mmm-yoso!!!

The French Oven-revisits

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog since May 26, 2005. Cathy is writing today's post; Kirk has a job with assignments which have deadlines.

I did write a post in August of 2018 about The French Oven, an obscurely located (it's in the middle of a neighborhood, across from a public park) locally owned Bakery and Cafe.  With the onset of Covid-19, whenever we do go out to eat, we've made a conscious effort to remain 'local'- both in terms of the businesses where The Mister and I make purchases and distance from home if no outdoor seating is available. The French Oven has become a 'regular' stop. 

 Only two people at a time are allowed inside and there is sometimes a bit of a line outdoors, but it does move fast.  There is a table at the door where pre-paid orders are placed to be picked up.  There are paper menus available just inside the door, if you want to 'plan' your purchase while waiting. Let's start with the 'Breakfast' part of the menu.  Egg bites ($3) are available in three flavors: Ham, Veggie and Sun-dried tomato.  This is the non-vegetarian choice-ham, bacon, Swiss, tomato, parsley and caramelized onions.  It is quite large and the flavors are each distinct, melding well together.  It can (and should) be warmed.

 The Ham and Cheese croissant ($4.75) is topped with cheese and filled with Black Forest Ham, Swiss and Béchamel. Creamy interior with a bit of a crunch from the croissant, distinct flavors and even better when warmed.
The lox for the Salmon lox croissant ($9) is cured here (not smoked).  A very plentiful amount of salmon, served on a fresh croissant with sliced cucumbers, sliced onion, capers and a dill creme fraiche. Large enough to share, but sometimes I want it all.  
In the refrigerator section (below the pastry display case) are beverages, salads and quarts of soups ($10).  This one is French onion and (of course) it was wonderful.  The complimentary cheesy croutons make the reheated soup bowls just perfect.    The soup selections vary each week and last week it was chilled sweet pea (meant to be served cold) with croutons.  We had the first two bowls with some home made egg salad on a Batard purchased that day.  I could taste sugar snap peas, lemon and mint in this 'French gazpacho'-which was a refreshing break on those hot days we had last week.
 The Caprese Sandwich ($8) is served on a fresh baguette with fresh mozzarella, tomato, pesto, basil, olive oil and balsamic.  Always a good choice. The Turkey avocado BLT ($8.50) is also a quite perfect sandwich.  It has all of those ingredients plus a herb aioli.  So many flavors, but none overwhelms. The way a sandwich should be.   

 The chicken curry sandwich ($8) has a layer of mango chutney which is not overwhelmed by the mild curry, pickled onions, mixed greens or tomato.  An interesting blend of unique flavors.
 We have been using the excuse of 'needing bread' as our reason to drive here and the purchase has always been the Batard ($3.50).  It is a simple, fresh made, chewy, flavorful bread.  Shorter but wider than a baguette, so over three days, we have different size sandwiches or toast.

 There is usually something 'special' on the counter or in the refrigerator each week-jams, sauces or, at this visit, house made pate ($8). Oh my, the paste containing liver, fat, herbs, spices, cognac had an abundance of flavors.  We 'rationed' it out (needed to- very rich) serving it on slices of baguette along with some burrata on a batard (and some wine). 
R.A.C-Raspberry, almond and chocolate croissant ($4.50) is far more complex than an almond croissant.  Almost overwhelming in flavors except that the croissant is not overfilled, keeping a good balance. The pear tart ($4.95) is made with a sugar dough crust, lined with almond cream and topped with sliced pears.  Always a good choice. 
 The apricot tart ($4.95) is made with some flavorful apricots and also has an almond cream filling.   The fruit tart ($4.95) also has an almond cream topped with a jam and seasonal fruit.  Every piece of fruit is amazing.
 The raisin brioche ($3.25) satisfies my craving for raisin, custard and buttery brioche.  It needs coffee to make it perfect, though.

The French Oven is a great local place. Kirk has been here, here is cc's visit, Lynn from Oh So Yummy has a recent post.

