Lovely lunch spot!

First the complaint: it is a cold winter here and this restaurant definitely was drafty. They were doing their best with a door cover and a space heater but it still leaked cold air.

That said, this was a very successful lunch. The ambiance was very nice, the server was quick and friendly, nothing rushed but he didn't leave us languishing either which was amazing as he handled every table in the house.

I had the foie gras mi-cuit for entree which was nice. Nothing special which is to say very good but you can get this all over Paris. But they had fresh-baked rolls which were still warm. That was lovely.

For my main course I had steak tartare. I prefer this slightly grilled and they nailed this. Well-spiced, just a little crispy on the outside, still cool and raw in the middle. Often for an American you will get a hamburger back if you order it aller/retour. I am avoiding potatoes this month but the side of smashed potatoes required a small sampling and they were fantastic (and mostly butter anyway) and had  slight crust as if they had been pan-seared after the smashing.

You can find this on Yelp.

Susan and I tended bar for a school play. Only in France.

I really enjoyed the food and service at Waknine. The atmosphere might normally be very congenial but today our table was impacted by two people having a very loud, almost aggressive conversation next to us. The next time people complain about loud Americans I will respond about very loud French businessmen. Wow.

But let's talk about Waknine and assume the tables aren't always like this.... we were seated on this rainy day promptly and ordered drinks. I had a glass of the red wine of the month and it was surprisingly nice. Often I think the wine of the month is what's left over from last month but at Waknine it was really perfect for lunch. I was remiss in not writing it down though.

For entrees I had the house-made rabbit rillette (more or less pate). And it was good, very good. Often rabbit terrine has an odd flavor, my wife calls it cat food. But this had a nice texture well mixed with spices and my wife liked it and thought maybe it had a hint of ginger. This plate came with a small salad of field greens.

For the main course I had lamb and my wife had the scallops. Both plates were pretty to look at, well-designed but without being too fussy. The lamb was nicely cooked rose. The lamb was served with fried carrots which I loved, a welcome change from normal potatoes.

For lunch for two it was a little spendy (92 euro for 2 entree, 2 plats, 3 glasses of wine, 2 coffees) but I would definitely go back.

I cross-posted this review to Yelp as well.

Lovely morning in Paris. We walked to school and then took the long
way home along the Seine and up Trocadero. I love these views.

Turns out the upgrade is worth it. More quiet space. An excellent meal. A full bed. A full English breakfast on waking. And then a hot shower in the lounge.

Thanks guys!

On a cold and grey Northwest morning out running.

As someone who stresses about air travel it is never reassuring when the online check-in system says "sorry, we can't process this request". Hm... airline systems are something I want to work.

Worse is calling (yes, I am a nervous traveler) and the agent is unable to get the system to work either. Uh oh, I can sense a middle-row seat looming in my future.

Yes, the lounge in Terminal 5 is pretty nice.

Lovely lunch yesterday celebrating another orbit around the sun. Perfect little bistro just a touch north of the Marais. The waiter/proprietor was great; friendly and knowledgable and welcoming. We started with an aperitif, a very dry Sancerre. Next up was a dish of leeks in vinaigrette with a perfectly poached egg. I love eggs on food and since moving to Europe the whole family loves leeks, a food we never ate in the US.

For the main course we had an aged filet. Tender and very flavorful. The little cocotte had radish or onion or cabbage slightly pickled. Delightful. And I stuck to the slow carb diet and skipped the potatoes. But it wasn't easy. I did break down and have a moelleux chocolat, chocolate cake with a molten center along with a glass of champagne. Super place, will definitely go back.

Couple of photos lurking on my phone from our recent ski trip. This little mid-mountain cabin sleeps 14. Secluded and lovely, great views in all directions. Would be a nice weekend.