My little foodies

We have a family tradition of Friday Night Dinner.  This does not involve the celebration of Shabbat, per se, as our tradition is one of going out to eat on Friday nights.  This dates back to Bill's childhood, and we picked it back up during our 2-year stint in Asheville.  Why not keep it up in Paris?

Full disclosure:   My kids love RoTel and Velveeta "queso" and Ranch Dressing, just like all red-blooded American kids, but without those options, they are expanding their palates in inspirational directions.  The French tend not to dine out with their children, it seems, but the younger set are normally treated extremely well by restaurant staff.

We have been out for three such dinners.  Meredith requested the first one by stating what she wanted to eat:  Moules frites.  Mussels and fries.  I remembered a non-chain place that offered them for a reasonable price that wasn't too far away, so that was our first night out.  An Orangina cost as much as a kir, so they're obviously making up for the 9 euro moules-frites deal by the drink.  We shared a delicious Dame blanche (a.k.a hot fudge sundae) for dessert. Our server was a sweetheart, brought us more bread and kept the carafes of water coming. 

For our second dinner out, Meredith requested the restaurant by name.  Le Tambour (the Drum) is one of the few Parisian restaurants that is open 24 hours.  In a row (thank you Stephen Wright).  I was first taken there by the friend of a friend back in 1997 and I have been back many times, with many different people.  And although there is English on the menu, the place is not a tourist trap. The prices are great, the food is fresh (traditional French, mainly), and the staff are great.  The children's meal is a great deal -- main course, drink and dessert for 15 euro, if memory serves.  Mine both chose the steak haché (that would be something like a hamburger sans bun), whilst I enjoyed 6 escargots (well, 5, actually, since Meredith wanted to try one) and a seafood salad with mussels, salmon, shrimp and calamari on greens.  We had a slice of chocolate cake and a chocolate crème brulée for dessert.  And my 2 glasses of Brouilly were only 4 euros 50!

Last Friday, I chose the restaurant.  We went to Chartier, which has been in operation since the late 19th century.  It is huge and bustling and the tables get turned over multiple times during the night, a rarity for a French restaurant.  You can check out their menu every day online, something I enjoy doing with my French classes when we're discussing food and restaurants. There is not children's menu, but the prices are reasonable enough -- and the portions of a non-excessive size -- for us to each order our own meal.  I had leeks vinaigrette,  steak-frites, and a coffee, which were all great, whilst Thayer enjoyed an oeuf dur mayonnaise (hard-boiled egg with spicy mayo) followed by his first choucroute, which amounts to several kinds of meat served with boiled potatoes and sauerkraut.  He ate it right up!  Meredith, my gourmet in the making, had her own escargots this time, followed by a steak haché au poivre.  She was loving it all until she bit into a peppercorn and about burst into flames.  A few swigs of water later and she was back to her normal, happy self.

I  have no doubt that we will enjoy other food-related adventures during the remaining weeks of our trip.  Couscous on Friday, perhaps?  I'm thinking that Thayer is still too young to handle the crazy fondue place, so that will wait another year (at least).  In the mean time, Bon appétit!