The French Oven 10299 Scripps Trail San Diego 92131 (858) 766-8706 Closed Mon-Tue Open Wed-Sat 7-3, Sun 7-2 Website

Our Pandemic Rotation - Et Voila, the Original Sab E Lee, and Sushi Tadokoro

You know things are pretty bad with this pandemic when I can actually do a "rotation" post......and since it's now March 160th.....well, that is long enough to have one I guess, sigh.....

Anyway, here goes:

Et Voila!:

Though I think the Missus is kinda burning out on the takeout Cocktails from Et Voila; I think the main reason might be the menu. It was already kinda slim pickins' to begin with and once this was no longer available....

We tried the Ravioli Aux Champingnons, Tarte Aux Champignons, the Coq au Vin, which I didn't care for....

Until we just kinda finally settled on the Charcuterie and Baguette.

We are sorely tempted to just order some baguette.....but that might be pushing our luck a bit, don't you think?

Et Voilà!
3015 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

The Original Sab E Lee:

The Missus is really missing Her fix from Thai Papaya which is still closed. So, we've been making due with TOSEL; which of course doesn't have several of Her favorites (Som Tom Khai Kem/Spicy Thousand Year Old Eggs). Still, for some strange reason She was craving Pad Thai....which doesn't happen every often.....must be the Pandemic.

Anyway, I got Her Pad Thai, Duck Larb, and Issan Sausage.

So, I got the Duck Larb at heat level three.....check out all those chilies....a level three....

Still, the Missus got Her "fix".

And the young lady working is one of the folks from Thai Papaya.....it was nice seeing her. I asked about when they'd be reopening and was told that she hadn't heard anything about that. Bummer....

The Original Sab E Lee
6925 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111

Sushi Tadokoro:

After doing takeout from Tadokoro on almost a weekly basis, we've been trying to show some restraint.....it's now every other week.

And while Tadokoro now has outdoor seating on the patio.....

We're not quite ready to take that step yet.

So we'll just keeping on doing the takeout thing.

It's getting to the point that some of folks are starting to recognize my voice on the phone.

This is a nice treat for the Missus and I. And with the way things are going, we do need to have those moments.

Sushi Tadokoro
2244 San Diego Ave
San Diego, CA 92110

Take care!

Covid-19 Takeout - Et Voila. Trying for Our Own Little "Happy Hour"

Welcome to March 73rd....or something like that. In a way I'm glad to be super busy with work, otherwise I'd just be out of sorts, I think the days would all just roll into one another...….of all the things I enjoy doing, going out and eat is a big one. and more than that; I think it's the fact that we "can't" do something that is driving us a bit crazy. The Missus and I have been looking for a bit of normalcy. We were chatting about just going out for Happy Hour. I quickly recalled that one of the Missus's favorite spots, Et Voila was doing Curbside and window pick-up. And even better, with the relaxing of ABC regulations, they had two of our favorite cocktails available for pick-up. Reminder; you still need to order food if ordering cocktails for pick-up, so don't go all crazy, ok?

Anyway, the drill was easy, you place an order on the Et Voila website, along with pick-up time, pay using Pay Pal (you don't need a Pay Pal account), and get to the window at pick-up time.

To be perfectly honest; EV wasn't offering any of our favorites for takeout; but I managed to find a couple of items, which turned out to be pretty good.

And then of course, there was this.

Man, these were really good...a bit too good! Much stiffer than what I recall having in the restaurant. And the Huckleberry Bourbon was much better than what we had during Happy Hour last time. And man, the Tequila Mockingbird.....I was getting over a sinus infection and that baby just cleared me up.

As for the food; well, I got the Gazpacho which was refreshing, especially with the hot weather.

No sure what was up with the guacamole, it really didn't do much for the dish. The Missus drizzled on some nice olive oil......and then reminded me that I should plan on making some Salmorejo soon.

We both enjoyed the simple Baguette Pâté-Cornichons.

