The Best of Ile Saint Louis

We’ve practically eaten our way around the Ile Saint Louis–literally. Three blocks of cafes, restaurants, brasseries and bistros. We had every intention of leaving the island, but why? The food here is fantastic—some of our meals go on the best ever list:

Lentil soup at Le Tastevin: what can possibly be interesting about lentil soup? This soup didn’t resemble a lentil—they had been pureed and then mixed with cream, broth and divine spices. I had a giant bowl before as an “entree” (appetizer) and could not exercise self restraint to save room for my dinner.

Langoustines cooked in curry at Le Tastevin: These mini lobsters cooked in a light curry broth are specialty at Tavistin. The server arrived in advance with a finger bowl, utensils that look like they were for a dentist, a large empty bowl and a bib for NoLo E-hub. A platter of 12 giant langoustines were delivered and it was Ken versus the langoustines, prying the small lobsters out of their shells and dipping them in the heavenly curry sauce. In the end, it was hard to tell who won the battle–Ken was covered in sauce after manhandling the shells but I believe by the smile on his face that he was the winner.

Calamari unlike you’ve ever eaten. Squid fritte. Small, thin strips of delicately breaded calamari served with an herbed mayo.

Mashed Potatoes. These were the way mashed potatoes taste in heaven. Golden colored and stiffer than mashed potatoes usually are, this mountain on my plate at Ile de Fous upstaged the main course. But for my last dinner on earth I would order a platter of these along with a glass of French organic chardonnay. NoLo e-hub attributed it to butter; I say it was magic. Magnifique.

Roast Chicken at Au Vieux—of course the French have perfected the roast check in many forms but this roast chicken was covered in morels and baked to golden perfection.

Lamb chops with spring vegetables at L’orangerie. The French understand lamb in a way that some chefs do not. These lamb chops were so tender and fresh that they literally melted in your mouth. They were served on a pile of petite onions, baby carrots, and tiny potatoes with a broth that tasted as if it had simmered on the stove all day. My favorite meal so far.

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