Yesterday was my last day in Paris. I regret having spoiled a few evenings. One evening I was to tired to go out and had a sandwich in my hotel room (Fresh tomato and roquefort, so not a complete waste) and one evening I got sucked into a IETF working group chair beer event in a English style micro brewery.

But yesterday evening I was with good friends and I've managed to convince them to go to Bar Zinc.

The first time I was at Bar Zinc was about a year ago when I was in Paris for a training course and my colleague and me stumbled upon the place en were both plesantly surprised. So when I returned about 2 months later, with my wife, we went to the same place and were plesantly surprised again. Yesterday, again a plesant surprise.

As a starter I had a cucumber-Cheddar tartar, Magrait de Canard as a main course, a cheese plate to relax and finally a lovely little desert with the most delicious white chocolate mouse I have ever tasted. It wasn;t quite a mouse more thick butterlike cream, but very tasty indeed. The three of us started the meal with a Champaign, accompanied our meal with a bottle and a pichet of 2001 Medoc AOC and had more Champaign, Cognac and coffee after the meal. Total price per head, a very fair 85 Euro.

Three times cannot be coincedence. This place offers quality. Bar Zinc is a relaxed bistrot. The guests were elderly women, business people, couples, tatood and pierced youngsters and even while its August it seemed that we were the only 3 tourists. The walls showed an exposition of a local artist, this time photos whith an erotic twist. If I recall well they had other types of art on display the first 2 times.

The neighbourhood is vibrant and Bar Zinc is probably not the only restaurant where you can find fine food for a fair price. But the next time I'm in Paris... I'll give it a try again.

The address:
Bar Zinc, 9, rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris (Tel: 01 48 05 05 95). It is a block north of La Bastille.