First Impression: French brasserie La Belle Helene
Everything you need to know about LBH, a restaurant with a modern take on French cuisine.
Located at 300 South Tryon Street in Uptown, La Belle Helene is ideal for first dates, work lunches, bff brunches and it’s perfect to show off to out of towners.
Designed by renowned Parisian designer Richard Lafond, whose family business has garnered more than 50 years of experience creating some of the most famous restaurant spaces in the “City of Lights,” La Belle Helene is equal parts warm and inviting, inspired by 19th century French covered passage architecture and romantic skylit evenings. You will be simply mesmerized by its beauty at the moment you walk in.
LBH has an authentic brasserie-style menu from Chef James Stouffer that highlights delicious local ingredients and a wide selection of specialty beers, signature cocktails, and French wines by the glass.
Over the new year I visited Paris for the first time and I was excited to see if this restaurant lived up to it’s hype, and was truly authentic.
When my boyfriend Sterling and I arrived, we were greeted with complimentary valet parking, which is a really nice touch due to the difficulties in Uptown parking. We first ordered champagne and several appetizers.
We ordered the Charcuterie & Fromages board, Deviled Eggs, and French Onion Soup. Now if you’re not a charcuterie board fan, don’t worry, they still give you sliced french baguette bread with delicious butter for the table. The French onion soup was probably the most authentic one I have found in the city.
For dinner, I ordered the Grilled pork chop with a grain mustard sauce. I was a bit hesitant, but the chef highly recommended it. It was amazing!
Now of course dinner doesn’t have its “Roy Stamp” until something goes wrong. I accidentally spilt a whole glass of champagne on my pork chop.
The staff was very responsive! They quickly got me a new pork chop AND they even replaced the lost champagne.
The steak isn’t something to skip out on either. Sterling ordered a delicious steak with a Maître d’hôtel butter.
When it comes to dessert, the fan favorite is the Profiteroles.
However, in my opinion, the real dessert winner is the Gâteau Basque.
Now my absolute favorite dish at La Belle Helene? The tart flambée.
It was a surprising appetizer that was light, buttery, and delicious.
All in all, I believe this is as authentic as it gets for Parisian dining. We spent about 2-3 hours in the restaurant which in Paris is normal. Dinner there is more about conversation and spending time with your friends and family. I want to go back and try their brunch so I can eat a croque madam!
