Buttes Chaumont is off the tourist beat but the park is one of the most interesting in Paris.  Brasserie Napoleon is just by the main entrance to the park and across the square from the Mairie of the 19th arrondissement.

Escapope de veau Milanese, penne arribiata/civet de lapin with tagliatelli in a wonderful sauce.

Tarte de pomme fine/tarte tatin.  The kitchen has a good touch and the tarte tatin would have been good enough for the village of Lamotte Beuvron, the home of this dish.

This is a new Italian restaurant on rue du Douai, just off Place de Clichy.  It had only been open 15 days and is somewhat in the style of  La Botega in Ottawa – it is a place where you can purchase foods as well as eat.  Because of its location it will attract mainly  customers from the area and  the place was full both times we visited for lunch.

We were given a spritz and a plate of pizza squares to start.  We then chose a plate from the cold appetizers.  These were excellent and included artichoke, eggplant, small sweet onions, sundried tomatoes, small peppers stuffed with tuna, rice with zucchini and tomato wrapped around it – all liberally doused in olive oil.  For a main course we let the chef prepare a plate for the two of us which consisted of ravioli stuffed with tuna, pepper stuffed with ground meat and with cheese on top and pasta.  The pasta was cooked al dente and the whole meal was excellent.  We had a bottle of prosecco to go with it.

We were greeted as old friends by the staff and were pleased to see that the two ladies, with the small dog, who were there last New Year's Eve, had already taken their table and installed the dog underneath on the floor.  It turns out that they live close and are regulars throughout the year.  The dog behaved itself very well and only came out from under the table a couple of times when it became bored.

We had the table d’hote de St. Sylvestre, starting with a bottle of George Vaisselle champagne from Bouzy and changing briefly to half a bottle of Chateau Bellerose Figeac, St. Emillion grand cru for the venison.

Amuse gueules

Escalope de veau de canard aux figues (wonderful sauce)

Parfait glace mandarine et feuilles de chocolate

The metro was free both getting there and back.  Even though we had to change at St. Lazarre, the journey both ways was very quick (about 20 minutes) even though we had to go right across the city.

This is the second time we have been here for New Year’s Eve (also twice for lunch).  It is tucked away on the rue de la Gaite which was a location for Music Halls and clubs – similar to the Pigalle. This street has seen better days.  It still has lots of small theatres and sex strip shows but this restaurant seems to be able to keep going as a local restaurant.  The people who come here know about it and keep coming back.