Lynn and I tend to frequent certain neighborhoods for our lunches, so a few weeks ago we decided to go out of our comfort zone and venture to an area we have rarely been.
I read some good things about Variations on another website including a good lunch deal for 19 euros and decided to take the plunge. Located in the 13th arr. on the border of the 5th arr. near the Jardin des Plantes and Gare Austerlitz, Variations is wrapped around a corner on a small side street. The spacious, nicely appointed dining room had an inviting feel to it and we sat against a warm red wall with a poster photo of red poppies.
The waitress gave us two menus, the a la carte and the 24-euro formule, and we figured they must have raised the price to 24 euros from 19 euros. Just out of curiosity, we asked about the 19-euro formule, and low and behold the waitress begrudgingly handed it to us like some secret she wished we hadn’t asked about. It was a three course, one dish in each category formule with coffee.
We both liked our first course, a prettily plated dish of shrimp over a bed of greens. Light and refreshing, it was a palate pleaser for the next course, a navarin of lamb. I always like a warm your cockles stew in winter, and the tender beef, carrots, and potatoes in a succulent brown sauce sufficed.
Dessert was a fromage blanc with a raspberry jam topping for Lynn and I sprung for the Menton lemon tart, since I love anything lemon and love Menton. It proved to be the highlight of the lunch and worth every centime of the extra four-euro cost.
Although we liked our food and the price certainly right, we didn’t think it was special or inspired. We watched a few diners have the a la carte and 24-euro formule and the food looked a lot more enticing. We would still recommend Variations but go for the more expensive menu.
Variations
18 rue de Wallons, 75013
Metro: St Marcel
Tel. 01 43 31 36 04
Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner
http://discofuego.net/restaurantvariations/index.php
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour
