Le Trois Restaurant, Marais District, Paris

Le Trois Restaurant, Marais District, Paris
Friday 1 April, 2005

I have visited Paris many times but this trip was the most memorable. We stayed in the fashionable Marais district at the Hotel Bourg Tibourg - highly recommended if you like intimate, Moulin Rouge style boutique hotels:

http://www.hotelbourgtibourg.com/

The surrounding streets are a treasure trove of gorgeous boutiques, tea rooms, perfumaries and cafes/ restaurants. It is a wonderful area to get lost in the back streets. We stumbled across a little restaurant, Le Trois, on a Friday night without a booking. Walking through the courtyard to the restaurant, we were greeted like old friends and although they were packed, they fussed over us until we were comfortable and had a drink in hand. It is very authentic french food and I loved the fact there was no menu in english. They sought out an english speaking staff member to walk us through the menu and offer suggestions for first timers.

I enjoyed the rabbit terrine followed by roast duck in a rich sauce. It wasn't so much the food that made an impact but the atmosphere inside this fabulous place. There's something strange about sitting in a restaurant not being able to understand a single word around you - it makes you focus in on body language - and the french are very expressive.

The staff were fabulous, the locals obviously return to this place frequently as everyone seems to be on a first name basis and it's packed, so next time I'll make a booking.