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Cafe Moderne, 40 rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, 2nd, Tél. 01-53-40-84-10

Menu 28 - 59 €.

Fermeture en août

Happily, depair lifted when I went to dinner at the Cafe Moderne a day later. Despite the fact that a friend rightly describes this long, narrow dining room across the street from the old Bourse as a "difficult space," restauranteur Frederic Schall-Hubig has created a charming spot that's at once cozy and chic, with red banquettes, soft lighting, and a pretty chocolate-and-white décor. He's also just hired an excellent young chef, Jean-Luc Lefrançois (ex-Astor, ex-Prunier), a quiet-man talent who impressed me with a tasting menu of truly innovative and delicious dishes like scallops with parsnip puree and grilled bacon; a salad of lentils, baby onions and deboned pig’s feet that could convince even the most reticent of the deliciousness of this latter ingredient; and a succulent sea bass filet with a spice-bread crumb crust—truly excellent food, especially for such modest prices. Service is delightful, too, and Schall-Hubig runs a superb wine list and generously serves some pretty terrific bottles by the glass. Since Schall-Hubig also runs the ever popular Astier in the 11th, I can't help but wondering if maybe Paris won't end with its very own Danny Meyer after all.

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[We often take friends here - very classic [DP]

Gallopin
40, rue Notre Dame des Victoires, 75002 Paris. Métro: Bourse. Tel.: 01 42 36 45 38. Open daily, noon-midnight.            

Quest for Nostalgia Rewarded    

 An atmospheric brasserie par excellence.          

April 19, 2006   

 The Fat Duck, the restaurant voted the world’s best by Restaurant magazine last year, is located in rural England. This year, it’s El Bulli, near Barcelona. Ah me, how times have changed – remember when Paris was still the world’s gourmet capital?

Paris still has plenty of places where you can eat pleasantly without first talking to your bank manager, however. I’m not talking about Michelin stars: you can go there with your eyes shut and your mouth open. But just as it requires more discernment to tell a good vin de pays from an indifferent one than to distinguish between a great Burgundy and a generic one, sussing out the really good middling restaurants from the just middling or worse – with which Paris overflows – is no easy task, but that’s how I get my culinary kicks.

 These are the kinds of places I will lead you to in the months ahead as I move beyond my beloved 2nd arrondissement, taking my cast of characters with me: my highly significant other (known in some quarters as Doctor Madame), Bertie the gastro-hound, and an assorted cast of friends and acquaintances.

 Here’s an easy one for starters. Gallopin is the atmospheric brasserie that the nostalgia-prone go questing for in Paris and only rarely hit upon. You want a place with intimate dark wood paneling, mirrors, brass rails, stained glass and well-spaced tables where the waiters wear black vests and long white aprons? Quest no further.

 More importantly, those same waiters are genuinely pleased to see a customer and his dog. Yes, you read that correctly. These are truly nice, warm, friendly people, happy to see you and to do their job, without a hint of excess. They even seem sincere!

 The food, too, is sincerity itself. Old favorites are cooked to near perfection: The rack of lamb comes with a creamy, garlicky gratin dauphinois, while the meltingly tender Chateaubriand with a tangy (dare I say 1970s-style?) pepper sauce is served with real fries, plus the best string beans in Paris (in my experience).

 Starters include an avocado and tomato tartare served with anchovies, and a basquaise, a concoction of peppers and tomatoes with a poached egg in the middle. Honest desserts include flambéed crêpes, a vanilla millefeuille and pain perdu (French toast). The menu changes regularly, so you may find different offerings when you go.

Gallopin is the kind of place to which Parisians can take non-vegetarian out-of-town guests and be proud of the French eating tradition.

 The small no-smoking area is near the toilets, between the two main dining areas, but it’s a quiet vantage point (at least in the evening; at lunchtime, the place is full of bankers and traders) from which to watch the comings and goings.

 Richard Hesse

 Gallopin: A la carte: around €35 (three courses, without wine). Fixed-price menu: €33.50 (includes a half-bottle of wine). www.brasseriegallopin.com/

Pas de fermeture annuel

Menu dîner 19.50 - 33.50 €

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Le Manège de l’Ecuyer

6 rue de la  Sourdière

Paris 75001

01-4927-0064

Several years ago I was taken to a tiny, 20 cover, family run bistro at 8 rue de la Sourdière near l’Eglise de Saint-Roch in the 1st arrondissement near the Louvre and shopping on the rue St.-Honoré. The couple was from Provence as was the soul-satisfying reasonable priced menu with an attractively priced wine list. I went back for second helpings before leaving town. 

I was very disappointed to discover last year that they had retired and the new owner clearly hadn’t a clue about running restaurant. So what a treat when my daughter, who had just moved around the corner, took me to a new place that had only been open for a mere two weeks at 8 rue de la Sourdière.

The new owner/chef, Kamel is as charming as his food is wonderful and correctly priced. Disdaining the toque for a simple white hat that makes him look more like a soda jerk/hamburger flipper at a fifty’s drive-in or Johnny Rocket’s he can be seen through the kitchen cutout producing beautifully presented meals that are classic, filling and yet light. 

Before you have an opportunity to open the menu a kir will be set before you.

On my first visit I had a homemade terrine de lapin with pistachios, a pavé de boeuf au poivre served with sautéed potatoes and a tian de courgettes. Desert was a mousse of fromage blanc aux coulis de framboises.

A second visit with author Carolyn Burke after a Paris Through Expatriate Eyes salon featured grilled saumon aux pates, faux fillet au Roquefort preceded by fromage blanc aux ciboulette and for dessert fresh fruit macedoine served in a martini glass.

On the third occasion I was the guest for what turned out to be a three-hour lunch with two charming clients from Houston-Deborah and her mom Doris, about whom a book should be written. Calling ahead I knew we’d have chévre chaud to start, blanquette de veau and was pleasantly surprised when we were offered a crème brulée accented by star anise for parfum. The house Cotes-du-Rhone at 7.5 euros the half bottle flowed and coffee was accompanied by Cognac, the bottle remaining on the table for our pleasure.

At 18.50 euros for the lunch formule (entrée, plat, dessert La Manège has quickly become one of my favorites .

Sur un grand tableau noir, la carte propose trois formules (17 à 26€).

Le Manège de L’Ecuyer

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Le Rubis

Le Rubis has been an institution long before la Place du Marché St-Honoré became cool. Albert presides over the bar, as he has for 39 years, doling out a vast menu of very drinkable wines from 1.4 euros for a petit verre to 3 euros for a regular glass.

