A. Noste's Tapas Bar Downstairs is a place we ate at a while back where Julien Duboué took care of five of who came with my friend who knows more about food than anyone in the world (MFWKMAFTAITW) and we had a spectacular time. So if I come without MFWKMAFTAITW, will I have as good a meal? Silly question, silly boy! There are 30 covers downstairs, a bit fewer upstairs - he cannot send the only 8 shrimp that are good to me - he's pumping out the products.
So we enter - 12 noon sharp to get a table, sit by the great red truck under the Taloa 6.50 E ardoise as the working minions from the 'nabe pour in with their Tickets Restaurants - not a word of other than French. First the wine, a fine white and then red Irouléguy, and then the carte - Yikes! Too many choices:
Ohh la la:
- shrimp with a spicy curry sauce and green apple slices (Colette's "never can get enough of this" dish)
- raviolis of foie gras and ginger
- chevreuil with fresh pasta (my killer plate)
- (unexpectedly, our host arrives with a dish from the swank upstairs room) - risotto with corn and truffles and who knows what else
- lievre a la royale with pureed potatoes that had a kick
- crunchy nems with duck and a mild Thai sauce
- passion fruit pods filled with a creme brulee of which with saffron and
- madeleines with chocolate inside and a caramel beurre sale outside.
Our bill with 3 bottles of wine and a pichet more, no bottled water and 2 coffees came to 119.50 E a couple.
Go? I've told you before, I'll tell you again, this place is a treasure.
