The highlight of the day is that I finally got a terrific meal, and at an out-of-the-way bistro that one of Winnie’s foodie friends recommended, knowing that I like to leave a restaurant full. That was no problem with this one, Le Trousseau d’Or (it could be translated as “the golden clothes”, but also as “the golden bunch”, and probably I’m wrong on both).
At any rate, it’s a small place in the 11th, easily overlooked, and the website food page simply says “a different menu every day”.
The cozy interior, where we had comfortable plush seats by the window:
The small menu was written outside on a chalkboard: four entrées and four plats.
The first entrée listed was a mystery to me, but Winnie explained that “burrata” is a round cheese with a skin. Wikipedia explains:
Burrata (Italian pronunciation: [burˈrata]) is an Italian cow milk (occasionally buffalo milk) cheese made from mozzarella and cream. The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella and clotted cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is typical of Puglia.
Well, I had to try that, and it arrived as a large plate surrounded by apricots, green beans, preserved tomato, and a drizzle of sauce. It was absolutely terrific (and filling), and the burrata was fantastic, with a thin skin on the outside that, when pierced, revealed a soft creamy interior that paired well with the fruits and veggies. It was a good start.
Winnie likes seafood, and so had the octopus to start. Tentacles!
For the main course I chose the lamb shank “confit” (probably preserved in fat), which also came with lots of veggies including tiny whole potatoes. It, too, was delicious, tender and juicy (and large!). With it I had a glass of Bordeaux, as I’ve cut down on my lunch wine since I overdid it the other day. At this point I realized that this was going to be an excellent meal.
Again going for seafood, Winnie had an item not on the menu, Filet de daurade, or sea bream, served with mashed sweet potatoes and vegetables.
Finally the young patron rattled off the dessert list, but when I heard “riz au lait“, or rice pudding, I had to have it, as it’s one of my favorites. I had a choice of ice cream on the side, and chose chocolate caramel. The pudding was warm and delicious, and the ice cream slowly melted into it:
The portion wasn’t large, but Winnie told me I could probably ask for more pudding if I wanted (this was in memory of the Basque bistro L’Ami Jean, which used to serve the best rice pudding, but also in huge bowls left on the table so you could help yourself (there were also side dishes like jam, pralines, and fruit). Sadly, they stopped that practice, and I no longer go there.
Had I not been full already from the previous two courses, I would have asked for more. But I was replete. Winnie eschewed dessert as we were going to meet a friend of hers in a local café, where we shot the breeze for a while.
We noticed that there were tons of cops around the area, not knowing that the pro-Palestinian demonstration was forming nearby. We didn’t see it, but security was tight. Two cops came into the café for some joe (or jean) (Photo by Winnie).
The route of the demonstration:
So far, this was the best meal I’ve had on this trip—by far. The menu is small and the items are prepared with great care, so I’d go back enthusiastically, and recommend it to those who want a spiffy bistro meal in Paris (it was no more expensive than my regular haunts).
Wandering around the restaurant beforehand, I found several items of interest. Here’s an old record shop; you may recognize some of the vinyl. Nico!
And there was a cat-named café nearby, which I learned meant “The hunchbacked cat”. See the cat on the right?
And an enlargement of the chat:
Finally, this lovely building nearby turned out to be a shelter for homeless women, or rather a place for them to live. It was quite lovely:
After that: a hot cup of Darjeeling tea in a nearby café (coffee in the afternoon keeps me awake at night). The subways are all screwed up by the demonstrations, and I had to take a long detour to get to this area. Today, with the anti-antisemitic demonstration, many of the stops are closed.
I think you are mistaken to describe the demonstration as anti-semitic (or at least I hope you are)
Here are six hours of the demonstration, with chants. Judge for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJXeNEbo7vA
I am surprised. I did not know about this march. The big one, i.e., the one that’s figured in the papers I read, was a “grand rassemblement contre l’antisemitisme”, a march against antisemitism. That one took an entirely different route, starting at the Invalides. It included 105K people in Paris, including 2 former presidents (Sarkozy and Hollande, but not Macron…), a passel of former prime ministers, but — regrettably — the far-right Rassemblement Nationale of Marine Le Pen. In all, 182K persons contributed across France, including 3000 in my (nearby) city of Lyon. My wife and I would have been there, but our ages preclude such things.
Big rally sponsored by United Jewish Appeal and allies/partners in support of Israel in Toronto today. (filled Christie Pits Park, not taking over the streets illegally.) Speakers from our large Iranian- and Ukrainian- Canadian communities spoke from the dais in explicit support of Israel’s war aims. Everyone would like to see the hostages returned but everyone knows Hamas has to be destroyed first. The Iranian speaker said it’s nuts to declare a cease-fire when you’re winning. He said Israel should tell foreign governments pushing for one to mind their own business.
