So much food, so little time! The days fly by, and while we've made a dent in our restaurant list, there's so much more...that is why when one of the meals doesn't live up to either my expectations or its billing, it's so tragique...
One of our friends craved the cassoulet he'd had at La Fontaine des Mars on an earlier trip, and we had eaten well there on two prior occasions. It's a large bistro in the 7th, a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tour, and easy to Metro over from our apartment. So, off we went on a cold Paris evening. It is a pretty place, though our table was in a small alcove near the stairs - and most of the other diners were French, which I've always thought of as a good sign. But, other than the cassoulet, which our friend again adored, the rest of us had a forgettable (at best) meal. The best parts were the presentations...but the kitchen was careless to a fault. For example, our langoustine starter looked pretty, with their tails sticking out from under a passable ratatouille, but the crayfish were overcooked, and a few of the tails were missing their bodies. So, when you pulled the tail out from the vegetables, there was no there there. Our cassoulet friend had a parsnip soup, which had a lovely texture, but was light on flavor. The fourth at our table ordered the foie gras chaud, and was handed a lovely plate with a poached pair embraced by two large pieces of foie gras, but this too was overcooked, the liver losing all of its texture.
A saving grace was the 2009 Cornas I ordered, helping us steer through to the main courses. And, then another lovely 2009, a Volnay this time, kept us in a good mood. But, nothing could save what came next. A piece of skate came with a too-acidic sauce, scallops came overcooked (though on a tasty mound of puree), and my confit de canard was a complete disaster. This is a favorite dish of my mine in Paris, and I couldn't believe how poorly this famous restaurant had handled it. The piece of duck was just a leg (usually, one is served part of a breast and leg), the skin was fatty --- and the cardinal sin - not crispy at all. The potatoes were unseasoned, and did not seem freshly cooked. The only good thing on the plate was a pile of frisee. The only happy eater at our table was our friend with his cassoulet!
Not even desserts improved my feelings about La Fontaine...the kitchen, which was either inept, lazy, or both, could not mess up the Berthillion ice cream Cheryl had, but the creme brulee the rest of shared was heavy enough to sink the Titanic.
Yes, I know the Obamas ate here - there are even pictures on the wall to prove it. And, I certainly hope that the chef was in better form when the President dined...but for us it was expensive and very disappointing. It will take a lot of convincing to get me to return there anytime soon.
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