Being one of the oldest restaurants in the world is no small feat — neither is being the establishment that popularised the use of the fork. These are both claims confidently made by La Tour d’Argent.
Opened in 1582 on a location between the River Seine and the Bernardins monastery, this establishment became very fashionable among aristocrats and royalty — kings and their courts frequented the restaurant for elaborate feasts that featured whole ox and Heron paté. During these early years, La Tour d’Argent served the wild ducks that lived by the Seine, a favourite dish of King Henry III. The duck eventually became the speciality of the house.
In 1890, owner Frederic Delair put La Tour d’Argent’s duck on the global map when he created a new ritual, lending each duck its very own number when served. Known as Canard au Sang, or pressed duck (a complex dish, comprising duck served in a sauce of its blood and bone marrow), the dish is still the restaurant’s best-known dish, with numbers still climbing well past the one-million mark in 2003.
The restaurant was acquired in 1910 by André Terrail. He maintained its culinary traditions but sought to further upgrade the restaurant with a modernised façade, new recipes and the beginnings of what would become La Tour d’Argent’s famous wine cellar. He later moved the restaurant to the sixth floor of the building, further increasing its popularity with a stunning view that overlooks the river and Notre Dame. La Tour d’Argent continued to garner countless accolades, including three stars from the Michelin Guide.
With a history spanning more than 400 years, La Tour d’Argent also survived World War I and II. During World War II, Claude Terrail (André Terrail’s son) not only served in the armed forces, but saved the wine cellar from being purged by the occupying Germans by walling up the enormous cellar that contained a majority of its prized rare vintages.