This was the very first restaurant we ate at in Paris five years ago; for us, it set the standard for neighborhood-type restaurants and it remains a favorite, even after perhaps 8 or 9 visits. It is open for lunch and dinner; lunch is a la carte and dinner is a prix fixe six-course meal with no choices except dessert. Even with no choices, we have never been served anything obnoxious. Dinner is an especially good value. Do make reservations, even for lunch, because it is a popular place.
The decor is prototypical Parisian bistro -- bentwood chairs, a banquette along the wall, small tables set closely, dark wood.
Service is usually smoothly professional, but it is somewhat impersonal because everyone gets the same dishes. On our last visit, it reminded me of a dining hall, but with good food.
The dinner menu, all in French, is presented on a blackboard. Since our first visit, it has been "discovered" by English-speaking tourists; where it used to be that little
English was spoken, on our most recent visit, sever servers spoke enough English to ranslate the menu and answer questions.
On our first visit, the first course was listed as melon soup. We were presented with a large white bowl that contained three melon balls and a few shreds of ham and some sprigs of lavender. We wondered if this was some "nouvelle" style of "soup." Then the server came out with a tureen of cold melon soup and ladled it into all the bowls. Aha. We have since learned that this is not an unusual way to present the soup course. Then we had a small, rich casserole of lentils and marrow. This was followed by a filet of white fish, with the surface beautifully crisped.
The main course was a half of a squab. A small slice of cheese with a baby-greens salad came next. For dessert I chose quenelles of chocolate; so rich and velvety and intense that all these years later I can still remember them! I have been disappointed that they have disappeared from the menu in our last
few visits. Subsequent dinners have followed a similar pattern, with soup, a vegetable-type course, fish, meat (lamb on one occasion, roast duck on a few anothers) cheese with a bit of salad, and dessert. The meal is about $28 per person (depending, of course, on the exchange rate) and you will be hard-pressed to
find a better 6-course meal for the price.
It is easy to find, just a few blocks from the Lourmel metro stop on the #8 line. Turn left on Vasco de Gama; it is on the corner on the left side of the street.