Pinxo Rue Mazarine: Inventive but Not Always Dazzling.

Pinxo, Dutournier's 2nd such named on the Rue Mazarine in the 6th bewitched me a few weeks ago so I returned with Colette and my forever and favorite and only still-eating-with-me-ex-co-host on the food website whose name cannot be mentioned.

The carte was pretty much the same and I revealed myself as a creature of habit by ordering the same things.

Luckily the ladies saved the day by ordering different items however.  My charming ex-co-host had what I would call a spring roll with crab meat and veggies; Colette had 3 gaspachos (melon, petit pois and tomato with goat cheese on the bottom of each glass) that she thought were blah but I rather liked; and I had the boring (this time) "fricassee" of chipirons, piquillos, ginger and pasta which was only brought to life with a heavy dousing/dosing of espelette and black pepper.

For mains, the ladies had green curried shrimp that was/were wonderful and I repeated the duck hearts, I had had before, a la plancha, but this time they were overcooked and not very interesting.

For dessert, our friend ordered a single "tiramisu" with strawberries, that, like at Drouant, come in three portions.  Very nice stuff and very nice touch.

I ordered a Red Graves which everyone but Colette liked and so I ordered a Pic St Loup, which I must admit for the same price, was much better.

Our bill, with two bottles of wine and 6 Illy coffees and no bottled water was 183 E but without all the chatter and extra liquid, for "normal" people, it would come to 108 E a couple.