Mariellen's (a)Musings: Loud and Irritating; Loud and Fun

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Loud and Irritating; Loud and Fun – Friday, 9 October

Parisians generally speak quietly in public places and don’t make a commotion (unless, of course, they’re protesting something they deem unfair!). However, on a bus ride today there was one woman towards the back of the bus actually shouting into her cellphone – she seemed to be very angry with someone. Several times, another woman sitting across from me stared at the shouter and then looked over to me, rolling her eyes in the universal “can you believe that rube?” gesture. I was acceptable!

I've walked past La Tour de Montlhéry (Chez Denise) a hundred times (well, maybe not quite, but a lot, including during my very first stay in Paris in 1989 when I stayed at Hotel Tonic just a block away). So why have I never stepped into this classic les Halles establishment before? Face palm!

It was convivial, casual, and everyone was having a good (even loud) time – perhaps partially because they serve the house wines, poured into liter bottles from the cask resting on the bar, and you just pay for as much as you drink! Sneaky! But then it helps you digest the very meat-centric food, so they’re just doing a public service. Yup. Let’s go with that.

I went with the fruity Brouilly – uncomplicated, tasty, and cheer-inducing! I drank 1/3 liter for 10 euro.

My six escargots were not the best I've ever had, but they were clean, tasty and great for bread-dipping.

BUT, the rabbit in mustard sauce. Wow!!!!! Tender, succulent, sweet, herbal - probably the best I've had, with a creamy, stock-based, thickened sauce (actually almost a gravy) and a couple of boiled potatoes. Pure bliss. And it didn’t taste anything like chicken! Enough for a family of five (it was either a whole rabbit or half of a large one), but I ate everything except one leg. And I managed to toss back another glass of Brouilly with it.