Taking root in a small town in southwest France called Gascony, duck confit (or confit de canard in French) is a classic French cuisine using a whole or a leg quarter of duck infused with fat and flavor to retain its diligent juiciness.
Duck confit is widely served in Paris and Au Vieux Colombier is one of the best restaurants in town serving exceptionally good quality duck confit other than Le Bouillon Chartier, another stellar restaurant in town.
Au Vieux Colombier is a small bistro just a short walk from the Seine River and other iconic attractions such as Musee du Louvre, Théâtre du Vieux Colombier, Église Saint-Sulpice, and major shopping possibilities including the nearby Citypharma.
In this article, I’ll be sharing my favorite dishes at Au Vieux Colombier and my delightful dining experience there.
The Dining Space
Au Vieux Colombier appears to be a little, cheerful bistro house wrapped around by floor-to-ceiling windows and green iron frames.
Just like any other restaurant in Europe, there is no air con at all despite how hot it is out there. You can choose to kick back on the patio, something many Parisians love to do when they smoke and watch people.
Even if you decide to dine indoors, it’s not crazy hot either as the doors are always open to bringing in the sunlight and breeze to ventilate the entire space.
The indoor area is ample enough to give you a pleasant meal even when it gets crowded. The straight-up white ceiling is gorgeously adorned with exquisite embossment. To lighten up the space, they spruce it up with glossy chandeliers coated with a shiny golden finish, adding a touch of luxury to the dining space.
Au Vieux Colombier Duck Confit At A Glance
Au Vieux Colombier offers both English and French-written menus. Other than the signature duck confit, they also have a multitude of classic French dishes centered around local staples such as snails, steaks, pasta, cheese, and salad.
Price-wise, Au Vieux Colombier is not insanely hefty even though it’s usually frequented by tourists. The price range revolves around 3 euros for a small serving of breakfast all the way to 20 euros for main courses. Fine wines cost a little bit more with 4 sizes to choose from.
If you come over during Happy Hours between 6 pm and 8:30 Monday to Saturday, you can benefit from a steep discount on beers and cocktails too.
The house’s signature dish, duck confit, comes with a small serving of vegetable puree and it was splendid. I love how the duck leg marries the sexy, slurpy homemade gravy and turns it into a mouthwatering dish. The tender meat (if not overcooked – which is sometimes called out by other diners) is roasted to perfection.
If you don’t like the gravy but rather have lots of fiber to accompany the protein intake, they can take away the gravy and swab it with roasted potato chips and vegetables.
Conclusion
Au Vieux Colombier is scrambled with people during lunch and dinner time so make sure you come early. Despite the mixed reviews, I do think Au Vieux Colombier is definitely worth every penny, especially the welcoming hospitality and the lovely location. You can easily stop by for a quick meal on your way traversing the bustling shopping district of Rue de Rennes.