How do you plan to impress your loved one on Valentine’s Day? Will you buy a dozen long-stemmed red roses and a box of chocolate-covered strawberries? Will you get creative and craft your own Valentine’s Day card? Or will you take that person to dinner at the restaurant named most romantic in the world, La Tour d’Argent in Paris?
La Tour d’Argent is a regal fixture on the banks of the River Seine and offers an exceptional view of Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris. Built in 1582 as an inn and called Hostellerie de La Tour d’Argent, King Henry III and the lords and ladies of his court dined here. As the centuries have passed, “time and celebrities come and go, the menus and fashions change, [but] the table remains set at the Tour d’Argent.”
Well known for their duck, the “Tour d’Argent” duckling – while being the restaurant’s signature dish – sounds decidedly unromantic.
It is prepared in the middle of the restaurant and essentially, after the duck has been roasted to medium rare, the breast, liver, and skin are removed and the carcass is put through a presse à canard, a duck crusher. It is squeezed until all the blood is extracted. The blood is then combined with a richly flavoured stock, champagne, salt, pepper, and left to reduce before being served with the breast.
If it doesn’t sound like the makings of a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner, don’t worry, there are many other choices on the menu that will impress your date.
Tanya is an avid traveller who is happiest when using her camera to discover what delights the world has to offer. She originates from Canada, currently makes her home in the Netherlands, and is on an everlasting journey to visit all corners of the world. 
