Time flies; we're having fun

September 22, 2015 – Brunching at Eclectic on Mondays is a new routine for us.  We discovered how good the croque monsieur, green salad, and fries are at this chic, ultra modern brasserie, and so that’s where we go during the second hour that Maria the house cleaner takes over our apartment.  During the first hour, we walk.

We walked on the Allée des Cygnes, which has become an unofficial dog park because no rules are enforced there.  Particularly popular among dog owners and their beasts are two grassy slopes on either side of the Allée where it descends from the Pont de Grenelle to the ground level.  These grassy areas are fenced in by a very low, green wire fence, which is adequate for containing only the smallest of dogs.  Big dogs and small dogs play happily together; we’ve never seen a dog fight on the Isle aux Cygnes.

In the evening, we walked again down the full length of the avenue Felix Faure – 30 minutes each way --  to dine at La Table d’Hubert.  If we gave awards, this restaurant would get the “Best Value” award for the summer.  With the Lafourchette.com discount on top of already very reasonable prices, we dined sumptuously for a total of only 28.30 euros.

But it isn’t just about the price at La Table d’Hubert; it is about the experience.  Dinner there is casual (by Parisian standards), comfortable, generous, and enjoyable.  It is well worth the walk, but it is also very close to the metro line 8’s Balard terminus.

Following a shared starter of Italian bruschetta, Serrano ham, Mozzarella, and greens, we had classic French dishes that were prepared absolutely correctly.  Mine was a confit de canard, which was crispy on the outside, and sticky, tender, and flavorful on the inside.  This duck leg came with perfectly oven-roasted potatoes.

The Assemblée Nationale from the Place Bourbon.  People are lined up
to see it, because it was open for Heritage Days this past weekend.

Tom’s main course was a sausage made in Toulouse, served with mashed potatoes.  Our shared dessert was a delicious homemade peach clafoutis.

Hubert greeted us warmly, by name, and showed us to our regular table in the front window.  He gave us complimentary kirs and little homemade cheese biscuits.  Later he brought a bread basket, which he always has filled with an assortment of good breads.

He asked again where we are from, and if we live in Paris.  We explained, and told him that we’re returning to Florida on Sunday.  So when we left at the end of the evening, we said our goodbyes for the year, and said “see you next summer.”

Time flies when you’re having fun.

Panorama of our view from tea time on the Rosa Bonheur café boat on Saturday.
The view of houseboats, the Grand Palais, and the Pont Alexandre III is captivating.
(Stitched with Microsoft Image Composite Editor.)