Oh boy alain40, what a wonderful back story to fill in all the nooks and crannies of my experiences there. In '78-9 I lived at 9, r. des Bernardins, just across the Pont l'Archeveche from our resto.

I didn't get as close to the folks as you did. But the recognized me enough to nod seriously whenever I showed up, and I always found myself at an excellent table.

A real place, a true Paris place, humble and true to itself.

Thank you so much for your story.

Geo
PS. I agree that Flo's choucroute garni doesn't compare; however, it's a great show there, and the shellfish are beyond compare.

alain40 wrote:...The waiters in traditional ‘’serveurs’’ outfits including white shirts, black bow ties, black pants, black vest, and a white apron, would come to the bar to get their orders of draft beer, an excellent and foamy Mutzig from Alsace served in half-liter stoneware (grès) steins, called ‘’pots’’, and get their food orders from the kitchen through a hole in a door at the end of the bar....

Yes yes yes, Alain I'd forgotten about the Mutzig! We came at a busy time at lunch once and no tables were ready so we waited at that bar. I asked for a demi pression and voila, was served a fine stein of cold Mutzig. Was thrilled to finally have a good beer in Paris, seems like that Kronenbourg swill has a monopoly at every other restaurant and cafe.

I agree that's a great little bar, plus you have some extra time to chat with the waiters a bit while they're waiting for the food to come out of that service window. One of them insisted that I order that coq au Riesling - that was good advice, always listen to your waiter in France or Italy ha

Speaking of Alsatian food, this discussion reminds me of Au Pont Corbeau in Strasbourg. Ce restaurant est magnifique! Very similar to Brasserie Ile de St Louis - reasonable prices, friendly professional service, great atmosphere, and excellent food. We were in Strasbourg for 4 days, and we ate lunch there every day - a group of four of us were travelling together. "How about we go back to Au Pont du Corbeau? ...Ok!!!" It was unanimous every day.

Alain, let me add my thanks as well for your lovely tribute. It's reassuring to hear that some things still remain the same, or nearly the same--from the waiters' outfits (something I pondered commenting on but chose to omit) to the stoneware mugs.

Another place I liked, just down the street, is Le Sergent Recruteur, but I've read that it has closed. Anyone know otherwise??

Geo

Fellow LTHers, I'm sorry. Since I've moved to Mpls, I pretty much suck at posting relevant data. I'm still a lurker and this is one of my go-to sites for research, so I need to get back on the horse and post some items of interest.

The first, is a quick note about Paris. I was there last September (I know, I know - too long of a lag to post) and participated in a tasting tour of the Marais guided by Paris by Mouth (http://parisbymouth.com/paris-food-wine-tours/). Now, I don't consider myself a "foodie" and I'm not a newbie, I'm somewhere in the middle but I tend to not love these types of tours as they sometimes skew a bit touristy and I'm usually looking for things off the beaten path. This tour did not disappoint.

Paris by Mouth is a great site and if you find yourself heading to Paris, it's a must visit resource for restaurant reviews and tips. The tours are led by very knowledgeable employees that take a small group of people to some really great neighborhood treasures. For instance, they don't just go to a boulangerie but rather take you to one that has one of the top ten baguettes and the highest ranking croissant in Paris. It's not a bad way to spend the morning.

This list is great if you want to gather some items in the morning for a lunch or picnic. It's obviously very walkable with the addresses close enough together to knock it out in an hour or so. If you do take the tour, I'd advise you to do this one day 1 or 2, so that you have some time to double back to some of the places like I wanted to. Here's a list of the places we visited (my notes in blue):

Places visited during our Taste of the Marais food tour:

