Le Chic En Rose

Hopefully no one has been waiting on lunch since my last post about the first part of our Parisian trip last year (see here).

Anyway, after an early start in London, journeying to Paris and exploring the area around Notre Dame, breakfast seemed a long while ago and Mlle and I were feeling in urgent need of refreshments. We headed off to find a lunch venue. Despite being on the trendy left bank, most cafes and eateries seemed to be catering more to fast food, which wasn’t really what we hoped to find in Paris. I remembered a little creperie and galette cafe/bar that Monsieur and I had visited in 2010 down one of the small side streets near the Seine, but unfortunately we had no luck in finding it.

We therefore decided to try out the restaurant next to the Shakespeare and Company book shop on the opposite side of the Seine from Notre Dame. Restaurant Le Petit Châtelet had an authentic French vibe to it – there were a couple of people smartly dressed in business attire (probably on their lunch break from a nearby office) but luckily for us it was far less crowded than the adjacent pizzerias.I think this was mainly because it was getting close to 2pm and towards the end of the traditional French lunch break. We had noticed far more patrons when we had walked past half an hour or so earlier.

The menu offered traditional French regional dishes in a bistro style setting and the sidewalk tables under the traditional striped awnings were pretty enticing on a warm late summer’s day (it was in the high 20s by this stage).

Right on the cobbled street by the River Seine, it was the perfect spot for people-watching, chatting and enjoying the superb French cuisine. We ordered a carafe of the house white wine – a lovely crisp chablis perfect for a warm day.

Our first course arrived beautifully presented followed by the equally delicious main courses. I can’t remember all the dishes so am going by the photos. I had the soup of the day for starters and we both enjoyed fish dishes accompanied by various vegetables for the mains – all of a very high standard. By this stage we had the place more or less to ourselves and the wait staff, who were attentive and friendly, humoured me as I attempted to practise my rusty French!

We debated whether we could find room for any more food but when the waiter wheeled over the dessert blackboard with the various selections beautifully inscribed in the classic looping French writing style, we couldn’t resist.The chocolate crepes and double crème brulées (raspberry and passion fruit if I recall correctly) were superb and a wonderful finale to our meal.

I think it was a testament to the quality of the food and wine that we felt pleasantly, rather than uncomfortably, full afterwards. Re-energised, we headed off across the Seine to explore the other side of the river and the 4th arrondissement including the Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, the Marais and the Tour Saint-Jacques (coming up in the next instalment!).

 

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