A long-awaited, long-planned fantasy dining experience was intended to be the pinnacle of a layover in Paris. Amid the hustle and so much bustle of a grand historic train station, Le Train Bleu seemed ideal. The dining experience offered a mix of high and low points, prompting our Eco-Friendly Food, Travel and Adventure Editor, Jimmy McDonough, to share his cautionary culinary tale for Real Food Travelers.

Save this article to Pinterest to help guide your dining experience at Le Train Bleu. Photos by Jimmy McDonough. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

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Do you have a fantasy dining experience? What is the experience like – the food, the atmosphere, the people? Who are you sharing this dining experience with? I encourage you to dream of this experience and make it a reality! Contemplate that as you read on.

My dining fantasy is set in Paris with the person I love most in the world (my wife, Courtney!), enjoying delicious food made with care, served in a grand dining space with historically authentic elegant décor, by uniformed servers providing impeccable service to our table, topped with a setting of gleaming silver, glass, and fine china. While planning our back-to-back Viking River cruise, I was intent on realizing this fantasy.

After some research, I selected Le Train Bleu to fulfill my Parisian dining fantasy during our transition between cruising the Rhine and the Rhône rivers; located within the Gare de Lyon (Paris’ train station serving southern France) it was ideally situated. Months in advance of our river cruise, I tried to book a table, but their online calendar would not allow bookings so far in advance. So, I set a reminder in my calendar for when the booking window opened months later and jumped on it. When the confirmation email arrived, I imagined the dining experience to come! I fretted over what to wear – not wanting to look like a boorish Americain in a room full of stylish Parisiens we were sure to encounter. Classic black or bold summer colors? Ever the good sport, Courtney patiently listened and offered practical fashion tips. For herself, she chose timeless black and pearls. Chic!

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The fantasy began on the EuroStar from Amsterdam after our Viking River cruise down the mighty Rhine from Basel. The ride was smooth and fast through lovely countryside with glimpses of villages as we passed through Belgium and northern France. After just a couple hours, we arrived in the City of Lights. Bienvenue à Paris!

The Gard du Nord train station platforms where the EuroStar arrives in the heart of Paris.

Le Train Bleu is perched above the frenetically busy Gare de Lyon – Paris’ gateway for dreamy escapes to Lyon, Provence, Cote d’Azur, and beyond. Two dramatic staircases with decorative brass handrails sweep you to the front door, punctuated by weary travelers, looking for a place to sit while awaiting their trains. Threading our way through them, “Excusez nous!“, we reached the revolving door, took a deep breath, clasped hands, and entered.

Weary travelers awaiting their trains sit on the dramatic curved stairs leading to Le Train Bleu in Paris.

A Belle Epoque rococo masterpiece, exuberant plasterwork encrusts the space from floor to ceiling; gilded framed murals depicting dreamy landscapes of southern France splash the walls. Mirrors, glass, and brass reflect light from the huge windows overlooking the lacy ironworks of the Gare. Our spirits soared as we took it all in – “Magnifique!”

The interior of Le Train Bleu is stunningly beautiful, a feast for the eyes.

To our surprise, the restaurant was as busy as the train station below with customers and wait staff flying about. The space was noisy with the din of midday diners and tourists taking selfies in a place seemingly built to provide perfect Insta backgrounds. Much to my disappointment, most diners were dressed as if they were out for a fast food burger and fries; I wanted to scream “PEOPLE – show some respect, this is not Vegas!” Dressed in a nice jacket with pocket square, and Courtney in her pearls, we were the odd balls (and sweating bullets in the hot summer temperatures of the dining room). It was not the serene, refined atmosphere with elegantly-dressed patrons I had dreamed of. Alors, we live in very different times where it is acceptable to wear t-shirts and shorts in a dining space as authentically magnificent as Le Train Bleu. Quel dommage!

A smiling mademoiselle showed us to our table in the main dining room (there are multiple grand spaces and a cozy bar/lounge area as well). Seating along one side of the table was a spacious, padded banquette that required moving the table to enter – a chair was on the other side. Atop the table, a lovely setting of glassware and numerous utensils around a gleaming white China plate inscribed with Le Train Bleu. Parfait!

The elegant place setting at Le Train Bleu.

To our disappointment, we were seated next to a busy service station with ringside views of clattering dirty dishes and plated foods staged for delivery. Considering our advance reservations, it was surprising to be placed at such an undesirable location; sheepishly, we decided to not make a fuss and chose to, instead, test our French language skills to eavesdrop on the wait staff while soaking in the atmosphere.

