We stumbled across this tiny little cafe after seeing the Musée National Picasso. We wound our way from the museum down rue du Parc Royal, rue Payenne, and rue des Francs Bourgeois past all of the shops to the Place des Vosges. Silvia, who has been to Paris many times but still doesn't know her way around, insisted that there was a restaurant somewhere in or near the square called Camille, but everyone we asked, even shopowners in the Place des Vosges, had never heard of it. All of us were starving. We finally gave up looking for Camille and, on the recommendation of an art gallery owner across the street (another detour precipitated by Susana), we settled on Café & Co, just off of the Place des Vosges at 9 rue de Birague.

As you walk into the this casual eaterie the bar, which seems to take up half the narrow little dining room, is directly in front of you, taking up almost the entire wall on the right. A single row of tables fill up the left wall. We were seated at a table for four behind the bar. There couldn't have be more than a dozen tables in the café, but the food was terrific. The staff was very friendly and patient with us. Silvia had disappeared again for some unknown reason and the rest of us had already ordered by the time she finally arrived and joined us at the table. We ordered a variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches, and either Heineken or wine to drink. I ordered a dried beef sandwich served open-faced that was topped with a homemade sandwich spread and parmesan cheese, and it was delicious. Susana's lobster bisque soup was outstanding, and I also tried the open-faced sandwich with proscuito and cheese that one of the others had ordered, which was every bit as good as mine.

We split the check evenly, which came to about $10 per person.

This quintessential little French café proved to be a very pleasant surprise. The food is wonderfully tasty, reasonably priced, and yet somehow unique. The open-faced sandwiches are not only delicious, they make for a beautiful presentation as well. Our server was very friendly and seemed to be having nearly as much fun as we were. If you are in this area of Le Marais to visit the Place des Vosges or perhaps the Maison de Victor Hugo, this is a great place to stop for lunch or even just a glass of wine. When I return to Paris, I will definitely make a point to pay another visit to this great little café.

My 1-10 ratings:
Food - 8; Service - 9; Atmosphere - 9

Arrondissement: 4
Metro: Bastille (M1, M5, M8); St.-Paul (M1); Chemin Vert (M8)