4.3 Lizards.
Pictured: Fish special, lapin (rabbit) dish, duck confit, steak tartare
Well, this place is on a side street off of Saint-Germain. We found it through one of those Paris recommendation books. First good sign – there were a lot of locals eating there. This was clearly a bistro done right. Next good sign – it was very reasonably priced, especially in comparison to some of the same foods found in more touristy areas. We wanted to get a taste for some authentic French cuisine, and this place definitely did it.
After reading some other reviews, I noticed some people had issues with sitting in very close proximity to others inside. We were seated comfortably outside, so I can’t speak to that. But the street the restaurant is on is small, quaint, and charming. Street musicians come and play their accordions – it’s like the stereotypical Hollywood picture of Paris. The service was fine – our waitress was hurrying back and forth because there were more and more people coming, looking for tables. It was a little odd that she knew we spoke English, spoke English with us for a little, then switched to French, fully knowing we did not speak French. She was a little bit on the snooty side. Oh well.
My mom had the fish, dad had the rabbit, brother had the confit, and I had the beef tartare. All four dishes were great, though the fish was a little dry when there was no sauce over it. The sauce itself was delicious though. The rabbit was falling off the bone and well-seasoned. It really gave off the taste of the meat, rather than overpowering it with some sort of heavy cream sauce. The duck confit was perfectly cooked. The soft, juicy duck had a little crisp coating that kept you wanting more. Last, but not least, the beef tartare was exquisite. It is essentially raw, seasoned beef that is served cold. This one also had pickles in the mix. It’s a great flavor, and I’m glad I tried it after seeing many of the locals eating it. Tres bien!
Not pictured here, we also shared two appetizers: shrimp with a special mayonnaise and rillettes d’oie (which is sort of like a mix between pate and head cheese) and ordered the house red wine. The shrimp were nothing special, in my opinion, but the rillettes spread on a piece of baguette was divine. The bottle of wine was relatively cheap, light, and fruity.
Overall, a lovely bistro with good prices, good wine, and great food!.
TheElizabethian 