New places to go

There is nothing like a fine French dinner after a long day of work.  I just discovered the restaurant L'Etape  on the Rue de la Convention, although it has apparently been there for some time.  It reminded us of places where we used to dine regularly, like Oh Duo!, Le Tire Bouchon, Le Vieux Pressoir, and L'Epopée under its previous ownership -- all wonderful French restaurants that formerly existed in the 15th. 

I used to fret and wring my hands over the closings of these favorite places.  But now that we've been coming here for 21 years, I realize that this is just the way it goes.  Like all of us, these restaurant owners reach a point when it is time to move on.  New places will come, perhaps not in the same locations, but they will come.

The couple that runs L'Etape will probably retire in the not-too-distant future, so we shall enjoy the place while we can.

Tom wanted to share the paté foie gras as a starter course, and so we did.  He prefers foie gras in a terrine or paté, and I prefer mine as foie gras entier (the liver itself), but we both are flexible on this point.  Last night's paté foie gras came in alternating layers with apricots.  It was delicious!

Dorade Royale at L'Etape restaurant.

Tom then had a perfect rack of lamb with a beautiful potato purée, and I had a spectacular Dorade Royale and veggies cooked softly in butter.  A specialty of the house is chocolate soufflé for two, and we just could not resist that.

Rack of lamb and potato purée at L'Etape.

We were the only non-French people in the place, and Madame la Patronne, who was as nice as can be, spoke no English.  She was highly complimentary of our French. 

Tom went back toward the kitchen and thanked the chef, Christian Blondeau, just before we left.  The walk home took about 20 minutes -- just about the right amount of time to work off just a little of that soufflé.  We will return to L'Etape.

Chocolate soufflé at L'Etape.

This morning I took a long walk as I was completing my 13-hour fast.  When I reached the Boulevard de Grenelle, I remembered that it was market day on the Rue Saint Charles.  So I turned in that direction.

Soon I noticed a luxury hotel that I don't remember seeing before.  It is called Le Parisis, and it is near the rue Violet on the Boulevard de Grenelle.  Here are some photos of the place -- it looks nice, and seems to have been recently renovated.

The Academy for Flamenco dancing, on Rue de l'Eglise.

Then I paused to look at a classic brasserie called Les Prolongations, located mid-way between the rues Violet and Lourmel on the Boulevard de Grenelle.  This place isn't in Lafourchette, but it seems to have good reviews on TripAdvisor and Google.  It is owned by Nathalie and Jean Laffargue, who also have another attractive brasserie called Au Dernier Metro nearby.  The specialty at both places is Basque food, which I like.  So we may try one of them soon.

L'Abreuvoir restaurant on Rue Docteur Finlay.

I turned and walked down the rue Docteur Finlay to the intersection with the Rue Saint Charles, pausing for a moment to look at a place we've enjoyed in the past, when it was called the Bistrot D'en Face.  It has changed names and ownership, evidently.  Now it is called L'Abreuvoir.  It isn't in Lafourchette, either.  Like Prolongations, the Abreuvoir also has good reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.

On the Rue Saint Charles in the Beaugrenelle area, I paused to look at another attractive place we've seen but not tried, Le Pareloup.  It specializes in the legendary beef from the Aubrac region.  Tom loves steak, so we must try this place, too.  It also is getting very good reviews (and is not on Lafourchette).

A new flowerbed in the Square Violet.

Just before I reached the market area on the Rue Saint Charles, I noticed that the Bistro Champetre, a place where Tom and I had dined with some success (and a little frustration because it could be a tourist trap at times), has now become a Korean restaurant.  Korean restaurants are popping up everywhere!

I took the less-travelled Rue de l'Eglise on the way home, stopping to rest in the Square Violet.  This park's lawns and flowerbeds are being re-done, so temporary wood picket fencing is draped about here and there.  One of the flowerbeds is finished, and it is lovely.

Little tents set up for the Fireman's Ball for Bastille Day.

An animal darted out in front of me, taking me by surprise.  It was a cat.  So I sat quietly on a bench near the place where it had disappeared under a bush.  Soon I saw the cat's tail twitching, and behind the leaves I could see that she was playing with something in her front paws. 

My initial thought was that this was a feral cat, because we used to see so many feral cats in Paris, particularly in parks and cemeteries, years ago.  But the City had all those cats neutered and spayed, so eventually the feral cats were gone.

But when this morning's kitty darted out of the bushes again, this time to surprise and try to play with a little boy who was passing by, I could see that the young cat was too clean, healthy, and playful to be feral.  She probably lives in one of the apartments facing the park.

I walked over to look at an informative sign in the park, and then turned back to where the cat had been.  Now she was sitting out on the grass, looking in my direction, as if wondering where I went and was I coming back?

I approached slowly, and the cat let me take her picture.  She's a lovely tabby.

Young tabby cat in the Square Violet.

The local firehouse is in a former chateau that backs onto this park, and there I could see that the firemen are making preparations for the Bastille Day fireman's ball -- a big, raucous party that is open to the entire neighborhood.  

We went to this ball once, with our friend W, and found that it is a very drunken affair.  Once was enough.  We like knowing that these balls are going on at the firehouses all over the city, but we don't need to be there.  We'll party at home.

The holiday is fast approaching.  Party on!