Busman's Holiday Part I - Canard Aux Pruneax!

You may just be sitting down to dinner, but it probably won't be quite as good as mine was -- just sayin'...

Training into Paris' Gare du Nord from CDG airport, then Metro #5 to Bastille for a 15 minute walk to my hotel took a lot out of me -- but then again, I was perfectly happy to eat my baguette sandwich from the corner boulangerie in my room w/ the window open and tv tuned to the French Open. Heaven!

I finally ventured back out for a walk-about around 7 -- from the Bastille, to the Place de Vosges, through the Marais, down to the Seine and finally to the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) on the Seine. One of the restaurants on my list was Le Trumilou at #87 Quai de Hotel de Ville, for very good classic French meals at reasonable prices. And it did not disappoint.

Le Trumilou Dining Room

Le Trumilou is a "beautiful" establishment with books and stuff cluttering shelves in the entry way and art work/other period artifacts adorning the unpretentious, proud dining room. I was greeted by a grizzled but charming 50-something, who must be the owner and who spoke some English to complement my re-emerging French. (I really must stop saying si instead of oui!)

Inevitably, I ordered the specialite of the house: Canard Aux Pruneaux (Duck cooked in prunes) -- though the Sausages Lyonnaise and Salade Landaise were very tempting on a menu loaded with intriguing possibilities.

The Boss

The Table is Set

The Boss was every bit as hard-working as the rest of the cordial and efficient wait staff, and after a few minutes he offered me a plate of green olives and salami, which I happily munched on -- not knowing what was coming next: a 10" casserole dish of duck in prunes, a side order of pommes frites, and the ubiquitous basket of fresh bread. The accidental feast was paired with red Bordeaux wine (which I now think should have been the Rhone red).

Canard Aux Pruneaux

The duck was nicely-cooked, and the dark brown sauce was rich and addictive. The many prunes were a delight, and good for me, too:)

The meal was formidable, the place was right up my alley (in addition to being on the Seine!), and I could see myself as a Le Trumilou regular if I spent more time Paris -- Double OPA!

NOTE: The whole meal was 27EU (service compris) and the cafe creme I am now drinking sitting outside at Cafe Louis Philippe a few doors down @#66 costs 4.5EU. But it is the perfect ending to a very long day -- and I just heard the owner Gille's story about how he won the Green Card Lottery to go to the States many years ago, but could never leave. Everyone has a story...and I love my French stories.

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