I arrived a little after noon, a few minutes early for my meeting with two guys from Google, headquartered in the neighborhood, so I ordered a Cotes du Rhone for company. Since the French don’t dash out the door at the crack of twelve to get a fast sandwich on the run before returning to their desks the bar level dining room was empty. Four habitués were standing at the bar: two regular guys-no suits nor ties and missing the identical front tooth; two women of une certaine age, a grey/blonde and Marie-France, dressed in a black dress with black hair coiffed in the style of a 1940’s movie.

After bonjours all around they were curious about my nationalité. I did my Italian impression as I am often mistaken for Northern Italian in Paris and answered “Vicino Milano” which they bought. I then truthfully admitted to being Brooklynois, the Marseille of America. Marie-France was très sympa and I staked her to a coupe de champagne before joining my just arriving colleagues at a nearby table where a verre immediately arrived compliments of Marie-France.

Food is classic, copious and cheap. Boudin noir, andouilette, souris d’agneau from 10-12 euros. At the end of the meal Albert sent a round of eau de vie.

On a second occasion I climbed the narrow, steep staircase to the dining room where one woman charmingly controls thirty diners. My neighbor directed me to a boeuf bourgignon so delicious that it required a whole baguette to sop up the wine and beef juices.

In the far corner, sitting alone was an elegantly dressed blonde of that certaine age with hair pulled back to reveal an exquisite face and bejeweled golden earrings that reflected a color in her Chanel jacket. Moments later she was joined by a gentleman and after the obligatory two cheek bisous they began to gaze lovingly into each others eyes-ah Paris-Disneyland for adults.

When the bill arrived, a shocking 13.50 euros including a glass of wine, I was 1.50 short of the minimum required for using a carte bancaire so I opted for the best tartes aux figues I have ever tasted-no crème fraiche required.

Total bill 18.50 euros-Total satisfaction

Le Rubis
10, rue du Marché St-honoré
Telephone: 01-4261-0334
Closed: Saturday afternoon and Sunday

Metro: Pyramides, Opéra

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                        Le Mesturet

[We like this one, in spite of poor lighting. Good traditional French food. We like the blanquette de veau especially– [DP]
I had just finished hugging and kissing my guests after another Paris Through Expatriate Eyes literary salon with Gourmet’s European correspondent and author of HUNGRY FOR PARIS, Alec Lobrano and was joined by two regulars in search of dinner.

But why search-I merely turned to Page 49 of HUNGRY FOR PARIS and found a convenient bistro.

Le Mesturet is a classic Parisian bistro near the Bourse that overflows at lunchtime with an equal ratio of men to women in search of consistently good food and wine at reasonable prices.

This being late on a Monday night we were immediately seated by owner Alain Fontaine. I held up the book and explained that a favorable review was included and he swiftly returned with three complimentary glasses of Sauternes and fifteen euros for the book.

Since the Sauternes deserved an accompaniment he returned with a platter of luscious foie gras on toast surrounding a ramekin of confit de figues.

For starters Uncle Den-Den and I ordered the aubergines grillé à la tomate au chèvre frais and Dr. P., one of the world’s leading neuro-biologists working on the causes of Parkinsons chose fromage blanc ciboulette et ail on a bed of arugula-and this is a house that is not afraid of garlic-silkily fantastique. Alain recommended a Cote Roannaise (Gamay) from his excellent cave that features wines from producers whom he knows personally.

As a main course Den-Den had a second starter, rillette de lapin au romarin et pain de campagne grille. I chose the plat du jour, a grenadin de veau (filet) and Dr. P savored an aioli de morue fraiche avec legumes vapeur.

Over coffee another surprise awaited-Alain arrived with three snifters of La Vielle Prune, a distillate of plums with a finish redolent of the fruit and at 42% alcohol it packs a wallop. Since the bottle was nearly empty Alain encouraged us to drain it-hardly necessary.

At 19.50 for the two courses and a mere 20 euros for the wine we barely crossed the 80 euros threshold.

Formule 21 - 27 €

LA TUTE
15 Rue Saint Augustin, Paris 75002

It had been nearly eight years since I had last broken bread with the great French film director Bertrand Tavernier and once again he was wrapping up post-production of a film. In 2001 LAISSEZ-PASSER and now IN THE ELECTRIC MIST, adapted from a James Lee Burke novel starring Tommy Lee Jones as Dave Robicheaux.

La Tute was in his neighborhood and was the creation of Manu, a former TV producer/ director. I arrived early and ordered a Quincy at the bar where cured hams and sausages dangled overhead as befits a bistro with a menu inspired by the Pyrenées. Moments later Bertrand joined me for a taste before we were ushered to a waiting table.

As a regular Bertrand ordered for both of us. A huge slab of gigot d’agneau for me and cotes d’agneau for himself but this wasn’t just any lamb-raised in the Pyrenées it come with it’s own A.O.C. BAREGES GAVARNIE. The males are castrated at 6-months and graze in herb-filled pastures at altitudes of from 1,600 to 2,600 meters. It has an unforgettable taste.

The meat was accompanied by a warm salad of tarbais (white beans) in a dressing of shallots, sherry vinegar from the Pyrenées, Italian flat-leaf parsley and olive oil which we continued to enjoy with our second course, a civet d’agneau whose mixture of natural juices, red wine and blood were gleefully sopped up with fresh baguette. A second glass of cotes du Rhone sent it down smoothly.

Gumbo and crayfish might have been more appropriate for a discussion of a film set in New Orleans and the nearby home of Tabasco sauce, Avery Island, but I’m not complaining.

Where: 

Tel: 01 40 15 65 65

Metro: Bourse or 4 de Septembre

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Hokkaido

A big fan of gyoza (grilled Japanese dumplings) and noodles, I've been assiduously and very happily eating my way through the area for years, and finally have discovered what I think is the best noodle-gyoza restaurant in Paris--Hokkaido. I went for lunch on this rainy Saturday, and there was already a line at the door when we arrived. A mixture of Japanese residents of Paris and Asian food-lovers, they all clearly knew that this simple, busy place serves outstanding food. Today we scarfed down a double portion of gyoza (God are they good), and then Bruno has udon noodles sauteed with vegetables and beef and I went with the tonkatsu (fried breaded pork cutlet) in a bento box on rice with enoki mushrooms and a lightly scrambled egg. Both dishes were absolutely delicious, and lunch for two with two mugs of green tea was less than 30 Euros, making this place one of the best bargains in Paris. 14 rue Chabanais, 2nd, Tel. 01.42.60.60.95. Metro: Quatre Septembre or Pyramides.

