Le Petit Sommelier de Paris

49 Avenue du Maine

75014 Paris, France

Tel. + 33 (0) 1 43 20 95 66

Phone: 01 43 20 95 66

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | APRIL 11, 2025

The Food:

Salmon Gravlax

Frogs Legs in Persillade

Côte de Boeuf ‘Irish Angus’ for Two

The Wine:

2010 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru - 95

Proprietor Pierre Vila Palleja offers classic bistro fare along with one of the most interesting lists in Paris at Le Petit Sommelier de Paris. The ambiance is busy and quite informal. On this night, the tightly spaced tables are packed with families and locals enjoying beef bourguignon and other staples of the French kitchen. 

Salmon Gravlax.

Le Petit Sommelier de Paris specializes in French comfort food favorites. Escargots, foie gras, steak tartare, ris de veau and many other are all options. A section of the menu is dedicated to special cuts of beef, including two versions of Côte de Boeuf for two. Salmon Gravlax is a fine starter, perhaps not the most adventurous dish, but a nice balance to this decidedly rich menu. Frogs Legs in a classic garlic/parsley Persillade is more typical bistro food. The Côte de Boeuf, served for two, could probably feed at least three people. Seared on the outside and rare on the inside, the steak is cooked and seasoned perfectly for my taste. Some may prefer their meat a little more done. Unfortunately, by the time dessert comes around, we are too full for sweets.

Frogs Legs in Persillade.

Don’t let the outside look of the restaurant or the room fool you. Wine is taken very seriously. Palleja, who also writes for La Revue du Vin de France, oversees a vast cellar, only part of which is available at any given time. The list is a bit chaotic in its organization, so readers will have to spend a bit of time poring through its pages. I can’t say there are too many values, but that’s not too different from most places these days.

Côte de Boeuf ‘Irish Angus’ for two.

Rousseau’s 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru is a splurge. Then again, it’s not the sort of wine one finds on a list every day. Aromatic and wonderfully inviting, the 2010 is super-expressive right out of the gate. This bottle is a bit more delicate than I recall, but I also have not tasted the 2010 in a few years. Spice and floral notes abound in a silky, open-knit Burgundy that is an absolute pleasure to drink. With the steak, it is terrific.

Readers visiting Paris will want to check out Le Petit Sommelier de Paris. Its location near the Montparnasse train station is quite convenient. The food is very good, and the wine list is excellent. Service is also extremely attentive, even on this busy night. If I had it to do over again, I would probably choose some of the simpler dishes, like the beef bourguignon or steak tartare, and less fancy wines, all of which feel more in line with the spirit of the place. Le Petit Sommelier de Paris is a small restaurant. Reservations are essential.