Les Jalles: All the Publicity Hasn't Gone to Their Heads

Les Jalles, only open for a few weeks to universal acclaim, was, in the (academic) year-end summary of great restos of 2012 in Figaroscope, named one of their favorites with a full first page cover pix of Megali Marion & Delphine Alcover, the co-heads, but thankfully all this has not given them swollen heads.  Sure it's full, but then, so was/is its older sib the Bistro Volnay.

Since I've been over-gushing over both I was not surprised when Madame Marion greeted me warmly on entering and whispered to me in English that she had just received today, the sort of wine for me that I like, which to the ears of a cheapskate is sweet music.  It took our prominent cooking guru guest a while to recount the events of her last two weeks and then we ordered - after superb toasts and rillette.

Our friend ordered the hierloom tomatoes and gaspacho which Colette, Ms. Gaspacho, announced was the best of the year and perhaps the decade, and I had a mound of intriguing, slightly smoked eggplant "caviar" with julienned summer veggies stuck in like pick-up-sticks, surrounded by a tomato (I think) "soup."

Then both ladies had a very nice block of cod with summer veggies that were perfectly al dente and I had a magnificent whole fried merlan (whiting) with a Colbert butter sauce that was unfortunately salted twice (which Madame Marion apologized for).  It was still plenty good and plus.

Then I, who was having the 42 E "menu," got the giant Baba which was much better than average, shared it with the ladies and we all enjoyed the various mignardises.

With great rolls, no bottled water, 1 1/2 bottles of the Rhone just in today "at a price I would like," our bill was 152.50 for 3 or 101.66 E a couple.