6.0 CheZaline, 85, rue de la Roquette in the 11th, 01.43.71.90.75, closed weekends and open only 12-4 or 5 PM, run by Delphine Zampetti, an intimate of Inaki Aizpitarte, has been open since 2013 and as a sandwicherie is a place I normally would not frequent, but...
Backstory: When CheZaline opened I read the rave reviews of this 99% sandwich and salad place chef'd by an intimate of Inaki Aizpitarte, with whom I've had checkered experiences (he goes from zero to 160 miles an hour in 2 seconds), and I said to myself "I've got better things to do." But, when I discussed with my wine-buff friend, where we should eat today he said essentially "I broke my collar bone 5 days ago, so it's gotta be near my flat, and I'm broke, so it's gotta be cheap, how about CheZaline? "All the chefs around eat here as their cantine before heading off to dinner." And indeed we ran into one well-known one, granted next door, so.... I did my best to wiggle out of it, but no dice, and so it was.
There is a chalk-board menu, which because I was 15 minutes early, I saw the chef revise 50% of with mostly sandwiches and 1 plat du jour, but my friend said that "inside in the case is some other great stuff, I love the cream of mushrooms." "OK" I said.
Well no mushrooms but the mimosa/oeufs mayo were delicious and the octopus with cucumbers all one could ask for. Our "main", as it were, was seiche with a tomato, chorizo and olive sauce on white rice that was superior.
Our bill, with no bottled water, excellent Landemaine bread and a Beaujolais, the property on which my guest had stayed at days ago, was 49.50 E, surely the best price-quality deal of the year (PS They don't have coffee, so those and a calva we got at the next-door A la Renaissance for 12.50 E).
Go? Well, I'm not bringing Colette but I am sending all my grand-kids as soon as they back-pack here. Warning: 97% is take-out/take-away, they only have 8 seats at tables and maybe 4 at a counter.
