5 rue Dante 5e arr., Paris
Metro - St Michel
I am a bit tired of French food so tonight I am trying a Vietnamese restaurant that got a high recommendation on Zagats.
The restaurant is located in the Latin quarter a short walk from the St Michel Metro station. The interior is what you would come to expect from an Asian restaurant. The walls are cover with an Asian motif wallpaper, pretty sconces and misc unmatched framed Asian art.
To begin I start with a fresh Vietnamese spring roll (€4.50) which is served cold with a tangy dipping sauce. The roll has vermicelli, shrimp and mint leaves tightly wrapped in rice paper. It's is a very refreshing way to start a meal.
OK, I couldn't resist, I ordered 2 starters. For my next starter I got Vietnamese dumplings (€7.50), or as the Frech call them, "raviolis". The steamed dumplings are filled with pork and topped with a variety of fresh chopped herbs. This again is served with the same tangy dipping sauce. They are also very light and tasty but I think they need some more filling.
My main plat came very quickly after my starter. I ordered a sate beef which was sliced beef stir fried in a hot sauce (€10.50). The dish didn't have any vegetables which was disappointing but it was good with the rice anyway.
I am skipping dessert this evening because I have a "tartelette poire" (a small pear tart) which I bought earlier in the day. OK, I admit, I have a piece of cheesecake too. I promise to eat only half of each.
Le Coin des Gourmet is a nice alternative to French food. The dishes are nicely prepared and if you have never had Vietnamese food before, you should try it. It's quite different from Chinese.
Service here is quite gentle and friendly. An English menu is available but you will have to consult the French menu for prices. They didn't put prices on the translated English menu.
I would easily give Le Coin des Gourmet 3 hearts for interesting food and good service at a moderate price.
Total bill - €31.25 including a glass of white wine and a small pot of jasmine tea.
By the way, your meal is finished with a nice hot towel to clean your hands.
Smoking is allowd but the restaurant was smoke free while I dined (as soon as I typed that someone lit up!)
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