photo courtesy of express.fr

While there’s nothing secret about Jadis anymore, its location—buried deep within the 15^th near Metro Convention—shelters it from the tourist crowds that will inevitably descend on Paris this spring and summer. Hailed as the  “Best Bistro of 2008” by Le Fooding and “Bistro of the Fall” by Le Figaro, Jadis has emerged as a well-loved star amidst a sea of up-and-coming (and already established) neo-bistros.

Despite his 29 years, chef Guillaume Delage confidently blends traditional French cuisine with the emerging food trends of today. Trained at high-powered restaurants such as Michel Bras, Le Pré Catelan, and Gaya par Pierre Gagnaire, Delage runs a serious kitchen, where he works with seasonal ingredients to create a range of dishes that are both familiar and distinctive.

When I visited, we began the meal with oeuf Florentine, perfectly poached in a balsamic reduction and accompanied by delicate pissenlits (dandelion shoots). We then moved onto a lamb shoulder (prepared for two) accompanied by white beans and tomato confit, presented in an old-school copper pan. And why stop there? We rounded out the meal with an assortment of cheeses and a cloud-like chocolate soufflé. From start to finish, the meal was perfectly balanced and—considering the ingredients and perfect preparation—very reasonably priced.

I’m not sure that I had ever actually set foot in the 15^th before going to Jadis, but this was one food “pilgrimage” that was well worth it.

Jadis 208, rue de la Croix-Nivert (15th)
Tél: 01 45 57 73 20