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Post by Happygoin on May 13, 2010 10:06:25 GMT -5
Ate every meal in the 11th and 12th this trip and here's the rundown:
L'Encrier on r. Traversierre. Ate lunch here with Sistereurope. The leek soup tasted like dishwater. The stuffed potato was full of meat stuffing and was delish. Sis said her rabbit was very good. My niece said her salad was good, the plat, fish, so-so. But we loved the ambiance. Full full full of Parisians having their lunch. Go figure. Inexpensive
Les Banquettes at 3 r. de Prague. Had dinner here and were delighted. We both had fish, the niece had dorade and I had raie. Staff was friendly and terrific, although my niece kept ordering red wine and they kept delivering Champagne. We laughed about it only because she likes Champagne and it was just so ridiculous. It happened three times! Moderate
West Country Girl on Psg St. Ambroise. Ate here with Sistereurope and it was so good that we went back with Shoesy. YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE. I had previously tried savory crepes and had decided I really wasn't a savory crepe lover. This place changed my mind PRONTO. They take up the whole darn plate and are AMAZING. I had one with camembert, mushrooms and bacon, and the other time with feta, chives and something else (jetlag is messing with my memory...Sistereurope help me out!!) Anyway, it was just amazing and GO!
The first night, we bought asparagus, mushrooms and comté at the d'Aligre market and made omelettes at home because I was too tired to go out. They were amazing.
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Post by Shoesy on May 13, 2010 10:40:26 GMT -5
Yup! The crepe I ate was delicious.  However, I can't help but laugh as I recall my faux pas regarding my drink. As usual, I had requested une carafe d'eau. However, at that place, the carafe is so small that I didn't realize it was a carafe so I drank straight from it, thinking it was a glass of water.  I only realized my mistake when I suddenly saw the real glass that I was supposed to be drinking from. ;D |
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Post by Happygoin on May 13, 2010 10:52:03 GMT -5
Oh Shoesy!! That was going to be our secret!!   |
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Post by sistereurope on May 13, 2010 16:46:18 GMT -5
Happy, how could YOU of all people forget the mushrooms?! Must be the jet lag! ;D
Those crepes were divine...mmmm
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Post by GitteK on May 19, 2010 5:07:54 GMT -5
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Post by sistereurope on May 19, 2010 8:42:46 GMT -5
LOVE À la Biche au Bois!
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Post by geordy on Sept 25, 2010 10:54:09 GMT -5
We wanted a reservation for Friday night and I had Quincy on my list for some time. After a couple of attempts to make a res noticed on their website they were closed for vacances until Sept. 14  . So we decided on Au Biche en Bois on the same street. Made a res a couple of weeks before the trip. Drizzling when we arrived. Bustling but some empty tables. Waited by entrance for a bit, finally middle aged gent with strange goatee..curled into one curl ..asked about res before we could even get out a Bon Soir..he didn't ..told him res. he said oh yes and walked to give a check to another table. Waiters whizzing by us, no real place to wait and it was still drizzling out doors though people were also going by us to smoke. Apparently Mr Goatee is the only one who can seat people. He came back and said table would be ready soon. There were empty twos...but we continued waiting while table in front room was set up. A few more moments and we would have left but it was drizzling, this was in the 12th not easy walking distance back to hotel at night, it was now well after nine, and I did want to try this place! After being seated, ordered Champagne and things improved. Rest of wait staff were fine but he apparently also has to take the dinner order. Waiter had gave us menus, mentioned specials, and dashed off. The only game available, in season I guess, was grouse/geibert(sp?), flyers were on the windows saying it had arrived! A small supplement to the Menu. Host pushing a headcheese starter, then made comment about "scaring" American customers. They have lots of classic starters and several varieties of pate which most people seemed to be having. We got the Chef's special country pate and fois gras. Since each was two big slabs that worked out nicely!  ;D Decided on the Grouse..though I felt a tad bit guilty after being at the Musee de Chasse earlier  . He explained it was a small bird(knew that) , you get half, plus mashed potatoes and celery.  Celery turned out to be a puree of celery root....divine! Love my root veggies in autumn(technically still summer!) esp. mashed with lots of butter! The only easy to eat part of the bird was the breast., served fanned out, easier to eat than quail that is not deboned. Tasty and ample enough, esp. after the pate and with the purees, but not something I'm dying to have again. Glad I tried it though. Then the cheese tray presented by the waiter. I chose a Pont L'evique, pepper goat cheese and a bleu. Too stuffed for dessert  so got a Cafe Leigois, cafe with a scoop of coffee ice cream, and topped with Chantilly! Perfect! Finishing up wine ask for check. Wait....apparently Mr. Goatee is also the only one who can present check...which he does with a flourish, carrying around a big bottle of cognac from which he pours a bit into your empty glasses or cafe cups. We asked again after a bit...Mr. Goatee was outside biding goodbye to someone departing on a motorbike....waiter went outside to tell him. Normally this wouldn't be too much of a bother but after the rough start, we'd been there a long time, and we were planning on catching a train the next morning to Provins and had a 7:30 wake up call set. We still Waited............... We asked a third time and finally got the Host, our cognac and check. The food was excellent and the rest of the servers were fine too. Somebody out there probably loves Mr. Goatee ........ maybe we had an off night. A good Host can make a BIG difference in a restaurant experience. And thus far in all the spots we just ambled into in the 'hood the staff were all friendly, attentive, and efficient. Obviously regulars will get a bit more attention but we were in a position to see some other folks get pretty much the brusque welcome we did. Wanting to give a personal touch as Host is fine if you can do it for all. It does set the tone and in our case not a great one. Oh well...then on the way home we saw Quincy WAS open!!!! Didn't make it there this trip but now that I know exactly where it is...next time! ;D |
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Post by GitteK on Sept 25, 2010 12:32:50 GMT -5
geordy, THANK YOU for this review !! "À la Biche au Bois" is one of Laidback's and sistereurope's favorites too.
