Pershing Hall

On a side street off Rue Georges V is Pershing Hall, an ultra-trendy indoor restaurant with an outdoor feel. Low tables and loveseats line the walls of what feels like a courtyard, open shutters on higher floors further adding to the illusion. One entire wall is lined with plants from ground level up to the darkly lit roof, illuminated by spotlights in bright red, green, and blue. The super chic waitresses glide around the room, and the entryway was like watching a runway show as couple after couple strutted in.

As much as the experience was about the environment and the glamorous Parisians surrounding us, the meal was unforgettable. I started with a dish that makes my mouth water every time I describe it: smooth pumpkin soup garnished with a swizzle of truffle oil and a thinly sliced roasted garlic clove. But the pièce de résistance on the slate serving platter that brought out the soup, was a tasting cup filled with bacon-flavored whipped cream with chives…amazing when stirred into the soup!

I ordered the pot au feu as my main course, a delectable mix of skinless chicken, al dente vegetables, and fois gras. Finishing off the distraction-filled meal was a dessert of rhubarb crumble with actual lengths of rhubarb, très intéressante.