Edgar in the 2nd: When They're Good, They're Very Very Good, and When They're......

5.0 (6.0 for the food, 4.0 for the problems that persist) Edgar, 31, Rue d'Alexandrie in the 2nd (Strasbourg-St Denis) 01.40.41.05.69 (which on the bill is transmorgrified to 01.XX.XX.XX.XX like a Visa number) is still a work in progress or process.  I read in yesterday's JDD that Aurelie Chaigneau waited 30 minutes for a table, had a plate of (not cooked enough) langoustines spilled on her shoulder but thought the food of Xavier Thierry, ex-Petit Cheval de Manege, otherwise was "without fault."  So I went with Colette, our ex-downstairs' neighbors and my oldest friend living in France, with my eyes wide open.

Problem #1 - On entering we saw that there were a mixture of sofas, overstuffed chairs and spare seats; Madame M. needs cushioning on her bottom or her back hurts, I need a firm seat or mine rebels and everyone else is cool.  The very friendly staff offered us any table in the house, we dithered and finally the Maitre pulled up a firm chair for me at a table with soft chairs and a sofa and we were on our way. 

Problem #2: They were out of the eperlans that M. Paga and I wanted with no substituted friend starters.  Problem #3: They were out of the mackerel with a mer... family noir substitute.  Problem #3: All the items on the black chalkboard which had been mentioned by reviewers were only available at night and we had to scramble back to the white carte to order.  But Plus #1: They ladies gaspacho with a watermelon slice was very nice.

Pluses and Problems: The fish products (from top-bottom: mer.... noir, cod and fish and chips) were all very good, but Colette gave me a piece of cod that was stone cold, the fries were equally cool and barely edible even with (asked-for) vinegar which was not tart offsetting Brit malt but cloyingly sweet).

The desserts, especially the ice creams within them, were disappointing: again from top to bottom, an ecume of two chocolates (bitter and caramel), Italian ices and a Baba au Rhum.

With 2 bottles of La Vista, no bottled water, reasonable bread, 4 coffees and 2 Calvas our bill came to the equivalent of 83.20 E a couple.

Go?  If you're a branche Bobo whose ears like 85 decibels, you dig exotic if not erotic photos in the loo and you can put up with imperfections in what could someday be a great place - be my guest.