A Rainy Sunday in Paris

It was a chilly, rainy Sunday in Paris and life would be slow.  The ride from Charles de Gaulle Airport though, was a quick 30 minutes sans rush hour traffic which can be upwards of 2 hours during the week. Upon arriving at the hotel, I was told they were complet and there would be a wait. Thirty minutes turned to 1 hour, which turned to 2. So much for getting to sleep early. I had plans to meet friends Rick and Brenda for coffee and after 4 hours sleep, I rallied. Friend and colleague, Bettyann, joined us while we sipped the strong coffee and exchanged recent stories.  As a flight attendant I always have a story, and many times the adage, "You just can't make this stuff up", applies. All in a days work! After a few hours we kissed goodbye and Bettyann and I made our way to the metro toward Notre Dame (no, that is not me climbing the steps!)
At 6:30 there was an evening service we wanted to catch. It was an umbrella day and the dampness made it a little chillier. On CNN weather they said it is "Junuary" in France. The jet stream has consistently been lower and more similar to January instead of June. I believed them, but it was Paris where weather is secondary. There is always beauty and romance and being inside Notre Dame where the choir echoed from the ancient stone walls was inspiring. The cathedral was packed.
Outside the light rain didn't seem to alter too many plans.

Then it was dinner time and we walked toward Ile St. Louis.
The colors of the flowers along the street seemed even more brilliant in the mist and added life to the streets with the outdoor cafes.
I love the way my umbrella reflected in the window display.
The further we walked away from Notre Dame, the less activity there was. The café chairs leaned against the tables patiently awaiting the sun.
We looked inside restaurants to see what others were eating and at posted menus, trying to decide on a place to rest our soles.
We finally decided on a restaurant I'd been to before, Auberge de la Reine Blanche.
The prices are very reasonable at 19.50 euro for 2 courses of traditional French comfort food. They luckily had a table for 2 and shortly after started turning away people at the door. The tables were very close to each other as we were lead to a small table against the wall. Elbow to elbow we sat down to study the menu.
As cozy as it was, we didn't really feel cramped.  We both started with a warm goat cheese salad.
It is one of my favorites and I usually can't resist. Bettyann ordered the Bouef Bourguignon, which wasn't prepared in the traditional way. It arrived in a steaming pot and was rich and tasty.
Something about the Poulet a la Grand Mere avec Sauce Champignons sounded like a rainy day dish. And it was.
There was plenty of crusty bread to soak up the sauce. We finished our meal happy and satisfied with absolutely no room for dessert. I think the portions in Paris have gotten larger over the years. I never had a problem with 3-4 course meals, but lately am left too full for one of my favorite courses, dessert. We paid our bill and left, finding the rain had subsided outside and the clouds were clearing. Walking by a creperie we were tempted to stop, as we took a peek in, but didn't.
This time of the year the day is long as the summer solstice approaches. In the early darkness, the lights were just beginning to come on. 
We kept walking, while once again passing by the back of Notre Dame in the quietness of the night. It seemed somber in the approaching darkness. As we walked the evening clouds broke away to the last light of the evening.
Crossing the bridge, the Love Locks added to the vista. And looking back, Notre dame was left in all of it's glory. At the end of this enchanting day, I think that was dessert.
 

Passage 53 Paris

There were conversations and phone calls between my friend, Helen and the Georges V concierge, Adrian. Times and days were discussed with the 2 Michelin star restaurant, Passage 53. Yes, they have been fully booked since recently being awarded their second star. I'm not sure if it was Helen's friendships with both owner, Guillaume and concierge Adrian that scored the reservation, but it seemed to be a don't ask, don't tell scenario. The next day my friends, Nancy, Helen and I eagerly left the hotel looking forward to the 9 course Degustation Menu. After arriving at this small restaurant in one of Paris' passages in the 2nd arrondisement, we were warmly greeted by owner, Guillaume Guedj and his brother Jonathon. As conversation was exchanged, we were seated at a cozy round table toward the rear of the restaurant and near a well worn spiral staircase. Guillaume asked if we would like to start with a glass of Champagne, which almost seemed like a rhetorical question as the glasses of bubbly spirits arrived. Toast! Guillaume then suggested a white Mersault wine to go with the meal. Perfect! The Chagall inspired charger plates were removed and then the gastronomic fun began. Since we had ordered the Degustation Menu, there were no choices to be made. They are all a sampling of the chefs expertise.Japanese chef Sato, intuitively, expertly and simply combined spices and flavors to artfully present them on the table. To say he is just a chef is to say ikebana is just flower arrangement. His Japanese sensibility delightfully mingles with the French. Bread and 2 butters immediately arrived at our table. One was spiced and was the deep orange color of Nancy's scarf. Our first course was brought, and then described by Guillaume as tiny fresh broccoli florets with cream. The delicate broccoli crowned a creamy base that reminded us of a panna cotta. After we finished and were still discussing the ethereal first course, a bright green, paper-thin radish arrived that enveloped scallops and watercress. Again, a simple combination of ingredients that spoke deliciously with each other. We were presented next with an oyster under a swirl of creaminess topped with caviar. Each course was beautifully served and complimented the preceding and following presentation. Next came a Langostine with Red Pepper Sauce and Orange Mousse. It was as tasty as it was lively to look at. Then the White Course was served, which was a white sauce, calimari with shaved cauliflower floweretts on top. The whiteness of each one was a blank canvas that became a masterpiece when layered with the others. The last fish course arrived of sole with a seaweed sauce, served with leek, radishes and romanesca. This led us into the meat courses, which began with a glazed onion. It was made very special by slivers of chorizo tucked between the layers. A nice surprise. A slice of Cochon de Lait with a fruit sauce perfumed with yuzu, which is an Asian citrus fruit, came next. It was served with asparagus and lentils and the combination was sublime. Our last meat course was a perfectly cooked slice of Lamb Filet Mignon with Anchovy Butter and Rosemary sauce, with a roasted potato wedge, and brussel sprout leaves. One would think that there couldn't possibly be room for dessert, but there was!! Each course was full of flavor and creativity, but the portions were just large enough to taste over the 2 1/2 hours of dining. The different desserts were brought all at once. There was a Rhubarb Yogurt Ice Cream with Litchi, Tarte Tatin, Milk Chocolate with Passion Fruit, and a slice of Dark Chocolate Tart. Each one was a unique finish to our meal. At the end, we ordered coffee that came with a mignardise of mini madeleines! We were so involved with our dining experience that we didn't realize until the end of the meal that each tray was brought down the narrow spiral staircase. The kitchen, where all of the magic happened, was upstairs. Heaven above, indeed! At the end, Chef Sato came down and met with us. I was in awe. Guillaume, Jonathon and the staff genuinely cared about the food, the diners and the attention to detail service. They bid us good-bye and said it would be a pleasure to welcome us again, and I know they meant it. They earned every star and then some. I will be back...soon.

Passage 53
53 Passage des Panoramas
75002 Paris 75002 Paris
01 42 33 04 35 01 42 33 04 35

Map location, here.
Closed Sunday and Monday.
Reservations recommended.