Pink Princess in Paris: Montmartre

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Le Square Marcadet

Its funny how every time we have friends from out of town and we go out to dinner, we automatically gravitate towards Montmartre. I guess because its a nice area for atmospheric dinners and there is the draw of seeing the Sacre Coeur after.

This time around, we choose Le Square Marcadet, which is not so close to Sacre Coeur and all the touristy areas. Its got an unassuming front but the interiors are warm and inviting. The nice surprise was their canopied garden seating area which I imagine in summer would be really pleasant. Yes, we are in the middle of summer, but that night it was far too cold for us to have dinner there so we opted for the more cozy option of dining inside.

While perusing the menu, we were served with some bread and an olive tapenade which was quite nice. Its always nice to have something to munch on while waiting.

For starters, I opted for their foie gras wrapped in crushed pistachio and served with a jelly of apricot and sauternes (which is the sweet wine normally served with foie gras) and a small salad. It was rich, fatty and delectable. I probably didn't do my cholesterol levels any favors with this dish, but I figured, you only live once!

And because I had chosen such a rich entree, I decided to have fish for the main course. It was roasted white fish wrapped in bacon (oops, there goes my cholesterol again) served with a pea and mint risotto. The fish was cooked perfectly, with the bacon providing a nice foil to the fish. I was a bit apprehensive about the risotto because I'm not so fond of mint in my dish (unless its mint tea) but I need not have been worried. It was delicious, the peas retained a pleasant crunchiness which balanced perfectly with the creaminess of the risotto. The mint was extremely light and not overpowering at all. I was happy as a clam with my dish!

I just had to take a photo of the other's main dish, which was a grilled T-bone steak of veal served with mashed potatoes and onions. From the taste I had, the meat was perfectly grilled and it had a surprising satay -curry like sauce which went surprisingly well. An unexpected but wholly welcome touch, I'd say!

We finished off our meal with some ice cream. At this point I was so full that I forgot to take a photo of it! But it was a sweet end to a good meal.

Being in the area and being so full, we thought it'd be nice to get some fresh air. So we stopped at the Sacre Coeur to admire the view. It was really nice to stand there and look about without the usual big crowd of people each trying to take that perfect photo.

I leave you with this night time shot of the Sacre Coeur

Practical Details:
Le Square Marcadet
227 bis rue Marcadet
75018 Paris

Monday, May 16, 2011

Dinner date

Visiting Montmartre is a little like finding a secret Parisian village. Its hilly location allows for some spectacular views over the city and there are little houses tucked inside imposing gates. Of course there is the usual tourist circuit concentrated around the Sacre Coeur as well as the less savory side of Pigalle, but there are also quiet streets full of quirky boutiques and small charming restaurants.

We found one such restaurant when we dined, a deux, in Chez Pommette. This intimate and warm restaurant is perched a top one of those high Montmartre streets which on a clear day looks all the way out to the Pantheon. They even have the benefit of having a tiny terrace which was then happily occupied by two ladies with their apero drinks.

I need to come back and take a daytime picture, the better to show you the Pantheon!

I'm happy to report that the food at Chez Pommette was savory, fresh and appealing to the senses and the palate.

We started with fresh roasted asparagus wrapped with prosciutto ham topped with ricotta cheese. And since asparagus are currently in season they tasted wonderfully fresh and if I may say, spring-like. The ham and cheese complimented the taste wonderfully.

For the plat, I decided to go with the fish served with black tagliatelle noodles and a serving of pineapples. Very savory indeed, with the noodles balancing the briny taste of the fish. The pineapples served to lighten the flavors of the dish and the sauce was a nice counterpoint.

And while I was happy with my fish dish, I must say that I was happy to take a bite of the pan fried veal and roasted potatoes just across me!

Dessert, always the best part was delicious! Their ile flottante, this sweet confection of vanilla meringue like dessert served with delicious creme anglais, was easily one of the best I've had in a while. Its not easy to make good ile flottante because its supposed to be light tasting despite all the calorific ingredients but this one hit all the right notes.

And ooh, their chocolate fondant cake was yummy and freshly made.. Unlike other restaurants, the fondant center of the chocolate came out warm and gooey...