July 16th, 2005 | The lowdown by Josh Gowin

Dining near Les Halles. Restaurant La Fresque.

I had the opportunity to visit Paris for Bastille Day and I certainly didn't want to let this opportunity slip through my fingers. The day after I took the Metro to Chatêlet with friends to enjoy some artwork at the Centre Pompidou, and afterwards we strolled over to Les Halles for dinner. If you came to Paris to get some quality shopping done, my girl friends informed me that Les Halles serves as a great venue for all your purchasing needs. I must admit that it looked classy from the outside. You can see your reflection no matter which way you look at it. So, after looking at some gory images of war, misshapen bodies, and strange bleeding objects (all the rage in modern art), our appetites couldn't have been satiated by a mere crêpe from a street vendor. We found a quaint restaurant called La Fresque directly across from Les Halles (this way we could see the reflection of our food....almost).

As a vegetarian, I haven't found France to be extremely accommodating, but La Fresque does have some wonderful options for carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores alike. The menu appealed to both myself and my dining friend, so we took a seat on the terrace. I liked the bush surrounding the patio for a few reasons. It gave the restaurant a sense of closure even outside, which struck me as unique. The shrubbery is just tall enough to shield you from the eye contact of every pedestrian passing by, but low enough so that you can still see everything going on outside the restaurant. Additionally, it adds a nice ambiance to the meal to have the vibrance provided by the plant. So, to begin our refection, we shared an aubergin tonic, and I found it exquisite on my palette. The subtle aroma and sweet, but savory flavor mixed well with my Cabernet. The spices gave it an Eastern feel well.

For my entrée, I ordered the Torte aux Legumes, and I don't hesitate to tell you that I found it to be the most authentic and most delicious French cuisine I've encountered in France. The onions, potatoes, and crust made a supple consistency and I couldn't wait to get to the next bite. Also, I experience Beets frappée for the first time as well. It has the same texture as mashed potatoes, except of course the main ingredient is the beet, not the potato. My friend tried the Canard au Miel and he assured me that, though it was his first time eating duck, he would recommend it to anyone who asked. Also, La Fresque felt authentic because of the seating. We sat in the middle of a table set for 8 and had a couple of Parisian ladies on one side and a British couple on the other. I think anyone looking for a nice, affordable meal in this area of town would enjoy La Fresque.