French

Bam-bou – Fitzrovia

In our very busy city-dweller lives, it is rare that 6 people can come together to enjoy a nice meal and drinks without weeks of planning and diary-checking. Spontaneity almost always breeds a successful night out – and the surprise of being able to get three couples together for an out-of-the blue triple date still warms my heart even months later.

Because of the spontaneity of the evening, we didn’t do much planning on where to go to eat. Bam-bou is very central, just north of Oxford Street in Fitzrovia. Walking by it as often as I do (my office isn’t too far), I’ve always remarked at how busy it always seems to be. It’s not super-cheap and doesn’t have a lot of the buzz so many of the restaurants – whether deserving or undeserving – in London have these days, but with the crowds even on random weekdays were a good sign.

The food is Vietnamese-French, which I consider to be less Asian-fusion (such a dirty word!) in the restaurant sense and more of a nod to a not-so-pleasant piece of history, since France ruled Vietnam as a colony until 1954.

But that’s not so much to the point. On to the food.

By far the best starter we had was the duck roll. Coming out of the kitchen  like little mini-burgers, the duck patty was almost flakey in texture, complemented perfectly with a fragrant plummy hoisin. Unfortunately we weren’t particularly impressed with the bland veggie summer rolls or the slightly too greasy calamari (though the spicy aioli served with the latter had a lot of pluck. I like that in a dipping sauce).

Mains across the table were made up of a combination of curries, pork skewers over vermicelli mostly reminiscent of bun cha and a lovely spiced duck with a salted plum sauce, which – despite having a similar description to our duck starter – couldn’t have been more different in preparation.

All of them were quite lovely too. The duck, though somewhat of a small portion for £15.50 (not including any sides or rice) was a bit steep, but expertly cooked. Loved it. The curry sauce was almost  intoxicating, and the pork beautifully tender.

Most of the time, restaurants with a melting pot approach to Asian food are a dime a dozen and rarely anything to shout about, but Bam-bou breaks the mould.

Bam-Bou on Urbanspoon

Bistro du Vin – Clerkenwell

Bistro du Vin is the firs standalone restaurant from the people behind Hotel du Vin, and wow, is it pretty. Located at the much-lauded and sadly closed Eastside Inn (rest in peace) on St John Street, they really outdid themselves. It’s sleek, still has that lovely open kitchen and has just enough French influence without being too ‘Cafe Rouge‘. I was invited to come try it out after hearing quite a bit of fuss over its opening.

We got there a bit early and decided to sit at the bar for a quick drink – the Marmalade Martini (£10). It was the perfect aperitif, crisp light and just enough to dazzle the taste buds. It was also served with bar snacks, which generally scores big points in my book.

Sitting down, we took a look at the expansive menu. For the vibe of the place, I’d call it competitively priced. Most starters were around the £7-£10 range, while most mains were around £15 (steaks and lobster obviously quite a bit more). After going back and forth, I decided on the Cornish crab, toasted sourdough (£9.50) for a starter.

Our server told us it was the most popular on the menu, which I’m guessing is more because it’s crab, rather than because it’s a showstopper. It was alright (a bit too cold and bland, it needed quite a bit of lemon to jazz it up), but I wouldn’t repeat the order. The Crispy lambs sweetbreads with sauce charcuterie (£8.75) were a much nicer choice.

Besides being much more pleasing to the eye, these were quite moreish, but then again they were fried, so really, what’s not to love?

Things changed for me when I got my main course, the Scallops and prawns with sauce vierge (£22) with a ‘mixed salad’ and new potatoes on the side for the table (both £3.50), because for all of the nicely priced parts of the menu and the lovely interior, it’s clear that Bistro du Vin need to make a profit. This is the only reason I can see to charge an outrageous £3.50 for a bowl of lettuce (no other ingredients and oddly washed in salt water) and call it a side salad. Even more infuriating was charging a ludicrous £22 for the main, which consisted of exactly three small prawns and three average-sized scallops:

That’s it.

Doing the math(s), it works out to a whopping £3.66 per shrimp and scallop. Outrageous highway robbery. Full stop. To add insult to injury, the prawns were overcooked and the scallops inconsistently cooked. And have I mentioned how difficult it is to cut through something when it’s sitting on a perforated concave shell?! I don’t know what they were thinking. Disappointment incarnate.

Thank god the Saucisson à la lyonnaise, ratte potatoes and Dijon (£15.50) was better.

