Pre: Now, I'm famously known among my wife, family and friends as only eating French French food in Paris (excepting the occasional take-out pizza or sushi snuck in by adoring granddaughters). But this is #8 strike day (counting up til #22, the previous French record), so the rules are relaxed. And, I needed to find a place midway between my great friend's house, yes house, in the 20th and my abode in the 18th, open on Monday, ok, challenge met.
7.2 Biondi, 118, rue Amelot in the 11th, 01.47.00.90.18, closed Sundays, (Metro: Filles du Calvaire) has a well-celebrated chef, ex-Pulperia, who works a wood burning BBQ to its ultimate. They/he have/has a 15.50€ menu which we chose to venture from because, well, just because, as Capt Reanuld says. And venture well we did. They have several dishes in small or large plates (entree-size or plat-size) and entree size was plenty enough.
As an amuse they brought us out a very adequate portion of pate with cornichons and salad followed by our firsts of half-portions (supposedly - my french friend said "half? that's enough for us both') of poulpe and very nicely spiced ceviche. Then my old pal had an entecote (churrasco) of beef that was one of the tastiest in my life (it didn't need any sauce(s)) that made us both wonder if we should have ordered the 96€ cotes de boeuf ("Stop that John") and I had a half-portion of poulpe. To top it off my friend did the chocolate several ways and I the declination of dulce de leche - superb - my oh my!
Our bill, with a bottle and 2 glasses of Argentinian Malbec (it seemed de rigueur) plus 2 coffees, even with La Fourchette's 20% off, was 138€. Music was a bit obtrusive, hey, but he's South American!
Go? It was worth every penny Richard Quest holds up.
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