Le Baron Rouge wine bar is a jumping part of the Marché d’Aligre scene, especially on weekends when it’s wall-to-wall people inside with lines and crowds outside. We were there on a Sunday and could barely squeeze through the mass of people to reach the zinc bar and order a glass of wine. It was soon apparent that the Baron Rouge ‘drill’ involves having one member of your party fight their way to the bar for wine, while another person stands in line outside for plates of raw oysters and French bread and another tries to grab a surface to use as a table for the wine glass and plate. Outside the bar, a man shucks oysters faster than you think possible. Watching him I worried about his poor digits getting sliced.
We did manage to find a classic Baron Rouge eating surface: the top of a garbage can. Others used a stack of crated bottles or the top of a parked car as a table. We vowed to return on a less popular day, and examine the wines more closely. Also, we’re coming back with empty bottles because you’re able to fill them from their wooden barrels and casks of fine wine. But it was a treat to experience the full Baron Rouge experience. The crowds were affable and they chatted amiably with strangers sharing their garbage can while an accordionist played and mingled amidst happy customers.
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Save me a spot @ your garbage can next time you go.
Posted by: Stut | March 14, 2006 at 06:06 PM
Tut, are you staying clear of the riots? Am a little worried, take care, sheri
Posted by: Sheri Jadrnicek | March 19, 2006 at 04:09 PM