A much more generous portion, lovely little potatoes and sausage that almost had the distinct flavouring of chorizo. It was a man’s meal, and this pleased DQ (I’m playing around with an alias for the boyfriend. Bear with me) greatly.

Desserts are where Bistro du Vin really shined. We ordered the Chocolate Pave and Strawberry Sundae (both £5.50).

The chocolate was rich, but the portion size helped it be not over the top. Bonus points for the sprinkling of pistachios on top. The sundae reminded me of back home, but Brits would probably call it more of a Knickerbocker Glory as it was dotted with meringues throughout.

I didn’t see what the final bill would be (I was a guest of Bistro du Vin), but we estimated it out at around £120 with water and wine. The wine, by the way, was excellent. They have this clever little top up card that allows you to try some really fantastic wines by the glass that in normal restaurants would only be served by the bottle.

I’ll admit it was a mixed bag. A bit on the pricey side for just a normal meal out, but good for a slightly more special occasion. If you order smart, and stay away from the ludicrous scallops, you should be fine.

Bistro du Vin on Urbanspoon

Pearl – Holborn

I love posh girl dates. There is nothing better than throwing two sheets to the wind, spending some money and having a bit of gossip. The other thing I love is when TopTable deals don’t turn out to be absolute shit. So you can imagine my delight when I went to the near-perfect Pearl, a Japanese/French fusion restaurant just near Holborn tube, on a ‘3-course and a cocktail’ deal for £43 deal with one of my good friends, Kat.

First off, Pearl is gorgeous. It borders on being a teensy bit too snobby for its own good, but the little touches (pearls on the chandeliers, mainly – I know, cheesy, but whatever) made me forget that. The service, also, from the time we walk in the door was absolutely flawless.

On the random Wednesday we went, the restaurant nor the bar was particularly busy, which made me think this is probably why they have the TopTable deal on. It also worried me a bit because as often is the case with money off deals, the servers treat you like a second-class citizen. Not so with Pearl. I think they were happy to see people.

Our amuse bouche came straightaway. Three little delicacies: some sort of minced salmon paste with a glaze over top, chicken liver parfait with a goat cheese filled cherry tomato and a mushroom risotto ball:

All excellent, including the risotto ball, considering I’m not the biggest fan of mushrooms.

The next course was a bit of a surprise, an extra little treat before our starters – Goat Cheese Truffle with Artichoke Soup and Parmesan:

A lovely combination, and just enough to whet the appetite.

For my actual starter, I had the Beef and Oysters:

The plates were exactly the same as Launceston Place, so already I had fond memories. The beef was a braised beef cheek with watercress tortellini, crispy oysters and parsnips. The combination of textures served it well. The tortellini, in particular, was fantastic. It tasted of/probably was squid ink. You could certainly do worse.

Kat went with the Mackerel Fondant:

The presentation on this was a bit more like a flower wreath than food, admittedly, and I’ll say it certainly wasn’t my favourite of the night (most likely due to the dill. I hate dill), but the candied beetroot garnish was quite tasty.

For mains, we both went with the Sole with Artichoke Gnocchi and Chicken Wings:

The sole was a bit of an odd one, because I absolutely LOVED everything on the dish….except the sole. The artichoke gnocchi was brilliant, only superseded by the most tender and delicate roasted artichokes I’ve ever tasted – and the ‘chicken wings’? Let’s just say, they weren’t the kind you get at Fridays (thank God). But the sole? It was like a salt lick. I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt here, though. With everything else being perfect, something must have gone wrong in the kitchen with the fish. Shame.

Pre-dessert was a Couscous Mango Foam with ‘Walnut Crunch’:

Audible squeals of delight on this. I might venture to say it was even better than the actual desserts…similar to my Viajante review.

Speaking of, I had the Tiramisu with Amaretto Ice Cream:

Neither particularly French, nor Japanese, I was a little confused by the fact that this was even on the menu, but regardless, it was tasty. Presentation was fun, and the tuile the tiramisu was wrapped in was a sugary delight, despite being thinner than tissue paper. Exactly as it should be.

Kat went with this:

I’m so sorry I can’t actually remember what it was. Some sort of tapioca-ish thing with a bit of jelly on top. It was served with a ‘spiced’ ice cream, which I do remember was infused with cardamom and clove. The rest, apparently, not very memorable.

