53 bis, boulevard Arago
75013 Paris
Phone: 01.45.35.53.42
Metro Station: Glacière (Line 6) or Goblins (Line 7)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Tues-Sat noon-2:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, Amex
Having enjoyed dining at this restaurant several months ago, my partner and I returned on a recent Friday evening in anticipation of a great meal.
For the starter, I ordered the Petit marron, oeuf poché et magret fumé, which I imagined would be chestnut (marron) soup. However, I was misled by the name, and I received, instead, cream of squash soup in which floated a large poached egg and thinly-sliced, smoked duck breast. This was not a disappointment, as the dish was a delicious, piping-hot soup appropriate for a cold autumn day. I later learned that “petit marron” means “potimarron,” a variety of orange squash, technically called Cucurbita maxima. My partner ordered the Salade de foie gras aux pignons de pin. There was no name confusion here! She was served a salad of baby romaine lettuce and radicchio, with toasted pine nuts and shavings of carrot, topped by a generous portion of thinly-sliced foie gras dusted with paprika.
For the main course, my desire for seasonal dishes induced me to order the Civet de sanglier au pain d’épices. A shallow dish containing broccoli, carrot, turnip, gratin potatoes, and a dollop of puréed potatoes was placed in front of me. Next to the dish was placed a large iron casserole containing wild boar stew that had been prepared in a “spice bread” sauce. I would never have imagined that the flavor of spice bread would go so well with game, but this surprising dish was hearty and satisfying. My partner ordered the Filet mignon porc aux trompettes de la mort, three morsels of meaty pork blanketed with black chanterelle mushrooms. The smallest portion of meat was slightly overcooked, but the other two were fine. Her vegetable accompaniment was the same as mine, with the exception of a purée of beetroot and a baked clove of garlic replacing my broccoli and puréed potatoes.
For dessert, I selected Gratin de mandarine – mandarin orange slices soaked in Grand Marnier atop a thin slice of spice bread, covered with caramelized sabayon. It was a fine, light finish to the hearty meal. As my partner had ordered the Sable fin aux pommes et coing in advance, she was anticipating receiving something special. What she got was a tart consisting of a thin shortbread crust, a layer of quince jelly, and finally, delicate slices of apple topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Served warm, it was sublime!
During the meal we enjoyed a half-bottle of 2001 Fiefs de Lagrange–Saint Julien from Bordeaux – a soft, medium-bodied complement to our meal. As the name of the restaurant implies, the wine selection here is fairly extensive.
The after-dinner espresso was served with two small meringue puffs, lightly flavored with strawberry.
The bill for two, including two glasses of champagne, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, 1/2 bottle of wine, and one espresso, came to 103.50€.
