Le Dessert

Today (Sunday, 16 March) after the rigors of yesterday we had a sleep in and a late brunch at home. I think this plate of bacon, boudin noir and poached eggs was a pretty good effort given a two hot plate arrangement in the kitchen. Especially the eggs.

Then we went for a walk. Out into the teeming Marais. Well there were plenty of people about but not as many as last Sunday. We found ourselves in the Jewish quarter of the Quartier. Men in traditional garb selling religious things. Lots of people lining up for felafels. It’s a thing in Paris apparently. We bought some jam in a fantastic shop full of extraordinary combinations – apple and vodka, raspberries and roses.

After a couple of hours we went in search of coffee and cake. All the places were full. Every seat out in the sun taken. The most interesting tiny places all full up as well as the usual corner cafés. So we ventured into a place we had walked by a couple of times. A place in Rue Vieille du Temple which we think is called Bar Bo but are not sure. It is quite close to us. It only serves desserts. But what desserts! It offered, if you please, a degustation of four courses and matching drinks or pairings as they call them here. So, of course, we had that. We started with an amuse bouche which included wasabi in some form and was a taste of things to come. So interesting!

Lovely young people both preparing and serving the food. Very earnest and clearly committed to every part of this experience, food, drink, service, ambience. A very modern look – all glass and steel with a little bit of wood. Lots of pre-prepared sauces and bits and pieces. It reminded me of Estelle in Northcote. Here is where they construct the dishes. She is shaking out freshly baked miniature cupcakes that were served to a party of four next to us. There were two main people doing the preparation but with about three others bringing things in from somewhere behind the scenes from time to time. Another two were serving and for a while there was another fellow who looked to be the owner or manager, although you got the impression all of the people there were invested in the place. A great atmosphere.

We were so excited by our second course we forgot to take a picture! It was pear done in different ways – poached, raw, dried. With slivers of something like hard white meringue. Here I am with the delicate china cup in which they served a fruit scented lapsong sooshong tea (secretly disappointed it wasn’t a pear flavoured aperitif!) That window behind me blew open during our meal and hit me in the neck – to every-one’s surprise and consternation. No harm done. Later the power went off briefly – again surprise and consternation but no outward panic at any rate and it was quickly restored.

Here is our next course. Words can’t describe the taste. Fantastic will have to suffice. This was served with a very subtle sweet white wine. The yellow is crushed mustard seed. The white is a creme fraiche or yoghurt. There is something sweet underneath it all as well as something crunchy. This was the case with all the dishes – a mix of colours, textures, temperatures (most had an ice-cream component) and, of course, tastes.

Then we had this concoction. The purple is potato. It had lots of different elements and we were instructed to try each separately before putting them together. It was hard to work out what they all were separately, but together they were delicious. We had champagne to accompany it. Around this time an Australian couple sat at the next table and we conversed with them for the remainder of the meal. They live in Singapore and come here reasonably often, this time for her work. We swapped notes about where to eat – as if we needed any more recommendations for restaurants!

Our final course was the one that most resembled a dessert as it is normally understood. Chocolate and nougat and little chunks of cheese-cake or something like that. We were offered a choice of drink to accompany this and I chose a slightly sweet Malbec wine and Joe a rich and slightly bitter stout.

That was five dishes in all but we weren’t quite finished yet. Here was a ‘gift from the house’ to send us on our way. We nearly forgot to photograph it – so the spoons are empty. They weren’t when it was placed in front of us.

So there you go, we just can’t seem to avoid these gastronomic feasts! Back to the apartment for a quiet night in. We went back later and took a photo of the restaurant. It’s called Desance. Remembering good times.