7.1 Istr Oyster Bar, 41, ND de Nazareth aka the "Jeune Rue" in the 3rd, 01.43.56.81.25, closed Saturday, Sunday and Mondays (Metro: Republique or Temple) is a place I've been wanting to come to since it opened. Why? Because my Iowa-born father imitating what he thought was the way some New Yorkers pronounced Oyster as Irstr, would have loved it. Outside it's gunmetal grey, inside it's huge as an oyster joint should be, and a sign over the bar says "Welcome to Istr." My dining partner, took one look at the carte and said "John, you know I don't eat oysters," "Yah, but look down at the "menu", you've got others things as well for 24 E for 3 courses.
Once we had ordered they brought over two breads, one a pumpernickel from a bakery nearby that knocked her socks off with superb butter and from then on it was smooth sailing; she had big chunks of gravlax on a bed of "tabouli of cauliflower bits" and I three Number 4 Spered (Spirit of Brittany) oysters. All was extremely well.
For our main courses she chose the quite nice cod in a sea of foam and I had fegola with razor clams, coques and mussels, which was also quite nice.
Neither of wanted a full dessert so we split two chou's with a creamy chocolate sauce. With the Nespressos came wonderful mignardises to top off the meal.
Our bill, with all that goodness, was 98 E. dB's unfortunately were 89.3 because of loud American music.
Go? Well, I think I implied the answer; sure.
The toilets are worth a visit if only for the humorous signs indicating male and female.
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