The Missus isn't much of a mustard fan; but She loved the Dijon provided. It helped, along with the brightly flavored cornichons to cut the rustic flavor of the pate. This was a very nice sandwich for eight bucks.

In the end it was worth going a bit off course....I've been trying to consolidate trips to places along a certain route....but this, along with Sushi Tadokoro were well worth the detour. It helped us to escape from all the craziness going on right now.....we did have our own little Happy Hour sitting in the backyard....in fact the Missus, thinking out loud said, "do you think they'll keep selling the to-go cocktails when this is all over?"

Currently, Et Voila has pick-up times set for 12-2pm and 4-8pm daily. The online form is easy to fill out. They are currently doing orders for same day pick-up.

Et Voilà!
3015 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

A La Carte and 3 Course Menu - Cold or Ready to Eat on their website for Curbside Pick-up or To-go.

What have you been doing to add a bit of normalcy to your day?

Clearing Out (the) Memory Card, the It's Warming Up Edition. Revisits to Thai Papaya and Et Voila

I know it's getting warm when the Missus starts requesting certain places......and it's been warming up the last few days.

Thai Papaya:

So, it goes like this. I get a text from the Missus, "can you pick up Thai on your way home tonight." It can only mean one place and She doesn't even have to tell me what to order. It's the Som Tom Khai Kem (papaya salad with salted egg), Duck Larb, and Issan Sausage.

As it always is and has been.

Thai Papaya by Sab E Lee
2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111 

Et Voila!:

Another favorite of the Missus is Happy Hour at Et Voila! So, with things warming up and both of us getting a home a bit earlier than usual we headed over.

And got our usual.

Sadly, that Huckleberry Bourbon, which used to be a HH favorite and used to be $7, is now $11, and tasted watered down....looking nothing like what it used to back in 2018.

Everything else seemed a bit different and we didn't enjoy it as much as we used to.

The Beignets de Champignons was nicely fried, but very salty.

And the Raviolis de Champignons way too sweet.

After not enjoying that Huckleberry Bourbon (my good FOY "YummyYummy" had warned me that the drink seemed a bit watered down over her last couple of visits), I ordered the Tequila Mockingbird, which I enjoyed; especially since it wasn't too sweet and there was a nice bit of savory heat from the Habanero Bitters.

It was quite telling as we walked to our car....the Missus told me, "I think we're done with Et Voila for a while".

Et Voilà!
3015 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

Happy New Year!

Happy 2020 to you all!

Not much to see here that's different from previous years. Like the past fourteen New Years Eves, I started my day by checking out the Osechi at Nijiya, Mitsuwa, and Marukai.

These days it seems that most folks preorder their Osechi. Still, traditions die hard......

And in them of traditions; like we've done the last 2 NYEs, we had an early dinner at Et Voilà! 

Didn't take many photos as we just kind of enjoyed the evening.....

We haven't been to ET in a while and I just noticed the "Break Me. Don't Cut Me!" Sticker on the baguette......

An enjoyable meal overall.

Et Voilà!
3015 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

As for today...well, I made the Missus Red Cooked Wagyu Shortribs, while I did my usual, traditional soba.

And so we turn the page on another year......

And we'd like to send out our best wishes for a wonderful and delici-yoso 2020!

Happy New Year!

Paris - Doing the Flâneur Thing, Aperitif at Juveniles, Dinner at Zebulon

On our last day in Paris, we got up a bit early, and had breakfast at the hotel.

What we had would be enough to hold us until dinner.

For our last full day; we decided to do what brings us such pleasure in the city; something I mentioned before, you know, the Flâneur thing...."to wander with no purpose".

Our hotel, the very pleasant Hotel Malte was located on Rue de Richelieu and just one block away was the Palais-Royal and the interesting courtyard with some "interesting" art installations; like the Colonnes de Buren, basically black striped columns of various height, which as many of what folks call "modern art", is somewhat controversial due partly to the historic location it was installed on in 1986.