Apart from the lacklustre finish and salty sole, the meal was brilliant. Kat and I ordered a lovely bottle of viognier for £32, which made the final bill a bit more expensive (£65 per person with water and service), but you can do it much cheaper and still have a wonderful time. The TopTable deal is still on, so do yourself a favour, and go. Now.

Pearl on Urbanspoon

Malmaison Brasserie – Leeds

I don’t get to travel within the UK too often unless it’s with work. Most of my friends have always lived in London, so until recently when my friend Dom quit his job and moved up to Leeds to go back to school and become a teacher, I was sad – but also a little excited I could go visit. Six months later, I finally made it ‘oop norf’, as they say.

Before I went though, the lovely Diana Massey had got in touch with me about the Brasserie at The Malmaison Hotel. Although I generally don’t do invite to review restaurants without being anonymous, I said yes. A new city, no clue where to eat, and a friend who went from PR wages to being a student at 27 – if there’s anyone who deserves a nice meal out on the house, it’s him.

The hotel itself is beautiful – rich plum colours and twisted wrought iron sculptures and light fixtures – it does very much ring of Paris in the 30s. Just beautiful. A bit early, we settled in the bar for a quick drink before being whisked off to our table, which was set off from the main dining room, a big comfy half-moon Mafia-style booth that gave a nice view of the rest of the room.

We were served some bread and a nice tapenade to start. The maître d was serving us, which at first I was a little put off by (I don’t like special treatment), but as the room filled up, he looked after the whole section. Perhaps they were short-staffed, or perhaps he is just the kind of manager that really gets stuck into it – either way, we were all looked after well.

The menu is mostly French with some British inspiration. The most important thing about it though is that everything, and I mean everything, is local. They make quite a big deal of this on the menu, which made me think it might not be that common in Leeds. Even my starter, the Pigeon with Spiced Vegetables and Bread and Bay Sauce (£7.50), I was warned twice that it was killed locally and so I should be careful of little bits of shot in the meat. How rustic. Luckily, I didn’t get any. I think pieces of leftover metal in my bird might have been a bit much.

The mild creamy bread sauce with well cooked vegetables (including some fairly tart beetroot) was a hit, but the pigeon itself was a little tough. It was the right colour – it didn’t *look* overdone – but it was really missing the tenderness that bird really needs. Of course, my last brush with pigeon was at Heston’s Dinner, so I admit I have been a bit spoiled.

Dom went with the Whisky Smoked Pork Belly and Tiger Prawns (£7.50):

I loved the streaky (American) bacon garnish on this. Salty crispy goodness. The prawns were fine and the slightly sweet sauce worked well with the dish over all, but the pork belly itself – again – just a tad overdone.

For my main, I had the Whole Plaice with Spinach and Brown Shrimp Butter (£13.95):

A stonkin’ huge portion well worth the 14 quid. The fish was delicate, flaky and the butter sauce was nice. I had this was a side of New Potatoes, which were also quite good. If I could complain about anything, it would be the skin was lacking in crispness, which while not a necessity, is always a nice perk when having this type of fish.

Dom had the Stout Braised Heather Fed Mutton with Sage Mash and Herb Dumplings (£15.95):

I’ll admit I’m not much of a mutton fan, but I found this too, to be a bit dry. The herb dumplings were nice and added a bit of much-needed moisture, but they weren’t quite large enough to do the trick.

Desserts were Warm Rice Pudding with Ginger and Rhubarb (£5.95) and Apple and Hazelnut Crumble (£5.95):

Both a good idea in theory, but they both fell short. The flavours in my rice pudding were lovely, slightly sweet, slightly tart, slightly spicy, but the rice was underdone. The crumble’s apple was perfect, but the actual crumbs were dry and tasted a bit too similar to cardboard, if you ask me.

The Malmaison Brasserie has some really great things going for it (service, style, price), but they need to step up on the not-so-little details (over/under cooked food, consistency) if they want to make it to the next level. It was a nice evening out, but next time I’m up in Leeds, I may be wondering what other restaurants are around…

Om Nom London was a guest of the Malmaison Brasserie

Beach Blanket Babylon – Shoreditch

Beach Blanket Babylon looks like someone took a beach hut, decked it in black chandeliers and velvet, and decided that it somehow warranted charging £11 for a drink. It’s the sort of place that tries really hard to be good, but when you strip out all the glitz, it’s still just a shack with a nice view.

