Different Dining In Paris
School for restaurant personnel offers memorable, reasonable meals.
By: Leah Larkin
Ninety-five-year-old Yvonne Lehouchu and her friend, Genevieve Charbonnier, 75, dine out together in Paris, their hometown, two to three times a month. The two women, who became friends years ago when they both worked for the UN in New York, have a favourite locale for meals: École de Paris des Métiers de la Table du Tourisme et de L'Hôtellerie, a school for apprentice chefs and food service personnel with a bargain-priced restaurant.
"The food is excellent. It's tranquil. No noise. The tables are not close to one another," said Lehouchu. Charbonnier praised the food. "It's good. It's not expensive. I love this place," she said.
If you're looking for dim lights, a classy atmosphere, an extensive menu and impeccable service, it's not for you. But if you want good, reasonable food, an off-beat ambience and entertainment, it's worth a visit.
Four-course meals are offered Monday through Friday at 12:30 p.m. with two choices each for the entrée, main course and dessert. There is also a cheese course.
On a recent visit my husband and I began our meal with two Kirs (a mixture of white wine and crème de cassis) which were served with tiny appetizers. I chose Crêpes aux Champignons sauce Madère (mushroom crepes with a Madeira sauce) for my entrée while my husband opted for Salade Lorette, a lovely mixture of celery, beets and lamb's lettuce. For the main course, we both settled for Pintadeau rôti Grand-mère (roasted young guinea fowl) served with an attractive arrangement of potatoes, mushrooms and onions. 
Then came the cheese, followed by dessert. I went for the flaming bananas. My partner couldn't resist the cream puffs presented in a large, elaborate pyramid, one on top of another, covered with a caramel glaze. A young waitress, smartly attired in black, cut off part of the pyramid for each serving. We followed dessert with coffee which came with chocolates.
Cost: two Kirs, 5 euros; two four-course meals, 24 euros; a bottle of wine, 8 euros; two coffees, 3 euros. For a total of 40 euros we had a delicious and memorable meal. The pintadeau was especially tasty, and the flaming procedure was a show. Our waiter, Jonathan Abiton, was a bit nervous as he lit the alcohol, but he succeeded and deftly swirled the bananas in the liquid. He beamed as he served the concoction.
He got points for that, but had lost favour when he filled the wine glasses before allowing for a tasting. The 20-year-old, who spoke excellent English, told us he wants to go into the hotel business in the U.S. or Canada.
The restaurant, a large well-lit room which can seat 60, is somewhat institutional. But watching the fresh, young faces, who are under the scrutiny of a supervisor as they take orders and serve, is amusing. We saw one lad corrected for improperly holding a bottle of wine. Another needed help in carving the fowl. At the conclusion of the meal, the kitchen staff, all clad in white, enter the dining room. We congratulated the pintadeau chef, Eddy Deschamps, 17. "This is a nice place to work," he said.
The directress, Henriette Sauvage, congratulated no one. She called them together and gave a stern tongue lashing. The Pot au Feu (meat stew), the other main course, was "ruined" she said. It had no taste. They used too much chicken. The sauce was a disaster. "It wasn't correct," she explained, "not the quality they must produce. But usually I am complimenting them."
Most of the patrons, mainly senior citizens with many "regulars," also have compliments for the meals. Micheline and Fenelon Goubet, who live in the neighborhood, come twice a week. "We're very well taken care of. The food is very good. We've never been disappointed," said Micheline Goubet.
Know and go
Reservations are a must for École de Paris des Métiers de la Table du Tourisme et de l'Hôtellerie. In Paris, call 01 44 09 12 16 between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. or between 12 30 p.m. and 3 p.m. When you make a reservation, you can ask what the main course choices will be.Address: 7 rue Jacques Ibert. Métro: Louise Michel
Four course meals range in price from 12 euros to 18 euros. Monday is a special bargain. As they don't have many customers on Mondays, they keep the cost down then to attract more diners. We were there on a Monday.
Photojournalist Leah Larkin, a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, lives in the north Luberon area of Provence, France. www.leahlarkin.com