134 RdT bakery at 134 Rue de Turenne, 75003 - phenomenal baguette and even better croissant per the Concours du Meilleur Croissant au Beurre AOC Charentes-Poitou
Jouannault at 39 rue de Bretagne, 75003 - this was a great little cheese shop with some very helpful owners. I included the cheeses we tasted below with my favorite being the Epoisses
Bibo Vino Wine Shop at the Marche des Enfants Rouges at 35 rue Charlot, 75003 - interesting place that I would have never gone into without this tour. All boxed wine from small organic/bio producers. Very nice and knowledgeable owner and right inside the Marché des Enfants Rouges
Ramella at 38 rue de Bretagne, 75003 - Charcuterie of course. What else would you eat with that cheese? The key with this establishment (from what we were told) is that it is a Charcuterie Traiteur - which I believe means that they actually prepare many of the dishes in house
Caractere de Cochon at 42 rue Charlot, 75003 - My favorite place of the tour. This guy decided to dedicate his shop to the pig. Ham from all over France, many of which you can't get any place else. Tiny, weird hours but very friendly and man does it smell good.
Jacques Genin at 133 rue de Turenne, 75003 - by far the best chocolate shop I've ever stepped into. Great for gifts but they highly recommend that you keep them temp controlled as to not compromise the chocolate.

Cheeses We Tasted:
Gour Noir (goat, Correze) a milky and mild raw milk goat's cheese coated in ash and shaped like an oval.
Crottin Bleu (goat, Central France, 2-8 weeks) - when young, this cheese can be floral and only mildly goaty. When aged until very dry and brown (resembling dung, hence the name "crottin"), it becomes more aggressively goaty and musty but also carries flavors of walnut and hazelnut. Often warmed and served in salads when young, and grated when aged.
Brie de Melun AOC (cow, Ile-de-France, 7-8 weeks) - the coagulation of curds is slower (over 18 hours) than with Brie de Meaux because this cheese relies less on rennet and more on lactic fermentation. Flavor can vary wildly by the season, but it is usually more salty, meaty, savory and sometimes metallic and bitter when compared to Brie de Meaux.
Comté AOC 24 months (cow, Jura, usually 6-36 months) - has a firm and supple texture that melts in the mouth and leaves a sweet taste (95% of cows used for this cheese are Monbeliarde, known for their sweet milk; the rest are Simmental). Can taste of melted butter, milk chocolate, hazelnuts, toast, leather, pepper, butterscotch, sweet orange. Strong salt but balanced with a nutty tang. This cheese has the highest production figures of all French cheese. Graded on a scale of 1-20. Those that score 15-20 wear a green band, those from 12-15 wear a red band. Below three can’t be labeled Comte. Aged for a minimum of 3 months but can be aged up to five years, although 18, 24, 30 and 36 are more common.
Epoisses AOC (cow, Burgundy) - this recipe was based on Maroilles, the first washed rind cheese created around 960 AD. Monks were forbidden meat on fast days, and with more than 100 of these per year, not to mention compulsory fish on Fridays, cheese was an essential part of their diet. Washed with Marc de Bourgogne, a brandy made from pressed grapes (like Grappa), the rind has a terracotta color and is sticky. The aroma is reminiscent of smelly socks and the taste is meaty, eggy, salty and rich with a long finish.
Roquefort AOC (sheep, Midi-Pyrénées, usually 3 months but can go up to 10 months) - this is a very old cheese, dating from before the Roman conquest of Gaul (2nd century BC). Ripened for at least three months in the Cambalou caves below Roquefort-sur-Soulzon. These natural caves are filled with Penicillium roqueforti. Made from sheeps milk from a defined region around the village. Some 3.3 million cheeses are cured every year in these caves. Round rye and wheat loaves are specially baked and left where the airflow is strong. After 6-8 weeks, the crust is discarded and the inside is dried. Cheeses after eight days of production are taken to the caves and pierced with needles. Carbon dioxide caused by fermentation in the pate escapes and the spore-laden air is introduced. Protected since 1411 when Charles the VI signed a charter granting the people of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon the right to make it, and in 1926 it was the first cheese to be granted AOC status. Carles and Vieux Berger are generally appreciated as top producers, based on the criteria of balance (no over-salting) and complex raw milk flavor, bite without harshness, and soft buttery texture.

Good luck and have fun!