5.5 The Publicis Drugstore Steakhouse, 133 Avenue des Champs-Elysees in the 8th, 01.44.43.77.64, open 7/7 (Metro: CDG Etoile) opened some 6 months ago or so but took a while to work its way up my "list" finally making it today. It's a lovely place, with cool furniture and kitchen and an unrivaled view out on the C-E, a view I haven't experienced, since eating breakfast on the terrace of Laduree 20 years ago.
I arrived 20 minutes early, rather than the 20 minutes late I expected, after having my dear friends talk Freebox into restoring my Classical Music channel Mezzo and catching the often quirky/pesky #31 bus; but there I was twiddling my thumbs and reading the JDD. Hummmm; "anything to drink?", "Yes, a bottle of Brouilly" (the second cheapest on a pretty steeply priced wine list). My "date", ultra-sophistocated in all things wine and food, enters at 12h30 pile, turns the wine etiquette towards her and says "I hate Brouilly." Whoops.
We look at the menu and both decide to go straight to the meat (passing the clam chowder and routine starters); she, after some discussion with the waitguy and rejection (largely nonverbal) from me about sharing the 92 E cotes de boeuf, goes for the 400 g. entrecote with boring shoestring frites while I head for a rarely seen item (excepting in pot au feu, she informs me) an American-sourced Black Angus short beef rib with spectacular spinach. The meat was OK, above average, but when compared to that we've had around the corner, not quite as good.
Our bill, with good bread and butter, the wine, no starters or desserts, 1/2 San Pelligrino and two coffees, was 101 E.
Go? For the view - you bet; for the meat, nah, head to nearby Charbon Rouge (6.5) or the Maison d'Aubrac (5.6).
