I'm really not even sure where to begin! This was likely one of the best dining experiences we had during our vacation, and it was all thanks to the kindness and attentiveness of the gentleman waiting on us. I don't believe I have EVER experienced such spectacular customer service.
So, this café was right across the street from our hotel, and we decided to give it a try one morning before setting off to explore the city. From the outside, the café honestly doesn't look like much! The outside appearance was very similar to many of the restaurants in the city, and truthfully is not overwhelmingly intriguing - covered patio area with small tables (mainly for smokers) and a more or less nondescript "CAFE/BRASSERIE" in neon lights (see photos from the business!) lining the area above the awning.
We stopped to take a look at the menu before going inside, and were trying to figure out whether or not anything piqued our interest. Since the menu was in French, there were dishes and sides we weren't familiar with, so we were a bit unsure if we'd be able to find anything we liked. He (our waiter) must have seen us trying to decide on whether or not to head in, because he immediately came over to greet us and ask if we had any questions. He knew right off the bat that we were tourists... it must have been very obvious... and explained what was available for breakfast, and seemed to answer any of our questions before we even thought to ask them. What he had to say sounded great, so we decided to head in, and were sat at a table just inside the patio area. The ambiance inside was a full 180 degrees different, and we immediately knew we made the right decision.
We started with two cappuccinos, and decided to split an omelet plate that came with a light salad, French fries, and sliced bread (I absolutely LOVE bread, and loved the fact that it came with every meal we had!!). We'd seen many of that same dish being served to people around us, and the plate was HUGE - definitely enough for two people if you're not ravishingly hungry. Our plate ended up being exactly the same (giant), and we were very satisfied with splitting the meal.
The omelet was ham and cheese, and was awesome. I've usually never been a huge fan of ham, but it tasted so different than the typical flavor I've been used to; it had a bit of a crunch in it somehow, and the pieces were fairly small, which was great. It was more like an accompanying flavor to the egg than the main flavor of the omelet, if that makes sense. The fries were small, but cooked perfectly, seasoned well, and provided an entirely different feel to the stereotypical breakfast. The salad was light and refreshing, and the dressing tasted a bit citrus-y, but was not heavy or overpowering in the least. It was definitely a great meal to start the day, and one that didn't sit like a brick in our stomachs as we walked through the city!
I truly believe that the entire time we were there was, without a doubt, a five star experience. Here's why: I've explained in other reviews from my time in Paris that my boyfriend and I always try to be extremely polite and conscientious of the fact that we are in a country where English is not the first language. Neither one of us are fluent French speakers, but we do our best to communicate in a way that doesn't assume anyone we come into contact with is an English speaker. Our waiter (I only wish I had his name!) was extremely accommodating, and put up with everything we seemed to throw at him. He did not act bothered for annoyed in any way at the fact that we weren't from the area, nor did he show the SLIGHTEST bit of frustration or irritation at the fact we asked several questions during our visit. I can't even properly express how grateful I am to him for his kindness to us, and know that I am certainly not doing this man justice with my words here. He was wonderful to us, and made our dining experience one that I don't believe I will ever forget. read more