My friend had a similar type of experience. A week of terrace dining in Marbella, then one indoor dinner in Seville (her only indoor restaurant meal during the visit to Spain), flew home to Canada the next day and tested positive the following morning.
I hope you have a quick and full recovery.
I have dined at Pierre Sang places on Sunday nights as well. Wonderful experience overall. Just wanted to try something else. Actually I have not tried his Gambey place. Maybe will try it this time.
Ok, I am now down to Pierre Sang Gambey vs Petrelle vs Le Dome (less likely as we will do lunch there another day) vs Flocon. Not sure how to pick. Which one is most likely to be leaning to seafoodvegetables more than others? Really not into heavy meat meals, although certainly would not turn down a delicately prepared piece of any meat.
Lots depends on your own style. I for one find Le Dôme a bit of a downer, a has-been, and overpriced. But if you are an old geezer, it might be ok.
I love the personality, very light “bistronomique” cuisine, and clientele at the newish Flocon. Petrelle in second place and, although I am a huge fan of Pierre Sang Oberkampf, I like Gambey less and would put it in 3rd place. None will include “heavy meat” dishes on their menus.
Not sure why I typed Le Dome when I meant La Rotonde!
The food at La Rotonde is trad. Very good trad but mostly rather heavy (there are a few exceptions but not many) unless you limit yourself to oysters and fruits de mer.
that plus champagne is what I was thinking but I would rather do it for lunch and something fun for dinner. by the way, is there a place that does great steamed clams?
I know of many, but they’re all in New England! 
I was not aware they served steamed clams in Paris. But to be fair, I wouldn’t have looked.
I don’t believe they have steamers in France. DH worked on a NATO project for many years and none of the European engineers who came for a meeting on Cape Cod had ever had steamed clams before. (One of them was Parisien.)
No, that doesn’t exist in France. It’s a strictly North American thing.
The closest you could find would be palourdes or coques marinières, but they’re different types of clams and not that easy to come by.
…and yet the same day I typed my snarky comment, I came across this:
“My steamed clams in a marine broth with fresh herbs were succulent and remarkably fresh,…”
Though the menu changes frequently so no guarantee at all it will be served the day you go.
Still, I laughed when I saw the photo of four clams resting in lovely broth…not what I think of as eating steamers: rolling up my sleeves, washing sand off 'em, dipping and dripping in butter…As much as Alexander Lobrano enjoyed them, he hasn’t been in New England in a while, methinks.
Not per se clams, but you might see steamed mussels on the menu (e.g. moules frites) but that will be a far cry from the American style clam chowder.
Steamed mussels will be just that - steamed live bivalves, sometimes cooked with a splash of wine or beer. You might find mussels cooked with a bit of cream but more often Europeans like the taste of plain mussels perhaps with a nice mustardy/vinegary sauce.
The best European clams are imho to be found in Spain and Italy (almejas/vongole).
Those ‘clams’ are actually praires, a classic type of bivalve in France, slightly rarer and more expensive than the palourdes (carpetshell clams) and coques (cockles) I referred to earlier, but still not « clams » as they are known and consumed in the Northeastern US.
No relation whatsoever with a good portion of steamers. It’s just that ‘clams’ is the easy way for Lobrano to depict the four dainty shellfish he was served, and it’s true that in the English language the word ‘clam’ is used to generically depict any bivalve of that category, one that is not a mussel, an oyster, or a scallop, etc. So his use of the term is confusing for American readers, but linguistically speaking, he is not completely wrong.
Collectively, some very different European bivalves like palourdes, praires, coques, lavagnons, tellines, vénus, myes, couteaux, amandes de mer, etc., would fall under the ‘clam’ terminology in English.
Interestingly, some decades ago, quahogs were imported from the Northeastern American shores to the Atlantic coast of France, and they’re available commercially, but nobody is too crazy about them here. They are sold as ‘clams’, en français dans le texte.
I guess, I meant coques rather than clams.
Do appreciate the whole discussion!
If it’s coques you’re looking for, they’re very rarely seen in restaurants. Palourdes and of course mussels are more common. The last time I saw steamed coques, it was at La Cagouille, in a small cup as an amuse-bouche. Coques are usually bought from a fishmonger or gathered near the sea and cooked at home. Restaurant chefs use them in broths (fumets).
Went to Flocon last Sunday - it was indeed delightful. Great mastery of the vegetables. Enjoyed it very much. Thank you for your recommendation.
Uh, all those places….
I like that place….
I have been doing a bunch of Sunday night research myself and thought that Le Colimaçon could be an interesting option, if looking for an old school bistro vibe. (not necessarily a destination dinner) Thoughts?
