Maybe it's just me, but I think a romantic dinner cruise on the Seine is a trope shaped by old Hollywood movies. Like in "Charade" when Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant can't help but expose their stylish chemistry over an intimate dinner on a moonlit boat. Jamie W and I could definitely appreciate the upscale vibe La Calife was presenting with its maritime dining experience. It just felt less like "Charade" and more like an episode of "The Love Boat" where we felt like extras at the far end of the Captain's table.
That's not to say we had a bad time. It was just missing that special spark that would've made the evening memorable. We saw a YouTube video from the vlogging couple, Les Frenchies, chronicling the La Calife experience, and to their credit, it was accurate. Upon their mutual thumbs-up judgment, we decided to make a reservation for the Menu Royal at a table for two for 318€. As luck would have it, there was a torrential downpour the day of our cruise, and it stopped just a half-hour before our 8:30PM departure.
The boat was docked on the Left Bank opposite the Louvre under the pedestrian bridge Pont des Arts. There was no line at 7:50PM, and we were immediately seated in The Veranda where we could take advantage of the panoramic glass roof for the views. As the space quickly filled up, it became glaringly apparent that the diners were with a couple of exceptions - white, middle-aged Americans of a higher income status. Not a judgment, just an observation as it was clearly not a cruise that attracted locals.
Judging from the volume in the room, I would say there was a dominance of alpha personalities. Starting with our welcome glasses of Champagne (Photo 9) and complimentary Cheese Popovers (Photo 3), the dishes came out like clockwork since the established route was well timed. Guided by our main course selections, we went for the red wine choice for our meal, a rich 2019 bottle of La Fleur Grands Landes from Montagne Saint-Émilion (Photo 8). Very full-bodied and flavorful.
Our appetizers came soon after we passed Notre Dame. Jamie chose the Scallops and Gambas (Shrimp), a fresh seafood casserole with a luxuriant lobster sauce (Photo 5), while I had the Chanterelles, a lightly baked puff pastry filled with chanterelles and foie gras and ladled with morel mushroom sauce (Photo 6). Very French, very satisfying. Soft dinner rolls came next in advance of our entrees (Photo 25). Nightfall arrived, and the river was illuminated by the lights on the passing landmarks.
As we passed the Musee d'Orsay, our main courses arrived. Jamie ordered the Bar, a lightly grilled sea bass fillet with celery root moussaline and tarragon beurre blanc (Photo 7), while I went with the Lamb, the chef's recommendation of fall-off-the-bone lamb shoulder confit accompanied by seasonal vegetables and roasted small potatoes (Photo 4). Dessert arrived just as we passed the Eiffel Tower in full twinkle mode. Jamie ordered the obvious choice, the Chocolate, quite a decadent treat.
It was chocolate lava cake and vanilla ice cream over crumble in a pool of custard sauce (Photo 2). I had the Lemon Cheesecake with dollops of lemon cream, lemon sorbet, and a shot of limoncello (Photo 10). Both provided the satisfying finish to a well executed meal. By then, the containment was having its effect with some of the diners with deeper southern drawls getting pretty raucous. So it wasn't like Audrey and Cary creating magic, but you can still have a fine meal and nice views on this cruise.
FOOD - 4.5 stars...superior dishes, nice execution
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...nice views, somewhat constrained by the table set-up
SERVICE - 4 stars...quietly unobtrusive
TOTAL - 4 stars...seems more targeted to American tourists if that's what you want
RELATED - Exploring Paris? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/TDhdgjoONI read more