Good fun at affordable prices, a rarity in Old Town
People keep saying that there are no good French restaurants in Warsaw. It's not for a lack of trying, though, what with Montmartre, Bistrot, Bistro de Paris, Foksal, Brasserie Stanislas and Le Petit Trianon all competing for our fric, or sous, already. Now add a seventh name to that list, Rendez-Vous de Paris. The food won't exactly make you want to stand up and sing the "Marseillaise," but for an overall fun, bistro atmosphere, Rendez-Vous is my favorite.
Ex-WBJ reviewer Vinny Tokaj told me about the place. He enthused about the way Rendez-Vous de Paris distinguishes itself from the run of the mill Old Town restaurants. "Other places sort of hide themselves behind those heavy drapes and curtains, but Rendez-Vous opens out to the street, you can see in the window. It's inviting," he said.
That was definitely the case when I walked by one sunny but bitter cold afternoon. A young French girl played guitar and sang old standards like "Champs Elysees" to the crowds of tourists streaming down narrow, busy ulica Nowomiejska. Such a simple thing, but for an Old Town restaurant, it's almost revolutionary.
When I called to make reservations for a Thursday night, I noticed that the receptionist's Polish accent was almost as bad as mine, and sounded slightly familiar. "Are you French?" I asked. She laughed and said, "Oui." So, a French place with actual, live Frenchies. I hoped that would at least add some authenticity to the place.
My guests for the evening, Harold, Maude and Lucky, met me at the restaurant around 6:30 p.m. I had made reservations only for three, but Lucky was, well, lucky. "Is this going to be a problem?" I asked the tall waiter who greeted us. "Not at all sir, the more the merrier!" he quipped cheerily. A very good, if very rare, attitude among waiters here.
"I like the red, white and blue flowers," Maude said, pointing out the tricolor bouquet decorating the front window. The dining room is cozy, with about five or six tables squeezed snuggly into a narrow room, with a bar in the back corner staffed by another smiling young French girl. The place had been full when I peeked in during the afternoon, and now it was half full, with two couples occupying the nearby tables. An elegantly dressed woman glided out of the kitchen, a big, warm smile on her face as she welcomed us in French and Charles Aznavour serenaded over the stereo.
Our waiter quickly brought us the menus and a basket of warm French bread. The bread had that crunchy crust and soft middle that makes it the world's best bread, and it was served with a plate of thick, rich garlic butter too. True to the best French practices (especially considering some haughty attitudes in local Parisian brasseries), the waiter replenished the bread throughout the meal, instantly replacing empty baskets with full ones.
The menu is simple, traditional French and handwritten with very reasonable prices for the Old Town. Starters such as onion soup, quiche Lorraine and tarte aux champignons can all be had for zl. 14-zl. 18, and you pay just a bit more for delicacies such as foie gras and toast (zl. 35) or cassoulet of snails in garlic sauce (zl. 25). The main dishes are also modestly priced, and include classics such as filet of beef in pepper sauce (zl. 42), fondue bourguignon (zl. 45), duck a l'orange (zl. 39) and salmon (zl. 38).
The wine list is modest in length and price, a Saint Emilion at zl. 182 at the high end, but also a Cote du Rhone and Beaujolais-Villages for zl. 75. I chose an AOC Bordeaux for zl. 55, which went over so well with my guests that we had another. Just like with the bread basket, the waiter took care, keeping all glasses full throughout the meal. And while he succeeded in selling us a second bottle, I never felt pressured to buy.
I started with a bowl of the onion soup, served steaming hot with a thick cap of cheese and two pieces of French bread. This one replaces Nowy Swiat Cafe's onion soup as my favorite in town. My guests all started with salads. Maude and Lucky both tried the salade nicoise (zl. 24) while Harold had the seafood salad (zl. 29). "This is big enough to be a whole meal," Maude said. Large and colorfully garnished with plenty of ripe veggies, Maude and Lucky's salad contained lots of good tuna while Harold's boasted plump tiger shrimp. "The vinaigrette is delicious, too," Maude added.
I ordered the fondue Bourguignon, a simple meat-n-oil dish with sauces on the side chutney, spicy mustard and creamy white sauce in separate small bowls. I've usually seen this dish listed for two, but Rendez-Vous's menu offers it for one person. It was, however, a very generous portion. Along with my glass bowl containing about 15 chunks of raw beef, the waiter placed a fondue pot in front of me and lit it. After that, it was up to me to spear meat on my skewer and pop them into the boiling oil for 30 seconds or so. It's simple and good, but fondue just isn't as much fun solo.
"At least you can't complain if the meat isn't done how you like it," Harold said. He and Lucky on the other hand had a slight mix up they'd both ordered the steak in pepper sauce, but Harold received Lucky's medium-done, and Lucky got Harold's medium-well. A plate swap solved that "problem." They were satisfied with the meat, but the side veggies of cauliflower and broccoli underwhelmed them. Maude's salmon meanwhile was a large, good filet, but she had also hoped for fresher vegetables.
Harold and Lucky still had room for more, so with cappuccinos (zl. 10), they ordered one piece of apple cake and one of pear cake (zl. 15 each). These were simple and not noteworthy. They would benefit from a scoop of ice cream on top. "Do you make the cakes here?" Lucky asked. "No," the waiter said, "They come straight from the Champs Elysees."
The food here is about par for French restaurants in Warsaw. But what makes this place exceptional is the friendly service and warm atmosphere they've managed to create. And at these prices in the Old Town, Rendez-Vous de Paris is an address to recommend. Our meal for four with two bottles of wine, including a 10% tip, cost zl. 475 ($113).
