Pre: When I heard that Chef David Rathgeber of L'Assiette, described by Alec Lobrano as "not only the best bistro in Montparnasse, but one of the best bistros in Paris," was opening a brasserie in the food dessert of the 16th, my first thought was "he's crazy" and my second was "Lemme call Sebastien Demorand and we'll go together and see what's up." But Sebastien died a week ago, at 50, and there's no one else I can argue about categorizations, reinventions, revisions or progressions of French food like I could with him. So I went with my former co-host of the best French food website in the world (second place goes to Paris By Mouth) and my wife of almost 60 years, both of whose judgment I trust.
6.8 The Brasserie Victor Hugo, 4, pl Victor Hugo in the 16th, 01.42.73.30.43, open 7/7, (Metro: Victor Hugo) looks like a tiny spot on the square with maybe 16 chairs outside and then you enter and realize that it's a long railway car space. I was way early and requested a banquette - they couldn't have been nicer - "Have a seat and when three seats clear out, we will seat you." And they did. The ladies entered and we ordered.
OK, it's a brasserie, so I've gotta have some oysters, six of which, "DE MARENNES OLÉRON N°3 Huîtrière de la Seudre Amélie Allais" were top of the line with an excellent sauce mignonette (really, it was better than usual). Then my former co-moderator, beefing up for a Marathon, had a huge chunk of beef ribs with January vegetables; Colette had standard scallops in butter; and I went all peasant-food with lentils, escargots and mushrooms. To finish up we sort of shared their "famous" Toblerone mousse and a slice of lemon tart.
Our bill, with a bottle a glass of Bordeaux and three coffees, was 143.50E or 95.66E a couple. db's = 80.9 at the peak (it got better)
Go? "What'd'ya say Sebastien?" I thought so. Peasant food, right up my alley but not bistronomic.
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