Olivia Thiessen
The restaurant at La Bellevilloise looked to be a rather promising meal….., the menu seemed to come
from a similar source of inspiration as La Maroquinerie which was very good. I had come across
several positive reviews and knew that it was nestled within an arts and cultural centre in Belleville.
All positives in my book for a good meal off the beaten track in Paris, however, I found that it was
somewhat lacklustre and left a little disappointed. Firstly, I do have to say the ambience was wonderful, the indoor trees added the feeling of a connection to nature that you don’t always have in Paris.
Plus, towards the end of our meal, a concert started (of which we were totally unaware) which was delightful. A duo of a violinist and guitar with soft vocals was a complete and welcome surprise. Combined with the trees, it was a rather ethereal ambience.
For the starter I opted for the octopus salad (€9), and a glass of house white wine (€4.50), but beer
lovers should know that they have a happy hour from 6pm-8pm where a “pint” is €5.50. For the main course, I opted for the prawn risotto (€21) and my friend the cheese ravioli (€14).
The octopus salad was fairly good, in fact we both agreed it was the highlight of the meal, it was
served with fruity mango and a hint of citrus. The light flavours complimented each other
wonderfully. It tasted very fresh and was a perfect start to the meal.
My main, the prawn risotto, was somewhat lacking. It was quite bland on the whole, though the
prawns themselves were very tasty. There just was not enough flavour to the main body of the
risotto which left me quite disappointed.
On the other hand, the cheese ravioli, though the simplest dish on the menu was actually delicious, proof that sometimes the simplest of meals are worth choosing. It was exactly what we assumed it would be, a dish of ravioli with parmesan, quite creamy, no surprises or anything but equally enjoyable.
I did not dislike La Bellevilloise, but I would perhaps refrain from having a full meal there again and stick to drinks and a nibble. The music and the octopus salad were the highlights, I could have left the rest.
Address: 19-21 Rue Boyer, 75020 Paris
Metro: M3 Gambetta
Telephone: 01 46 36 07 07
Open: Closed Monday and Tuesday
Wednesday to Sunday, 19:00 to 00:00