I started with the calamari, which was served in a bamboo basket with a Japanese soup spoon full of aioli. The calamari was cooked nicely, but was largely devoid of any flavour in the batter, instead relying on the fairly rich dipping sauce to give it a bit of oomph.

We also had the liver pate, served with bread and a leafy salad.

The pate, looking more like bland paste, wasn’t very nice at all.  The presentation was horrible, and the ‘bread’ was nothing more than white bread with the crusts cut off. The sort of bread you can get in any random corner shop.  I was not a fan.

Luck turned with my main, a lovely seabass served over fennel and oranges.

The skin was crispy while the fish oh-so-tender. The fennel and orange gave it a nice summer freshness that meant I did not feel overstuffed after eating it.  I couldn’t have had any more or any less.

The fish and chips, however, were, like the calamari tasteless and overly greasy. The chips/fries were so overdone you couldn’t even tell they used to be potatoes.  The mushy peas (also served in a soup spoon) went largely untouched, due to the worst combination of no taste up front and a weird aftertaste.

I should have listened to others on this one.  The whole bill came to around £90 including 1 glass of wine, 1 beer and service (luckily I had a voucher or else I’d be hopping mad). I’d say it would be a good atmosphere to go have drinks at, but really, no amount of nice decor would make it worth it.

Beach Blanket Babylon on Urbanspoon

Paris Roundup

Just a bit a foodie photo fun from my last trip to Paris.  Unlike last time I went, I didn’t go overboard with fancy expensive restaurants, instead just stumbling into places when hungry.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find any undiscovered gems that way, but I can’t say I had anything horrible, and we saved a lot of money!

Duck Magret from le Moulin de la Galette (18eme):

Escalopes de Veau from Bistrot Victoire – (2eme):

Also from Bistrot Victoire:

And how could you go to France without l’escargot?

I ate other places, but sadly none of them were fantastic enough to warrant proper posts. I also currently have about 9 drafts in my folder of London restaurants I’ve yet to write about. A girl can only do so much!

Le Bouchon Breton – Spitalfields

My friend Jaz and I were in order to have a girly gossiping lunch. It was the Saturday before Valentine’s day, and I hadn’t thought to check out the Toptable deals, which meant that most places were either booked or not doing any offers. Le Bouchon Breton up top at Spitalfields Market was the only one who had an offer on (50% off food). So that’s where we went.

I got there early, and ordered a glass of wine. We were eating about 3pm, but the place was still relatively busy. Lots of couples, a few families. Everyone looked a bit unhappy though. Jaz showed up, and we were given some fresh bread.

Le bouchon breton

We ordered a bottle of the wine that I was drinking. When our server came back with another glass, and I mentioned we wanted a bottle, he just put the glass down anyway, and said ‘Oh, well, take this anyway!’ Very cool of him.

Looking at the menu, I had no idea what to get. It started occurring to me that maybe French food wasn’t really what I wanted, and that maybe I shouldn’t have been so obsessed with getting half off my meal when really all I was craving was a burger and chips. I compromised by getting a Rib-eye with ‘les frites’.

Le bouchon breton

I asked for the meat rare to medium rare, and the server repeated back to me ‘Medium well?’ (he was French). I said ‘No, rare, please!’ Sure enough, when it arrived, the steak was cooked all the way through.

Le bouchon breton

The fries were good, though. I also ordered a side of peppercorn sauce which gave flavour to what otherwise was a complete waste of beef.

Jaz’s lamb was nice though. Much prettier. It came with a side of beans that were atrociously bland though.

Le bouchon breton

All in all, with the Toptable discount and the free glass of wine, we ended up spending less than £20 each – a steal. Should mention that the service was really really good too. However, like with most ‘Offer’ meals, I’d have a hard time imagining being happy paying full price for the same thing – especially when I just wasn’t impressed with my food at all.

C’est la vie.

Le Bouchon Breton on Urbanspoon

Thursdays in Ann Arbor: Melange and eve

I spent nearly every Thursday night of my last year in Ann Arbor eating and drinking with my friend Kyo. We would start out at Melange for Happy Hour (half off sushi and glasses of wine) and make our way over to eve for dinner and more drinks.

So being back in Ann Arbor on a Thursday, I was more than keen to repeat our ritual.

First up: Melange

They changed the Happy Hour just a little bit. Instead of half off all sushi and starters, they now have a limited sushi menu. Still, three rolls and two glasses of wine for $24 total? Brilliant.

