Luz Verde in the 9th: "It's not Mexican food, John, it's really French, you'll love it."

 

5.7 Luz Verde, 24, rue Henri-Monnier in the 9th, 01.74.64.29.04, closed Sundays and Mondays (Metro: St. Georges) is a place my wonderful food source in the 9th has been after me to eat at saying more than once - "John I know you don't eat non-French food in Paris," but "It's not Mexican food, John, it's really French, you'll love it."  Ok, so I'm in thrall of her and I surrendered today.  Approaching the place by the sex-shops and guitar-repair places I wondered what I had got myself into.  I entered and said her name, and they said "Oh, N.?"  "Sure, right over here."  The music was blaring and I took out my dB meter and saw they had a red decibel indicator to the right of the bar - it said 68 dB, mine read 85.8.  Oh, oh.  Aside from that, though, the place was decent enough, hopping with young French folk and had a menu that looked like it might have French food (cochon, squid, pear dessert) but there was a half-page of guacamole and tacos; OK!

My friend from down the street looks at today's offerings and says "There are no couteaux."  Her husband and I shrug.  Ok, no couteaux, no big deal, we want the guacamole.  But we're guys and we have no cojones - like all guys, we'd never ask for something off the menu - impossible (ref: Deborah Tannen, You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation).  But she does and miraculously they appear, not 3, not 9, but like the parable of the fish and loaves, a bowl full, not rubbery and/or sandy but quite delicious.  Meanwhile he and I content ourselves with the frijoles and pig, each with its own generous assortment of veggies and tacos, while awaiting our guacamole - whoops!  at this point I, anyway, am full, and say "let's forget it" and it is so negotiated.  But, then dessert, hummmm, pear, caramel and tonkas - hummm.  It was the dessert of my week - absolutely delicious.

Our bill, with the guacamole which we ordered but never got but they charged for, plus a bottle and glass of wine and no bottled water but decent bread and 3 coffees (again, 2 ordered, 3 charged for, maybe this is why they're advertising for help), our bill was 80.50 or 76.66 E a couple.

Go back?  I think not, despite the lovely, English-speaking staff; this is great among friends chow but................