À Côté sur Paris

20/03/2024: For our family’s first trip to Paris, I wanted to eat French food beyond the tourist staples of steak and frites. This restaurant was mentioned on various food blogs and it did not disappoint. The lone waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about the wines to pair with our mains and fluent in English. Hearty meat and fish mains with no frites in sight; well, there were “frites” made from chickpea flour which are then carb-free (since chickpeas are legumes and a meat free protein source) which were crunchy and delicious paired with the monkfish. My daughter let me have one of them🙄The four of us shared 2 orders of the wild snails sautéed in butter and parsley with raw greens in a light vinaigrette- the chef was thoughtful to divide them into 4 plates for us. We also shared an appetizer of tripe in a buttery sauce with olives and bread. My son and husband shared the steak and mashed potatoes (meant for two), which I had to agree, was the best I have ever had! I enjoyed my order of seasoned lamb on a bed of wild rice and gravy. Barely had room for dessert and we shared 2 orders of the lemon crème brûlée- we enjoyed the tartness after such a filling meal! The restaurant was not too loud even though almost full with everyone talking and laughing. Don’t expect fancy presentations or garnishes here. Great value compared to other places we have been to!

23/02/2024: Anyway, all the dishes are surprisingly delicious! You can eat delicious French cuisine in Japan, but I feel like I was able to see the difference in its potential here. The wine selection is good and the service is very pleasant. I definitely want to go again if I go to Paris!