La Fontaine de Mars, Paris

 Fontaine de Mars Watercolor 

I dreamed my dog ate at La Fontaine de Mars, original art

I dreamed my dog ate at La Fontaine de Mars 75007 with President Obama and First Lady Michelle on Saturday night.

Yes it's true. The President and his wife had a date nite at a bistro just around the corner from me on 129, Rue Saint-Dominique.

I used to pass it at least once a day but I was saving my centimes for macarons so I never entered - dommage.

Getting ready here for the President's visit? The nappery is distinctly checkered as it should be in any good Parisien bistro.

Yahoo.fr reports the Obamas ate classic bistro fare:
Au menu : foie gras, gigôt d'agneau et ile flottante

You can choose something else if you prefer.

This handy little guide book suggests there are few vrais bistros left. I picked it up first in Paris and then found the English version here..

The 51 true bistros inside have the obligatory zinc or wood bar, daily specials on the chalkboard, small dining rooms, husband in the kitchen, wife up front. Usually the dishes on offer are regional, native to the owner's home and wines are from small vineyards preferably nearby. This whole series of small Paris guides is worth collecting.

I grabbed a shot of the La Fontaine's red checked nappery while passing by. Who knew it would become world famous?

Should you decide you want to do up your dining room Bistro style, Boutique Sabre will have all the appropriate gear.

They have a number of shops in Paris.

And should you decide you want to cook like a Normandie grandmere, look on Amazon.fr for this facsimile cookbook

BONJOUR LUNDI!