I have booked a dinner table there for October - am curious to see if I'll have the same experience with that weird maître d' as you had ??!!
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Post by Jody on Sept 25, 2010 12:33:45 GMT -5
We're booked there too. Maybe we need to send Roniece in first to soften him up!!!
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Post by GitteK on Sept 25, 2010 12:35:20 GMT -5
HAAA !!! yeah, that might do the trick, Jody ! Then we can all wear our koalas, so he'll recognize us for being the RDB Support Team !!
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Post by geordy on Sept 25, 2010 12:41:50 GMT -5
I do hope you all have a better experience. It is a cute little place, and as I said the food was good and ample, and the rest of the service good. |
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Post by Jody on Sept 25, 2010 13:10:12 GMT -5
Just looked up Le Quincy and am going to call on Tues. for a reservation! Really good review!
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Post by geordy on Mar 7, 2011 18:43:16 GMT -5
Le Quincy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This place originally went on "the list" after I read they had a number of Sancerres on their wine list..then read somewhere else they had cassoullet..moved closer to the top!! When staying in the 11th last September tried to reserve but on Vac.(turned out not the whole time but didn't get there) Glad, so glad, we did this time!!! Wed. lunch arrived about 12:45. Friendly welcome , sat by the window in the front. Looks exactly like what you imagine an old time Paris bistro would....little window box front area, red checked curtains and table settings, warm wood, homey interior. Elderly proprietor...gracious and likes to talk!!! Brought little glasses of champagne/sparkling and cut slices of sausage...Owner walks around with the sausage and knife! I had forgotten the cassoulet connection(!) so of course ordered that...it was Wed. and hadn't had it yet! No starters as Cassoulet is usually so huge and I was having that nasty eating problem . So of course we got cut more sausage for the wait! 3 business men at next table. French, slight, tallest 5'10...ate like they were going to the chair!! 2 had the leek tart as a starter..slice larger than most main course portions, one escargot..lots of bread. All big entrees and then the Dessert sampler...this is not a little bit of everything...this is A LOT of everything...a big bowl of chocolate mousse, rice pudding, pots, tortes, tarts, etc.!!!!! But back to us.....cassoulet was excellent...Happy you must go here!!!. And I could eat! Then also realized hadn't had a cheese course yet!!!! Basket of baby cheeses, a couple of whole cheeses brought to table plus a crock of soft cheese! Delicious!!! Washed down with recommended Chateau La Grezetti Malbec Cahors. I'll try those Sancerres next time!!! Service was great..an elderly waiter, a youngun(learned his lessons well! and cute!) and of course the charming host...who , after listening to S/O and I decided to forego S/O's fluent French and speak to me in his charming English! W/C is thru kitchen...very pleasant chefs!...in a little courtyard !Had cafe but could not possibly manage dessert!! Next time getting the assortment! Oh and Madame is tres charming as well in her gold buttoned, plaid, oh so well tailored suit and sensible black pumps! Definitely will return....a totally delightful meal and afternoon in very good company![glow=red,2,300][/glow] |
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Post by jo on Mar 7, 2011 18:55:32 GMT -5
Oh, this one is definitely going on the list for October! Thanks for sharing all these delicious details.
