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Relaxing With Old Classics
Chez Georges For Good Times
PARIS -- Rare is the Parisian bistro that remains solid,
steady and satisfying year after year. But for 18 years
I've made repeated pilgrimages to the classic 1900s
bistro, Chez Georges, and it remains an example of the
dream Paris bistro: convivial and relaxed, amidst a
controlled murmur of good times.
Every millimeter of the long, narrow dining room Ð
with its columns and mirrored walls - is packed, elbow
to elbow, with a care-free, carnivorous crowd there
as much for the ambiance as the cuisine, as well as
the open-armed welcome of the owner, Bertrand Brouillet.
The weight-obsessed, the impatient, the person who needs
a space of his own should go elsewhere.
Here coats are hung or draped wherever there is room,
baskets of freshly sliced country bread from Poilane
and baguettes from the nearby boulangerie Lebon need
constant refilling, and the chirpy waitresses all but
skate across the old tile floors, racing through the
room with steaming platters of steak, kidneys, grilled
lamb chops, duck, sole and turbot. (That means service
can be slow at times, as your hungry eyes follow a steaming
platter emerging from the kitchen, destined for another
table.)
On a most recent visit, starters were as satisfying
as ever: celery root bathed in a mustard-rich mayonnaise;
fillets of silken marinated herring floating in oil
and herbs; jambon persille as fresh as a day in May;
springtime curly endive, or frisee, tossed with crisp
chunks of hot bacon and topped with a perfect soft-cooked
egg.
never-changing star We may change but the food does
not. The bistro star remains the onglet de boeuf, pan-seared
skirt steak that needs little more than salt, pepper
and shallots to bring out its succulent brilliance.
At Chez Georges, this morsel arrives chewy, tender,
with a rich, meaty flavor. As custom dictates, the meat
is showered (a bit too generously for my palate) with
finely minced shallots, which serve to sweeten and heighten
the flavors of the beef. Alongside, come traditional
French fries, which arrive hot from the kitchen. The
steak de canard is as juicy and meaty as ever, served
with huge portions of equally meaty cepe mushrooms;
and the almost sweet, truly tender coeur de filet -
seared beef fillet - comes with a Bearnaise sauce, where
the tang of the vinegar and tarragon cut right into
the richness of the meat.
Desserts follow suit, with fine profiteroles and a
golden tarte Tatin. And the house Brouilly hits the
spot, fits the mood and the moment. Who can ask for
more?
Chez Georges, 1 Rue de Mail, Paris 2; tel: 01-42-60-07-11.
Closed Sunday. Credit cards: American Express, Visa.
A la carte, about 250 francs ($42), including service
but not wine
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