It is a tribute to the successive owners, managers, maitres d' and Chefs to have maintained this fabulous place open and thriving for a century and a half! I have personally being going since the early 80s and I was keen to revisit after a 20 year hiatus, since moving to Australia. And nothing has changed much...

eI really like the setting, as you are no more than a dozen people per section, although the restaurant can probably take over 200! So it is intimate and classy. On the day of my visit, at lunchtime in the middle of a four day long week-end, I was the only patron for a while and as such, I was served like royalty by waiters and waitresses who have been working there for a long time. The Maitre d' rules over them with a fist of iron in a velvet glove and all run like clock work. And because everybody receives a salary, you will be served by whoever happens to be free when your dish is ready. Obviously, the sommelier will, if you wish, help you choose the best wine out of a 5000 bottle cellar, primarily from the Loire Valley where their main cellar is, near Tours.
The lower Loire Valley is a wine region less known that where Sancerre and Menetou-Salon are king.
So don't be afraid to ask and wander out of your comfort zone and try a Chenin Blanc from Vouvray or a Cabernet Franc from Chinon. You will not regret it, I promise...

Obviously, one comes here for the food! And I would suggest you start with some oysters if in season. I just made it, as oysters are served here only during the months with an "r" in their name, so May was pushing my luck a bit, but the protracted cold weather was on my side! And you have to try the Gillardeau, a specialty of la maison... You will probably be offered some charcuterie waiting for your oysters to be prepared.

The table setting and an amuse-bouche waiting for my oysters

Six oysters of different sizes and provenance, including two Gillardeau, the large ones...

Pain de seigle et beurre d'Isigny, one of the best in the world, besides Echiré and Pepe Saya...

Huitres Gillardeau on the market in Les Sables d'Olonne

I have chosen a half-bottle of Vouvray, a chenin blanc from a region close to Tours where I lived as a teenager, as I had ordered a "tronçon de turbot" for my main course. A half-bottle of Badoit, my favourite and most elegant French sparkling water helped keeping my alcohol intake to a manageable level, although I was not driving...
Turbot comes as a very big fish in Europe and is the darling fish of the Chefs as the yield is very good and the meat very thick, which is conducive to perfect cooking, respecting the texture and moisture of the produce.
This one was no exception and was grilled to perfection. The spinach was just quickly broiled in butter and the sauce hollandaise...thick and aplenty, perfect to soak with the fresh baguette! And all this for 38 euros.

Tronçon de turbot grillé, épinards et sauce hollandaise

You might not have any appetite left for a dessert, but that would be a shame...Fortunately the French have invented "le café gourmand"! It is like a mini dessert degustation menu with a coffee of your choice for 9.50 euros here. Beware though, if you order a "long black" you might trigger a few laughs, so stick to either a "double expresso" if you like it strong, or a "café alongé" if you want something milder. It will certainly not be a "café américain"!

Macaron, baba au rhum, crème brûlée and carpaccio of pineapple with mango sorbet

Great decor, perfect service and amazing food and wine selection from a lesser known region make a lunch or dinner Au Petit Riche a real Parisian experience at great value. My bill came to 83.40 euros, less than a 100USD.
​Definitely approved by Our French Impressions!

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