The day began with thunder and sheets of rain but the sun broke through offering blue skies as we headed into the eleventh arrondissement for a spectacular lunch at Septime. Our friends secured this reservation after careful research and many weeks of 4:00am attempts on the restaurant’s internet form. The effort was a success.
Septime serves a “surprise” tasting menu that can be paired with wines (yes, we did). The cozy room is very comfortable with nice spacing between the tables, an open kitchen and a knowledgeable, lovely staff.
To begin our food journey, the amuse bouche was a ceramic cup of cold tomato and bell pepper consommé with a basil oil topper. It was refreshing and filled with just-picked from the garden flavor. This was followed with a grilled sourdough pita topped with roasted red peppers, raspberries and grated French feta, a surprisingly tasty combination.
Next, thinly sliced watermelon, cubes of tuna, sun-dried cherry tomatoes in a watermelon broth were paired with a Rosé that matched the color of the watermelon. There was a zucchini dish followed by lobster ravioli with a béarnaise sauce that was sublime, then fish with crunchy onions and mushrooms, a cheese course and finally, a floating island dessert with berries.
Throughout the meal, the staff and sommelier were friendly, informative and professional. Time flies when there is great food, great friends and great conversation; not surprisingly, almost four hours elapsed from the time we sat down. A meal at Septime is a special experience where every second is delicious.
Walking through the quiet streets from one neighborhood to the next, we recounted and reviewed every course of our meal as we came upon the oldest planned square in Paris, the Place des Vosges. It is an enclosed square with four fountains, plenty of shade trees and is surrounded by stately buildings, a perfect people watching location.
Crazy as it sounds, we stopped in a chocolate shop and then a wine shop/bar where there were some amazing labels and several purchases.
Friends, food and France pair well together in Paris. It was a terrific day.
Where is Wendy 