Le Perraudin, Paris

Le Perraudin

Jul 11, 2011

    

We really fancied ethnic food tonight and asked reception if there was anywhere good nearby. She recommended her favourite Thai restaurant, but said that it was a 10 minute taxi ride, but if we wanted somewhere closer she recommended a french bistro, Le Perraudin, just round the corner.

With de rigeur red and white checked tablecloths and a €30 prix fixe menu with items we could not only translate, but also manage to eat, we decided to give it a try.

We knew to give tete de veau, rignons and escargots de bourgoigne a wide berth, and tentatively made our choices. For entree Tom had "Terrine de pot-au-feu et sa compotée d’oignon" (Pot-au-feu pate with onion marmelade) and I had "Saumon cru mariné à l’aneth" (Marinaded raw salmon with dill). They weren't too bad although Tom found that a piece of my toast helped his pate down and my salmon, a little less cured and a lot thicker than I anticipated, was more easily swallowed with a liberal amount of vinegary salad piled on top. So far, so good, nothing coming down the nose yet!

Main course, and I went for safety with - "Bœuf bourguignon" (beef stew with red wine), which I reckoned should have been festering in the oven most of the day, and Tom went for "Gigot d’agneau rôti à la fleur de thym et son gratin de pommes de terre" (Roasted leg of lamb with potatoes gratin), taking comfort in the reassuring presence of "roasted" in the description. My boeuf was nice, albeit a bit gristly and fatty, but I was able to put my surgical skils to good use and pull off a few slivers of delicious beef. The sauce with bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions and of course wine, was just like the one I make at home. They must use Delia Smiths recipe here as well! Tom loved his roast lamb. It smelt just like Sunday lunch in an english pub. For the most part it was well done, nothing flapping, except for the last very rare piece which the chef had cunningly hidden under the other pieces! The lamb came with scalloped potatoes which were delicious.

We were then expected to order dessert. I can't imagine why we thought a 3 course menu was a good idea with our appetites! Tom chose the "Tarte fine aux pommes, glace vanille" (apple tart with vanilla ice cream), and I diced with a 3am date with the loo and went for the "Assiette de fromages -Brie de Meaux, reblochon , fromage de chèvre", (cheese plate). The cheese was fantastic. I as really disappointed I was too full to finish it. Tom's apple tart was great too.

We shared a chilled bottle of the house rose and a pitcher of water, served nicely at room temperature.

It was a great meal and the proprietor as kind enough tonlet us pay with the 500€ bill we had been trying to uae for the paat two weeks!