of one of the owner’s relatives.

    • Jeanne

    I’m going to bookmark this post to refer to next time I’m heading for Paris! I *adore* confit de canard, but as you say there’s nothing worse than a sub-standard version. Your pics have me drooling!

    • Anna

    My last trip to Paris I had a wonderful confit de canard at La Guirlande de Julie at Place des Voges. It was truly, sincerely excellent!

    When visiting Paris I am also always in search of the best confit de canard as wellas the best salade chevre chaude and lastly, magret de canard — which you must have at Camille in Le Marais!

    I really enjoyed La Gurilande de Julie — the confit was so crispy and tasty. And it’s a beautiful spot to enjoy such a good dish!

    Voila! :)

    • Liz Mollica

    Try this one for Duck Confit, was just there in November and it never disappoints.

    Chez Savy 23 rue Bayard #01-47-46-98 Metro: FDRoosevelt (in the Champs Elysees district.

    • Nancy

    Hubby had duck confit a Les Philosphe at 28, Rue Vieille du Temple. It was meaty and crispy and ducky, with a hint of honey on the skin. Would definitely recommend. I had duck confit at the Gramercy Tavern NYC and the skin was yucky and the meat was so unflavorable it was embarassing. Oh well.

    • Rosa

    D’Chez Eux!

    • Debbie B

    Since unfortunately I’m not going to France anytime in the near future does anyone know a really good French restaurant in NY?

    • Paula Maack

    To Anna,

    Have you tried the Salade Chevre Chaude with Artichoke at La Fontaine de Mars (129, Rue St Dominique, in the 7th, near the Eiffel Tower)? It is the best I have had in Paris – so far.

    I love that restaurant. It is so darling with all the red checkered tables, and the wait staff are stellar. They also serve a fantastic Oeufs au Madiran “façon meurette” (eggs poached in red wine), and a very nice duck breast. And, they are famous for their Ile Flottant dessert, which is heavenly.

    Cheers,

    ~ Paula

    • Susan

    Oh, and that dalle in the picture? Is that Saint Amarante? It caught my eye yesterday when I was doing laundry across the street I also discovered that the boucherie down the block (toward r. de Lyon) does a brisk takeout business at lunchtime. No confit yesterday (or probably ever, don’t think they sell poultry), though, just daube de boeuf and sausage with lentils, which looked really good.

    • momo

    Le confit de canard du Relais Gascon à Montmartre (Adresse : 13, Rue Joseph de Maistre, 75018 Paris, France) avec ces pommes de terre rissolées à l’ail en a du bon avec un rapports quantité et qualité prix intéressants j’irais comme même Chez Dumonet car je suis fan de Confit de canard…

    • hagar

    I recommend the Bistro du Peintre, on Avenue Ledru-Rollin in the 11th.

    • David

    hagar: I like that place and I forgot about it! Never had the confit, but the place is gorgeous without being trop. It’s a decent, all-around resto. Thanks..

    • Jasper

    I just got back from Paris and had a plate of Confit de Canard at Chez Allard that was by far the best meal I’ve ever had. It was perfectly crispy and moist inside and fell of the bone with only the slightest prodding. It was well seasoned and served with just a touch of delicious sauce and roasted potatoes. I don’t know how often it appears on the menu or how consistent it is, but their Coq au Vin was also quite good. Bon appétit!

    • Harry

    Oh yeah, the French tipping thing! That happened to me when I was eating at “Place verte” on Oberkampf (in Paris). I was with an Australian friend of mine, and although I’ve been here for ten years, he took us both for tourists, and then kept the change as a tip. I didn’t bother saying anything at the time, because we were planning to leave it anyway, but later on, I was angry at myself for letting the waiter decide!

    Great tips on confit too; I’ll be sure to look some of them up :)

    • Linda

    Hi David,
    I recently found what a great confit de canard at a bistro near the Canal St. Martin. It’s appropriately crispy and sprinkled with a fleur de sel from, I think, the Ile de Re. About €13. Here’s the address:

    Le Bistro des Oies
    2, Rue Marie et Louise
    75010 Paris
    01 42 08 34 86

    • Tim Piland

    Davey–You might want to give Chez Rene another try. Alice turned me on to it back in the early 90’s and even with the new ownership the duck confit is crazy good (same for the cassoulet). Despite its prices and “classic” preciousness, Benoit has also been consistent and dependable in the duck department for me. [Jean-Pierre did a superb duck confit the other night–probably the best ever!]