Same with the, ahem, "balls of steel"....the La Fontaine des Spheres.

I guess folks were looking for something a bit more grand and traditional....perhaps like this Statue of Joan of Arc on Place des Pyramides?

We crossed over to the Left Bank on Pont Neuf and onward to the 6th Arrondissment. 

And eventually found ourselves at the University of Medicine, where we noticed some interesting stone reliefs...….you know medical things like reducing a fracture.

Or exorcism???? You know, standard medical stuffs.....

From here we walked over to Hermes, where the Missus did a bit of shopping. And in case Hermes didn't suck your wallet clean and you have an extra grand (or two); the historic Hotel Lutetia is ready for you....

We weren't ready for a break just yet, so we sauntered over to Le Bon Marché, where it was Black Friday.

It was interesting to see what folks were purchasing.

From here we headed back and crossed on Pont Neuf yet again.

That the Equestrian Statue of Henry IV on Pont Neuf.

We walked up Quai du Marché Neuf to take a peek at one of the symbols of Paris.....as this was November of 2018, this was Notre Dame pre-fire.

It's a reminder of how lively and lovely the Cathedral was.

We decided to wander some of the side streets around the Cathedral, which seemed to be rather peaceful and quiet compared to Rue de la Cité and other surrounding busy streets.

In Paris, you may notice iron structures like this.....

These are called "Empeche-pipi"...aka "pee preventer". The metal pieces would make urine splash back onto the offender...….

There's quite a bit of history packed into this small area. During one of our visits to Pere Lachaise we came upon the tomb of Héloïse and Abelard; it's quite love story - tragedy. Well, even though the house where they resided is gone; the structure built on the site in 1844 is highly decorated and has carved heads representing the couple at 9 Quai aux Fleurs.

From here we walked to the Marais and the Missus found a cute bracelet. We then took a short break at Place des Vosges; which looks wonderful, even in winter.

Before heading back to the hotel for a break before dinner.

As this was our last night in Paris, I wanted to have dinner and made reservations for a place that was quite popular. But first we decided to get an aperitif. Right down the street was the well regarded Wine Bar and Bistro, Juveniles. The food is well regarded, but we just decided to drop by for a glass of wine before dinner.

We enjoyed both the atmosphere; friendly and unfussy, and our wine.

I think we'll return for a meal on one of our trips.

Juveniles
47 Rue de Richelieu
75001 Paris, France

As for dinner; I had made reservations at another place right down the street. This one was what I'd call a medium priced, modern French, manned by yet another Japanese Chef - Takashi Aoki, named Zebulon.

The interior of the restaurant is simple, but comfortable, and stylish. Both the Missus and I went with the "Menu Zebulon", three courses.

The Amuse Bouche was a simple gravlax with quinoa, nice, clean flavors.

The Sea Bream Tartare was fresh....fairly tangy from the calamansi used in the vinaigrette.

The watercress leaves really helped to cut all the sour tones and add a nice pepperiness to things. The fish was toothsome but not tough, though there was perhaps a bit too much ginger used for the fish.

The Butternut Veloute was smooth and comforting.

Creamy but not overly sweet......the coffee added on the side was kind of a strange addition.

The Cod was perfectly cooked and seasoned; so moist and tender.

The spinach added a nice mildly bitter-chlorophyllic note to the dish; but we both thought the coconut-lemongrass foam kind of took the dish is a totally different direction....almost Thai...but not quite. 

The Lamb Two Ways was a mixed bag.

The confit lamb was so silken, rich, gamey, just plain delici-yoso. The roast was a bit too chewy, tough, and salty. Loved the slices of beets which added a nice mild sweetness, which the roasted lamb needed.

I got the Cheese course....which was served at a perfect temperature.

And the Missus enjoyed Her dessert; telling me it wasn't overly sweet.....

Overall, we enjoyed the meal, and while it wasn't earth-shattering, it was priced right at around 120 Euroes for two including wine.

