5-6.0 Gaston, 11, rue Brochant in the 17th (Metro: Brochant), open 7/7, opened or was refurbished about a year ago and since it is never closed, thus open Mondays, is “the butcher of Batignolles” and got 9.2/10 on La Fourchette, with glowing comments on its 70 day aged cotes de boeuf, it beckoned me and us.
I entered way earlier than my friends and sat down to read the newspapers and ordered a white from Gascony, Three Musketeers and all that, “it’s moelleux” said the waiter. “Perfect” said I. And it was. Along with tart green olives I was in heaven.
My friends entered, ordered and first surprise - a lovely slice of what I guess is their “famous terrine of chicken livers a discretion” with cornichons, delicious. Madame then had the vegetarian eggplant main although she, having read their website, really wanted the pithiviers of beef they listed, and as previously agreed, M. and I shared a cotes de boeuf, ordered “bleu.” Second surprise, it was not served on the bone but cut up so it was sort of medium-rare, swimming in a sauce with garlic and cups of Bearnaise and chimichurri for dipping beside. The fries, as I’d been warned by web-sters, were soggy and I didn’t attempt the salad. So far, a bummer. But then, third surprise, digestifs of aged rum appear, suddenly what was a 5/10 meal, turns out 6/10.
Our bill, with that glass of Gascony, bottle of Crozes-Hermitage and three coffees, was, I dunno, my friend scooped up the bill, but the beef alone was 90€ for 2 (although a single steak was only 24€) so you do the math. Db’s were a hearty 77.8.
Go? I’m afraid not, despite the wonderful service and rave customer reviews, it’s just not up to par.
Advice to the chefs: Either serve the beef on the bone sliced at the table or let the customers slice it. Don't let 90€ of 70 day aged beef sit under a heat lamp in a sauce - that's a tragedy!
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