Cornichon in the 14th: Like an old shoe, it’s so easy to go back to, esp. for the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cornichon in the 14th has been an “old reliable” that is, dishing out simple, solid, bistro food served with humor, grace and warmth, for quite a while. We owe our great friend S. for bringing it back into our regular orbit and today we went with another treasured friend, a French pal who dates back 64 years (Yikes!). If you didn’t get the name before walking in, the art on the walls certainly brings it home.

We three, I’m serious, struggled for minutes, to decide what we wanted, the choices were so tempting.  Anyway Colette started with a generous portion of coques in butter, our friend, another generous portion of tete de veau and me, a too big bowl of chestnut soup with bacon and mini-Brussel sprouts, signaling the start of Fall/winter.

The real reason I wanted to go today was to have a touch of game before an extended exit from France, during which I probably wouldn’t have much taste of such treasures.  Our dear friend settled on a cocotte of partridge with lots of veggies, Colette had the paleron of beef with startlingly colored veggies - brilliant greens, vivid red beets and bright carrot-colored carrots.  I meanwhile indulged in a tourte of grouse with its innards accompanied by the bowl of lovely greens.  All were super.

But this being “the last supper” as it were, we had to order desserts - Colette had figs with lettuce, who ever heard of such a thing?, but it worked, our friend the tartelette and I holding up the cheese front, some lovely chèvre cru.

Our bill with no bottled water but two bottles of a Cotes de Roussillon and three coffees, was 206€ or 137.33€ a couple, if my math is correct.