    • Genevieve

    David — I had very good confit de canard at Le Saint-Germain Cafe, at Boulevard St. Germain and Rue du Bac. While I can’t speak for any of the cafe’s other dishes, the canard was incredibly tender, with meat that was so juicy it was almost falling off the bone, while the skin was crisp and flavorful. Not the fanciest spot in the city, but it had a nice neighborhoody feel and the staff was friendly!

    • Chuck Alderete

    David,
    Hello from San José, California! Try the duck confit at Au Bistro de la Place in Place de Marché Sainte Catherine right there in the 4th, metro St. Paul, one block north of Rue de Rivoli at Rue Caron.
    a bientôt,
    Chuck

    • Lisa de Froberville

    Best confit de canard I have eaten in my 7 years in France:
    Pierrot, 18 rue Etienne Marcel. Cuisine de l’Aubrac.
    I cite a reader review from the website where I looked up the address : ” LE meilleur rapport qualité prix de la capitale! Le chef est exceptionnel de constance de la qualité des produits et de la réalisation des plats.” I couldn’t agree more.
    And it’s true that the profiteroles are excellent as well! Although it’s hard to order them after the duck . . .
    Just discovered your blog–very excited about trying out your suggestions.
    Thanks!

    • sandy

    Hi David,
    The best confit de canard I have had in Paris — and I’ve had it several times — is Le Caveau du Palais on the Place Dauphine. I’ve tried it at a few other places, but none compared, and it’s served with crispy fried potatoes! They also have wonderful tarte tatine for dessert, accompanied by generous servings of creme fraiche.

    Sandy

    • Pat

    Hi David, we spend a month in the Marais each year, and are constantly searching for the crispiest confit, the best roast chicken, and the best steak tartare. We’ve had consistently good crispy confit with duck fat sauteed potatoes at Caveau du Palais,17 Pl Dauphine, 01 43 26 04 28, where you can sit outside on the lovely little Place Dauphine, as if you were in a tiny village although you are in the center of the city.

    And according to the folks at Figaroscope, the best duck confit is at:

    Le Bistrot de l’Oulette. Annexe of his more gourmet restaurant.
    38, rue des Tournelles, 4th. 01 42 71 43 33. Tlj sf sam.midi et dim.

    Josephine/Chez Dumonet, 117 Cherche-Midi, 6th, 45 48 52 40, closd Sat/Sun

    Café du Marché, 38 rue Cler, casual, 7am-midnight Mon-Sat; 7am-5pm Sun, 7th

    L’Ami Jean, 27 Malar, 7th, Tue-Sat, noon-2 & 7-midnight, 47-05-86-89

    Le Domaine de Lintillac. 10, rue Saint-Augustin, IIe. Tél. : 01 40 20 96 27. Tlj. sf sam. midi et dim. Autre adresse à Paris : 54, rue Blanche, IXe. Tél. : 01 48 74 84 36.

    • David

    Hmmm, that’s 2 votes for the Caveau du Palais. And who doesn’t love the place Dauphine? I can’t imagine a nicer setting to eat crispy confit.

    There was some dispute about Café du Marché. Some loved it, and others didn’t. I met a friend there for drinks and saw a not-so-crispy piece of duck coming out of the kitchen. So I guess I need to get over to the place Dauphine, toute de suite!

    • rob

    David:

    I second and third this recommendation:

    Bistrot du Marche

    Rue le Cler

    On a pedestrian walk street lined with food shops. Very popular (get there at the beginning of lunch or you’ll wait). The confit du canard and the merlue (salt cod) are exceptional.

    In a week in Paris I made sure to eat the confit twice. If I cold only get on a plane right now…..

    • Simon

    This is a great link. Thanks for all the suggestions on here. I just came back from Paris 3 weeks ago, basically determined to eat at least one meal of confit de canard a day during my four day stay. I went to Au Bistro de la Place and Le Domaine de Lintillac. Lintillac was excellent! Crispy skin and the meat fell right off the bone. Au Bistro de la Place was not. Soggy skin and the pomme frites were almost McDonald’s like.