Service was excellent and we enjoyed the atmosphere. As of this writing Chef Aoki has moved on and Benjamin Andreux is the new chef de cuisine at Zebulon.

Zebulon
10 Rue de Richelieu
75001 Paris, France

As is one of my rituals, I ended the night with a beer back at the room.

I did feel like I earned it....don't you think?

And the next morning after a quick breakfast we were headed home. Another trip to Paris in the books.

Thanks for stopping by!

Versailles and a Late Lunch at Canard Street (Paris)

By November of 2018, we were on our third trip to Paris (can you believe it's now up to five?). And even though one could fill a lifetime exploring, and enjoying the city, the Missus thought we should start exploring places around the city. Starting with the Palace of Versailles. So, I got purchased advance tickets online and we headed out on the RER "C" line making it to Versailles-Rive Gauche in 40 minutes or so. From there it was a short walk to the Palace.

It was a misty - foggy day in Versailles.

But there's no denying the grandness of the Chateau.

It is indeed quite impressive and opulent. Hard to believe that this was once a "small country hunting lodge and residence" built by Louis XIII. Eventually, under Louis XIV, the property underwent four "campaigns", huge renovations. The King actually made Versailles his permanent residence and the center of political power, until the French Revolution. It has quite a history and a lot of rooms (over 2,000) and even had zoo (the "Menagerie"). Marie Antoinette had a "farm" ("Hameau de la Reine") created on the property, where she could escape....and where she could have a "faux country life".....milking cows and sheep; which were carefully cleaned and groomed. The book Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman; has this quote:

"Sheep were led to pasture by ribbons of blue silk tied round their necks"

All this decadence, all that taxpayer money, all the social inequality...….just a few of a the many factors that lead to the French Revolution.

It's all on display in the various rooms in the Chateau.

Don't forget to look up at the ceilings!

The most well known room in the Chateau is probably the Hall of Mirrors.

Which is where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, which ended World War I.

We walked out onto the gardens......still quite grand; even on a misty day like this was.

And of course; all the fountains.

From here we decided to check out the Grand Trianon.

Which Louis XIV built as his escape from the Chateau.

We also explored the Petit Trianon as well.

By this time; the Missus and I were "palaced-out" and we decided to head back to Paris.

The lines were growing ever longer as we left. We caught the train back to Paris and the Missus decided to do (even more) shopping. We made a return trip to Repetto (which I've posted on before).

Sadly....at least for the Missus; She discovered that She had all the styles and colors that She wanted.

We decided to head back to the hotel for a break, but decided to grab lunch. We wanted something quick and decided to head back to Canard Street. We got the Demi Magret and the Sandwich de Foie Gras.

The duck breast was surprisingly good....especially for what I consider "fast-casual" food. It was just a tad over-cooked, but still juicy, tender, and full of flavor.

We didn't care for the baguette used for the sandwich; it was dry and much too hard and chewy. Hardly any foie gras torchon as well.

Still, this came out to around 20 Euroes which ain't bad for duck breast and foie gras, right?

Canard Street Paris
16 rue des Petits Champs
75002 Paris, France

We had a well deserved nap; then took an early evening stroll. We then headed off in the direction of dinner. This was to be our first visit to Le Pont de Sichuan, you can read that post here. We were still a bit too early for dinner and noticed this spot right around the corner of our destination.

And stopped for an aperitif.

It seemed like a popular after work destination.....lot's of folks having whatever the version of happy hour is in Paris.

And we had a seat at the bar and had a couple of Kir before dinner.

Le Trader's
3 Rue de la Bourse
75002 Paris, France

A nice little aperitif!

Thanks for stopping by!

