You eat Argentinian of course. When I was researching Paris food, one thing became fairly clear. Its not your father’s Paris. Much has changed since we’ve been here last (15-20 years). The restaurants back then are now referred to as “traditional”. And the city is now flooded with all sorts of ethnic eats, Asian/French fusion, Neo-bistros, and Asian/French Neo-bistros. This made researching a lot more fun and challenging at the same time. Do I want Tagine, duck confit, or Argentinian steak on Wednesday?
Live music on Wednesdays made that decision easier. Still, tiny Blanca in food heaven 11th arrondissement was a risky bet after a less than desirable meat streak (I’m looking at you Paul Bert). But this turned out to be the most memorable meal in a week full of them. The ultra talented guitarist/singer helped. Not only a beautiful voice, but he can play other instruments with his mouth. It was like a three person band for the price of one.
We were the only tourists in the house, confirmed by our bubbly Mexican waitress. It is time to change that ;). Although Owner/chef Violetta doesnt speak my English, we shared a few laughs. She has friends in high places, including baker Thierry Breton (no, the other one) and his outstanding bread that is part of your Blanca experience. One of the better breads of the trip. In NYC this kind of quality now comes with a price tag.
Started with perfectly blistered Shishito peppers with a light creamy guac that worked very well together. No matter how much Shishito we eat, we rarely get tired of them. Cheese empanadas that seemed on every table, were well seasoned and tasted much better than they looked.
The Pièce de Résistance and one of the reasons for the visit was the Argentinian Entrecôte. Unlike at Paul Bert the night before, cooked to med-rare perfection, flavor packed, and cheaper too. It came naked with salt, black peppers and homemade vinegary chimichurri on the side. I hesitated to put anything on it as it was that good, but pouring some of that chimichurri and black pepper turned out to be net positive.
Another highlight was the “chicken mistake”. We actually ordered the monkfish instead, but after a quick inspection we were happy to keep the super moist, expertly cooked mistake. It came with morels and mashed squash. Washed it all down with a potent Argentinian Cabernet. And finished with a very satisfying, light, flan with caramel. Flawless!
Eating With Ziggy 