Roseval: New Wave Gourmet In Paris’ Belleville Neighborhood

On a windy night this past fall, I brought my godfather to his first proper Paris dinner. Naturally, I went with a restaurant I was dying to try: Roseval. Tucked away in the 20th, north of Pere Lachaise and just off the Rue de Menilmontant, the location was sort of perfect. I’ve come to know this off-the-tourist-path neighborhood a bit better over the past few years and love the foodie ventures it draws.

The exterior of Roseval is unassuming — a beautiful and perfectly aged stone façade. The interior, a rustic-meets-industrial space with just a handful of wooden tables.

Upon being seated, two menus were quickly dropped off for our review. Listing several ingredients for each course, we were given a brief glimpse into what we’d be eating that evening but no sense of the form, as is becoming increasingly common with this style of new wave, low key gastronomic bistro. I love this element of surprise though it may not be best for a pickier eater (also in part because there are no options; you get what they give you). Our ingredient list included:

Lotte/Radis/Cerfeuil
Champignons/Betterave/Feta
Veau de Lait/Chou/Epautre
Fromages Affines
Poire/Celeri Rave/Cardamone

Since we weren’t clear on what exactly we’d be eating, we asked for a wine recommendation from Sommelier Erika Biswell, and ended up with a bottle of Le Vin des Amis, a tasty blend from the Languedoc that we found to be totally pleasant.

Our first course was as I’d imagined: thin slices of monkfish filet with cubes of radish, chervil leaves, a bit of oil. It was quite simple, but a wonderful opening despite some small pieces of the fish being overly chewy.

The second course was a bit more surprising. I read beet and feta and my mind immediately envisioned something cold, but we were served a delicate mushroom broth swimming with large pieces of various mushrooms, golden beets, and feta. I am an absolute sucker for a simple brothy soup, so this was a hit in my book.

The third course brought a similar construction, but an entirely different flavor profile (thankfully). We received a wonderfully tender veau de lait stew of sorts (the liquid was more of a broth), which was served with spelt and cabbage. It was a simple, succulent bowl of perfection. Another hit.

The cheese plate was just average for me. The choices themselves were quite good, but there were two goat cheeses. I love me some chèvre, but one on a plate of three is sufficient.

The meal concluded with a dessert that was on par with the first three courses. A wonderful balance of sweet and savory with layers of crisp pear and celeriac, a little bite from the cardamom, and a quenelle of citrusy sorbet.

Overall, the meal at Roseval was an absolute treat. The fixed menu above was a reasonable 45 € and the elevated, yet relaxed fare and atmosphere were worth every centime.

Roseval
1 Rue d’Eupatoria, 75020 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)9 53 56 24 14
Métro: Ménilmontant

Related links:

• Stunning captures of the restaurant Roseval by Behind the Food
• Interested in finding more suggestions for dining out while in Paris? Check out our previous posts in this category

Written by Erin Dahl for the HiP Paris Blog. All photos by Didier Gauducheau. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.