I feel I need to post about the RS recommended Ma Bourgogne, on Place des Vosges. While in the France guide book there is a qualifier about "your waiter is paid to be efficient, not warm and fuzzy", and on David Lebovitz' site, whose "My Paris" section says "that the service can be brusque and the food isn’t all that outstanding", we stopped in about ten on a Friday night as much for the atmosphere on the patio as for food. I figured there may be qualifiers, but it's still recommended...
The stark tartare was not great. It was fresh, but it simply was not adequately seasoned. I realize seasoning is subjective, however I had just had steak tartare a week before just a couple of blocks away at the (also RS recommended) Cafe des Musees, and it was excellent. For those of you who are wondering, those were the first and second times in my life I've ordered steak tartare, I feel more comfortable in France with their regulations on beef production-and food in general-compared to the U.S.
I had a herring starter that was very good, fresh and very nicely done with tail on. The other letdown came when I ordered the Tarte Tatine, a standard dessert that should have been excellent, but was very soft all the way through, crust included, obviously not made en maison .
My wife had the rumsteak with fries, it was very average.
When we first arrived the waiter outside indicated that he would not seat me since I had shorts on. Our apartment was just around the corner so I jogged back, threw on some jeans and was back in five minutes. He seated us immediately and then reminded us that they do not accept credit cards, which, as soon as he said it I knew I had read that before. We walked over and got some cash.
All that was fine, except that they then seated two parties immediately after us, both made up of american tourists like us, and both including men with shorts on.
In the spirit of the moment, I laughed it off, but considering it all together, and most importantly the mediocre food quality, I have to question Rick and Steve as to why this restaurant should be "RS recommended". At around 110 euro for two, with wine, there are more worthy places to eat, even at ten o'clock, like Cafe des Musees.
Posted by
Carmel, IN
2 posts
I have eaten at Ma Bourgogne twice, not due to an RS recommendation, but just happened to in the Place des Vosges area and properly dressed both times. The food was good, not the best I've ever had but not disappointing in any way. The service was professional, not friendly, as expected in Paris. I'm sure there are many other fine restaurants in the area but Ma Bourgogne was a good experience for us.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, US
1005 posts
If you look at the Paris 2015 edition, Rick took it out of the guidebook.