L'Atelier Renault Café (Paris, FRANCE) ★★★☆☆

My three year old fell in love with Renault's showroom on Avenue des Champs Elysées when we brought him to Paris last Christmas. Now that he's become a small race car fan, we decided to bring him back here again. I thought not only can he see some of his favorite race cars, we can also have our dinner sorted out at their mezzanine-floor café all in one go.




That was my little one learning about race cars for the first time 12 months ago. See how excited he was!



He got another crack at it this year and obviously loving it.



Situated on the mezzanine floor of the showroom, L'Atelier Renault Café is a casual restaurant serving what they called a "typical French menu with a touch of modernity". The menu changes periodically but I thought we lucked out when we saw dishes like duck foie gras, pan-seared scallops, beef tartare, fish and chips, and roasted chicken supreme on their seasonal menu. For €29, we got to choose a starter and main (or main and dessert). Not bad.





While we waited for our food to arrive, it was time to explore the restaurant which was more like an automobile museum in a hindsight.



And what would an automobile themed restaurant be without exhibits like these, right?



But what I like the most about this place is its amazing view of arguably one of the world's most beautiful avenues. Too bad it got so dark so early in winter time.



Pumpkin and chestnut soup - Silky smooth and very nice double sweetness coming from the pumpkin and chestnut. Texture-wise, it's more like a porridge (or purée) than a soup. Trust me, it was a very good one.



Pan-seared scallops - If you enjoy having pan-seared scallops as much as I do, then Paris certainly won't disappoint you as it's a very popular dish around here. This one came with three large pieces of perfectly seared scallops, served on a leeks fondue with puffed rice vermicelli. I've had a lot of seared scallops with sweet corn and artichoke lately so this was a breathe of fresh air. Very nice.



Penne - Decent pasta dish with creamed mushroom, summer truffles and parmesan. Can't complain about the timeless combination of pasta, mushroom, truffles and parmesan.



Cod fish - Very smooth and tender-firm texture, which was nicely complemented with saffron, beurre blanc sauce, yellow carrots and inkfish tuile on a bed of creamy risotto. Nicely done.



53's Fish and Chips - The deep-fried fish fillet was a little under-seasoned but that's alright considering that our palates were a bit numb following our long flight anyways. The presentation; however, requires some major improvement as they looked more like two pieces of spring rolls (and why the vastly different size?). 



For a brand that is better known for its car making, I certainly didn't expect this kind of quality from its restaurant. It was definitely a pleasant surprise to kick off our stay in Paris.


Food Rating: 5/10
Price: €€€
Address: 53 avenue des Champs Elysées, 75008 Paris, France
Closest Metro Station: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Tel: +33 (0)1 7684-1414
Website: www.atelier.renault.com/en/