Ici Bistro maintains quality in new address and is a good lunch option for less than R$100

Popular wisdom says that changing a team that is winning is always a risk. At the beginning of last year, Ici Bistro — appointed by Sheet for many years as the best French restaurant in São Paulo—it needed to change. Pushed by real estate speculation, he left the charming house in which he operated for almost two decades on Rua Pará and settled in Mato Grosso, also in Higienópolis and one block from his previous address.

At first, the change could be seen as a problem. The environment lost much of its charm, became less cozy, wider, brighter and even with less intimate and welcoming acoustics. In the first weeks in the new house it was possible to feel a tense atmosphere and the service was still adapting to the change.

But the good news is that, after almost a year, the kitchen has proven that it continues to work very well and maintains the high level that led to repeated awards for the house of chef Benny Novak and businessman Renato Ades.

The menu was revised, but did not undergo a radical change. The French classics remain, which have maintained their quality.

Right at the entrance, it’s like putting your foot (and mouth) in the best of France. The foie gras (R$ 178) is served delicate and with good caramelization, and the escargots (R$ 73) are large and arrive dipped in butter, garlic and parsley, which go very well when eaten with the excellent house bread.

Among the main dishes, the duck breast (R$ 133) continues to shine. Served with foie gras cream, fig confit, mashed potatoes and truffle butter, it is already established as one of the house’s flagship dishes. Also with duck, the confit thigh (R$ 133) has very dry skin while the meat falls apart on the fork. On a recent visit, it was a bit disappointing that they didn’t have the lamb chop available, which also tends to stand out, but there is no shortage of other interesting options on the menu, such as boeuf bourguignon, cassoulet or even a croque madame and even a burger.

Finally, the tarte tatin (R$58), a caramelized apple pie, is freshly prepared, arrives at the table still warm and can be a great option for sharing (officially for two people, but can easily serve up to four).

It is true that the prices on the main menu can be prohibitive for most people, with prices above R$ 100 per dish, but Ici maintained in its new address the proposal of offering a much more democratic executive lunch, making it possible to get to know the cuisine paying much less.

From Monday to Friday, you can eat a starter, main course and dessert for R$86 (plus 13% service and drink). It’s not cheap, but it delivers high quality for the price charged. This is true even considering that along with the change of address there was a noticeable downsizing, with an apparent reduction in some dishes — but the menu continues to be enough for one person.

Among the options to start, the delicious steak tartare stands out, small but refreshing and with a good texture and well-balanced seasoning. You can also choose a salad, but it’s best to skip the eggs and spinach, served in a rather simplistic and bland way at a recent lunch.

Among the dishes, the highlight is the steak & frites (perhaps the most popular lunch in Paris), with an excellent fillet medallion always served at the right point and accompanied by four sauce options and abundant thin and dry fries. Coq au vin is the most traditional option and is a lesson in how the chicken dish cooked in red wine should be prepared, with a rich sauce full of flavor.

It is clear that good food overcame the trauma of change, and that Ici continues to be a great option for great French cuisine in São Paulo.