Ordering at the Bel Ordinaire means inviting yourself to the table of Sébastien Demorand, journalist, food critic, madman of life, who died in early 2020, jury in the scarf of the show “MasterChef” and co-founder, with Cyrille Rossetto, of this participatory and playful place. It is to hear the smack of wet kisses, the resound of laughter fattened with good natural wine. It is to revive the world before, that without social distancing, a concept that would have greatly displeased Demorand, for sure.
At the right temperature, the lemon fondant recalls regressive snacks and, with a little wine, the tangy reflections of “Séb”.
Moreover, on the screen, when it comes to choosing the menus, it’s also a bit old-fashioned, damn, not very practical. But the most determined can get there. Armed with a good dose of patience, they will not take offense at the delivery man’s hour of delay. On the phone, Cyrille Rossetto answers himself: “Yes, yes, I’m coming. I’ll bring you your dinner, but not right away. “ The nonchalance of the tone contrasts sharply with the mutic efficiency of the usual delivery men, whether they are on bicycles or scooters.
Bellies gurgling at high volume. A bottle of wine is uncorked. The spirit of Demorand makes the aperitif last. Why not reconnect with what we have been deprived of since the start of the pandemic? Basically, the wait between ordering and the arrival of dishes in a restaurant version 2019 is the best pretext to have fun before having a meal. You just need to be in good company. The intercom rings. Cyrille is at the bottom of the building, his eyes smiling. We don’t know each other, but he asks how it’s going, worries about the morale of the troops as if the sidewalk were his restaurant, and the cool wind a draft calculated to invigorate the atmosphere of the room.
As the dishes warm up gently in the oven, dinner is on. The disappointment points, just like the too pronounced acidity of the entries. The hazelnut and lemon marinade cooked the multi-colored radish carpaccio the time, stretched, of the delivery. The aperitif lasted a bit too long. The roasted squash is fire-marked. Accompanied by its unconditional hummus, pomegranate and feta, it is the embodiment of the house dish. The satisfaction is increased tenfold by the idea that there was no effort to make to access this little pleasure.
Meanwhile, the lemon fondant is in the oven. At the right temperature, it recalls regressive snacks and, with a little wine, the tangy reflections of “Séb”. A little more and it would almost draw tears of nostalgia but also of joy. He is happy to see that a philosophy of life (that of the bon vivant!) Can cross eras, crises, impatience and Paris in small cardboard trays.
The address Le Bel Ordinaire 2.5, rue de Bazeilles, Paris 5e. Lebelordinaire.com Open Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. (Le Bel Ordinaire 1, located at 54, rue de Paradis, Paris 10e, is closed until the official reopening of the restaurants).
The service Cyrille Rossetto arrives in his car, all smiles, full of kindness.
The essential Roasted squash, feta, hummus.
The bill 25 € per person.
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