Maison Chardanoux

W & S had a restaurant recommendation from a friend. We'd planned on taking the metro, but with the strike, we figured walking was best and it turned out not to be that far away from us, maybe a mile or a tad more. It was in a neighborhood Chuck and I had never been in, east of the Bastille. The restaurant was small, Beaux Arts era (like the museum) and welcomingly warm. I took lots of photos, but these are the best. Check out the number of glasses! We had Champagne and a red wine, and a glass for water. W had escargots, which I tasted for the first time ever and, as I suspected, they weren't my favorite thing to eat. Chewy! But don't they look pretty on the plate? W said that they were very good. S had souris of agneau (lamb shank) W had lapin (rabbit) Chuck had boeuf Bourguinion and I had St. Jacques, which came with great garlicky mashed potatoes.

We had some really yummy desserts but forgot to take pictures of them before we ate them, and the photo of the afterwards was not very pleasant to look at. SO just imagine this...1) three little pots of cream in pistachio, chocolate and vanilla, 2) a little pot of vanilla ice cream with a little round chocolate cake filled with chocolate cream and 3) a millefeuille pastry with cream, chocolate and pistachios. We were happy that we had to walk "home."


If you're in the area, the restaurant is at 1, rue Jules-Vallès. Let the proprietor know we sent you.