A bouillon is a type of restaurant usually serving traditional French cuisine, especially the bouillon that gives these establishments their name.The concept is to serve good quality food quickly and at affordable prices.
The first bouillons appeared in 1855 in Paris thanks to a clever butcher, Pierre Louis Duval. He offered a single meat dish and a broth to the workers at Les Halles. By 1900, there were nearly two hundred and fifty bouillons in Paris. They became the first popular restaurant chain. Some other "higher class" bouillons offered a reading room or entertainment.
At the end of the 19th century, the Art Nouveau style spread throughout Europe, in architecture, furniture and decoration. The various international fairs in Paris in 1878, 1889 and 1900 spread its influence in the French capital, particularly in restaurants, brasseries and bouillons.
Bouillon République has an excellent location, which is located in the 3rd block——one of the busting blocks in Paris. You could arrive at the restaurant entrance after walking 3 minutes from the station Republique(line 3 and line 9). It is also convenient to shop in “Le MARAIS” when you finish your dinner.
Another attractive reason is the low price of Bouillon Republique. We could choose lots of different dishes with cheap prices, most of them between under 10 euros,which means we could order more dishes. Besides, Bouillon Republique offers a menu available in different languages.
The warm and cordial service impresses me a lot. When you come to the door, friendly waiters will take care of everything for you. They always have big smiles and quick responses. The wait for the dishes is short.
If you want to find a place to enjoy or date, Bouillon Republique is a nice choice. Because of its exquisite decoration（huge thick carpet，wooden furniture，yellow lights..), every second in the restaurant is really relaxing，sometimes you may feel like you’re in the last century—— “La Belle Epoque”
For starters, we ordered “Six Fine de Claire no.4 oysters” and “Egg mayonnaise with summer truffle”.
As a starter, Oysters in Bouillon are very cheap and fresh. Six no.4 oysters just need 8.7 euros, served with lemon and sauce for a delicate taste. Egg mayonnaise with summer truffle is amazing, very refreshing, and not at all greasy to eat. Even with such expensive ingredients as truffles, this dish is only 4.2 euros!
We highly recommend these two as appetisers, the refreshing taste boosts the appetite nicely, the prices are very friendly too!
For the Main Course, we have chosen “Steak and chips with oregano butter” and “Cod & artichoke gratin”.
Just 11.80 euros, you could enjoy a great portion of steak, which is really tender. Don’t miss this dish if you’re especially hungry.
Cod & artichoke gratin is a classic french dish, the soft texture of the mashed cod and potatoes is enchanting. For artichoke, this is a source of vitamins and is rich in fibre. These nutrients promote intestinal transit, as well as contributing to the balance of the nervous system and the synthesis of tissues. Of course, it's also very satisfyingly priced, and for just 10.6 euros you can enjoy this delicious French dish that is a household name!
Finally, we chose fresh milk ice cream as the dessert for this culinary treat. The texture of the ice cream is very fine and just the right amount of sweetness to make you feel satisfied and happy with just one bite, which will definitely make ice cream lovers rave.
You could choose different extras: Chantilly cream, chocolate, caramel, hazelnut sprinkles. It is worth mentioning that the cream is not greasy and too sweet. Each of them only needs 3.5 euros, add an extra 0.5 euros.
In 1900, there were as many as 250 restaurants in Paris, like Bouillon Republique. Today, there are only a few left in Paris, and Bouillon Republique is one of them. Respect for historical traditions, good food, very low prices… This is what we can experience in Bouillon Republique. If you happen to be in Paris, don't miss this traditional French restaurant!
Author and photos: Song WANG & Linman LI
Adress：39 Bd du Temple, 75003 Paris
Opening time: Every day 12:00- 00:00
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel：+33 (0)7 81 51 83 10