Then on to one of my favourite restaurants: eve

Chef and owner, Eve Aronoff, opened the restaurant in 2003. She’s made a little bit of a splash having been on the last season of Top Chef in Las Vegas. Even though she was eliminated on the second episode, it’s not a reflection on the food.

Kyo and I usually get a whole bunch of small plates recommended by our friend and eve bartender, Travis. Portions are pretty large, and splitting three of these is more than enough.

(Apologies for the crap photos. It was really dark in there… Also, descriptions are from the menu; I don’t think I’ve ever used the word ‘festooned’)

Tenderloin Chimichurri
‘Spice rubbed and seared medallions of beef tenderloin served over a bright parsley-garlic purée with coconut ginger rice and festooned with spring peas, Bermuda onions and grape tomatoes’

I love that the spice of the chimichurri, while strong, is not overpowering. It’s very nicely balanced with the ginger rice.

Thai Barbequed Chicken
‘Spicy grilled chicken rubbed with chilies, peanuts and tamarind- accompanied with coconut ginger rice and vegetables of the season’

I don’t think I’ve ever had such moist chicken in my life. This dish is slow-roasted for about 40 minutes. It shows. Delicious.

Lamb in Brik
‘Sweet, savory and spicy ground lamb with pine nuts and golden raisins rolled in brik pastry and dressed with a salad of fresh spinach and mint’

This dish is very strong. I don’t think it’s for everyone. It says savoury, but that doesn’t even begin to describe it. The lamb is like an explosion of cardamom, star anise and clove. It is quite strong, which is why I think it could turn people off, but I love it. The pastry this time around wasn’t the best, but that’s an exception to the rule.

Pair all of these with some brilliant wine and one too many White Grape Martinis and you have yourself one hell of a Thursday.

Eve on Urbanspoon

*If you live in the States, you should check out eve’s cookbook. It will give you even more appreciation of what goes into this food. I swear, every recipe has at least 20 ingredients, which is why I’ve never actually made anything with it. Someday, though… someday.

Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library – Mayfair

I’ve been holding off on my thoughts on Sketch simply because there have been so many frickinreviews lately.  Rightly so, they’re offering a £50 voucher through their Facebook group until the end of August. Naturally, that got around, and pretty soon all everyone talks about is Sketch Sketch Sketch.

I went there with my friend Dom. We hadn’t been out in ages, and needed a good catch-up.  After the front bar was full, we were directed to the bar that’s behind the Gallery – one of two restaurants in the building, and also the cheaper one, I learned later.  The bar was spacey.  Dom and I whistled the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey as we tried to find a seat.  You walk into an all white room and in the middle, shaped like a cosmic egg is the bar sunken into the floor.

After we settled, I took a look at the cocktail menu.  Now, I’m not a complete cheapskate or a drunk, but I think could have used a little nip of something to prepare me for the shock that was every. single. cocktail. being £13.  While I scoffed, Dom got a champagne with the cherry liquor in it, and I eventually ordered a rosemary martini, which was described like ‘drinking a salad’. It totally was, but also quite tasty.

We had booked our table in The Lecture Room and Library, which is the schmancy Michelin-starred restaurant. The maître d‘ gave us ‘the tour’ on the way upstairs – how it used to be Christian Dior’s house, and all the credentials of the chef, blah blah blah.  I make fun, but he was very nice, and I liked him a lot. We stop at the top of the stairs in front of two huge intimidating doors until SWOOSH(!), he opens them dramatically into one of the most beautiful and unique restaurant spaces I’ve seen. Eating at Sketch is quite the operation.

We were sat, and immediately the champagne cart was brought over.  In the back of my head I had already added the £26 spent on cocktails, thinking: ‘Well, hell. That’s half the voucher right there’.

The brought out the nibbles. There were so many! Who needs a starter anyway when you have this much?


  • Tomato gazpacho with biscuit
  • Little bread biscuity things with a creamy sauce
  • Foie gras goat cheese crackers
  • Grapefruit gummy tarts
  • A fried little ball of something

Seriously, I should just stop there.  I don’t remember everything I had. There was a lot of little things and they were all very good.  I was just pleased to be getting anything because I was sure as hell not paying £40 for a starter.