    I was also in Bordeaux and Sarlat, and needless to say the confit there were unbelievable. But what else would you expect there right?

    • Lindsey

    Hi There –

    Planning a trip in September, 5 nights in Paris so I definitely would like to try out a few places listed above. I am a little budged conscious, so not sure if I can afford Chez Dumonet. Can anyone give me the price of the confit entree at Caveau du Palais, L’ami Jean, or cafe du marche?

    Thanks,

    -Lindsey

    • Owen

    We stay regularly in Montparnasse and always head for Aux Produits du Sud Ouest, Rue d’Odessa. Excellent value for money for duck confit and sarladaise potatoes. Good foie gras or help yourself to pate. Reliable Gaillac wine. As the name suggests has a small shop with products from the South West. Friendly rugby welcome.

    • Stuckinfrance

    Amazingly, the best confit i know is in a restaurant HIDDEN in a residential area between Place de la republique and the Arts et Metiers station.

    Au fils des saisons is a little restaurant that we locals loved to keep secret, but I think its participated in the best restaurants in paris guidebook so now the secret is out. The confit de canard is slow cooked for 7 hours and is reliably consistent and amazing. You can opt for a mind blowing tranche of foie gras melted on top and you will never forget the experience. Yes, blah blah.. bad for your heart. Do it one time and never again like me and you will always look back and cherish the moment when you raise your hands, look up to the sky and declare “sacré bleu!” Wash it down with an exceptional glass of red and let your friends pick you up off the floor.

    • David

    Stuckinfrance: That is a sweet little restaurant, and it certainly is a bit tricky to find, tucked away on that little street. Never had their confit de canard, but will give it a try the next time I’m there.

    • Cady Sowre

    I was lucky enough to have a good friend (and also a good cook) make a delicious confit de canard cooked in some goose fat from her grandmother’s basement stash. Her whole family was originally from Bordeaux, so I would believe whomever said they had good duck there! But also, I would STRONGLY urge anyone visiting Paris to take a short train ride to Rouen, the capital of Haute-Normandy (northern normandy)- it can easily be explored in a day, has an enchanting notre-dame cathedral, a beautiful historic clock, and supposedly some of the best canard in France. I didn’t get to try it, sadly, so I can’t say from experience, but my teacher seemed to agree with everything in my exposee, so…

    For those interested in visiting small villages around Paris, which I would always recommend from both an economical and cultural standpoint, you simply go to the train station that corresponds to the direction you’re going; if you’re going east, go to the gare de l’est, for north its gare du nord, for south its gare du lyon, for west its gare saint lazare.

    Bon chance!!

    • Vinfan

    In Paris right now and can attest to the quality of Dumonet confit. Went to Fil des Saisond today and it was good but not what David and the rest of us lust after … When you top a maybe once-crispy piece of meat with sauce AND melting foie gras it may taste good (and it did, especially the potatoes) but it’s not what we all seek. Actually, despite the 7 hours of cooking it was also slighty tough.

    • Pat

    When I go to Paris, which is never often enough for me, I head for Fontaine de Mars, 129 rue St Dominique, 7eme. From their Google summary: La Fontaine de Mars, restaurant parisien dans la plus pure tradition. Cuisine soignée et spécialités du Sud-Ouest. Restaurant à Paris 7è.

    This is, somewhat unfortunately for us mere non-head-of-state mortals, the restaurant where Pres+Lady Obama dined when they went for a “private” meal on their trip through Europe. So, too many lookey-loos are trying for the ever-hard to get table; reservations have always been essential, but now even more-so.

    But they do serve quite crispy-tasty confit du canard, as well as excellent cassolet, foie gras, and other southwest French fare. It was my favorite “take the visitors to a good French place for dinner” spot when I lived on rue St Dominique for the year 2000.

    They had been owned by the same family for decades, but I believe changed ownership in 2007. The food continues the old traditions.

    • Santafefran

    Hi David,
    Planning a 9 day trip to Paris late April/early May and have been spending days reading yours and Alec Lobrano’s blogs. Yumm!

