France - Eating Rabbit in Paris?

When we visited Paris last year we were disappointed to find that rabbit hardly ever appeared on menus. We found one place that served it, a little place just north-west of Place de la Bastille, but otherwise it was nowhere to be found.

Personally I can't stand the stuff, but my partner has a hankering and I would score some brownie points if I managed to come up with somewhere, as we are returning to the City of Light in a little over a month from now. I'm not looking for terrine, or anything tricked up, just run of the mill bunny maybe in a nice sauce.

I'd be grateful if anyone could point me in the right direction. Google has given me a tiny number of places, but I'd prefer first-hand knowledge from the FT experts. Many thanks in advance...

I think that L'Epicerie (30, Rue Montorgueil , 75001 Paris) has it. I am not 100% sure but I think I recall seeing it on the menu.

I think that L'Epicerie (30, Rue Montorgueil , 75001 Paris) has it. I am not 100% sure but I think I recall seeing it on the menu.

thanks, that was quick!
We're staying not too far from there, so we'll go and have a look.
Thanks so much for the response.

My gosh have you not heard of Monsieur Lapin? Only the best rabbit restaurant in the world! Near Montparnasse

My gosh have you not heard of Monsieur Lapin? Only the best rabbit restaurant in the world! Near Montparnasse

zut alors! No, never heard of it, like I said I can't stand the stuff, but by the name it just might serve rabbit :D
Many thanks for the tip.

during game season, a number of restaurants will serve lievre al la royale. the lievre is a large hare(2-5kg). the prep takes hours. the hare is served under foie gras and with a blood sauce. this is not rabbit, which tastes of chicken. lievre is a very dark, rich heavy meat.

http://www.qliweb.com/food/Alain_Ducasse_Lievre_a_Royale

although i have never had this dish at ducasse, i have had at least 10 different versions. it has always been stunning.

Next time travel during the cold months when game is featured on menus all over town. Monsieur Lapin (http://www.monsieur-lapin.fr/menu01-restaurant-monsieur-lapin.html)'s menu looks good though they don't have my personal favorite, lapin a la moutarde. Otherwise, possibly your best bet would be a large traditional bistrot.

Spent 6 weeks in western and southern France early this year and noticed that lapin was largely missing from the menu. Only place (http://www.cafedespoulivets.com/) we noticed and had it was in Provence though my wife is still regretting not having the truffle omelette.

At my local farmers market you can always buy roasted lapin ready to go. Or fresh at the butcher and you can roast it yourself.

I haven't been there in a few years, but Astier always had rabbit as a menu staple. They're in the 9th, on rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud. Great cheese plate as well.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm very grateful. We have a month in Paris so we'll be able to check all the places mentioned, and of course I'd be grateful for any more ideas. And since we are in an apartment with a kitchen we might even take on the suggestion of cooking our own (I've disliked rabbit in the past, but I'm willing to give it one more go). Lapin à la moutarde is exactly the sort of thing that I had in mind, I hope we can find it.

I had wondered if perhaps it was a seasonal dish, so thanks to fornebufox and slawecki for confirming my suspicions.

Sadly it appears that M. Lapin has closed. The most recent review on Tripadvisor for the place was in July last year and it said that it was closing - a google search for "monsieur lapin fermeture" appears to confirm that it is no more. If I'd thought to ask before our last trip in May 2011 we would have gone there; that will teach me to hesitate.

Last yr, we were also in an apt in Paris after 2 weeks in Touraine and we were able to buy "plats cuisinés" from the traiteur Maison Pou (http://maisonpou.com/boutique.php) . We were lucky to get "lapin à la moutarde" one afternoon ( seems that they don't have it very often)

Sadly it appears that M. Lapin has closed. The most recent review on Tripadvisor for the place was in July last year and it said that it was closing - a google search for "monsieur lapin fermeture" appears to confirm that it is no more. If I'd thought to ask before our last trip in May 2011 we would have gone there; that will teach me to hesitate.

Huh? You were given a link to the site above. http://www.monsieur-lapin.fr/

It doesn't seem closed to me. And I'm pretty sure I've been since last July. You really shouldn't trust Trip Advisor for this sort of thing.

Huh? You were given a link to the site above. http://www.monsieur-lapin.fr/

It doesn't seem closed to me. And I'm pretty sure I've been since last July. You really shouldn't trust Trip Advisor for this sort of thing.

I trust Tripadvisor for very little, however there have been no reviews since July last year, and even though the Monsieur Lapin website is still there it appears that the restaurant has gone:

http://www.monsieur-lapin.fr/actualite.php

"We inform you that the restaurant Mr. Lapin ...has closed its doors from June 30, 2011."

We'll still go to the address and see what's there - again, thanks for the recommendation, we were certainly going to go there so I'm very disappointed.

While I was writing this I googled some more, there is a restaurant called Cobéa at that address http://cobea.fr/ - it doesn't appear to serve rabbit :(

Well that's bad news. I recall the last time I was there it seemed pretty busy. I hope the owner didn't die or something.

Maybe Monsieur Lapin was finally trapped by Monsieur McGregor ?:eek:

Maybe Monsieur Lapin was finally trapped by Monsieur McGregor ?:eek:^^^

This may be an obvious question but does Au Lapin Agile serve rabbit?

This may be an obvious question but does Au Lapin Agile serve rabbit?

I wondered that myself, but au Lapin Agile doesn't do food. The French version of their site says "it's too difficult to do two things properly at once". The English version lacks the sense of humour.

(And maybe the tourists frightened all the rabbits away with their flash photography? :D)