7.5 L'Auberge Flora, 44 blvd Richard Lenoir in the 11th, 01.47.00.52.77, open 7/7 (Metro: Brequet-Sabin is the third of her ventures in Paris after Les Olivades in the 7th and Les Saveurs de Flora aka Flora in the 8th and she's back in more than full form - she's on a tear.
The decor is dazzling and very cool as befits the trendy 11th: above shows the wall of plates framing the kitchen door and pass-thru window and oh-so-neat wiring for the ceiling lights.
The menu is supposed to be tapas-like but as far as I'm concerned the plates are quite ample and the possibilities on the printed carte and chalkboard quite ample.
Colette and I shared the 3 shrimp a la plancha with a oh-so-garlicky anchoiade puree; then came the only hiccup, an interminable wait for our mains; but eventually Colette hgot the grilled rascasse special with pureed eggplant and confited sweet pepper (which she deemed not to bring anything to the table) and I had a spectacular/heavenly/wonderful pork rib chunk with a beautifully spiced and spicy honey sauce.
For dessert Colette chose the red fruits special with a lemon ice and I had what was called a peach melba with apricot and lavender ice; both were outasight.
With a bottle of Cotes du Rhone, excellent bread, no bottled water, but two coffees and caramelized nuts, our bill was an astonishing 73 E which breaks into the price-quality stratosphere.
Go? You bet. One must reserve; at lunch today there was not a seat available even on the counter stools; and herself was visible in the kitchen so she was cooking, for sure; whether she can 7 days and nights in a row is a question. BTW, she says the hotel is now open, has 21 rooms and if it's anything like the resto, it'll be super.
