Cane stall, apple green wall and gold shelves, rich coffee scent and warm bread wrapped in check napkin, Jacques Tati vintage poster — the French bistro style La Marmite has the Rive Gauche vibe. With a cooking pot as its logo, its menu is also as friendly. Traditional French dishes with reasonable price tags, headed by Michelin chef no less. La Marmite is a must visit.

Many young chefs have ‘graduated’ from Michelin restaurants and set up their own restaurants in Paris recently. Most of them attract customers with their friendly atmosphere and pricing, counting La Marmite as one. Its ‘Menu Crises’ fulfils a gap between fine dining and fast food. Its head chef Renaud Marin was born in a village in Antibes, southern France. He started cooking at the age of fifteen, previously worked at Michelin restaurant inside La Bastide St Antoine hotel and Le Bristol in Paris. Philippe Orrico worked under Pierre Gagnaire, founder of Pierre at Mandarin Oriental Hotel. La Marmite offers a traditional flavour, its ‘Paris-Brest’ is a classic sweet snack first made by Louis Durand in 1910. Created for the Paris bike race, it is shaped like a wheel. One hundred years on, it is now a delicious classic.

Text & Edit: Carmen Lee | Translation: dilettante
Photo: Kimio Ng
Update: 21 Apr 2011

Potted Smoke Salmon and Capers Rillette, Sour Dough Toast and Salad HKD$98
Foiegras Crème Brule, Sour Dough Toast and Salad HKD$148
Whiting Fish, Caper Butter et Crush New Potato HKD$198
Traditional ‘Paris-Brest’ HKD$78

LA MARMITE
46 Staunton Street SoHo, Central, Hong Kong.
+852 2803 7808