Lunch in Babylon

Bill and I had a divine, very French, lunch at Au Babylone, on Rue de Babylone, not far from the Rodin Museum today. It's been a neighbourhood favourite for over 40 years.

We were intrigued by the description in the Rough Guides: Paris that we brought with us from Toronto. We liked the traditional interior, and we liked it even more when a local who looked exactly like Samuel Becket sat down at the table next to ours.

Bill is suddenly looking extremely happy because of the lovely

entrées the waiter has just set in front of us. Bill's having the crudité of beets, coleslaw, cucumber and shaved red cabbage and carrots. I'm having the tomato. All drenched in an oil and vinegar dressing. Yummy!

 Duck sausage with mashed potatoes au jus was the main dish offered with the 23 euro formule (fixed price) lunch menu.

Let me cut that sausage open for you. There we go. If you could sense the aroma wafting upward your appetite might suddenly leap up as mine did.

 And it all went beautifully with the house red.

The poached pears were very light, with a delicate flavour. Perfect after the rich duck and potatoes. I wish Bill could just reach through the screen and give you a taste!

 One of the things I love about France is that they always assume you will want to follow your meal with a little cup of espresso

And a tiny square of chocolate. To end with a bit of sweetness -- so lovely and satisfying!

Our favourite new restaurant in Paris.