RIWI in the 18th: what a difference a gracious hostess makes!

Pre: (1) I make great fun of my dear friend and fellow blogger Randy de Paris for insisting that we judge restaurants by the ”total experience” not just the food and (2) I ate at RIWI’s big sister, Les Tantes Jeanne, run by the Kurdish (you remember them, our “allies” we let the Russians, Turks and Syrians go after) chef Octave Kasakolu with Randy and JJ and we had such different experiences I rated it 4-5.5.  Well, back to the future, except for our spectacular hostess.

6.7 RIWI (which means fox in Kurdish), 40 rue Veron in the 18th, 01.44.85.21.80, open 7/7 from 8-1:30 AM, (Metro: Abbesses), opened recently and despite my mixed experience next door at Les Tantes Jeanne, I was game to try it, although hesitant also because it touts its cocktails.  My friend and I were very warmly greeted coming in out of the rain and more than nicely relieved of my cane and our parkas by the only woman in the place. 

My friend started with razor clams, which were not drowned in garlic olive oil but beautifully cooked in butter and I had a tuna tartare on a very nicely dressed fresh green salad.

Then he had a pork rib with a honey sauce while I had grilled mackerel - BUT we both really enjoyed the white beans that sat conveniently between us much better than our “standard” dishes.

We ended up sharing an absolutely superb Paris-Brest with a crispy crust to die for.

Our bill, with a bottle and glass (offered) of Saumur picked by my codiner, a wine guy and 2 coffees was 112.80€ with not much music/noise and better than ok bread.  

Then I called a car, when that guy cancelled, I called another company, he cancelled. At this point Madame, the hostess/wait lady turned Manager and English speaking CEO, taking charge and my iPhone and got me a G7. Whew!

Go?  Randy-buddy, you’re right, it is the “total experience” and the impression the take-charge lady here  made on me moved this restaurant’s place in the firmament of Montmartre places way up.

Comments

[Mark H.]

At first, seeing the headline, I wondered where, exactly, I'd find the "28e". The suburbs? Lyon? Queens? Then, I realized...typo.

[John Talbott]

Whoops; maybe it was that Indian restaurant on 28th St David Rosengarten, my ex-chef, turned me onto coming back to haunt me, or Anthony Bourdain's butcher shop-resto nearby. No I meant the 18th, Montmartre.