The Must-See Restaurant Anthony Bourdain Loved Visiting In Paris
Many chefs visit Paris for inspiration, or just plain indulgence, in the city's renowned gastro scene. Anthony Bourdain, who tromped the world in search of remarkable cuisine, spent many an evening and repeated visits to the City of Light, roaming equally through backstreet alleys and glittering boulevards. Known for swinging high to low on the established culinary scale, Bourdain saved his highest praise for one small brasserie in the Montparnasse district of Paris, nestled within the 14th arrondissement spanning the West Bank of the river Seine.
For Bourdain, it was always about the food –– and Le Dôme is a place that apparently delivered every single time. That's saying a lot from a man who called Paris, "one of the greatest, most beautiful, most magical cities in the world," and penned countless reviews and stories about dining within its famous arrondissements, aka neighborhoods. In excerpts from the posthumous book, "World Travel: An Irreverent Guide," compiled from his passionate, raw writings and musings, Bourdain cited Le Dôme as one of the two things "you do" in Paris, period. Calling it "classic with a capital C," he revealed why, in trademark Bourdain style –– unadorned, unpretentious, and honest to a fault.
Digging your way through, the Bourdain way
Bourdain influenced countless food and travel writers after first joining the Food Network and Travel Channel, including his musing on the wonders of dining in Paris. Le Dôme Montparnasse, which specializes in seafood, was a recurring favorite of the legendary chef, writer, and worldwide food explorer. Bourdain no doubt gave kudos to Le Dôme many times over the years, but it was his hearty, to-the-point praise recorded in "World Travel" that immortalized one dish in particular: what he called the royal deluxe version of "the best shellfish tower in Paris."
The current menu at Le Dôme, as of June 2023, gives plenty of ways to conjure the bodacious, indulgent spirit of Tony Bourdain. Five versions of the shellfish tower he glorified crown the "fruits de mer" (seafood) menu section, arriving as platters or "compositions." The Le Haute Mer platter, along with more targeted seafood compositions, features a veritable feast of sea creatures, including various types of shrimp, sea snails, langoustine lobsters, 10 types of oysters, whelks, clams, periwinkle, and what Bourdain called "big f-ing crabs." He warned future diners wandering in his wake that it's a hands-on affair and to "dig in, crack, skewer, and suck your way through this thing."
The food at Le Dôme obviously stands out amongst myriad Paris dining options, but it's far from the only appeal. The time-capsule design, plus intrinsic artistic and literary connections, are equally part of this brasserie's story.
Le Dôme cafe and the Montparnasse district
To understand the pull of a place like Le Dôme, it helps to know the cultural and literary significance of its home turf, Montparnasse. Known as a relatively affordable Parisian neighborhood, thriving with open-air markets and bustling street food, Montparnasse gets plenty of foot traffic from devotees of 20th-century literature and art. It thrived as a bohemian cradle of ingenuity springing from creators such as Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, Simone de Beauvoir, Wassily Kandinsky, Samuel Beckett, and countless others who would spend days and nights in the cafes and bars of Montparnasse — including Le Dôme.
Founded in 1897, the interior ambiance of Le Dôme still reflects artistic influences of major movements such as Cubism, Surrealism, and Art Deco, displayed in frescoes, gold-leaf wallpaper, velvet, malachite prints, onyx lamps, and twinkling light installations. The Tuscan-inspired gardens feature vine motifs, a wisteria-laden arbor, and intricate lighting patterns that required 600 hours of craftsman labor.
In addition to the all-hands-on-deck seafood platters lauded by Bourdain, more genteel offerings at Le Dôme arrive elegantly plated, including Scottish salmon sashimi, monkfish tandoori, John Dorry fillet, roasted blue lobster, and gilt-head sea bream. Dropping another f-bomb in his larger-than-life way, Bourdain mentioned really expensive bottles of wine –– but fear not, some wines by the glass run from 11 to 25 Euros on the dinner menu.