Pas de fermeture annuelle

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Yam'Tcha

Almost nothing could be more telling of the impact of this year's steep recession on the Paris restaurant scene than the instant notoriety of Yam'Tcha, a sweet little restaurant that recently opened in an ancient side street in Les Halles. To wit, this 20 seat place run by earnest, amiable young chef Adeline Grattard, former second to Pascal Barbot at L'Astrance, has passed through global gastro cyber space with the intensity and speed of a comet. Because Grattard actually is a serious, talented and original cook, I'd like to think her table, which she runs with her Hong Kong born husband Chiwah Chan, will withstand the blow-back of a culinary media world that's so desperate for news that it exalts anything that's even slightly different and half plausible.

So am I being hypocritical in writing about this fragile new flower on this website? No, not really--though I'm flattered that your eyes may be rolling over these words, I wouldn't pretend to be such an oracle that famished throngs will be pressing their faces to Tam'Tcha's window on Monday morning. I assume that those of you who find their way to this quiet little patch of the culinary cyber world are people who are very seriously interested not only in eating well, but in thinking about gastronomy in all of its facets, which brings me back to Yam'Tcha. Quite simply, I worry that the relative paucity of restaurant news out of Paris this year means that the city's substantial core of food writers is going to pick this tasty morsel to the bone before its had a chance to find its groove.

I've been three times, and if I've eaten well on every occasion, and I like Grattard's shrewd, subtle and original Franco-Chinese approach to cooking, I've also been exasperated by the very slow (if well-meaning) service, the fiddliness of the idea of a different tea with each course in the dinner tasting menu (I like tea, and I like drinking tea with my food, but poor Chiwah Chan is way out of his depth as the sole tea steward meant to track twenty different meal from a single service bar). I also think that the tea option needs to be more carefully explained, and that there should also be a wine-by-the-glass option. Finally, no dinner in a casual Paris bistro should take longer than three hours; the last time I ate here, I thought the attractive young Brazilian couple at the table next to ours would become violent before their dessert arrived. Like us, they loved Grattard's cooking, but like us, they eventually briddled at the very long waits between courses.

We started with a delicious tiny complimentary appetizer of slivered broad beans with crumbled sauteed pork dressed with ginger, garlic and sesame-seed oil, then loved plump Mozambique shrimps steamed as over-sized pot-stickers, sublime duckling with sauteed eggplant, a lovely piece of Citeaux (an abbey cheese from Burgundy) with toasted country bread and a few drops of delicious olive oil, and a delightful dessert of homemade ginger ice cream with avocado slices and passion fruit. Fresh, healthy, original, sincere--this was a great meal, and Yam'Tcha is a place I'd look forward to enjoying regularly if I didn't know that it's going to be taken by such a storm that it will soon be impossible to get a table without booking two months in advance.

Menu 45 - 65 €

Yam'Tcha, 4 rue Sauval, 1st, Tel. 01-40-26-08-07. Metro: Louvre-Rivoli

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Pramil, 9 rue du Vertbois, 3rd

ten minutes later, I was seated in a quietly stylish bistro with perfect low lighting, pots of white orchids in the windows, and perfectly bleached ancient white beams overhead and staring at a truly superb menu. I'd been wanting to get to Pramil, in the ever trendier 3rd arrondissement, for a longtime, but it's rare that I have a night when I don't have to go somewhere that's new, new, new. 

Martine, an elegant woman who loves good food and wine, is someone I've known for years, or ever since she invited me to an epic wine-tasting at Alain Senderens's gorgeous chateau outside of Cahors. Our paths cross much too infrequently, so I really wanted to take her somewhere that was, well, very Parisian and served food she might not run into in Cahors. A gaggle of friends had recommended Pramil, and so I decided to take a chance (I rarely invite anyone aside from professional colleagues to dinner in a restaurant I haven't been to before). 

A warm welcome got things off to a good start, and I appreciated the comfortable distance between the tables in the front room, and the effort the waitress made to prevent our table from rocking. Next, the menu, which offered up a suite of temptations. Martine began with a salad of "ficoide glaciale," a fleshy succulent salad similar to the ice plant that's a feature of southern Californian landscaping, with grilled shrimp and roasted tomatoes, and I tried the white asparagus soup with a ball of foie gras ice cream. Martine's salad with excellent, and I liked my soup, but found the ice cream a bit gimmicky. A few ribbons of foie gras would have underlined the wonderful earthy flavor of the asparagus more effectively than the cold sweet ice cream, but the soup was beautifully made and pleasantly tinted with piment d'Espelette, which back-stopped its richness.

Next, exquisitely grilled scallops in a light cream sauce with wilted spinach leaves for me, and a succulent onglet de veau (veal steak) with olive-oil accented potato puree for Martine. A stunningly good white Savigny les Beaune was ideal with this main courses, and also worked perfectly with the excellent selection of cheeses, the best of which was a first-of-season chevre from the Loire, that I chose instead of dessert. Martine was very happy with her nougat glace, and asked for a card while I was paying the bill. "This is exactly the sort of restaurant I love finding in Paris," she said as we walked home afterwards, and I not only agree, but would submit that the brilliantly high incidence of restaurants like Pramil in Paris is the perfect retort to anyone who'd have you believe that Paris is becoming a gastronomic backwater. Now if I could only do something about those horrendous sandwiches at the Royal Trinite that I am forced to gaze upon everyday....

Menu 20 - 31 €

Pramil, 9 rue du Vertbois, 3rd, Tel. 01-42-72-03-60. Mo Temple or Republique. Open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday through Saturday, and also on Sunday nights.

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Bistro Volnay
8, rue Volney, 2nd

In addition, I just had a nice lunch at Bistro Volnay (8, rue Volney, 2nd, tél: 01 42 61 06 65), a new restaurant and wine bar in an area not necessarily known for especially great dining (example: the "American Dream" restaurant, just around the corner.) But at lunch, the place was also full of businessmen.

The food was fine, but the wine list was terrific. There's a €24 lunch menu (un plat, a glass of wine, and Illy coffee) or a €33 three-course prix-fixe. The engaging sommelier put together a list of somewhat unusual wines, many for just €3 a glass. She spent a lot of time talking to us about the wines, and I had a lovely Juraçon, rich and minerally and slightly exotic, an unusual and perfect choicewith my garlic and butter-braised razor clams.

If you find yourself in that neighborhood, it's the perfect place to stop in for a bit of charcuterie, including Spanish ham and chorizo, along with a glass of wine, or two.

