In an article written earlier on the Eating well in Paris theme, I described the grandiose experience I had at Chez Georges. The owners of Chez Georges carry the French cuisine flag with pride, and their number is outstanding.
After such a gratifying meal I was wondering who could rise to the challenge of getting my taste buds as excited. Rescue came in the form of a dinner invitation by my partners in crime, Angelo and Vinni.
"To Tantalis!" was their battle cry.
Tantalis... or not
Tantalis. With such a name I didnt know what to expect really. Tantalis does not mean anything in French. It sounded like a coined word, made up maybe to don some Nouvelle Cuisine joint. To me, Nouvelle Cuisine means product puffery, very little substance, and high dollars. Not so promising. Yet I rallied their flag, thinking they would know better.
Arriving at the scene I realized I had erred in my linguistic assumptions: Tantalis wasnt at all -- Tante Alice it had always been.
Now, Tante means aunt in French, so Aunt Alice. Alice is one of those names which girls used to receive in the 1930s, but which very few people dare giving their offshoot today. Aunt Alice brings back pictures of the old relative from the boondocks adorned with an unlikely (and unsightly) moustache, but endowed with a golden motherly heart. The kind of aunt who used to serve you and your friends delicious home-made berry jam on large slices of fresh bread at the end of a mid-summer day.
Outside and inside
There we were, at Tante Alices door. From the outside, the place makes a favorable impression. The building is modern, the restaurant sign above the door is drawn in a classic font, in a deep burgundy red. The street environment is nice, with numerous clean-looking stores. We are in the Southern section of the 10th district, about 10 minutes on foot from Place de la République.
Patrons entering the place face the wooden bar. The decor appears tastefully simple. The abundant use of wood and the Vichy-style tablecloth reminded me of a Normandy inn. Though the restaurant room isnt that large, tables are far enough apart from each other that you may be comfortable having a private conversation with your better half or love interest.
We were welcomed by one of the two owners of the restaurant, and speedily led to our table. There is a second room upstairs, which I was told is used at lunch time when the neighboring businesses staffers invade the place. It was about 7:30 pm, and at this time the first floor operated at 80% capacity. The noise level was very acceptable, local patrons were quiet.
Ordering
As we sat down our hostess handed us over the menu and asked whether we wanted to start with the aperitif, the lightly alcoholic beverage which French people usually consume right before lunch and dinner to open up their appetite. I ordered a Kir Royal, a mix of blackcurrant cream and champagne. The owners of Chez Tante Alice offer their own version of a mint cocktail, which my friend Vinni ordered.
Tante Alices menu is simple, with a selection of 5 to 7 fares per section. Every dish on the menu spells French terroir cuisine, viz. traditional cuisine from the countryside. For appetizer I opted for a dish of pan-seared cepes (boletus). My entree would be a refined delicacy: a pan-fried steak of duck liver.
While we sipped on our aperitif, our second hostess came to take our order. She was the chef, and she lent herself amicably to our questioning. The lady is of good advice.
Did we want wine? Yes please, a half-bottle of a light red Reuilly or Chinon both wines are from the Touraine region to accompany our entrees. The chef pointed out that the one we had picked was the most expensive, and we might want to re-consider. A very honest attitude worth mentioning in a business known to rake in hefty profits on wine orders. We chose to stick to our half-bottle of red Chinon though.
Here comes the food
We had plenty of business to discuss about with my friends, so we didnt keep our eyes on the watch. It was probably for the better since Tante Alice has a rhythm of its own. You should not expect record-breaking serving speed. Food is prepared on order, so everything takes a b
