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rue les Petites Ecuries, Paris, June 9, 2010—

CALLED A COUPLE of old friends today to see if they were free for lunch: yes, and they'd take us to a place they knew, a real restaurant branché — meaning a trendy but authentic, low-key, comfortable, neighborhood place, up-to-date but solidly within the tradition of the Parisian restaurant du quartier, neighborhood restaurant.

There we met the proprietor, who used to live in San Francisco where she ran the South Park Café and Le Mistral in San Francisco. She greeted Lindsey enthusiastically; she's a fan of Chez Panisse; she has Lindsey's book.

It is indeed a wonderful place. We had a taste of Philippe's foie gras, made in house, succulent and lean (if that's possible), pink and healthy, with a delicious raisin-mustard confit; then went on to a cool salad of fèves with shallots, dressed with argan oil, a very special flavor. Then I had a fine steak of tuna "à la Panama," with cucumbers sautéed in sesame oil. A fine, enterprising, imaginative cook here, choosing ingredients wisely from the global marketplace. Sophisticated; nutritious; entertaining; surprising. I like it.

Rosé de Provence in carafe

Restaurant Laiterie Sainte Clotilde, 64 rue de Bellechasse, Paris; tel. +33 (0)1.45.51.74.61