Fermeture annuelle du 01/08 au 27/08

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[On a beautiful day eating outside at this place in the Bois de Boulogne (far southwestern edge of Paris ) is fabulous. You have to take a little ferry over to the island it's on. It's an adventure and a hike but is well combined with a visit to the Musée Marmottan. Google for location, a little tricky to get to - RER Avenue Henri Martin + 10 minute walk]

Chalet des Iles.
When the launch glides away from the dock towards to forested island in the middle of a small lake, you leave your cares behind during the space of the five minute crossing. Arriving, the half-timbered Napoleon III pavilion is surrounded by flowering gardens and towering pines, and a well-dressed crowd occupies the generously spaced, candle-lit tables on the terrace. After starters like tuna tartare or a terrine of leeks layered with mushrooms, try the curried shrimp with rice pilaf, the house specialty, or maybe the grilled sea bass with caponata. The fresh raspberry millefeuille, indulgent but airy, is a the ideal warm weather dessert. Bois de Boulogne, 16th,

http://www.chalet-des-iles.com/english/restaurant.html

Lunch Menu  24 & 30 €

01.42.88.04.69.

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Les Papilles Restaurant & Wine Bar
30, rue Gay-Lassac

RER: Luxembourg

4 comments - 10.07.2006

Although not Michelin-starred, one of my favorite restaurants in Paris is Les Papilles. I have to admit that I rarely go there, since it's equally far from any métro station, and I don't make it over to that part of town very often. But when a friend called me about having a leisurely saturday lunch, I jumped at the oppoprtunity to revisit the restaurant.

A few people commented when I first wrote about Les Papilles a few months back, and I mentioned the "Small portions". Well, I guess I had been there on a day when they handed out menus (it was a weekday), when I had ordered a tartine, an open-faced sandwich that I recall as being not-too-filling for my American-sized appetite.

When I returned for lunch on a saturday, they were offering one menu, which looked great (and since we had no choice), sat in anticipation of a great meal.

This first thing you notice about Les Papilles is the wine, and the place does double-duty as a wine bar. The window has boxes and boxes of bottles of wine stacked neatly, and as you walk in, one side of the restaurant is entirely devoted to wine and a few choice food products, like smoky pimente d'Espillete, chocolate sauce with sour cherries, and chocolate-dipped almonds, that are definately worth trying to pilfer...just kidding, no need to take the risk since they offer a small bowl of them with coffee.

Before you start, the waiter suggests ou choose your own bottle of wine, which arranged by region, and the staff are happy to help. Since it was sunny and brisk outside, and the menu was decidely autumnal, I picked a 2005 Sancerre from Domaine des Quarternons, which was crisp and full-flavored, with a hint of cassonade, or cane sugar. I knew it would be good with our first course, and I wasn't wrong. (It's hard to go wrong with white Sancerre, anyways.)

We started with a velouté of carrots, served with coriander seeds, a creamy quenelle sweetened with honey, and crisp hunks of smoked bacon, which came alongside in an oversized white soup plate. Aside from the slightly-annoying bits of coriander and cumin dust on the side of the plate (why do places that serve nice wine use cumin with such recklessness?) the soup was lovely, and we were able to ladle out ourselves from the tureen the waiter left on our table.

Our main course was a poitrine of pork, a centimeter-thick slab of braised then sautéed pork belly served in a copper casserole in a rich broth with young potatoes, mushrooms, black olives, and dried tomatoes. Off to the side was a brilliant-green dish of pistou, which had the intended effect of lightening up the whole dish, a wise counterpoint to the hearty pork and potatoes.

Afterwards, a small, blue-veined wedge of artisanal Fourme d'Ambert cheese from the Auvergne was brought to the table with a poached prune and a swirl of red wine reduction on the plate, followed by dessert; a glass of panna cotta with Reine Claude plum puree on top, that we both licked clean.

Completely sated, we left Les Papilles completely happy, with the rest of our Sancerre in tow, which the waiter gladly re-corked for us before sending us on our way.

Menu  31 €

Fermeture en août

Les Papilles

30, rue Gay-Lassac

RER: Luxembourg

Tél: 01 43 25 20 79

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STEAK-FRITES:  To my mind, the best version of the classic steak-frites dish is found at Bistro Paul-Bert (18 rue Paul-Bert, Paris 11), which is a good thing for me because the place is also one of my hands-down favorite bistros, and you can't beat the combination of having the iconic dish in a setting that's Parisian through and through.  It also doesn't hurt that Bistro Paul-Bert has a remarkable wine list.
Some critics define this as the best and most appealing middle-bracket restaurant in the 11th arrondissement, and judging by the crowds that pack in here on a Saturday night, we're inclined to agree. Expect a crowded, noisy, usually convivial ambience where diners' necks strain to read the blackboard specials and where overworked, independent-minded waiters don't lightly suffer fools of any nationality. Menu items evoke the classic traditions that have flourished here at least since the 1950s. Classics include chicken braised in yellow wine from the Jura, veal kidneys in mustard sauce, monkfish served with an herb-flavored cream sauce, and roast suckling pig.

Fermeture en août

A la carte 45 €

Menu dîner 34 €

Menu déjeuner 18 €

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LE COMPTOIR

37 rue Berger, Paris 75001

Type of cuisine: Moroccan

Average price: €23.00

Le Comptoir has a diverse menu including North African, Asian and European dishes all at excellent prices.

 Le Comptoir is a stylish Moroccan restaurant located in the heart of Paris in the Les Halles area. This is not your average North African eatery however, the décor has really been thought out and the result is stunning with beautiful dark, rich woods and sumptuous leather seating and the subtle scent of oriental perfume really create an atmosphere of pleasure and relaxation. The low lighting adds to the warm and cosy ambience. There is also a wonderful terrace where you can enjoy one of Le Comptoir’s fabulous cocktails. The menu is pretty varied with dishes from around the world, but the signature dishes here are the lamb tagine with winter dried fruits and the courgette caviar with coriander. There are a few set menus to choose from and all are at very reasonable prices. Le Comptoir has a great reputation among the diners of Paris and its clientele include a few famous faces such as Lenny Kravitz and Vanessa Paradis.