Paris - Le Comptoir de La Gastronomie

While we had enjoyed our time visiting Champagne, Alsace, and Lyon, the Missus was so excited to be back in Paris. After quickly getting settled into our room at Hotel Malte. The Missus had enjoyed visiting the 2nd Arrondisement and while I like the 7th, I thought it would be nice staying somewhere other than the 7th or the Latin Quarter. It would turn out that the Missus really enjoyed the 2nd. Anyway, with no plans, other than perhaps to do some shopping and do what we love doing in Paris; wander and enjoy. Until recently, I didn't even know there was a French term for what we do in Paris; it's called Flâneur or flânerie a term I first heard on that wonderful podcast, The Earful Tower.

And so we headed out, taking a quick walk through the Jardin du Palais Royal a half block away from the hotel. Framed by arcades on three sides, this was an oasis of peace from the hustle and bustle of Paris on a Wednesday afternoon.

From here it was short stroll to one of the Missus's shopping stops; the Louis Vuitton Vendome location which had just completed setting up for Christmas.

Sadly, the Missus couldn't find anything She wanted to spend Her hard earned money on....so She did the next best thing; She bought something for me.....more on that later in the post.

But heck, we were in the Place Vendome area, known for all the luxury shops in the area.

From here, the Missus indicated She wanted to see the Christmas Window displays and tree at Galeries Lafayette, so we just wandered on over. On our way we strolled through this interesting square and this Statue.

Apparently, this is Place Edouard VII. So, a square in honor of the King of the United Kingdom in Paris, eh? Apparently, "Bertie" as he was called, a man of great um...appetites, loved Paris......though I don't think the square is named in his honor because of his excesses or his, ahem....taste in furniture. Perhaps it's because of his role in getting the Entente Cordial completed.

Anyway, in Paris, every corner, every block, and every square has a story. You can find an interesting blog post on the square here.

Soon enough we arrived at Galeries Lafayette. There's something about the window displays and the Christmas Tree inside the department store that brings out the inner child in me. Perhaps because I spent much of my childhood as a Jehovah's Witness and we didn't celebrate Christmas and this just has me imagining that this is what the holiday season should be like. Maybe not, because the Missus just loves this as well.

We slowly worked our way back to the hotel, took a break, and then headed out to dinner.

I spent a good deal of time trying to figure out what we'd have for this dinner. And naturally, after reading all those blog (and you know....those other sites) posts on Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie….and oh, my, all that foie gras. Sold! So, we made our way the few blocks over to rue Montmatre  (funny thing as I'm a trip behind on my Paris posts; this is currently our favorite area of the city) and the restaurant, which is half deli/restaurant. We had reservations, which was good thing since the place filled up really fast.

Man, was there a queue lining up! And remember me mentioning that all the Korean tourists had vanished from Les Cocottes on our last visit? Well, I think this is their hot spot right now as two-thirds of the customers were either Korean or Chinese tourists.

One of the reasons I picked "Le Comptoir" were all the duck and foie gras dishes. So, we started with a very nice bottle of wine that the friendly, but over-worked Server helped the Missus select.

And the first dish up was the "Pan Seared Foie Gras with Gingerbread and Mixed Salad" (20€ - about $22/US).

We enjoyed the greens; the dressing had a nice acidity. The gingerbread toast was interesting. Of course, I didn't order this for the greens or the toast. The foie gras was terrible, over-cooked, mealy, with sinewy strings in it. It had that texture we call "dog food". Because it was burned on one end, it was quite bitter.

The Foie Gras Ravioli with Truffle Sauce (21€ - about $23.25/US) was better, if having a bit of a greasy texture to it.

The truffle cream sauce overwhelmed the foie gras in the pasta; which was over-cooked as well. You couldn't make out the rich-earthy sweetness of the foie. Too much of a good thing with regards to truffle oil dumped on a typical cream sauce here.

The last dish of the evening was the Cassoulet "Gratine" (18€ - about $20/US).  I enjoy a good cassoulet and even make a version at home; so this was my pick for the meal. Unfortunately, well......this time around, the photo says it all.

The duck was over-cooked (seems to be the theme), hard, and dry. Everything else was so bland and not hot either.

