I like this place a lot…read more
I like this place for reasons other than the food.
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If you absolutely gotta know about the food and drink here ...
And food is not what makes this place wonderful ...
Here is the food review.
I did NOT have the pizza.
All the other Yelpers say the pizza is fantastic.
The non-pizza is so-so.
I had a Salade Nicoise with canned green beans and indifferent vegetables.
However, it also had superstrong anchovies. Anchovies cure a multitude of evils.
This beneficent effect doubles if the anchovies are super strong.
The bar is heavily tilted towards cheap alcohol.
My wine was poor and the spirit selections were not great.
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But I still love the place.
How come?
THE ROOM.
This is one of the most peaceful beautiful rooms I have encountered in my Paris wanderings.
The walls are old stone.
You could be in a small refectory in an ancient monastery.
There are no tourists and only a smattering of local residents.
So the place is serene, peaceful and quiet.
The neighborhood has quaint Parisian charm ...
Which in this case means an RER railroad two blocks away on a Third Republic stone wall,
A tree-lined boulevard on one side, and
A traditional Old Paris capillary lane on the other side.
a) Nothing is in your face Great Old Money.
You see these places in the 16e.
Carved Stone Residences with a Grand Entrance, Statuary Over the Windows and Elaborate Wrought Iron Grillwork Under the Windows.
The Carved Stone Residences say: Move on - mere mortal!
You will never be able to afford this!
Even if you could afford this, an unschooled arriviste like you wouldn't know what to do with it!
b) Nothing is garish modern like a Jacque Tati film.
Glass and steel at non-rectangular angles for financiers that are not you.
c) This is a homey real-people neighborhood with charming plain everyday buildings.
You could be in an old movie that stars Fernandel.
The neighborhood is Frencher than you are -
But it is a welcoming accessible place.
You watch the trains come and go on the stone wall.
You watch the people go down the boulevard.
You watch same people come up the boulevard with their daily purchases in hand.
Your own stone-walled quarters are calm and serene.
They protect you from the wind and he occasional rain.
You are not in a scuzzy tabac.
You are not in a tourist factory.
You are not in a bustling crowded place that serves lunch to the world.
That bustling crowded place wants your table.
You might as well be in a monastery.
Your monastery has a Parisian street view and coffee and wine for your table.
But it is still a quiet and contemplative place.
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It was one of the happiest afternoons I spent in Paris.