Menu dîner 30 - 35 €      30€ : Entrée+plat ou plat+dessert ; 35€ : entrée+plat+dessert

Menu déjeuner 14 - 20 €            

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La Poule au Pot

Address            9 rue Vauvilliers, 1er, Paris

Phone   01-42-36-32-96

Web Site           www.lapouleaupot.fr

Cuisine             French

Price     Main courses 22€-36€ ($32-$52); fixed-price menu 33€ ($48)

Reader Rating

(3½ stars, 2 votes)

01-42-36-32-96

48.8617412.343331

Frommer's Review

Established in 1935, this bistro welcomes late-night carousers and showbiz personalities looking for a meal after a performance. (Past aficionados have included the Rolling Stones, Prince, and Dustin Hoffman.) The decor is authentically Art Deco; the ambience, nurturing. Time-tested and savory menu items include salmon with champagne sauce; onion soup; a tripe casserole Norman style; Burgundy-style snails; country pâté on a bed of onion marmalade; and a succulent version of the restaurant's namesake -- chicken in a pot, with slices of pâté and fresh vegetables.           

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Le Caveau François Villon

Address            64 rue de l'Arbre Sec, 1er, Paris

Phone   01-42-36-10-92

Web Site           www.caveauvillon.com

Cuisine             French

Fermeture en août

Price     Fixed-price lunches 20€-26€ ($29-$38); fixed-price dinners 26€ ($38)

Reader Rating

(4½ stars, 3 votes)

01-42-36-10-92

48.861332.342502

Frommer's Review

The food here is competently prepared but not noteworthy, and the 40 or so tables crowded into the cellar-level dining room are claustrophobically close together. But there's something fun and spontaneous about the place, and readers have written to us proclaiming the good times they've had and the insights they've garnered into French humor and conviviality. The masonry in the basement dates from the late 1400s, around the time when François Villon, the restaurant's namesake, was composing his French-language poetry. Get a table in the cellar, because that's where the guitarist who entertains here spends most of his time, on every working night from 8:30pm till closing. Menu items change with the seasons, but usually include the house version of foie gras, a spinach salad with caramelized bacon; an assortment of terrines and pâtés made from chicken or pork; and a grilled confit of duckling with a galette of potatoes. The entertainment is convivial and, at times, even a bit bawdy.

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Coude à Coude

Address            46 rue Saint-Honoré, Paris, 75001

Location           At Rue du Roule

Phone   01-40-28-15-64

Cuisine             French

Price     Dinner main from 14 euros

Fermeture en août

01-40-28-15-64

48.8611612.344323

New York Times Review

The name of this restaurant means “elbow to elbow,” the floor is tile, there are perhaps 40 seats, and the food is terrific for the price. You can get a superb plate of Auvergnat charcuterie, as well as a glass of decent Côte du Rhône. As ever, reserve.

Les produits avant tout

Voilà un petit bar à vins exigu qui ne paie pas tellement de mine mais vaut le détour. La carte change souvent, toujours dans le style bistrot. Elle est limitée, mais elle fait la part belle aux produits : les charcuteries et fromages qu'on vous propose ici sont excellents. Quant aux vins, ils sont proposés à des prix très raisonnables - et le mieux est encore de faire confiance au patron pour être sûr de déguster de bonnes choses. Pensez à réserver, c'est très petit ! 

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La Toque Saint Germain

4, Rue Bertin Poirée

, 75001 Paris

Pas de fermeture annuelle

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Très contents‎ - Jean_claude_casanova‎ - Sep 9, 2008

Après l'avoir découvert sur Cityvox, et devant nous rendre dans le quartier, nous avons réservés une table dans ce bel établissement. Après un accueil sympathique et chaleureux par ...

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Un grand restaurant‎ - fidjiboy‎ - Mar 4, 2008

Nous avons réservé une table, attiré par la présence d'une chanteuse de jazz. Un accueil qui s'est perdu même dans les grands établissements, on vous débarrasse de votre vestiaire, 

A 2 pas du théâtre du Châtelet et du quai de la Mégisserie, vous êtes confortablement installé à la lueur des chandelles dans un décor fait de poutres et de pierres apparentes... Ici, tout n'est que romantisme et charme.

Julie Rivière vous accueille midi et soir dans une ambiance cosy et tamisée, et vous propose une cuisine traditionnelle de qualité entièrement faite maison : "Magret de canard grillé sur sa peau accompagné de sa sauce à la prune", "Confit de canard au sirop d'érable". Les produits frais et la décoration des plats ont fait la réputation de cette chef au grand coeur.

Vous pourrez y dîner en musique tous les samedis soirs, avec un pianiste de Jazz en live, et y déguster un brunch le dimanche.

Tel : 01 43 29 01 22 - Fax : 01 40 26 68 18 

Verre de vin 3.20 - 4.50 €

Menu 21.50 - 29.50 €     midi & soir

Menu dîner

            20 €      "Le Bistronomique" du mardi au vendredi soir

- Petits Déjeuners :

Brunch 22.90 €

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Le Vin qui Chante

52, Rue Sainte-Anne

, 75002 Paris

Pas de fermeture annuelle

09/02/2009

 Note : 4 sur 5

- Le Vin qui Chante Paris

Très satisfait

Un excellent rapport qualité/prix sur Paris ce qui est dur à trouver. Un joli cadre, nous étions 2 couples et avons beaucoup apprécié tous nos plats et les vins. Entrée/plat/dessert (miam le macaron à la framboise)/café et 2 bouteilles pour 41 euros/personne. Accueil très agréable, souriant et sincère. Que demandez de mieux.

08/05/2009

 Note : 5 sur 5

- Le Vin qui Chante Paris

Allez y !

J'y suis allé en amoureux, c'était super, très bon service. Ils ont une formule Menu Oenologique, délicieux, où chaque plat est accompagné du verre de vin qui va bien, avec les conseils du sommelier ! Le cadre est chaleureux. Je ne connais pas de meilleur plan dans le quartier...

Présentation

Le Vin qui Chante souhaite offrir du plaisir autour de bons vins.

On y trouve près d'une centaine de références de vins, tous sélectionnés auprès de petits vignerons des campagnes.

Une quinzaine d'entre eux, les "vins qui chantent", sont proposés au verre, à la bouteille ou à la ficelle.

On peut accompagner les vins de planches originales ou du menu Gourmand, composé de produits du terroir, frais et cuisinés comme autrefois.

Menu à 25 euros.

Prix

Menu : Moins de 25 €

Carte : Moins de 25 €

Le Chef vous suggère

Entrées

Ravioles du Royans - 8,00 €

Salade d'écrevisses - 8,00 €

Foie gras de canard maison en terrine - 11,00 €

Plats

Epaule d'agneau confite, purée à l'huile d'olive - 17,00 €

Planches charcuterie et antipasti - 14,00 €

Dorade entière grillée et petits légumes - 17,00 €

Desserts

Tiramisu - 7,00 €

Macaron glacé à la framboise - 7,00 €

Gâteau tout chocolat - 7,00 €

Tel : 01 40 20 03 70

Menu dîner 25 €

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Carpe Diem Café

21, Rue des Halles

, 75001 Paris

Fermeture en août

Ouvert début décembre 2001, dans ce restaurant-bar, Guy le patron, vous accueille dans une salle chaleureuse. Les éclairages sont propices à l'intimité, le plafond sombre est recouvert de petites lumières qui vous feront croire que vous dînez en plein air.

