Where can I find the best steak tartare in Paris?
Someone recently asked, “Where can I get the best steak tartare in Paris?”
I responded with 4 spots. Boom, done. But then I thought: ‘What if others, too, want to know where they can eat tender minced raw beef combined with the perfect balance of salty & tangy ingredients?’ So let’s dive in.
First of all, it must be said, in all caps: STEAK TARTARE IS RAW GROUND STEAK.
Some people don’t know this. I recently saw a review where the person gave 1 star and complained that the steak tartare almost seemed raw, like raw tuna. …Mhm.
I, too, was once in the club of Unknowing.
A quick steak tartare story
Straight out of college, I was on the ubiquitous one-month backpacking trip through Europe, thinking this was my one chance to see Europe before I chained myself to a dark stuffy cubicle for life. We casually fit in 4 countries in less than a month, changing cities every 2 days.
It was the first day of our trip. We landed, checked in to the 2-star hotel (la classe!), and it was time for our first lunch in Paris. I was the only (mediocre) French speaker, and so I had to translate the all-in-French menu at this classic bistro for my two equally young travel buddies. “This one is fish, that’s chicken…this is some kind of steak with tartare sauce…”
My friend ordered the “steak with tartare sauce”. It showed up, a giant mound of raw ground beef with a raw egg on top. The sort of thing that we young, not-yet-food knowledgable Americans, couldn’t believe would even exist. (My mom used to cook all meat well done due to safety reasons. And I do mean, well, well, well. Done.)
My friend: “It looks like raw ground beef.”
Me: “It’s NOT raw ground beef. (Eye roll) They wouldn’t serve that. That’s not safe. Here, I’ll try it.”
(Takes a forkful, chews.)
“Yah, that tastes like raw ground beef.”
She stirred the plate around to make it look like she did more than stare in horror, and I thus failed my first translator test. And some carry on into adulthood not knowing such a thing exists.
Voilà.
