no longer a secret: bistrot paul bert

neighborhood fave bistrot paul bert is no longer a secret after the recent article in the ny times, which listed it as one of the best places for steak-frites in paris. after living only 2 blocks away for, oh, about 5(!) years now, stan the frenchman and i decided to see what the fuss was all about.

set in a former butcher shop, meat is the specialty of the house, bien sur. when i ordered the special steak au poivre, and asked that it be cooked medium rare, the waitress balked, went to ask the chef, and reluctantly let me have the meat cooked to my liking, although she made sure to tell me that that was not the way it should be eaten. nonetheless, the steak was fab, as were the frites maison, and the lovely garden-fresh salads that we had alongside. desserts seemed a bit of an afterthought, so if you have room, you might opt for the cheese platter instead.

the place was packed [half with americans!] at 9pm, so reserve ahead of time. a great neighborhood bistrot, not pretentious, but with plenty of character quand meme. prix fixe menu is 32 euros for starter + main course + dessert or cheese.