Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Ici Urban Bistro

This relatively informal restaurant in the Hotel Sofitel provided what I wanted -- a place downtown that's easy to get in and out of but civilized enough to have a conversation. I was meeting an old friend from London who wanted to grab a quick bite before catching his flight and, since we were in Paris together, this French-type place filled the bill.

That said, I don't think I'd go here for the food. The menu was quite limited and it may be that both the ingredients and preparation are fresh but it would be hard to prove it by my baked red snapper, which was a tad overdone and not the freshest fish I've had lately (for instance, not nearly as fresh as the snapper I had at the Big Fish Grill just the week before).

The wine was good. My friend ordered it, so not sure what it was beyond that it was a crisp French white. The ambiance was pleasant enough, though it couldn't help feeling like International Hotel in the middle of anywhere. Le Bar next door is very popular and the foot traffic outside at the busy intersection of 15th and H supplied a certain energy and bustle.

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