Several Members of Parliament were there, including mine which isn’t a Toronto riding and so he didn’t really have to attend. I’m glad he did. Toronto’s woke-leftist mayor was an unsurprising no-show.
The master of ceremonies thanked the Toronto and York Region Police Departments for all the efforts they’ve made to keep everyone safe. (It’s been worse in Montreal with fire-bombings and gunshots at Jewish synagogues and schools but Toronto is holding up.)
A better day than in Paris, it seems.
When I wrote this, I was unaware of the march in Paris against antisemitism, being on the train into Toronto without internet. (The train has internet, but I don’t have a SmartPhone.) So Paris actually had a good day, too.
I am interested in the translation of trousseau, specifically the meaning as applied to the restaurant. My dictionary gives: [ecolier] outfit (implying school uniform), and [mariee] trousseau. So the latter is the meaning we have in English, at least in the UK, i.e. “the clothes, linen, and other belongings collected by a bride for her marriage”. But I think trousseau also describes the place you keep these items, a drawer or chest. So I like to think the restaurant name means a golden (trousseau) chest.
Thanks for the information. May I add that in french the word designates the meeting of several keys attached together (1596), especially in the expression “trousseau de clés” (a bunch of keys). Extracted and translated from: Alain Rey “Dictionnaire Historique De La Langue Française.”
And on a darker subject: yes the “support for Palestine” demonstration in Paris was anti-Semitic — even if most participants prefer to say “anti-Zionist”. Don’t let that prevent you from enjoying your stay in Paris (according to opinion polls, the vast majority of French people are convinced that Israel has the right to defend itself :))
Best wishes,
Jean (John)
Trousseau is the chest with household linen, clothes etc a bride was expected to bring to the marriage.
If they’re anything like Yank cops, they must have ordered some beignets, too. I don’t suppose there was a row of Crown Vics parked outside the café? (Okay, okay, I suppose some of my of clichéd wiseacre comments about Yank cops have grown a bit dated now.)
They don’t look fat enough for that to be regular but then again French people eat a lot of cream and butter and never get fat.
French cops, for some reason, are never fat. But the proportion of French people who are overweight is much less than we see in America. There are lots of theories for why that is, one being that French don’t snack as much between meals (which seems to be true).
Nope; a line of police vans, and no beignets here!
Paris is one of my favorite cities. Love your food/travelogue
Hope chest, or its contents, auric.
Wow. Amazing food! Octopus? I’m in! My (amazing cook) wife has made it, and I love it.
Now for my naive question: Is what I am seeing in French restaurants typical? I understand that you’re looking for the best restaurants, but do all restaurants have such rich fare? Are there “ordinary” French restaurants that serve simpler foods? In the U.S. the range is immense, from 5-star extravaganzas that will set you back $1,000 to 2-star diners that have good, simple food that tastes great. Does France have such a range?
These are bistros, and the food is typical. But we go to bistros who are renowned for both the quality and quantity of food. The REAL higher-class restaurants are very different, and more expensive. There are also a lot of cheaper restaurants that have a “menu of the day” (often cafés), but I don’t want to waste my foraging time on those
Makes sense. The bistros sound like the perfect way to sample French cuisine at a reasonable price. And, presumably, there’s no dress code either
Thank you.
Oh yeah – I got burrata at Pizzeria Uno once and now I see it in the grocery store all the time!…
.. but it was nothin’ like the incredible specimen here, of course.
Bel Gioso brand, I think…
I’ve had wonderful burrata in Naples and Bari, but whenever I try it in the US I’m usually disappointed.
The one at Uno’s was basic / entry level – just for the uninitiated – in a way, the burrata itself was the star and hey, why not? A delight.
I’d try the grocery store version; just gussy it up a bit.
My comment seems to have disappeared into a black hole, so I’ll try again. Pardon, if it comes up twice.
I am surprised. I did not know about this march for Palestine. The big one, i.e., the one that’s figured in the papers I read, was a “grand rassemblement contre l’antisemitisme”, a march against antisemitism. That one took an entirely different route, starting at the Invalides. It included 105K people in Paris, including 2 former presidents (Sarkozy and Hollande, but not Macron…), a passel of former prime ministers, the presidents of the senate and the assembly, but also the far-right Rassemblement Nationale of Marine Le Pen. In all, 182K persons contributed across France, including 3000 in my (nearby) city of Lyon. My wife and I would have been there, but our ages preclude such things.
It would be tempting to try to stick things on the police vests because it looks like they take Velcro and have that molle system. I’d probably be too short to reach anyway and they’d probably give me some self defence smack down. Something to try to convince someone else to try.
Forget the vest. I want to put the gun belt through the pant loops. Dude on the right missed at least 2. What would @dieworkwear say?
I always knew you were a troublemaker.