L'Ilot in the 3rd: Wonderful Cold Seafood "tapas" in a Small Joint with Loud American Music and Uncomfortable Stools.

5.8 L'Ilot, 4, rue de la Corderie in the 3rd, 06.95.12.86.61, open Saturday and Sunday lunch (unless there were no fresh oysters delivered) and Wednesday-Saturday nights, (Metro:Republique) got what I considered a rave review in Le Fooding last week and Sunday I was off and running to it - Closed!

Today the charming wait-bar-person on the left explained they hadn't opened for lack of oysters/etc.  OK.

P.S. She spoke English to a young woman having a coffee when I entered so if folks are worried, worry no more.

What they have: oysters, crevettes, bulots, crab, tartines and cold fish with very fresh wonderful greens and baby tomatoes.  Nothing hot except for the Kouing aman, which we'll get to later.  My companions, newly disembarked from the airplane from the Bay Area said - we want everything.  So that's what we essentially had.



We essentially started by sharing a dozen (slightly oversalty) Fines de claires No 3 from who knows where (which with lemon to cut the salt were terrific); some bulots with (very nice if I do say so) mayo; and 6 "bio" crevettes roses from Madagascar which were superb.

Then we went to what were sort of main courses - slices of (again, sorry, oversalted but good) Matjes herring, astonishing smoked eel and a "little" salad.

And finally we ordered the Kouing aman, which dare I say, was as good if not better than that of my gold standard bearer Arnaud Larher.  A wonderful end to a wonderful meal.

The bill for a couple with this sort of assortment and a bottle of Domaine de la Grange Muscadet and coffee runs one 60.50 E.   Are you sure John?  Yup!  Got the bill in my hand.

Go?  You'd be nuts if you didn't; for a Saturday or Sunday light lunch before a blowout dinner it'd be perfect and if it were in my neighborhood I'd be there at least once a month.