Le lieu est divisé en 3 parties :

- le bar à l'entrée, au comptoir ou dans de beaux fauteuils colorés;

- la salle de restaurant au rez-de-chaussée, où les tables sont plutôt prévues pour des groupes;

- et enfin, la mezzanine ronde, réservée aux petites tables, qui peut être isolée grâce à de grands rideaux.

Carte variée et de qualité, renouvelée chaque saison : camembert rôti au caramel de cidre, foie gras chaud en escalope et pain d'épice, risotto aux girolles et parmesan et pour clore ce dîner, un gratin de bananes caramélisées et sa glace vanille.

Au sous-sol, une salle est dédiée aux expositions avec son coin salon. A noter, les soirées electro animées par un DJ les vendredi.

Tel : 08 26 10 07 85

A la carte :

A la carte 25 - 30 €

Un plat 15 - 20 €

[check to see if they have a menu]

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Le Dénicheur

4, Rue Tiquetonne

, 75002

Paris

Formule dîner 11 - 15 €

Réservations : 01 42 21 31 01

Annual closing  08/08 - 21/08

Le concept de départ était original : un restaurant-brocante où l'on pouvait tout acheter, y compris la vaisselle dépareillée. Aujourd'hui, le cadre est celui d'un coffee-shop très convivial. Des nains de jardin sont exposés en vitrine, et la déco fourmille d'éléments kitsch. De belles mosaïques réalisées par le patron ornent les murs. Ici, tout est fait maison : on peut déguster une salade composée accompagnée d'une entrecôte et même emporter ce qui reste (doggy-bag). Bon rapport qualité/prix et ambiance assurée.

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Le Versance

16, Rue Feydeau

, 75002 Paris

Luxe, calme et volupté

Ici, tout n'est que luxe, calme et volupté. Cette citation de Beaudelaire trouve ici aussi tout son sens. Les amateurs de cuisine originale ont trouvé leur QG dans cet établissement d'époque. Le chef Samuel Cavagnis déroule le tapis rouge aux papilles. Il n'y a qu'à écouter les noms des plats : "Foie gras à la plancha et son crumble", "Cuisse de lapin fondante aux piments d'Espelette et citronelle, polenta à l'huile de cèpes" ou encore "Duo framboises et chocolat, tuile carambar et son yaourt glacé"...

Le chef et son équipe vous font vivre un moment intense dans un lieu magique. Asseyez-vous et prenez le temps de goûter ce moment d'enchantement que vous soyez en repas d'affaires, entre amis ou en amoureux. Un lieu de douceur et de simplicité, avec une attention portée à la beauté du detail.

Incroyablement Parfait

J'y suis allé hier avec ma chérie pour fêter nos 3 ans. Ce sont les avis précédents qui avaient arrêtés mon choix sur ce lieu, me laissant présager un moment d'exception. Et bien que ces avis soient élogieux, ils sont bien en deçà de la réalité. Il faudrait être poète pour réussir à réellement décrire ce lieu et les plaisirs procurés. Bien que de nature épicurienne, je n'ai pas pour habitude de me réjouir pour n'importe quoi. Pourtant hier, sans exagérer, le repas m'a ému et j'en ai eu la larme à l'œil. Une équipé dévouée, présente mais discrète, souriante et de bon conseil. Un décor magnifique et distingué (de très jolis vitraux), mais sobre, calme et reposant, avec beaucoup d'espace et sans fioriture. Une simplicité rare, loin de tous les autres endroits tendances qui cherchent plus à prouver qu'à plaire. Et les plats me direz-vous ? Originaux et copieux, une explosion de tous les sens (esthétisme, textures, goûts) avec des mariages intéressants d'une justesse rare... Les saveurs s'équilibrent, se complètent et s'exacerbent sans qu'aucune ne prenne le dessus. Pour l'addition, elle ne fut même pas douloureuse (je ne devrais peut-être pas le dire, sinon ils vont augmenter leur prix :P). La totale : Apéro + entrée + plat + vin + dessert + café + digestif pour moins de 100€ par personne... Je suis un lecteur fidèle des avis sur ce site depuis longtemps, mais c'est la première fois que je ressens le besoin de donner mon avis... Comme pour les remercier de ce moment d'exception en apportant ma pierre à l'édifice. Vous savez, ce sentiment de gratitude qui vous envahit, non pas parce que vous avez été le client roi, mais le convive choyé. Un lieu qui honore parfaitement sa devise : "Convier quelqu'un, c'est se charger de son bonheur pendant tout le temps qu'il est sous votre toit" J'aurai bien aimé citer une chose à améliorer, ne serait-ce qu'un détail, histoire de prouver mon objectivité... Mais en vain. Ah si : Le salon très cosy (dans lequel vous prendrez place pour l'apéritif et le digestif), n'est plus fumeur ! Quel bonheur cela aurait été de fumer une cigarette ou un cigare pour accompagner le café/digeo après un si délicieux repas ! Mais bon, on ne va pas non plus leur demander de braver cette **** de loi ;) J'ai hâte d'avoir à nouveau quelque chose à fêter pour y retourner !! 

Tel : 01 45 08 00 08

Fermeture en août

Menu 32 - 38 €  vin compris

Formule déjeuner 8 - 11 €

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Ratatouille - Rue Montmartre

168, Rue Montmartre

75002 Paris

Fermeture en août

An excellent-quality service and also very friendly, really way above the norm…. very elaborated dishes: ravioles and peppered beef for me. A little tip… ask to be upstairs if there’s still some room…

the decor is modern but warm with some play of light and small candles set in strategic corners. More than acceptable value for money. For the local regulars… this new address deserves to be known.

10-04-2009

5 stars

We were seated near the window and it was quiet. We were really amazed by the kindness and respect of the waiter who offers without forcing, suggests without insisting. We appreciated the tasty dishes and the fact that they were well presented. It is pleasant, and quite rare to find yourself in an atmosphere where you will be cared for so well. In these rather pessimist days, a haven of optimism is always useful. Go and try it, but not all together.

