tons of fabulous new discoveries...the fat girl in me is back :)

Chez Ramulad and Chateaubriand...i'll do my best to include only the shiniest of pebbles...

That said, lies aside, each dish at Chez Ramulad held a true presence. Perhaps i had lower expectations, seeing as how we ended up there by default, 2 times over... nonetheless, i was, indeed, quickly won over...

A warm lentil salad, served with a toasted, garlic baguette, sprinkled with parsley and smidgens of crisp 'oreille de couchon' (yes'm...pig ear indeed).   Scrumptious, resonating flavors, and Thoroughly satisfied the carnivore in me without simultaneously provoking any sense of intimidation, considering that we were thus far only on appetizers.  Lucky me, my friend let me share his tuna tartar, served in a thin ravioli capsule, swimming in a shallow pool of  delicious, thai-coconut milk. I admit that it amounted to a pretty traditional thai dish, but never ever will i overcome my weakness for coconut sauces. 

Ensuite, a generous portion of meaty scallops, perfectly balanced with a spritzes of citrus, salt and paprika.  

And for dessert: Poached pear: easy but refreshing. 

The ambiance itself: ultra-traditional, perhaps even a tad run-down. No matter, they got me where it counts. I could hardly resist gawking at each and every presentation that made its way out of the kitchen...thus, i will certainly follow the yellow-brick road all the way back to Fauberg St Antoine...

Chateaubriand...three months in the making now. (Take note: a good 50% of Paris' restaurants are closed on Sunday and Monday evenings. Boooo). In any case, I revere any restaurant that changes its menu on a nearly daily-basis. And even though i generally love to hand-pick my very own dishes, I do so admire when a restaurant leaves absolutely no choice to its patrons and instead boldly lays before you exactly what it will. (Wine aside, of course, of course). 

Amuse bouche...amusing indeed = an oyster ceviche= spruce, delicious, fresh. 

Entrée, a chilled pumkin and oyster veloute, served with 'dobblets' of a mascarpone-like cheese. The delicately-creamed pumpkin was subtly sweet upon first touch of the tongue,  but thereafter finished with crisp sea salt flavors...all said and done, perhaps an odd combination but a truly cultivated dish. 

I won't go into great detail about the cod dish nor the lomo course which followed. I enjoyed them at the time but there was nothing especially memorable about either. 

And...dessert! A rich chocolate-mousse cube served over grapefruit fragments in an aromatic citrus soup. End on a high note.