Prix fixe lunches in Paris are remarkably great value and Brasserie Flo was no exception. I decided to have an entree and main whilst TBS chose to do it properly with three courses. Glasses of rose were ordered together with sparkling Perrier.
I chose to start with oysters as everyone around me seemed to be tucking into platters of seafood- they had to be good. Accompanied by a generous bowl of mignonette sauce made up of shallots and vinegar and triangles of rye, the Fine de Clair rock oysters had a clean, nutty taste.
TBS couldn’t pass up the foie gras with fruit chutney and toasted bread. We both agreed that it was the best foie gras of the trip- rich in flavour and creamy. The generous slab was complemented by the tangy, sweet fruit chutney perfectly.
I decided to continue with the seafood theme and ordered the Norwegian salmon with leek fondue and Bouchot mussels in saffron juice. The salmon was cooked beautifully, the flesh moist and rich. The mussels were surprisingly plump and juicy and the leeks melted in your mouth. The sauce was pretty much just cream and butter and as a result, AMAZING.
This was TBS’s last chance to have a steak tartare so he seized the opportunity. I often marvel at how steak tartare never tastes like raw meat, or what you think it should taste like anyway. This steak tartare was expertly seasoned, contained the perfect amount of cornichons and capers and came with the egg yolk already mixed in. Served with french fries (more chip like) and a salad, TBS was one happy man and had no complaints.
TBS finished off with a traditional vanilla crème brûlée and an espresso. The sugar crust was cracked to reveal a vanilla bean dotted custard. The custard was quite firm but silky in texture.
Brasserie Flo was the icing on the cake to our trip in Paris- traditional, delicious food, a convivial atmosphere and even a snooty waiter thrown in the mix (he only turned snooty after we asked in French if he spoke English eeek). TBS proclaimed it his favourite meal in Paris. I loved it because it was just so….French.
Good to know:
Rose by the glass €9.30
Perrier €6.20
Starter + Main Course + Dessert €34.50
Main Course + Starter or Dessert €28.50 (oysters an extra €2.50)
Espresso €3.30
Brasserie Flo
7 cour des Petites Ecuries
75010 Paris
Telephone: +33 (0)1 47 70 13 59
Monday to Thursday and Sunday 12:00pm to 3:00pm and 7:00pm to 11:00pm
Friday and Saturday 12:00pm to 3:00pm and 7:00pm to 12:00am
Reservations can be made via their website.
http://www.brasserieflo-paris.com/en/
Images: Thomas Southam