Pre: So, here we are, toodling off to Jacques Faussat in the 17th for what I intended to be another great pintade and we get a phone call from my former co-moderator saying "They're closed, no delivery of food was made, where do we go?" I enter panic mode, "ah, there's a bistro there on Wagram, and l'Escient, and Chez Fred, oie oie." "Calm down," says Colette, I don't but when our guest enters the Kapten, the two women say "Papillon'". Of course, Papillon.
Papillon in the 17th, right next to the Garde Manger, run by his partner Laura Portelli, ex-Vole Verre, now having spawned Pique Nique, was opened in 2016 by Christophe Saintagne, ex-Crillon, and was most welcoming to us despite our not having been in quite a while. One glance at the "menu" in blue and carte in white and we were off and running.
Our friend had the 38E menu which began with a tasty lot of root vegetables with parmesan and greens.
Then she had the menu duck raviolis with mushrooms and an intense broth; Colette had barbue with an olive sauce and I had the meal of my dreams (Gold Standard = Chez Catherine), strips of wild Colvert duck with a sauce made of its innards - the best.
To wind up, Colette had a delicious pear and ice cream dessert, our codiner had various citrus fruits with sauce "like a vacherin" and I waited for the madeleines which I knew would be coming straight out of the oven.
Our bill, with a bottle and glass of fine Bordeaux and 3 coffees, was 174E or 116E a couple.
We began the New Year just fine.
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