8.25 Elmer, Rue ND de Nazareth in the 3rd, 01.43.56.22.95, closed Saturday and Monday for lunch and all day Sunday, (Metro: Temple) - let's get the clichés (American meaning) out of the way at the beginning - yes, it has the requisite gunmetal minimalist façade, is in a hipsterish neighborhood embedded between cool galleries and Mac 'n Cheese shops and has an open kitchen. Ok, ready for the ride? My pals advised me to go with the meats and I so instructed my dining partners. Much as we wrestled over whether to have the echine de cochon or fish, I proposed that two of us share one of the twofer dishes; the pork ribs or lamb shoulder; "yah" both of them said, "I was afraid to order it". "So which?" said I? They disagreed, after 28 years of being together. "OK, the ribs."
They started off, generously sharing with me starters of beef bone marrow with beets and pesto and mackerel with a soft creamy cheese and greens - Wow!
My more fish-oriented friend had wonderful lieu jaune with veggies but his partner-husband and I shared the short pork ribs and "man oh man" as we used to say in the '60's, it/they were among the best ribs I've ever had anywhere - moist on the inside, crispy on the outside, tasting of wood and Southern sauce; and despite the frowns from the totally French clientele, we ate them as they should be eaten to get the best parts off the bones - with our fingers.
At this point I was rev'd up for dessert; so we shared grapefruit, bananas, lemon cream and sage ice cream and Grenache chocolate with caramel. Divine both.
Our bill with 2 bottles of wine, one white, one red, and one coffee, was 187 E, thus 124.66 E a couple (I wonder, does anyone out there check my math?) dB's - 84.9.
Go. Boy, you'd better, this place has got it down pat; great food, wonderful staff, fine wine (22 & 33 E). But beware, it's packed - RESERVE! Chef Simon Horwitz may be only 32 but he's sure picked up some neat tricks at the Oustau de Baumanière, Strato (Courchevel),Pierre Gagnaire and Pierre Meneau as well as stints in Asia, Latin America and Australia, according to Atabula and A Nous Paris.
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