I rarely dine out at night. Mainly because it's more expensive and usually it's a 2 to 3 hour ordeal, so by the time I get home it's about midnight. However, when I have a friend in town, I always see it as an opportunity to do some fine dining and also to show a visitor a different side of the dining scene in Paris.
The area of Mouton Duvernet in the 14th district of Paris might not be well known, however, this neighborhood is filled with hidden jewels of restaurants, wine shops, and speciality shops.
I was taking a stroll in the area once and passed by the restaurant. I have heard many great things and reviews about this small bistro, which probably sits only about 20 people. The restaurant gets its meat from the famous butcher next door "Hugo Desnoyer" known as one of the best butcher shops in Paris. It sources its beef from the region of Limousin of superb quality (yes meaning grass fed and able to roam around in an open area!) It was about 7pm (way before dinner hour in France), outside "le jeu de quilles" the chefs and servers were chatting and drinking wine. I went into make a reservation, and the staff was extremely friendly. I was excited for my dinner already!
Friday night came, we went in, and the server immediately recognized me with a big smile. The restaurant had an open kitchen, which you could see all the activities of the chefs, which is always a big enjoyment for me. There was some lively music playing in the background, and the whole kitchen seemed like a party.
I started off by asking for a recommendation of red wine, the server told me he'll bring me something that I will like, and I will have to guess what it is. I ended up guessing wrong, but it was a glass of Morgan, from the Beaujolais Region. I usually don't like Beaujolais wine, but this one was of quality.
The a la carte menu was reasonably priced. For the appetizer, I ordered a marinated fish, tartare style. While my friend opted for the poached White Asparagus with a cream sauce and pancetta. The fish was simply marinated in olive oil and vinegar served with some warm green onions on top, it was divine. I ordered the veal carpaccio as the main course. Normally I don't go for meat when there is a fish option on the menu, but this place is known for their meat, and I know the quality is top! Meagan ordered their famous Limousin steak (which she was told she doesn't get to decide how it's cooked.)
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| Veal Carpaccio |
The veal carpaccio can only be described as an orgasm in my mouth. It was served with shaved Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salad. It was absolutely out of this world. I don't think I have ever tasted something that just simply melts in your mouth like it belonged there. I wished the plate would never end. Meagan's steak was also top-notched, she actually said this might've been the best steak she's ever eaten. These two dishes are the perfect examples of good, fresh, and quality ingredients. It was simply prepared. The steak didn't need to be marinated, only some simple sea salt and pepper was enough to let you take in the true taste of the meat.
When I finished my glass of wine, the server asked me if I wanted another one. I made a joke and asked him if he was going to offer it to me. And sure enough, I received a free glass of wine, of quality of course.
After seeing what the couple next to us had for dessert, we simply couldn't say no. We shared a chocolate "soup" topped with a pistachio macarron. Ok, is it possible to have 2 orgasms in your mouth within 2 hours? The chocolate soup was warm, and not overly sweet. The macarron gave it the perfect finish.
Dinner at le jeu de quilles was not only just an unforgettable gastronomically experience, it was a taste of a real Parisian bistro with an amicable touch.
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| The server that was everyone's best friend Jeu de Quilles45, rue Boulard, 75014 01 53 90 76 22. Open only Wed–Sat, lunch and dinner.
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