6.1 Au Passage, 1bis Passage St Sebastien in the 11th, 01.43.55.07.52, (Metro: St Sebastien Froissart) closed Saturday lunch and Sundays is in the same old crummy looking place with the same old crummy furnishings and same old crummy pile of wonderful looking bread boules, but since the depart of John Henry has a new chef, one Sean Kelly, if my dining partner heard it correctly - my deafness/dementia/outofitbrain recorded "Rnnn Rnnn." In any case. They have the same forced choices and wonderful prices (at lunch 2 dishes = 13.50, 3 = 17 E and wines start at 19E a bottle).
The starter was/were microtomed slices of mullet with spicily-marinated daikon or its moral equivalent, salicorns aka sea beans and dill, the most underappreciated herb on the planet as well as some yogurty/creme fraichy/whipped thingy. The combination sent us both to another world.
We both chose not to have the fish - a nice looking block of merlu - and instead the noix de veau - perfectly undercooked with huge heirloom carrots and (they said) smoked potatoes - they were Noirmoutier or that superb ilk but no smoke came to my palate.
Then we had first a crottin with super olive oil, then red fruits with whipped cream - both way above average.
The bill, with a bottle of wine, no bottled water (are you kidding?), the horrible bread, 2 coffees and a very very very long wait between courses, tallies at 57 E.
Go? Kidding me, aren't you. You tell me where in America or Paris you can get 3 first-class dishes for 17 E and I'll introduce you to Jean-Paul Sartre.
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