To be honest, this was the best non-LJV meal we had in Paris. It's a total neighbourhood joint that has classic dishes and is very reasonably-priced. We walked in on a Wednesday at about 1630 and were seated quickly and the waitress (it was actually only her and the cook) was very accommodating and handed us English menus (although Google Translate worked well on this trip).
We started with the 'dirty dozen' of escargots and they arrived still bubbling inside, with a very garlic-y sauce. The (French) onion soup had a deep, rich flavour with excellently caramelized onions that were sweet enough to offset the beef broth. Just enough cheese on the baguette-croutons to make this gooey, but not overloaded.
Fish of the day was a grilled, whole sea bass. Came out crispy (like they had a wood-fire oven in the back) and tasted fresh and light. Served with a cup of eggplant and red peppers. The veal was so tender and juicy (but had a charred/crispy top) in a creamy morel mushroom sauce that wasn't heavy and seasoned perfectly. The cassoulet was, in a word, perfect. Creamy white beans with a whole piece of duck confit, a little bit of smoked meat, and a fair piece of bacon. The flavours melded well and wasn't over-salted. We also had a cheeseburger that looked good.
Dessert was tart of the day (plum), fromage blanc w/honey, and the pear sorbet. The tart was sweet and juicy and a perfect ending to the meal. The pear sorbet had real bits of pear and was not too sweet. It came with a small snifter of pear eau de vie. The fromage blanc was tangy and creamy and perfect with the honey.
The vibe is neighbourhood bistro with lots of wood and rugby posters. Water flows freely and waitress is very attentive but not pestering. I would definitely come back on a future trip. read more