The Jarvis Holiday - French Food

Monday, July 24th - late entry

Eric and I decided that this time in Paris we were going to take the children out for a real French meal. We hadn't particularly planned to go to Cépe and Figue, but happened on this restaurant while walking through the Latin Quarter. The kids (and I) were grumpy from lack of nourishment and this place seemed like a good option at that moment. It was only 19 euros for a two course meal, and that worked for our budget so we obliged.

What is a Cépe you ask?

"An edible European and North American mushroom with a smooth brown cap, a stout white stalk, and pores rather than gills, growing in dry woodland and much sought after as a delicacy"

The name of the restaurant wasn't insipiring to the teenagers.  Who wants to eat at a place called Mushrooms and Figs.

We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table and Hebe was getting restless.  She took a seat outside next to the menu.  What would you order?  You can check it out if you enlarge the photo

As in any good french restaurant, they offer you bottled water.  Ordering tap water is so gauche.  The teenagers wanted to try Perrier.  Here is Hebe giving that a go. It was a two thumbs down.

I guess we started this french meal adventure a bit late at night.  Here is an exhausted Hebe waiting for her meal of  French onion soup and Beef Bourginon.  

The meal finally arrived and boy was it delicious.  The girls and Eric all ordered Pork with Potatoes and Apples.  Wish I had ordered that too. It was fabulous.  What's not to love about cooked apples over pork.

Thomas ordered a hamburger, but it was no ordinary hamburger.  It was a Rocquefort Hamburger.  I was a bit concerned at this order, but he loved it. My children are not huge fans of sharp cheese, and they have never even put a piece of blue cheese into their mouths, so I was skeptical.  However, there is always a first time to try something new and this was a hit.

The highlight of the meal was the apple tarte, not included in the menu degustation, but still so worth it.  I've been looking for a piece of tarte like this for nearly 20 years. I had a similar dessert in Montreal in 1994 in a French restaurant near Park Ave.  The restaurant in Montreal has sadly long since closed down.  This apple tarte is made with huge chunks of carmelized apple on top.  Ooooh la la.  We were all so full from the meal that we decided to simply share the tarte with an order of crème brulée.  Just for a taste.  Afterwards, I wished I had only ordered dessert.  I took the restaurant's business card, and  hope to get back here next time I am in Paris.

Our walk home from Cépe and Figue took us over Ile de la Cité.  Rebecca stopped to admire the thousands of locks attached to this railing.  Who wouldn't want to leave a piece of their heart in Paris.

Hebe found a great place in the metro to stop for a photo.  

Which minion in this photo lineup do you think "done it".   

Here's to the end to another great day in Paris.