FoodNet

The gourmet's guide to Europe

1903

Page 21

Presented as published in 1903. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
A little way up the Rue Royale is Weber’s Res- taurant, which at one time was known as His Lord- ship’s Larder, and where the cookery Weber’s, Rue used to be semi-British. Weber’s ' Royale is entirely French now, and has swallowed up one or two neighbouring establishments, including 34 T^he Gourmet's Guide to Europe an Irish American bar. A detective of European fame used to find it useful to dine in this bar and to listen to the conversation of other diners. The name of the plat du jour was always on a bit of cardboard which was hung over the bar. One day the detective found that D.D.S. was the dish of the day, and inquired its meaning. “ S stands for spy,” said the man behind the bar. Sherlock Holmes looked at the faces which surrounded him, and did not ask for an explanation of the other letters. That, however, is very ancient history. Weber’s to-day is a large bright restaurant much patronised by French- men belonging to the liberal professions, by the Depu- ties, who find this restaurant within easy distance or their Parliament house, and by English resident in Paris. The Taverne Royale is close to Weber’s. I do not propose to give a list of the Tavernes, which hold to the Paris restaurants somewhat the same position the grill-rooms hold to the London ones. At the Tavernes Royale, Tourtel, Brebant, simple food, sufficiently well cooked, and admirable light beer are obtainable, and after some days of eating rich food in the temples of the higher art it is pleasant to rest one’s digestion by a cup of simple clear soup, the thigh of a fowl, and a slice of cheese at a Taverne. Viel’s, or to give it its alternative title, the Restaurant de la Madeleine, is on the boulevard of that name. It is a white-faced restaurant, and its interior is also Viei’g Restau- white. Its prices are moderate, and I rant, Bde. de have found it a pleasant restaurant at la Madeleine which to sup, for it is patronised by a pleasantly Bohemian world of authors and actors and actresses and artists, who go there to avoid being stared at and to eat their evening meal in peace and quietness. The Taverne Olympia, which opens its doors at 5 P-M. and closes them at the hour of early breakfast, Tar is 3 5 has its principal entrance in the Rue Caumartin. The Taverne is an underground place of feasting. Its prices are moderate, and its simple Taverne food is well cooked. There are two or Olympia, three of the little theatres in the Rue Rue Caumartm Caumartin, and the Taverne benefits by its propin- quity to them. On the Boulevards des Italiens and Capucines the restaurants crowd together. Every big cafe has a restaurant as part of its establishment. The Cafe de la Paix boasts a grill-room ; the private rooms at the Cafe Rougemont are exceedingly well decorated; at the Americain, where the dining clientele is quite different from the supping one, great joints are wheeled up to the tables and carved there. Julien’s, the La- fitte, the restaurant of the transformed Cafe Riche, which is making a bid, a not very successful one, to become a light-hearted supper restaurant — all have their crowd of French diners.