We've had a couple of mediocre meals in Paris before; but nothing that was this bad. You know, it's tough.....if this were San Diego, I'd have made a couple more visits to see if it was an off night, or just not do a post at all. But, when one goes on vacation, spending $$$ to get to a place....working on selecting something ahead of time, well...… I will say this; TripAdvisor and Yelp loves this place....which is why....you know....

Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie
34 rue Montmartre
75001 Paris, France

Well, there was some good (I think) news. The Missus just couldn't find anything She wanted at Louis Vuitton, so She decided I needed a new messenger bag (She hated the one I used to use). Knowing little about the LV brand other than the rather distinctive patterns and logos, I figured that I could get out of this by telling Her that "I don't want loud patterns or a logo on my bag"....hah, that would end things right there....but no, with the help of the wonderful (these sales people are amazing) young lady.....they found me my current bag.....I'm not going to say how much it cost; because I get the heebies when I think of it. So yes, I take an LV bag to work everyday and folks, unless I tell them, can't even tell.

 

Lyon - La Cave Café Terroir and Café Terroir

While I really would have loved to hit up another Bouchon on our last night in Lyon; I thought we should try something different, especially after our rather hefty lunch. As it would turn out; dinner would be just as substantial as lunch....but heck, we were in Lyon after all.

We headed out from the apartment, taking our time, doing some window shopping along the way. We eventually got to the area around Théâtre des Célestins, a place we hadn't explored earlier. There were tons of shops in the area and the Missus enjoyed Herself.

I had a place in mind for dinner; but wasn't able to get reservations. But, I had another strategy; the restaurant I had in mind, Café Terrior started service at 7pm. Café Terrior also had a wine bar a few meters up the street, which opened at 6pm....and I'd read somewhere that the really nice bartenders at La Cave Café Terroir would sometimes make reservations at the restaurant for you. So, we decided to test this out.

We enjoyed the small, rustic, with modern touches of the Wine Bar. The bartenders were indeed quite friendly. The Missus enjoyed a glass of red and I got a Kir. We were given some olives with mustard.

When I ordered our second round, I broached the question. Apparently, this is quite a common practice as the really nice young lady took our names and walked over to the Café....when she got back, she smiled and told us, "voila!" And we had reservation for dinner for the first seating.

You gotta love this place!

La Cave Café Terroir
05 Rue Montcharmont
69002 Lyon, France

When Café Terrior opened, we strolled over and were given a nice corner table. The Missus ordered some wine for us and we were given some charcuterie.

A couple of tables away was a father and young daughter who both were having a wonderful time......chatting and savoring their meal. Kids start young here!

We started with a dish I'd seen in a couple of posts. "Oeuf a la Coque Fermier Mouillettes de Beaufort 24 mois" (9€ - about $10/US). Whew, that's a mouthful! This was basically soft boiled eggs, served with Beaufort, an Alpine Cheese, aged 24 months.

You basically dunk the slightly sharp, nutty, very fragrant cheese in the gooey egg yolk and have yourself a delici-yoso time! Rich, buttery, sharp-milky-savory......this was lovely. The salad helped give your palate a short break between bites.

For Her main, the Missus ordered the "Parmentier de Canette de la Dombes " (18€ about $20/US). This was basically almost like a shepherd's pie of sorts.....

If the potatoes hid rich and gamey duck confit! The rich-gamey-earthy flavor of the duck was excellent and there was a ton of duck hidden below those tasty potatoes, but the duck was a tad on the dry side.

Still, the flavors were wonderful!

I decided to go "hog wild"....even though I'd had pork knuckle just a few days before in Colmar; I hadn't had my fill. I ordered the  Jarret de Cochon (18€ about $20/US). 

This was wonderful; from the tender, porky meat, to the wonderful gelatinous parts, to even the skin, which had absorbed some wonderful flavors. The Missus loves lentils and these puy lentils were very nice; tender, yet still holding shape; whatever herbs were used in the bouquet garni for this was perfect.

