Le Cafe des Musees in the 3rd: The "Ideal" Bistrot? Pretty close.

6.5 Le Café des Musees, 49, rue de Turenne in the 3rd, 01.42.72.96.17, open everyday, is a place that I reviewed after it opened/changed chefs/management/whatever in September 2005 and said that the "best single dish of this binge of new restos [that month] – [was] a filet of duckling (good tender product, cooked to perfection) with an onion compote, fabulous white beans and veggies the Chino brothers would have been proud of."

Since then, people I respect kept mentioning it:
- David Lebovitz in 2007
- Heidi Ellison in 2008
- Alexander Lobrano in 2009
- Barbra Austin, Caroline Mignot and Francois Simon in 2010 and to top it off
- the Figaroscope's "Ideal Bistro" article this week.

 
Why hadn't I been back?  Who knows?  But my friend Paga last night said 'How about it?"  "OK."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had been raving about my conversion from a warm white asparagus hater (in France) to being a cold white asparagus lover (in Spain)  and so he ordered it; pas mal; but my mushrooms stuffed with snails with their parsley/garlic sauce were even better.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then recalling how well the chef did flying things 7 years ago I was determined to have the pigeonneau with veggies, which Madame Elan also chose, superb; and Paga's souris of lamb was almost as good.

The dessert we shared was described as chocolate with Chantilly - heavenly, truly celestial.

With wine and assorted after-dinner stuff (his in honor of Charles Manson), no bottled water but three coffees, our bill was 126 E; thus 84 E a couple (just about what I paid in 2005).

Problems John?  Ah, now that you mention it; if you want to among Francophones, this is not the place.

Go?  The "ideal" bistro?  Pretty close, I'd say.