France, Part V: This 50-year-old restaurant, scarcely a 15-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, provides a cozy refuge from Paris' bustling streets.
Paul Chene prides itself on interpretations of classic dishes that stay true to French culinary traditions while still ensuring that modern-day diners remain satisfied.
A citywide strike had partly crippled public transport on our evening here, so the restaurant was nearly empty except for two tables during dinner. Consequently, we benefited from a constant flow of complimentary appetizers, starting with cute little pastries...
.,. to fresh-tasting, croissant-like bread ...
... and battered cod fish, with those thick, buttery dipping sauces that the French adore.
Roasted langoustines flamed in Cognac. Meaty crustaceans in creamy broth; it's a testament to their tastiness that I can still recall their sweet-&-savory flavor, all these weeks later.
Confit of goose, prepared in the style of the town of Sarlat in the Perigord region. Somewhat too salty for our liking, though that's the nature of goose & duck confit in French cuisine.
Charlotte Chocolate. Moist, dense cake. A meal here can be overwhelmingly rich.
Free sweets were a welcome treat, even though we were in a rush to return to sightseeing.
Paul Chene,
Paris.
