Café Compagnon

The food at Café Compagnon reflects Geoffrey Lengagne's impressive background—he served as sous-chef at Per Se, Thomas Keller's three-Michelin-starred restaurant in New York—translated into an accessible, all-day bistro format. Lengagne's cooking demonstrates the precision and technique you'd expect from his fine-dining pedigree, but it's applied to dishes designed for sharing and casual enjoyment rather than formal presentation.

The menu places vegetables at its center without becoming exclusively vegetarian. Lengagne treats produce with the same care and creativity that many chefs reserve for proteins, resulting in dishes like green curry-roasted squash that can hold their own as main courses. Roasted asparagus appears as a signature preparation, showcasing the chef's ability to elevate simple ingredients through careful technique and bold flavoring. This vegetable-forward approach reflects contemporary dining preferences while maintaining broad appeal.

Asian influences run throughout the menu, adding depth and complexity to the bistro framework. The miso-marinated mackerel exemplifies this approach—a classic French fish preparation enhanced with Japanese fermented flavors. These cross-cultural touches feel natural rather than forced, suggesting a chef who's internalized diverse culinary traditions rather than simply borrowing techniques. The Saint-Jacques tartare demonstrates Lengagne's ability to handle delicate seafood with precision, while the chocolate soufflé—a French classic—shows his command of traditional techniques.

The menu is structured to accommodate different dining occasions throughout the day. Breakfast brings Stohrer pastries (from one of Paris's oldest and most respected pâtisseries), house-made granola, and freshly pressed juices alongside the house-roasted organic coffee. Small plates ranging from €4.50 to €14 allow for grazing and sharing during lunch or aperitivo hour. Full meals, priced between €45-57, offer more substantial dining experiences in the evening. The homemade Italian gelato, available throughout the day, has become a signature offering—a refreshing counterpoint to the savory menu and a draw in its own right.

The cooking style can be described as comfort food elevated through technique and quality ingredients. Dishes are meant to be enjoyed and shared rather than studied, but they reveal careful attention to detail in their execution. Lengagne's fine-dining background shows in the precision of his cooking and the thoughtfulness of his flavor combinations, but the overall approach remains welcoming and unpretentious. The result is food that satisfies both casual diners looking for a good meal and more discerning guests who appreciate technical skill and creative thinking.