5.5 Zebra, ex-Zebra Square, 3, place Clément Ader in the 16th, 01.44.14.91.91, (RER: Maison de Radio France) open 7/7 7h30-midnight which should trip off some claymore mines in your head, is a place that has gone through all sorts of owners and chefs since it opened decades ago, but the positive press, including someone I tend to trust, Emmanuel Rubin, prompted me to go with my friend who works nearby today. Well, first a little diversion (You don’t need to read, go to the end like you do with mysteries).
Context: So, I’ve often mentioned Randy de Paris, who writes a good blog, Paris Missives, who is a great friend and supporter, and when I started eating with him, I was of the mind to judge only the food, regardless if it was served on butcher paper, or Louis 14th settings, while he argued restaurants should be judged on the “total experience,” i.e., welcome, decor, ambiance, food, check, etc. etc. Ok. I’ve slowly come over to his point of view. A prime example: today at Zebra, much touted by the French press.
As I do about once a year, I'll show you how I arrive at my rating, 10 being super, 1 being bad.
10 Welcome
10 Seating
11 Decor/setting and manager with black suit and white shoes, extra point!
10 instant attention
10 quick service
1 Intrusive awful music (db’s = 75)
8 Wine offerings and advice
3 Rich American beached blonde types from the 16th
7 Food
2 Price/quality according to the Pierre 45 scale
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5.5 right? (72 divided by 10 = 5.5) Hey, Tom Lehrer was my Math 101 section teacher.
To start off, we sort of shared a cromesqui of tête de veau, lots of meat, no juice which I expect but nice frisée salad like Aux Lyonnais used to put out.
Then my friend, who puts up with all my nonsense, as does my wife, had a nice piece of daurade with veggies including whole garlic cloves and I had a tartare of boeuf which our great waiter fixed like days of old, spicy and perfectly made, but with soggy fries and only ok salad.
Then we shared a portion of pain perdu with sauce a part, which was quite ok.
Our bill, with a bottle and glass of wine, no bottled water, but 2 coffees, was 151€ or 151€ a couple.
Go? I love to dispute the big boys, who tout places like this, the Poule au Pot and Darroze. But no, not when there’s a greater place on the 2nd floor of the Radio France monument facing you called Radio Eat.
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