Les Canailles provides what Parisian bistros have always offered: brusque service; busy and noisy…read moresurroundings; and delicious comfort food, dressed and plated with the elegance innate to French cuisiniers.
I've dined at Les Canailles a couple of times. The first was a few years ago, when I was invited by colleagues who suggested dinner first, and then some billiards. Because I'd heard that the French eat late, I puttered around until 7. My friends showed up at 9. We were seated at 9:30. (We left the billiard hall at 5 a.m.)
At Les Canailles, our waiter was inscrutable. I couldn't tell if he was bothered that we'd come so close to closing time, or if he didn't mind and was simply dyspeptic. I'd have been more concerned, but I was hungry, and distracted by my table's conversation, and I'd been lightly abused by servers at every meal in Paris.
Don't let my memory dissuade you from Les Canailles. No one, tourist or local, ventures out to dine in Paris expecting warm comfort from the service staff.
Les Canailles is charming, in the way that train stations or farmer's markets, with their bustle of people and their colors and aromas can charm a person. I've never felt a stranger there; the place and its excited vibe drew me in, and made me feel like I was at a party. It's a cool experience, if you're open to it.
And the food? It's easy but unhelpful to say, "Well, it's Paris, isn't it?" and let it go at that. It's important to acknowledge the good work of Chef Clement Gallot, whose farm-to-table approach works superbly with his menu of sensibly-modified French country favorites and personal creations. I'd praise the pastry chef as well, but it's not clear to me that Chef Clement doesn't do everything himself.
Should you make a reservation? Of course you should. You're an adult.
Should you tell your friends about Les Canailles?
That's a harder question to answer. On the one hand, no one likes to see their favorite spot overwhelmed by new people, but on the other, there's extra room in Heaven for those that perform missionary work.