Giusi > wrote:

> While you are being so generous, Bubba, can you name a Basque restaurant
> that is a block or so away from Bon Marche on the street which divides the
> two buildings? For spicy lovers, Basque was a surprising but happy choice,
> but neither of us remembers the name.

Let's see... must be M° Sèvres-Babylone... so maybe it was La Taverne
Basque at 45, rue du Cherche-Midi? The location is about right. I have
never eaten there, though.

BTW, I forgot to mention another place I like, the little Vieux Bistro.
In view of its ultra-touristic location, just by the side of Notre Dame,
it may appear an unlikely choice, yet, surprisingly, it is a genuine
article, frequented mostly by the locals. Their civet de canard, duck
stew, is one of the best dishes I have eaten anywhere. It is made in a
traditional way, with duck blood, so the sauce is almost black. It is
an embodiment of savoury succulence. Their wine list is great, too.

Bubba