HiP Paris Blog rounds up where to eat the best souffle in Paris, like these lightly-dusted pots of souffle.Carly Jayne

Editor’s note: By the time we get to February springtime feels so close yet so far away! These grey days of winter seem longer than ever and we all need a remedy for another rainy day. Enter the Soufflé. This French classic is the culinary equivalent of a ray of sunshine- bright golden and warming all over. Whether you prefer sweet or savory, simple or elaborate, we’re sure you’ll find a soufflé a votre goût at our favorite Paris soufflé specialists.

There is no dish quite so comforting, so sophisticated or so damn difficult to prepare as the soufflé. Ranging from sweet to savory, traditional to contemporary, this classic French dish can be presented as an appetizer, a main dish, and even moonlights on some menus as a dessert. The soufflé is not only versatile, it is also elegant, mysterious and puzzling. What is it? And more importantly, how do you get it to rise and stay that way?

Where to find the best souffle in Paris, including creamy chocolate souffle? donireewalker

In her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child describes the soufflé as a sauce containing a flavoring or purée into which stiffly beaten egg whites are incorporated. It is turned into a mold and baked in the oven until it puffs up and the top browns.Her book of recipes contains no less that 13 savory soufflés and 10 sweet, running from the beloved cheese soufflé to elaborate fish soufflés to the classic chocolate soufflé. Her secret? The glory and lightness of French soufflés are largely a matter of how voluminously stiff the egg whites have been beaten and how nicely they have been incorporated into the soufflé base.Beating the egg whites can prove to be quite a workout, but the reward is a deliciously puffed and airy dish thats a sure crowdpleaser.

Visiting Paris and hoping to taste one of these very delicious French specialties? Here are three restaurants for you ranging from contemporary riffs to traditional favorites.

Go to Le Souffle restaurant in Paris for the best fruit (left) or cheese (right) souffles.Le Soufflé / Pierre-Alain Dorange

Le Soufflé

Coincidence would have it that a restaurant entirely dedicated to soufflés opened its doors the year Julia Child published her cookbook in 1961. Le Soufflé is a teeny tiny restaurant that seems to be stuck in time, just around the corner from Place Vendôme in the heart of Paris. With a baby blue facade and hanging sign with a soufflé painted on it, the establishment is warm, welcoming and delightfully retro. The interior may feel dated but the food is delicious and soufflés are featured from start to finish. A classic cheese soufflé costs 14 euro and a rich, creamy soufflé Henri IV sauce volaille aux champignons (cheese soufflé with chicken and mushroom sauce) is satisfying at 17 euros. For the more adventurous they offer a pikefish soufflé with crayfish sauce (17 euros) and a soufflé with foie gras and fig jam (19 euros). An impressive selection of sweet soufflés rounds out the menu with a special favorite being the soufflé Grand Marnier (12 euros).

A table at Le Souffle restaurant with cheese and chocolate souffles, one of the best places to eat souffle in Paris. Le Soufflé

Le Récamier

Nestled on a discreet little rue near Le Bon Marché department store and Saint-Sulpice on ParisLeft Bank is the intimate restaurant Le Récamier. A dozen years ago, chef Gérard Idoux made it his mission to revive the French soufflé and today the address has become  a favorite for well-to-do French families and visiting diplomats; former French president Jacques Chirac and the Obama family are also patrons. Discreetly hidden behind the the lush greenery enfolding the terrace, high-profile diners enjoy a menu of more than fourteen savory and sweet soufflés and selections that change with the seasons. The range is impressive and prices slightly elevated to match the excellent quality of the cheese soufflé (19.50 euros), marinated lemony chicken soufflé (25.50 euros) or button mushroom soufflé (24.50 euros). There are ample vegetarian and gluten-free options including a green pea and carrot soufflé (22.50 euros). To finish, Idoux serves up an original array of sweet soufflés ranging from toffee to gingerbread to roasted pineapple to a real killer chocolate soufflé made with Saint-Domingue dark chocolate, chocolate fondant and dark chocolate chips.

Alain Ducasse's Champeaux restaurant in Chatelet is one of the best places to eat souffle in Paris (right) and has contemporary diner-style interiors (left).Champeaux – Pierre Monetta

Champeaux

Craving something a little more modern? Step inside the wide industrial stretch of a restaurant at Alain Ducasses Champeaux, cradled under the arching green canopy of the recently renovated Forum des Halles shopping center. The neo-brasserie boasts revamped leather banquettes and a nifty display board that flips through rotating menu items as if they were departing trains in a 50s era train station. Two savory soufflés and two sweet soufflés round out a menu composed of revisited French classics from eggs mimosa to veal blanquette. Soufflé-seekers can stick to the classic cheese soufflé (10 euros) and chocolate soufflé (12 euros), or bite into something a little more original like the velvety and luxurious lobster soufflé or the rum and raisin soufflé (12 euros).

Champeaux restaurant is the place to go to eat souffle in Paris and it comes with sleek updated diner-style interiors with a green wall and fluted leather banquettes. Champeaux – Pierre Monetta

Le Soufflé – 36 rue Mont Thabor , 75001. 01 42 60 27 19. Open Monday – Saturday 12p-4pm and 7pm-10pm. Metro: Concorde (ligne 1, 8 & 12).

Le Récamier – 4 rue Récamier, 75007. 01 45 48 86 58. Open every day 12-11pm. Metro: Saint-Sulpice (lige 4), Sèvres-Babylone (ligne 10 & 12).

Champeaux – The Canopy, Forum des Halles, Porte Rambuteau, 75001. 01 53 45 84 50. Open Sunday – Wednesday 12pm-12am, Thursday – Saturday 12pm-1am. Metro: Les Halles (ligne 4).

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Written by Emma Brode for HiP Paris. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, Tuscany, Umbria or Liguria? Check out Haven In.

WRITTEN BY

Emma Brode

Emma’s love for France began at the age of three when her aunt bought her an adorable gilet and skirt from Paris. Since then she’s jumped at every chance to explore Europe. She spends her weekdays studying (and tasting!) food and wine in Paris and travels on the weekends with her German husband. Check out @emmarosebrode on Instagram for her favorite restaurants in Paris and beyond.

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