    Every time we come to Paris we have to go to L’Oulette in the Bercy area for the absolute best duck confit–crispy golden skin and meat that melts in your mouth plus a very tasty potato gratin. Alas, when I just checked their website it doesn’t look like they are serving it any more. Quel dommage! However, unlike you we have had great experiences at their sister restaurant, Baracane (now Bistrot l’Oulette) and especially love their cassoulet. I see that they are still offering canard confit so we will have to go there. Some other great ideas posted here. Thanks to all!

    • santafefran

    So David, after all the recommendations, which restaurant is your current fave for duck confit?

    • David

    I’d still have to say Chez Dumonet!

    • Julianne Brzezinski

    I lived in Paris 2 years ago and it looks like ill be moving back this summer! I cannot wait!
    my fave confit de canard restaurants, if I remember correctly, were

    Le Grapillon, rue Tiquetonne 2nd (maybe the fact that I crossed the owner-chef at the market everyday made me love it more!)

    and

    Vins des Pyrénées, rue beautreillis, 4th.

    hope these help!

    • David

    Hi Julianne: I’ve been to Vins des Pyrénées and while I want to like it (because of the great decor), I find the food sadly lacking. Last time I ate there, the French fries with my steak frites were so undercooked and soggy that I could’ve tied them into a knot. I haven’t tried their confit, though.

    • Pat Brandt

    Hello David, we have been eating the duck confit for many years at:

    Caveau du Palais,17 Place Dauphine, 01 43 26 04 28, open Mon-Sat noon-2:30 & 7-10:30pm, duck confit always on the menu, on a romantic little square on the Ile de la Cite

    Besides a tasty confit with sauteed potatoes, they offer a generous rabbit rillettes starter. Plus a calm quiet covered terrasse facing the very pretty tree-filled triangular Place Dauphine. Go at night when all is very quiet — you feel as if you are in a small town, even though you are in the center of one of the world’s great capitals. It’s a good place to take visitors because of the pretty square and moderate prices, centrally located so they can easily find it.

    I’d like to know where you think the best steak tartare is.

    • Allan Goldberg

    We took your recommendation on Josephine Chez Dumonet for our 40th anniversary dinner late last December. The duck confit was everything you described and better, as were all the other dishes. And their Grand Marnier souffle deserves a whole article of its own! I don’t think you’ll ever be accused of misleading anyone who tries Dumonet. Keep the great recommendations coming!

    • J. Leacock

    I must second Pat’s recommendation of Le Caveau du Palais. Amazing duck confit, and consistently so. The cripsy, buttery, potatoes alongside are superb. I’ve never had better, but I’m still trying! I’m looking forward to Chez Dumonet next month.

    • David

    I also remember Le Trou Gascon as being the best confit that I’ve ever had. In Budapest, near the Jewish section, is a wonderful restaurant, Fesek Club, with a wonderful courtyard where I had excellent goose, but it wasn’t confit.

    • Cam

    Hi David,
    I’ve only tried duck confit once in Paris on a three day visit. I did what internet research I could and followed the trail to Lescune near the entrance of the tuileries. We thought it was good, but had nothing to compare it against. Wonder if others have an idea.

    • Allison

    David, how do you think is the best way to prepare the duck legs at home, the ones they sell vacuum packed? Pan on stove, casserole in oven… ?? The butcher tried to explain to me but my french wasn’t quite up to speed…

    regards,

    Allison

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Fry them in a good layer of duck fat, until crisp!

    • Maya

    Bistro du Peintre is indeed very good. I also used to like very much the one at “L’etoile manquante” in the 4th, rue Vieille du Temple. It is NOT the same confit as in neighbour “Les Philosophes”

    I say “used to like” because it’s been already a couple of years since I went last … so I don’t know if it has changed

    • Kathie Allen

    I don’t see any raves about Au Fil des Saisons on 6, Rue des Fontaines du Temple, 75003 Paris. The chef cooks an amazing Confit de Canard over a bed if grilled potatoe medallions with garlic and tops it off with a slab of foie gras. The best I have ever had and I cannot wait to go back!!

    • Jim Henshaw

    This past July I had the best Duck Confit in a small, seating for about 12, bistro in the Pigalle area. The restaurant was La Bougnate at 2, Rue Germaine Pilon.

A

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