PARIS - France 2014 - page 274

and bundles of sausage (cut whatever you like with your dagger), massive plates of pâté,
a meat course, and all the wine you can stomach for €41. The food is just food; burping
is encouraged. If you want to overeat, drink too much wine, be surrounded with tourists
(mostly French), and holler at your friends while receiving smart-aleck buccaneer service,
you're home (daily, 39 Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. [phone]).
$$ La Brasserie de l'Ile St. Louis is situated at the prow of the island's ship as it
faces Ile de la Cité, offering purely Alsatian cuisine (try the choucroute garnie or coq au
Riesling for €19), served in a vigorous, Teutonic setting with no-nonsense, slap-it-down
service on wine-stained paper tablecloths. This is a good, balmy-evening perch for watch-
ing the Ile St. Louis promenade. If it's chilly, the interior is fun for a memorable night out
(closed Wed, no reservations, 55 Quai de Bourbon, tel. [phone]).
$$ L'Orangerie isaninvitingplacewithsoftlightingandcomfortableseatingwhere
diners speak in hushed voices so that everyone can appreciate the delicious cuisine and
tasteful setting. Patient owner Monika speaks fluent English, and her gratin d'aubergines
is sinfully good (€35 three-course menu , €27 two-course menu , Tue-Sun from 19:00,
closed Mon, 28 Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. [phone]).
$ Auberge de la Reine Blanche welcomes diners willing to rub elbows with their
neighbors under heaving beams. Earnest owner Michel serves basic, traditional cuisine at
reasonable prices. The giant goat-cheese salad is a beefy meal in itself (€20 two-course
menu ,€25three-course menu ,dailyfrom18:00,30RueSt.Louis-en-l'Ile, tel.[phone]
87).
$ Café Med, near the pedestrian bridge to Notre-Dame, is a tiny, cheery crêperie
with good-value salads, crêpes, and €11 plats (€14 and €20 menus, daily, limited wine list,
77 Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. [phone]). Two similar crêperies are just across the
street.
Riverside Picnic for Impoverished Romantics
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here . )
On sunny lunchtimes and balmy evenings, the quai on the Left Bank side of Ile St. Louis
is lined with locals who have more class than money, spreading out tablecloths and even
lightingcandlesforelegantpicnics.Andtouristscanenjoythesamebudgetmeal.Ahandy
grocery store at #67 on the main drag (open until 22:00, closed Tue) has tabouli and oth-
er simple, cheap take-away dishes for your picnicking pleasure. The bakery a few blocks
down at #40 serves quiche and pizza (open until 20:00, closed Sun-Mon).
Ice-Cream Dessert
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here . )