More Tongue Please, Chez Robert And Louise..

Our afternoon was spent doing more neighborhood wandering and then making our way to the Seine. Izzy is fascinated with all bodies of water, large and small, and wanted to do nothing more than watch the boats float along and toss some pebbles over the walls. The main hindrance was our stroller. I couldn't walk down stairs without railings, holding stroller and Izzy. We needed to find a ramp. Mission accomplished, thrill of the day complete.

What next? A dinner adventure. I had read about a cozy place called Robert and Louise, which fit into my neighborhood plan. It was only a few minute walk from chez nous. We had peeked in during our early wanderings and it definitely looked promising. Small, rustic and not outrageously expensive.

At about 7 p.m., we poked our heads in the door. I knew we were the early birds and inquired if we could have dinner. They ushered us in and explained that the fire was not yet on but we could have drinks while we waited. We were the only ones there but that didn't last very long and suddenly we were lost amidst the crowds. People were turned away at the door, while we occupied a table for four!


What a great place. Lively atmosphere, friendly service and decent food. In an attempt to be frugal, I ordered the daily special which was "langue de boeuf" and a seasonal salad to start. Izzy had an "omelette forestiere" and seasonal wood-fired sausages for his appetizer. The appetizers were tasty,homey, no-frills food. We had come to the right place. Izzy kept trying to get up to get a better view of the fire and somehow the restaurant itself was entertaining in and of itself.
My beef tongue arrived, with some sauteed potatoes and salad on the side. It was covered in a red sauce and was not what I had imagined. It was cooked rare and was not the soft tongue I was accustomed to. It wasn't bad but it just wasn't what I had in mind. Izzy's omelette with mushrooms was a far better choice. Turned out that he ate mine and I ate his..how this came to be, one can only surmise.

"Mama, what is beef tongue?"

"It is the cow's tongue."

"I want to have some."



I know this may phase some kids, but not him..I wonder why.



By the time we had finished our main courses, the restaurant was packed and people were sitting at our table. We shared the chocolate cake for dessert and were on our way. Although I didn't adore my dish, I saw what the others (mostly regulars) were ordering and I knew we would be back.

Check out Anthony Bourdain's view of Chez Robert and Louise!

Restaurant Robert Louise (Paris) - Watch a funny movie here