After booking our holidays to Paris, I looked to my BFF Louise for restaurant recommendations as she lived there for 5 years during her teen years. She immediately started to ooze about this amazing little gem of a bistro she and her family used to frequent. I added it to my list of ‘things to do’ while visiting the most renowned culinary mecca of the world.
After a few days in London, we arrived in Paris peckish for something local and delish, so we decided to try out Lou’s fave family spot. Taking a metro to the location was the easy part of the experience. The rain had decided to pour out of the heavens by the time we reached ground level but soon enough we spotted the crowded restaurant. It was late, so we were famished by the time we came upon the large group of locals and tourists alike, hovering outside the front doors. No queue was formed, just a mass of people, all trying to cuddle under the canopy to stay somewhat dry from the torrential downpour.
After speaking to a few of the locals in line, we determined that there was no line and that all tables were on a first come, first served basis. Suddenly the hostess arrived and yelled ‘table pour deux’ (table for two). People started flailing their arms in the air trying to manhandle their way to her and take this table for two. It was a total cluster, an unorganized ridiculous mess!
Once we wiggled our way in, ahead of the people who arrived after us, no thanks to them trying to wrangle their way in ahead of us, things changed drastically. Inside was the most authentic french bistro one could find anywhere in France. We were welcomed immediately by the waitress and offered wine or water. No menu provided, just offered the choice of the temperature of our meat, well done, medium or rare.
Taken aback we decided to play along and asked for a bottle of their ‘vin de la maison’ (house wine) seeing as we weren’t offered a list.
Out of nowhere, a plate of greens topped with chopped walnuts and a spicy wasabi mustard vinaigrette landed in front of us, accompanied by a basket of sliced French baguette. It was surprisingly delicious, even though it was 10:45pm and by then, rabbit food would’ve worked. I asked our server for some butter for the baguette but she chuckled and stated that there was enough butter on the entree course that I wouldn’t need it for my bread. I guess my request was denied whether I liked it or not.
Next came a platter with a mound of sliced beef tenderloin, drowned in the most devine garlic butter sauce, served with a pile of skinny French Frittes. We lapped it up like we hadn’t eaten in days. We had never eaten such amazing Steak Frittes and believe me, we have certainly tried many. Our server also wasn’t kidding about the butter, the beautifully cooked tender beef was absolutely smothered in the butter, garlic and herb sauce. The entire meal was polished off with the full bodied bottle of red which paired superbly with the meat. There was absolutely no room left for dessert by the end of the meal but we just couldn’t help ourselves and both went back for seconds of the steak and fries. We rolled out of the place at 1:00am stuffed to the brim and blissfully happy to be spending the next week together in Paris.
Moral of the story? Getting a local’s scoop on where to dine is key to securing a scrumptious meal in a new city.
~Jean.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete