A La Marguerite in the 1st: Go Early and Often.

7.0 A La Marguerite, 49 Rue Berger in the 1st (the old Atelier de Berger space), (Metro:Les Halles), 01.40.28.00.00, open 7/7, is a place I immediately crossed off my "list" after seeing prices like "at least 51 E" and "47-70 E."  Sorry, out of my league & readers' as well.

But like Mireille Belleau in "French in Action" I stripped the petals off the daisy (marguerite), "it calls me, it calls me not" and decided after reading the fine print that they had

a 29 E 2/2/2 formula that it was worth it for the last meal of my old buddy crashing my pad.

It's a wonderfully elegant setting and the

amuse gueule of marinated ceviche-like daurade royale with cucumbers was a terrific start.  Then we both had the tataki of salmon with wasabi and greens whch again was terrific.

 

Then he had the carrelet with green beans and I had the magret de canard with mushrooms and a wonderful intriguingly flavored sauce.  Both were most tasty and not only based on good products (as those at an offshoot of Les Fines Gueules should feature) but very properly cooked and tastefully plated.

With a bottle of wine cleverly labelled Matin Calme (sans temps), extraordinarily-crusty and tasty bread, no bottled water but two coffees and nibbies, our bill was 88 E (and still would have only been 108 E with dessert).

Go?  As I said, like voting in Chicago, one should go early (lunch) and often.  At dinner it's a whole other deal or deal-breaker, as the case may be.