Chaplin Lunch: Bistrot Linois

After the movie (see post on Chaplin Day...), my son and I tried to find a place to eat. I saw a couscous restaurant across the street and we, under our umbrellas, scooted over. We went inside and as I took note of all the white tablecloths, wine glasses, and silverware I knew I'd have to keep close control of my 4-yr old...

I greeted the owner and asked if we could see the carte (menu). She looked right at me and said, "oh no, the restaurant is full." I guess she meant she already had all reservations for lunch. I asked her if she knew of a brasserie in the quartier (neighborhood) and she said "No."

As I said, "merci" and "au revoir" part of me chuckled thinking she probably just didn't want a 4-yr old in her restaurant.

No matter. We went up the street, with our jackets held tight against us, in the chilly rain to another restaurant on the corner. As I spied another white-tableclothed restaurant with lots of wine glasses I decided our best option was to just get the heck out of this area. We crossed the street again to catch Bus #70 back towards home.

Halfway through our route we stopped at a corner where there were lots of restaurants and a manege (Merry-Go-Round). I asked Simon if he wanted to eat here and then go on the manege. Of course he said yes, thinking only about the menage part of this equation.

We went across the street to a Bistrot Linois. I ordered a poulet roti (roasted chicken) and mashed potatoes, and for Simon a plate of fries and a glass of milk. The order arrived quickly. Simon's fries were of the frozen variety and were hard and tasteless. My purée was, I'm pretty sure, the powdered kind. And my chicken was cold. I wasn't too interested in the puree anyway but I couldn't eat cold chicken. I told the waiter, "I'm sorry but could you please reheat this chicken again? It's cold." He apologized profusely and whisked it away.

Simon and I enjoyed our time chatting and when my dish came back it was piping hot. I'm in a new meal-time regime with my Son and I could tell he wasn't going to finish his fries so we paid the bill and left.

Merry-Go-Round time! In the rain! After two turns, we hopped in a shiny blue Mercedes taxi and made our way over the Grenelle Bridge to see the backside of the Statue of Liberty*, up the hill, and back home.

* The Statue of Liberty faces West, towards her "bigger sister" in good ol' New York City.