Jo
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Post by georgeleitch on Mar 7, 2011 21:37:33 GMT -5
By the looks of things, two weeks is not going to be enough time to fit in all the restaurants that are being recommended. Do they charge excess weight if I am carrying it round the tummy when we go back?
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Post by jo on Mar 8, 2011 6:51:38 GMT -5
By the looks of things, two weeks is not going to be enough time to fit in all the restaurants that are being recommended. Do they charge excess weight if I am carrying it round the tummy when we go back? This is my dilemma every time we go to Paris. Just too many restaurants to try and not enough time (or money) to try them all. It's why I have to keep coming back. ;D Jo |
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Post by Happygoin on Mar 8, 2011 9:51:35 GMT -5
Geordy, this place has been on my list for a while now. It's very close to "my" apartment on the r. de Prague. I actually walked by it in January, and looked at the menu. I just wasn't in the mood for anything I saw on it. And you know how that goes, the next week I would have been spoiled for choices...ach!
In this thread, I should have included Le Square Trousseau. It's a wonderful Belle Epoque restaurant on the r. Antoine Vollon. This place is exactly what a restaurant in Paris should be, at least to me. Friendly help, good food and lots of outdoor tables on a sidewalk where you can be comfortable for hours and not have tourists tripping over your legs to get by. I've eaten here 5 or 6 times because I think of it as my neighborhood joint. In fact, Denise and her friend, Lizzie, went with me one night in January and we enjoyed a nice long meal. Their hanger steak (onglet) and mashed potatoes are really really good!
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slowpoke
Full Member
Cruising into Paris
Posts: 131
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Post by slowpoke on Apr 15, 2011 3:48:12 GMT -5
Thank you Happy for starting this subject, and for your review of Le Square Trousseau. We have walked by there so many times, and it always is full and looks very appealing, and so far we have not tried it, but now we will. Our neighbor Gilles highly recommends Le Quincy, so thank you Geordy for that review. As with Square Trousseau, we have it on our list, but have not yet been. Most of the time we eat dinner at home. When the weather is warm enough, we enjoy eating on our back deck where we have a great view of the Bastille monument and the opera house. We can also watch the people who are at Le Grand Bleu across the canal in Jardin de l'Arsenal. Le Grand Bleu is a great place to come for a drink on a sunny day. It is down from the street, so it is quiet and you have a view of our port and passing boats. www.legrandbleu-paris.fr/ We have eaten dinner there for events with our neighbors, and the food is not bad, but "le rapport qualité prix" isn't that good. Cafés de l’Industrie has two locations across the street from each another, one has a piano bar. When we first moved here we decided that this would be our "Joe's of Westlake", (for those of you from San Francisco.) It is inexpensive, lively, and we are told "trendy", but what would we know about that. www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d781972-Reviews-Cafe_de_l_Industrie-Paris_Ile_de_France.htmlWe also like Swann & Vincent (Italian) www.swann-vincent.fr/en/The apartment across from our port that we are renting for the "kids" this summer has these recommendations for the neighborhood. Has anyone tried any of these restaurants? EXCELLENT Thai IN THIS AREA Blue Elephant, 43, rue de la Roquette / 75011 Paris Tél. 01 47 00 42 00 M° Bastille TRENDY IN THIS AREA Barrio Latino, 46, rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine75012 Paris Tél : 01 55 78 84 75 Métro Bastille CHINESE IN THIS AREA China Club 50, rue de Charenton 75012 Paris Tél : 01 43 43 82 02 Métro Ledru-Rollin Bon Appétit |
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Post by Happygoin on Apr 15, 2011 8:58:30 GMT -5
I wonder if Denise visited the Blue Elephant. She and her traveling friend, Lizzie, stayed in an apartment on r. de Roquette and loved the area.
Slowpoke, if you go into Square Trousseau, make sure to try the mashed potatoes. They are sublime in that French way...likely chock full of artery-clogging butter and cream, but oh so good!
My niece went dancing at the Barrio Latino. She had a grand time! She didn't eat or drink there, she only went to dance.
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Post by geordy on Apr 15, 2011 17:06:12 GMT -5
From what I've heard/read all three are more late night drinking/dancing/mingling places than eateries...though with Thai, Chinese and Latin food you can always nibble...probably good for the "kids"!
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However, I can't help but laugh as I recall my faux pas regarding my drink. As usual, I had requested une carafe d'eau. However, at that place, the carafe is so small that I didn't realize it was a carafe so I drank straight from it, thinking it was a glass of water. 
I only realized my mistake when I suddenly saw the real glass that I was supposed to be drinking from. ;D
.
. He explained it was a small bird(knew that) , you get half, plus mashed potatoes and celery. 
hahahha