Mélange des genres

A deux pas des Grands Boulevards et de la place de la Bourse, Ratatouille - Rue Montmartre mélange les genres avec son décor empreint de modernité et de touches classiques. Tandis que la mezzanine et les recoins voûtés sont idéaux pour un dîner en tête-à-tête, les grandes tables devant la baie vitrée accueillent les groupes dans une ambiance conviviale.

La carte renouvelée toutes les semaines propose une cuisine traditionnelle et inventive. Entre les "Ravioles d'écrevisse", le "Filet de boeuf poêllé à l'huile de Truffe" et le "Pavé de thon mi-cuit au Saté", vos papilles ne sauront que choisir... La formule "Au comptoir" saura ravir les pressés du déjeuner, avec des plats du terroir servis sur de grandes ardoises.

Tel : 01 40 13 08 80

Menu 22 - 28 €

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[Good cous-cous restaurant in our neighborhood]

Le Clair de Lune: 11-13, rue Française (27 rue Tiquetonne), 75002 Paris. Tel.: 01 40 26 12 39. Open daily for lunch and dinner. A la carte: around €25*. Métro: Etienne Marcel. Nearest Vélib’ stations: 6 rue Française, 32, rue Etienne Marcel.

On the sort of cold, blustery night we’ve been having in Paris recently, my thoughts turn to comfort food and my abiding passion for couscous. The vegetables in broth and the hunks of meat, meatballs or spicy merguez sausage served on a bed of steaming rolled semolina (the actual couscous) are peasant food elevated to the status of a national dish. And along with steak frites, couscous is a national dish of France, just as “curry” is in the United Kingdom – both hangovers from colonial times.

Like curry in the UK, couscous is ubiquitous in France, and you will rarely be disappointed, since there’s no reason to have high gastronomical expectations in the first place. It’s a firm favorite with students, too, since most restaurants will give you all the vegetable broth and couscous you can eat.

Le Clair de Lune is an institution and was a student hangout in the days when French students’ mothers didn’t spend their weekends washing their offspring’s clothes and making up a week’s meals for them. Today, it’s patronized by those self-same students, now middle-aged.

On my most recent visit, the patrons included a young professional woman dining alone, three freemasons on the razzle, two German ladies of a certain age (Parisiennes through and through but with the appetites of teenage boys), some IT students and a brace of gay couples, all quietly getting on with their lives in subdued, but not hushed, tones.

A nice hum comes from the adjacent kitchen, and the irresistible smell of freshly grilled lamb greets you as you walk through the door. The decor is the usual ethnic clutter, but the walls are hung with some pleasant-looking kilims. Through one door is a café/bar where older locals watch football.

The menu offers a long list of daily specials, most of them French, like the calf’s liver chosen by one of the IT students, who was given a choice of fries, string beans and endive on the side. He asked for, and got, all three. There are tagines, too, served in a clay dish with a conical top that is whipped off to reveal a generous heap of smoking vegetables with meat or fish. Tagine is my girlfriend Katherine’s favorite, particularly the quail and the mutton (and this is real, strong-tasting mutton). Last time, the waiter cocked an eyebrow on seeing her empty dish and suggested, with gentle wit, that if she didn’t like the food, she should tell him.

My “Berber” couscous came with stewed beef and mutton, a spicy meatball and a merguez sausage. The massive “Couscous Royal,” which the German ladies ordered, comes with deliciously melting slow-roasted lamb, bite-sized bits of barbecued lamb or veal on skewers and chicken.

Le Cotte-Roti: Exploring Bistronomy Near Marché d'Aligre

By Gary Lee Kraut

Submitted By:

By Gary Lee Kraut

One of the nicest things about having a good meal in the company of someone who has much to tell is that you can save your own jaw muscles for the chewing and your tongue for the tasting. Furthermore, if what the other has to say is sufficiently interesting and you have a suitable bottle of wine at hand, you find yourself engrossed by the pairing of the meal and the conversation as little by little the bottle empties.

So it was with Fabien Nègre at Le Cotte-Roti, a year-old “bistronomic” restaurant near Marché d’Aligre in the 12th arrondissement. With his doctorate in philophy and post-graduate degree in economy, professional experience in radio and television, and expertise in gastronomy and cigars, Fabien Nègre is the kind of person whom you can ask how he got from there to here and then sit back and enjoy the ride.

Marché d’Aligre, the nearby food market, is notable for its own pairing of character and history. The neighborhood of a food market is traditionally prime territory for homey bistros and rustic wine bars. For the latter, Le Baron Rouge is now part of the city’s folklore, so if you’ve never been there you might push past the smokers outside and cozy up to a barrel for a glass of down-home red before going for the more refined stuff at Le Cotte-Roti two blocks away.

While traditional bistro and ethnic fare is found all around this market area, we’ve come to Le Cotte-Roti to examine a more contemporary development in Paris market (and non-market) neighborhoods, something that has in the past few years come to be called bistronomy.

Bistronomy is a combination of bistro and gastronomy. The term best applies to bistros where the chef continues to emphasize seasonal produce and nearly traditional recipes while displaying his knowledge and interest in more polished or sophisticated cuisine. These are indeed bistros since the additional elements required of a truly gastronomic restaurant—elegant services, fine tableware, more expensive produce, a section-by-section kitchen staff, a decorator—may be absent.

A number of famous (read: trademarked) mid-career and older chefs who have made their name in gastronomy now have an adjacent business of bistronomy, while opening such a restaurant is now also a way for chefs in their 30s to try to strut their stuff and take full control at an early stage in their career.

The term bistronomy is naturally a fad, a bit of a marketing ploy by which its owner or chef claims to be a cut above the ordinary bistro. Yet beyond the easy way the word rolls off the tongue lies the sensible notion that traditional French cuisine evolves and that gastronomy is just another of saying a good meal. Add to that the notion that a hungry traveler can have a relaxed, well-conceived meal in an unpretentious setting at an inviting price.

Le Cotte-Roti is a classic example. It is an open 30-seat space that’s pleasant enough without having any particular charm. Service is kind if direct. The chef sometimes gives a hand in the dining room. A three-course meal is currently an honest 30€ without supplements. One comes for the food.

Thus a tasty October lunch with Fabien of hare terrine containing bits of foie gras; braised veal tournedos with stewed mushrooms; a fruity-cum-earthy bottle of Faugères, a Syrah-Mouevèdre-and-then-some blend from the Languedoc region.

