It was time to celebrate our first anniversary. Observant readers will know that Jeannie and I dated in 1967 when we were both 16 – ended up going our separate ways for 44 years – and reconnected in 2011. Last year, since it was the 10th anniversary of getting back together, we decided to mark the event by getting married. 55 years after our first date! Some things in life take time.
Where better to celebrate the first anniversary of our marriage than at a restaurant in Paris? But at which one? This was going to require some serious, in-person, research.
One option was a quintessential French restaurant located just one block from Aleau.
I’m not sure what happened. No photos of our entrées. No photos of Jeannie’s plat. But I do have one of mine. (I know, it’s all about me.) Scallops on a bed of pasta and floating in what must have been many litres of butter. (We didn’t see a single cardiologist eating there.)
The carte listed nine desserts plus one called “Le Grand Assortiment de Desserts.” Almost always willing to try something new, I chose the “Assortiment.” Quel surprise! Out came a trolley with every single dessert on the carte – all nine of them. I could help myself to as much as I wanted for as long as I wanted. (They obviously didn’t know me.)
Both the scallops and the desserts convinced me that “Le Quincy” was in the running. But more research needed to be done. After all, Jeannie and I would never have another First Anniversary Dinner.
A few evenings later, we crossed the Seine to the Left Bank and “Le Reminet.” That’s Jeannie checking out ‘La Carte.’
Le Reminet is special to us. It was the first restaurant we ate at during our first trip to France in 2015 – when we looked like this.
Out of nostalgia – and remembering how much we enjoyed the meal – we chose Le Reminet for our anniversary dinner. Jeannie had checked out the Carte while outside and decided on the Dos de Cabillaud Basse Temperature, Beurre Blanc au Safran, Choux-Fleurs Rôties aux Épices. Cod in a butter and saffron sauce along with roasted cauliflower.
My choice was the Menu du Jour. As is often the case, there was no choice.
With no decision to be made, I had the Côte de Veau Flambée au Calvados with Mousseline de Pommes de Terre et Chanterelles.
Since it was our anniversary, we had a few glasses of Champagne – with our plats and with dessert. Not on the Carte, dessert was part of the Menu for that evening. I don’t think either one of us has ever had a dessert so tasty. Truly amazing.
We couldn’t have had a more enjoyable First Anniversary Dinner. We are looking forward to our Second Anniversary Dinner. I’m going to start researching where to go right away. It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it.