Our server, in a beautiful signature Le Train Bleu blue suit and tie, greeted us – his crisp yet pleasant demeanor exuded competence. I was certain we would experience a level of service to match the grand space. Let the fantasy déjeuner begin!

We both ordered a prix fixe meal; I chose Le Menu du Voyaguer (56 euros) offering Gigot d’agneau (their signature roasted leg of lamb, carved tableside) and gratin dauphinois (creamy potatoes); I added a salade (local field greens with walnuts, unwieldy whole hazelnuts, apricots, dressed with a light vinaigrette). Courtney ordered Le Menu PLM (76 euros) and chose the Pâté en crôute de campagne to start, followed by Volaille fermière rôtie (rotisserie chicken). I chose a house white wine to start and requested a wine recommendation from our server to have with the lamb; he suggested a vin rouge Côtes du Rhône. “Bien sur, Monsieur!”

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We nibbled on slices of baguette and buerre (golden yellow rich butter from Normandie) as we shared bites of the plentiful salade and pâté de campagne. After a bit of a wait (the menu warned of 45 minutes required to serve the lamb), Courtney’s plat principal (main course) arrived and a terrine of bubbling hot creaminess was set down for me (the gratin dauphinois). After another little wait, our server rolled a wooden serving cart up behind Courtney (a pile of luggage for nearby diners was stored in the space making it too cramped for him to bring the cart alongside our table for us both to see). Opening the silver dome on the cart, a crispy, succulent leg of lamb was revealed alongside a battered metal vessel (the sauce pot). Expertly, he carved several pieces of lamb from the leg, ladled sauce over, and set the plate in front of me. “Bon appétit,” trailed as he whisked away the cart.

Gigot d’agneau (roasted leg of lamb) is carved and served tableside. 

The lamb was lukewarm but succulent and the sauce (also lukewarm) was perfection, rich with lamb goodness and other enhancing flavors. I spooned some dauphinoise onto my plate – decadently creamy, more like a light buttery cheesy custard than a potato dish. I relished very bite. Courtney enjoyed her dish but was not overly impressed by the rubbery chicken or side vegetables (eggplants atop a spicy sauce, diablo).

A disappointing chicken dish with aubergines and diablo sauce.

Somewhere between le plat principal and le dessert, our table became a black hole, overlooked by servers in the hustle of closing lunch service and prepping for dinner service. Our empty dirty plates lingered on the table as we awaited our dessert. Finally, Courtney’s Baba au Rhum was presented with theatrical flourish – our server sliced open the delicate brioche and poured rum over it to Courtney’s desired strength, leaving the crystal decanter at the table should she wish to add more. Santé!

Baba au Rhum with a decanter of rum to add more, if desired.

We were so engaged in the Baba performance, and then taking bites of it, we did not notice that my dessert did not appear. As the Baba disappeared, we waited. And waited. And waited. No one checked on us – our waiter had disappeared after pouring the rum (we never saw him again). Finally, we flagged down a harried assistant server to request le dessert included in my meal; he returned a few minutes later with a lovely Opéra torte. Looking at the time, we exceeded the two hours budgeted for our lunch before our train departure, so I scarfed down the torte, and requested our check. “L’addition, s’il vous plait.”

Opéra torte was a striking, and long-awaited, dessert at Le Train Bleu.

We departed Le Train Bleu unceremoniously, without a single “Merci, bonne journée!” as we would experience in the simplest of cafes and bistros on the rest of our journey in France. A truly disappointing end to a dining experience I had fantasized about for months.

Did the Le Train Bleu dining experience live up to my expectations?

Not completely. Service was inattentive and the food was solid but not remarkable for the price. Are we glad we spent over $200 on lunch at Le Train Bleu? Despite falling short of my fantasy (it is not fair to hold a restaurant to those expectations!), Le Train Bleu delivered just enough value for our hard-earned money. Would we return again? Maybe. The dining space is a one-of-a-kind stunner to experience, and we believe in second chances. We would return with realistic expectations; the shortcomings in service taught us to be more assertive in a polite manner. C’est la vie!

Should you consider Le Train Bleu for an over-the-top dining experience?

For a brief dip into an elegant Paris of long ago, dining at Le Train Bleu delivers. Make reservations and don’t hesitate to request a table bien situé, away from a wait station. And speak up if you are overlooked during a busy period. To save a few euros, consider trying out the more casual lounge area with a walk through to snag a few photos of the incomparable dining room before you depart. Au revoir Paris!

The author, ready for a dream lunch at Le Train Bleu.

-Story and photos by Jimmy McDonough, Real Food Traveler Eco-Friendly Food, Travel & Adventure Editor

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