Sometimes there is only one menu item that will fill a growing hollow in one’s stomach after miles and miles of walking, and for me, that is the classic and simple bistro offering of: a caramelized strip of steak, tower of french fries, and healthy greens on the side in a piquant vinaigrette.
I can go hours at a time running on fumes of sugar after consuming a croissant, pain au chocolat, and cappuccino, but then the time comes when I must refuel with a hardy meal. After crossing the Seine at late dusk (happily, it doesn’t get dark in the summer until just before 10 p.m.) towards the Jardin de Luxembourg, that primal craving overtook me for a satisfying slab of beef. At times like this, I feel as though fangs have suddenly emerged, and like a hungry wolf, I realize I could never be a vegetarian since I would always feel faint and deprived.
I stumbled upon Au Petit Suisse, which runs parallel to the Luxembourg Gardens, pulled up a chair, and enjoyed the reviving spread set before me. And then, when I downed my last fry with a final sip of wine, a more incessant craving ever-present in my mind and body called out.
Would I like dessert?, I was asked. “Oui,” I said, informing the waiter of my desired selection.
Moments later, I cracked my spoon on the glassy sugared surface atop my creme brulée and dinner was complete.
Au Petit Suisse
16 Rue de Vaugirard
Paris, France 75006
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