Across the street from the other restaurant I reviewed, Toque, L'Express represents the other end of the spectrum when it comes to French food. Here innovation and fusion isn't as important as consistency and depth. It is the kind of restaurant that reminds you of why you fell in love with French cuisine. Fresh, unpretentious dishes served daily to locals who return repeatedly because of the restaurant's consistency with the classics. You'll begin to believe that this kind of food has been prepared as per its orginal recipe. There are even regulars that eat at their spot at the long zinc bar in the simple black and white tiled room. The atmosphere of the restaurant is lively but not loud. Food here is taken seriously, but the restaurant itself is low key. It is so popular though, you should make a reservation.
My companion started with a monk fish soup, delicatly suspended in a white wine and tomato broth. However, I was in need of serious traditional French comfort food, so I chose bone marrow served with crusty toast points. It may be an acquired taste, but that marrow is dug out of the bones and spead on the toast like a beefy butter. Next was the ultimate chicken soup, chicken pot au feu. Juicy pieces of dark chicken meat swimming in its own broth and surrounded by tender root vegetables. Since it was Chirstmas tim, I wanted to try something that was created just for the holidays, so to finish my meal I ordered a special Christmas cheese, Vacherin Mont d'Or, a creamy fromage served with walnuts and croutons. My dining companion chose the showy floating island. A mound of meringue crowned in spun sugar bathes in creme anglais, the dessert is deceptively light on the tongue but happily hits like a brick after several bites.