Re-thus a notable November dinner with Jean-François (who not only allowed me to share in the conversation but also in his meal) of oeuf mollet frit, a fried soft-boiled egg on a pesto-lined “dipping” bread; a mi-cuit foie gras terrine; a succulent scallop and potato purée dish; a sea bream (dorade/daurade) on a bed of salsify heightened with white truffle oil; poached quince with a triangle of French toast; poached pear on a creamy rice putting laced with caramel. Wine: Saint Joseph 2006, a Syrah from the northern portion of the Rhone Valley.

All these are good examples of bistronomy’s enhanced bistro fare and of someone giving it his best effort in the kitchen. Regarding those efforts, the foie gras lacked umph (and curiously of toast), an indication that one can’t expect the chef in a two-man kitchen to do everything well.

Nicolas Michel, 33, owner-chef of Le Cotte Roti, is in many ways the classic example of the type of culinary beginnings and ambition that have led to such praisable, acceptably-priced bistronomy. His C.V., punctuated by the names of notable restaurants, also serves as a language lesson for anyone looking to learn the terms for kitchen help in French: stagiaire (trainee/intern), divers extras en cuisine (various on-call jobs, i.e. Hey, Nick, I need someone to help out Saturday night, are you free?); 1er commis de cuisine (basically the cook helper); demi chef de partie (somewhere between a commis and a section head): chef de partie (section head); chef de cuisine (head chef); second de cuisine (sous chef); chef cuisinier (big boss, accompanied here by the title propiétare-gérant/owner-manager)

Cotte-Roti is a play on words involving the name of the street (rue de Cotte) and the Nicolas Michel’s reverence to Côte Rôtie, the Rhone Valley appellation that has made a name—and a price—for itself over the past decade. Mr. Michel, having lived in the Côte Rôtie area for two years, is a big fan of these wines. Sold here at 80-90€ per bottle, they can overwhelm the price of the meal. That’s not a judgment, just an observation. Indeed, despite the moderate price of bistronomic meals such as served here, bistronomy does assume a clientele capable of spending more and of aiming high when in the mood or at the appropriate occasion. Most wines here are priced in the 30-45€ range on a list that sits broadly in Côtes du Rhone, therefore mostly Syrah, territory, while occasionally spilling north to Beaujolais, Burgundy and the Loire, and west to Languedoc as during my lunch with Fabien Nègre.

As for what Fabien was telling me during this time, there’s no need for me to repeat it here. You’ll soon be able to sit back and enjoy his affable, wide-ranging conversation yourself by reading his series of portraits of some of Paris’s most celebrated chefs to appear on France Revisited beginning with his portrait of Guy Martin of Le Grand Véfour in February 2009.

Le Cotte-Roti, 1 rue de Cotte, 12th arrondissement. Near Marché d’Aligre. Tel. 01 43 45 06 37. E-mail bistrot.lecotteroti@yahoo.fr. Site www.le-cotte-roti.com (under construction). Metro Ledru Rollin. Closed Sun., Mon., Dec. 25-Jan. 1, three weeks in Aug.

Le Baron Rouge, 1 rue Théophile Roussel, 12th arrondissement. Near Marché d’Aligre. Tel. 01 43 43 14 32. Metro Ledru Rollin. Closed Mon.

© 2008, Gary Lee Kraut

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La Fresque

100 rue Rambuteau

4 of 5 stars

Nov 30, 2008

I lived 10 years in this area and this restaurant is still my favorite for having a lunch in Les Halles.

The menu is changed everyday, the price is low and the food is quite nice.

Most of the people coming are living in the neighbourhood or people working in the shopping mall.

Therefore, the waiters are quite friendly with the customers.

I dont think there is a cheaper restaurant in the area according to the quality of food and what they give (menu+ a drink + a dessert or a café ).

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Le Cardinal Restaurant, Paris

1, boulevard des Italiens, Métro stop Richelieu-Drouot

One of our last days in Paris this October was spent wandering from shop to shop looking for last minute gifts to bring home to family members and the kind neighbor who watched over our garden during our absence.  We found ourselves on the bustling Boulevard des Italiens in the 2nd arrondissement not very far from the apartment we were about to vacate.  Our morning of walking had given us an appetite for a nice lunch.  We looked at a few places on the boulevard, checking out their menus and prices, but didn't come across anything that impressed.

Le Cardinal Restaurant, Paris. We happened upon Le Cardinal at number 1, boulevard des Italiens, Métro stop Richelieu-Drouot, and a few steps from Place de l'Opéra...calling itself a Restaurant / Bar / Brasserie and one with 'Service Non-Stop' from Sunday through Thursday (7 AM to 2 AM the next morning and closing at 5 AM on Fridays and Saturdays).  It was busy ~ a sign to us that the food and service are, at a minimum, good.  Their web site, which we found after our visit, indicates that it is a new place in a modern setting and they say you will be welcomed by dynamic and polite personnel, eager please both individuals and groups.  As you will see as you read on, the restaurant does live up to its claims for attentive service and ambiance in our opinion.

The décor is really interesting.  We liked the curves used in the table placements and the fact that there were several levels, some only a few steps up, but all intending to create a comfortable yet functional layout.  Despite the fact that the restaurant was filled with people, it was not at all noisy, which is probably attributable to the clever use of sound absorbing fabrics as you can see in the photo.

First impressions really do count.  The moment we stepped inside, a pleasant gentlemen greeted us and escorted us up a few steps to a table for two and gave us our menus.  Having already looked at the specials posted outside, we were almost certain what our choices would be.  A large menu board just happened to be on the wall below our table, and we once again looked over the selections.  The menu was 12.50 euros if you chose from three main courses and three desserts.

Within a minute or two, our young waiter came to our table to ask if what we would like to drink, and dashed off to get our wine and water.  When he returned to take our order and bring us a selection of country breads, we told him we were interested in the filet de perche, and we asked his opinion of our choice.  He said that it was excellent.  He was absolutely right about that!  As we sat looking over the colorful restaurant, filled with business people and nary a tourist that we could discern, our meal arrived.  The perch was perfectly prepared and placed over a bed of tiny steamed vegetables and surrounded by a lovely sauce.  It was a generous portion, more than enough for two hungry shoppers at lunchtime.  We each chose a different dessert:  one, 'entremets aux deux chocolats', was a small rectangle of a thin layer of cake atop a layer of white chocolate and topped with a third layer of dark chocolate.  It, like the perch, melted in the mouth.  The other dessert was a 'clafoutis aux abricots', a light pastry with apricots.  Delicious! 

We have to say that half the enjoyment of having lunch at Le Cardinal was our delightful waiter.  He had a great sense of humor and was bright and efficient.  He anticipated our needs and made us feel as though our being there mattered...we were not going to be rushed out so that our table could receive new customers.