Oh but wait! There was a proper starter too! Tuna carpaccio with a cauliflower puree and a bit of salmon roe. Yum!  Again, I ask: Why would anyone pay another £30 for a menu starter when I had just had enough food to pretty much fill me up for the night (bread included).

On to the mains, I had the Dover Sole and Gambas. This also came with a lot of little side dishes, but for this, I have the benefit of a downloadable menu.

  • Pan-fried Fillet of Dover Sole Meunière Style / Cider / Green Peppercorn
  • Gambas with Colombo Spices / Romaine Salad with Broad Beans / Bacon and Parsley
  • Potato Mousseline / Beurre Noisette / Lemon / Croûtons

The sole was amazing. A perfect combination with the sweetness of the apple and the spice of the pepper. It was light, flavourful and perfect. The giant sectioned-off prawns that dotted the plate with lightly battered and perfectly crisp.

Two sides came with – the romaine salad and potatoes.

The salad was a big thumbs down. It was soggy and the lettuce was old (honestly, I saw brown edges). Just absolutely no redeeming qualities. The potatoes  were whipped light as air, but the croutons and butter made it a bit too salty for my taste.  While I absolutely loved my fish, I just couldn’t see why the chef would choose those two side dishes to accompany.  It didn’t seem to click.

Dom went for the Lamb, which he said was amazing.  I got to try a little taste of the Roast Leg, but for the most part I couldn’t get near it. But I guess that’s how I know it was good.

  • Roast Leg with Indian Spices / Aubergine / Sorrel / Dried Tomatoes
  • Shoulder Dumpling / White Horseradish Velouté
  • Grilled Rack and Saddle
  • Ewe Cheese and Spinach Velouté / Granny Smith Apple Julienne

We didn’t get anything for dessert, but again, they sorted us out anyway with some nice chocolates.

So, even though I bulk at the main courses being so expensive, you actually are getting quite a lot of food. Five amuse bouche, a starter, a main and dessert nibbles for 40-ish pounds?  Not awful.  It’s just when you add on the water, the cocktail, the wine, a proper proper starter and dessert that you can easily end up spending 400 quid on dinner. And that’s ridiculous.  If I’m going to do that, it best be at El Bulli or The Fat Duck where every single course out of, like, 30 is an experience in and of itself.

Will I go back? Sure, but definitely before the end of August, and definitely to try the Gallery restaurant instead of the Lecture Room and Library. The latter was just way too out of my league.

P.S. I didn’t talk too much about the actual space… Sketch is a feast for the eyes. Love the decor or hate it, you really should go spend £13 on a drink just to go check the place out.  There are some pictures floating about online, but they really don’t do it justice.  Perhaps there are some pictures on Sketch’s web site, but the whole thing is such a Flash mess, I can’t be bothered to look.

Sketch Lecture Room and Library on Urbanspoon

La Fontaine de Mars – Paris 7eme

le fontaine de mars

Sadly, this is my last Paris restaurant review from my weekend. Honestly though, it’s probably a good thing. I spent way too much money on food than is healthy for one person in a weekend – and I didn’t even get into l’Astrance.

La Fontaine de Mars came on a recommendation from one of my favourite London people (and fellow American) TikiChris.  It’s situated on a side street right near the Eiffel Tower, where I promptly went to take a nap in front of when finished with my meal.

As it was lunch, and I had already put a considerable dent in my pocketbook, I couldn’t go all out. I had… a main course and a glass of wine. (Lo! For I can hear all the foodies in the world fainting at the prospect!)

I didn’t want anything too heavy, so I opted for seabass with homemade gnocchi and lima beans:

le fontaine de mars duraude seabass

Mmmm… Doesn’t that look lovely? It was.

There was a lovely glaze on the fish, rich like a gravy, but much lighter. The skin was nicely salted, which was balanced out by the creamy gnocchi.  The beans were slightly overcooked as they completely fell apart on my fork every time I tried to take a bite, but the taste wasn’t compromised at all.

With a glass of wine and a coffee, the meal came to 37 euro, which, in all honesty is extortion considering the amount of food I got for the same price at much fancier establishments. They charged me 6.50 for a cappuccino. I mean, come on… really? To my American friends, that’s like 10 bucks. Ridonkulous.

So, yes – Go to La Fontaine de Mars, it’s very tasty. But for god’s sake, don’t order a cappuccino.

La Fontaine de Mars
129, Rue St Dominique
, 75007 Paris, France

+33 1 47 05 46 44