Ron R.
Yelp
When in Paris you eat like the Parisians. It is typical and traditional. You will find many restaurants to stop into and order what you need before you go. It might be cocktails in one place. Dinner in another. And then a coffee and dessert in another after that. This is the way they have been doing it for you. I have done this too after visiting Paris for over 40 years. The food, the people, the way to eat is here.
So, visiting Flottes was part of this. It was a convenient restaurant near the place I was staying and just a few blocks down the Rue de Rivoli not far from the Louvre. It was ideal for a dinner when you were ready.
When we went in this evening the maitre d' knew who we were and had a table ready for the four of us. It was in the back, and being in Paris the rooms where small and crowded. Very typical.
Receiving our menus we asked for water (which you need to do) and a wine list. Given that, we selected what we might want to have with dinner based on what we might order for the main course.
Taking care of the appetizer and main entree, the bread was brought to the table and we stated to talk. This, again, is typical. You talk to each other. You talk to people in the table next to you. Welcome to Paris.
First to arrive was the appetizers. Being in France we typically try the Escargots. The small snails that are cooked and placed in a mixture of butter and garlic and select spices. Being here it is made properly. This is the way to have Escargots. Some places in the US coats this with mushrooms and other items. (Do not go there.) But in Paris it is proper. And once you have the snails you then coat the dish with slices of bread to pick up all the sauce and flavor. This is a true Escargot.
Once done, there was more wine as we waited for the entree. Here in Flottes the menu is vast and has a variety to order from. There is French foods, as well as pasta and even hamburgers. It is a variety. For me, I went with something I had not seen for years even in the US. I had to have Steak Tartare. This is about 1 pound of raw beef that is mixed in such a way that it is flavored with spices and herbs and a touch of something to make it pleasant. It is made quickly by the cook prior to being eaten. It is not in for mass production. It is an individual item. In this case, it was perfect. I am grateful for that. It was a special treat. Of course, it came with a side of French Fries and a small salad. A good meal to have.
In the end we had desert. For two of us it was the French Profiteroles. But this was different, for instead of being stuffed with cremes it was one large pastry stuffed with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate. It was very large and rich with the total flavor of chocolate. I could not finish this. It is a good thing the wine and a double espresso helped me get through this.
Overall, Flottes is a good place for dinner. The food is good. The team is perfect. The cooks know what they are doing. And the price is fair being here in the city. It has been around for a long time and the location is convenient.
If you are in Paris it is a place to visit and have a good meal. You know what you will get. And it is something to talk about, especially to the people at the next table.
Merci.