5.1 Le Bouquet du Nord, 85, Rue de Mauberge in the 10th, 01.48.78.29.97 (Metro: Gare du Nord) was my fall-back resto choice after I realized that Rosa Bonheur Sur Seine would be impossible to get in and out of due to the women's 6 K La Parisienne. In any case, I arrived early and cooled my heels sipping some fine Bordeaux until the kitchen opened (the wait-staff were super nice in indulging me).
I ordered defensively since I'd never been and reviews on the web were mixed; however, the salad frisee had great chunks of lard and a wonderful dressing that was like Aux Lyonnais circa 1968; the "beautiful St Pierre" was quite ordinary, but the potatoes with sauce were tasty although the trumpets of death were not; and the meringue with the coffee was more than decent.
My bill, with more decent bread than usual at a station joint and no bottled water, was 32.30 E.
Go back? Probably not although around the Gare du Nord is tough sledding.
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Jose Luis on Serrano in Madrid was a place several sources recommended me in Madrid where I was for a Congres. It was quiet enout at 8 PM when I went but in Spanish fashion, was packed when I left. All I wanted was some wine and tapas and the score was mixed: the wine and chipirons were terrific but the bonito was too spicy and the sausage too greasy.
My bill with a half-bottle of wine, no bottled water and these tapas, was 18.50 E.
