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(For info: address, menu, reservations, see website https://www.bacav.fr/) |
Rating Standards: 5-Stars = Extraordinary; 4-Stars = Excellent; 3-Stars = Average; 2-Stars = Fair; 1-Star = Poor € = Inexpensive: 30€ and under; €€ = Moderate: 31€-49€; €€€ = Expensive: €50 -75; €€€€ = Very Expensive: more than €76 (prices based on minimum 2-courses)
1-Bell = Pleasantly quiet (less than 65 decibels); 2-Bells = Can talk easily (65-70); 3-Bells = Talking normally gets difficult (70-80); 4-Bells = Can talk only in raised voices (75-90); BOMB = Too noisy for normal conversation (90+)
4.5 - stars .........................€€€...................................... 3-🔔
A close friend had recently dined at this restaurant and highly recommended it, so we decided to give it a try. While it's technically located in Boulogne-Billancourt, a suburb of Paris, it's so easily accessible by metro or bus that it feels like part of the city.
As you walk in, you quickly realize it’s not your typical French bistro or café. The space feels relatively modern, lacking that classic French charm, but the tables are still tightly packed. That said, the restaurant is spacious enough to accommodate a large number of guests. We were seated at a nice table in the back, meant for 8 to 10 people—plenty of room for our group of six.
NOTE:
--I'm only going to review the dishes I had.
--Not all of us spoke French, so they do have english menus and all the wait-staff spoke english.
What a great start to the meal—colorful, well-balanced, and bursting with freshness thanks to the generous use of herbs. Sea snails aren’t for everyone, as they can be a bit chewy, but I happen to enjoy them. Just don’t confuse them with escargot—they're completely different. Sea snails come from the ocean and have a firmer texture, while escargot are land snails and tend to be more tender.
The potatoes were simply boiled, with small dollops of aioli on the side to add as you like. Despite the heartiness of the potatoes, the greens kept the dish feeling light and fresh. A beautifully composed and satisfying starter.
Three generous, plump prawns were perched atop a warm vegetable medley that resembled a ratatouille—though curiously missing its signature ingredient, eggplant. Still, the dish was beautifully presented and full of color and life. The prawns were expertly cooked: tender, sweet, and just barely opaque in the center, with a delicate snap to the bite. That said, I couldn’t help wishing they’d been served it with the head-on, that’s where the richest flavor lives, but perhaps that’s the Asian palate speaking.
The herb sauce—bright, verdant, and slightly tangy—tied everything together with a lovely lift. The vegetables were well-seasoned and deeply savory, though after the first course with potatoes I just had, the overall effect began to feel a bit heavy. I ended up leaving a few bites behind.
Still, it was another thoughtfully composed and technically well-executed dish that showed a clear respect for ingredients and balance.
As I always say, you can’t go wrong with cheese in France. I’m not sure what possessed me to order the cheese course—I was already beyond full at that point—but I couldn’t resist. I made sure to sample each one, and they were all excellent. The selection offered a nice variety of flavors and textures, from creamy to firm, mild to pungent. A small serving of jellied sweet ginger accompanied the plate, adding a delicate, unexpected touch that paired beautifully with the cheeses.
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