While the meal seemed quite hearty, we finished everything! Though we had no room left for dessert. We enjoyed the rustic, yet modern food at Café Terrior. We'd gladly eat here again.

Café Terroir
14 Rue d'Amboise
69002 Lyon, France

We rolled back to the apartment. I'd had a great time in Lyon and could have stayed another day or two. I could tell, though, that the Missus was ready to head back to Paris. We had a wonderful, blissful night of sleep.

And the next morning; following the instructions we'd received earlier, we followed Louis XIV's "bout du cheval" and made our way to Gare de Lyon-Perrache. We were on our way back to Paris......and more shopping for the Missus!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lyon - Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse and Lunch at Chez les Gones

We were really enjoying our short time in Lyon, from the Silk Festival and Vieux Lyon, to the Basilica and an amazing dinner at Takao Takano. We'd seen a lot during that long first day, but there was another place I just needed to visit.

But first, we decided to take a nice morning walk.

Down to Place Bellecour it's such a vast square right in the middle of Presqu'ile.

There's the Equestrian Statue of Louis XIV, which was an important landmark for us.

We had to catch our train back to Paris from Gare de Lyon-Perrache not our arrival station Lyon Part-Dieu. We had asked for some directions earlier and was basically told to follow Louis's "bout du cheval"...the "horse's butt" straight, ahem, down Rue Victor Hugo. Which were very accurate directions.

We headed toward the Saône and just ambled along......

Right past the Passerelle du Palais de Justice we found a outdoor market.....not very crowded on this rather chilly morning. This is the Marché Alimentaire Saint-Antoine Célestins which runs Tuesdays to Sundays from 6am to 1pm.

The market is located on Quai Saint-Antoine between Passerelle du Palais de Justice  and Pont Maréchal Juin.

Being right at Rue Grenette meant it would basically be a straight shot to our next destination which La Part-Dieu neighborhood.

I mentioned Paul Bocuse in my first Lyon post, much revered, especially in his home of Lyon.....a man who was called the "Culinary Pope"; for those who are Anthony Bourdain fans, just look at this picture. 'Nuff said.

I wanted to visit the marketplace that bore his name; Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse.

Plus, I love these market halls......I always get a better understanding of the cuisine of a city, when I get to walk around the marketplaces.

And there were indeed some top notch products for sale.

Visiting made me wish we had more time....as it was, we had meals planned out.

We were getting a bit hungry, so we searched among the seemingly endless stands that wind their way thru the gleaming market hall.

And settled for one that served some traditional Bouchon fare and one dish I had been waiting to try as well.

We were seated at one of the small tables and the Missus ordered some sparkling water and a glass of wine for Herself.

I ordered the food...…..which took a while.....actually a good sign to us.

The Missus had enjoyed Her Andouillette so much at Bouchon des Filles that She ordered it here.

Which was served with some mushy vegetables and pretty tasty, but super buttered Gratin Dauphinoise (Scalloped Potatoes).

Like the previous version, this basically exploded upon being touched by a knife. This one was pretty funky and really chewy, the mustard sauce did it no favors.

I ordered the Tablier de Sapeur (The Sapper's Apron).

The tripe was nicely breaded and fried; layers of different textures; the crunchy breading, the chewy layer of tripe, and some additional meaty crunchiness of the rumen. It was very mild in flavor and the sauce gribiche helped things along.

Like with the Missus's dish; I didn't care for the vegetables or potatoes much.

This was an interesting meal; much more rustic than what we'd had two nights before at the Bouchon. Still, it was fairly inexpensive...and I got to have dish I'd been wanting to try.

Chez les Gones - In Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse
102 cours la Fayette
69003 Lyon, France

After the meal the Missus had Her eye on dessert.

And we took our sweet time getting back to the apartment.

Stopping to do some shopping along the way.

By the time we got back it was mid-afternoon.

It was time for a nap.....and then....well, dinner of course!

Thanks for stopping by!