Paris Eats - Café Rouge Style

Saturday night was date night in the Cannes Cannes household and I'd been itching to try out Café Rouge ever since I had an apero there a few weeks ago.  Just check out this ambiance:

The restaurant is three levels of candlelit tables, cozy chesterfield leather couches, twinkle lights and Marais hipsters - what's not to love?

When we got there at 8:30, there were plenty of tables and we were seated right away - Copain thought I had chosen a dud restaurant because there were only about 3 tables of people actually eating.  But as soon as 9:30 rolled around - BOOM! The place was hoppin' - all three levels were full of groups who had finished their long apéritifs, rolling in for un diner au resto.

I got the brochette de St Jacques (scallop kabob) with rice and veggies and Copain got the tuna with rice. White wine and a shared café gourmand finished off the night. The scallops were divine, the white wine was too light (but that's our fault - we were cheap), and the café gourmand, though small, was actually just right (a tiny fondant au chocolat, tarte tatin and éclair au caramel). Our final bill was 61 Euros - so not cheap, but it felt like a real dinner out and not one of our everyday standbys.

Brochette de St Jacques in a white wine sauce

I love restaurants that get the ambiance part right!

I hear that Café Rouge has a great Sunday brunch with activities for kids (not that I have kids, but for you mamans out there who want to get brunchy with it but who don't have a nounou!)

Want to try out Café Rouge?

32 rue de Picardie

75003 Paris

Tel:  01 44 54 20 60

Metro: Temple (line 3)