Post by geordy on Oct 2, 2007 8:31:36 GMT -5
I think this is a place everyone should visit at least once. Actually it took me two visits to appreciate it! The first visit I was alone, seated at a table with a party of 4 who were well into their meal, the waiter not very attentive, food okay. There are a few tables for two, not very good as they are next to service stations, other than that, mostly fours, or larger for groups. So parties smaller than 4 are seated with others.
But having heard many conflicting reports, read articles touting it and the decor, history, etc...decided to give it another try.
The fact that it was right across from the hotel, it was a Sunday nite, we had a big Sunday lunch and were not that hungry, and France was playing rugby on TV also contributed to our choice!
You enter through a courtyard where there is often a line to get in.
Not so when we arrived about 9:15 on Sunday evening. My S/O and I were seated with a man at a table for four, he was served his cafe soon after we sat down. I ordered the avocado stuffed with shrimp in a mayo based cocktail sauce. They were out of some of the day's main choices so I settled on grilled salmon. Meats/fish come with potatoes and are topped with a dollop of herbed butter. Vegetables can be ordered separately for 2.50 euros or something like that! Not up for dessert just a small calvados for about 3.50. We ordered a bottle of wine but house wine in pitchers was being enjoyed by many of the diners. Oh, a bread basket(cut up baguette) and a carafe of water are also provided!
The building is something to see!! Huge and just lovely, mirrors, paintings, murals, carved wood, etc. The waiters , dressed in black, long aporns,wear buttons with a number on them. There is a booth outside of the kitchen door where the waiters stop with their dishes and a woman records all they serve using their number(now there's a job for you!) When it is busy you see them lined up out the kitchen door, dishes up their arms!!
The water(and sometime wine glasses) are small tumblers which we watched the wait staff pile into towers and take back to the kitchen when clearing tables!
This is not a late nite destination..they stop seating at 10. We watched an older waiter complaining and pointing at the large clock when a young woman seated folks in his back section(the front was not too full) close to 10 pm. Some of the wait staff are rather old and they work hard!
It is not a fine dining place...if every bite you take in Paris has to be a gourmet experience...this may not be for you. But as an alternative to a cafe dinner(not knocking those! ), a sandwich, or a chain, or something else simple.....our choices were tasty. The menu changes daily but is extensive so most staples remain. Rule of thumb is probably order simple dishes(which most of them are anyway) And it is inexpensive.
Our waiter was an older man and quite good and friendly. It is one of those write the order on the paper covering the red and white tablecloths, and tally it up there too! The whole experience is kind of like theatre, always something to notice in the decor, the staff, the patrons. And like most theatre, some will enjoy it more than others!
The Sunday nite we were there it was lively, not full, lots of laughter and folks seemed to be enjoying it!
I would not make a special trip there again ..but if in the area I'd give it a try!
But having heard many conflicting reports, read articles touting it and the decor, history, etc...decided to give it another try.
The fact that it was right across from the hotel, it was a Sunday nite, we had a big Sunday lunch and were not that hungry, and France was playing rugby on TV also contributed to our choice!
You enter through a courtyard where there is often a line to get in.
Not so when we arrived about 9:15 on Sunday evening. My S/O and I were seated with a man at a table for four, he was served his cafe soon after we sat down. I ordered the avocado stuffed with shrimp in a mayo based cocktail sauce. They were out of some of the day's main choices so I settled on grilled salmon. Meats/fish come with potatoes and are topped with a dollop of herbed butter. Vegetables can be ordered separately for 2.50 euros or something like that! Not up for dessert just a small calvados for about 3.50. We ordered a bottle of wine but house wine in pitchers was being enjoyed by many of the diners. Oh, a bread basket(cut up baguette) and a carafe of water are also provided!
The building is something to see!! Huge and just lovely, mirrors, paintings, murals, carved wood, etc. The waiters , dressed in black, long aporns,wear buttons with a number on them. There is a booth outside of the kitchen door where the waiters stop with their dishes and a woman records all they serve using their number(now there's a job for you!) When it is busy you see them lined up out the kitchen door, dishes up their arms!!
The water(and sometime wine glasses) are small tumblers which we watched the wait staff pile into towers and take back to the kitchen when clearing tables!
This is not a late nite destination..they stop seating at 10. We watched an older waiter complaining and pointing at the large clock when a young woman seated folks in his back section(the front was not too full) close to 10 pm. Some of the wait staff are rather old and they work hard!
It is not a fine dining place...if every bite you take in Paris has to be a gourmet experience...this may not be for you. But as an alternative to a cafe dinner(not knocking those! ), a sandwich, or a chain, or something else simple.....our choices were tasty. The menu changes daily but is extensive so most staples remain. Rule of thumb is probably order simple dishes(which most of them are anyway) And it is inexpensive.
Our waiter was an older man and quite good and friendly. It is one of those write the order on the paper covering the red and white tablecloths, and tally it up there too! The whole experience is kind of like theatre, always something to notice in the decor, the staff, the patrons. And like most theatre, some will enjoy it more than others!
The Sunday nite we were there it was lively, not full, lots of laughter and folks seemed to be enjoying it!
I would not make a special trip there again ..but if in the area I'd give it a try!