This popular French eatery has become one of our fav places to dine in recent times. Right next door to MOULIN where we have enjoyed a number of delicious meals over the years. Hats off to Laurent the charismatic owner who has achieved a rare combo of very good food, great coffee, fabulous service and relaxing vibe at an affordable price. On Sunday my wife and I jumped on our eBikes and rode to the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve via the San Diego Creek Bicycle Path ( 9.2 miles ).
We took a detour at around 1pm to the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center and asked an employee about recent sightings of a Bald Eagle. We used the bathrooms and headed to our next stop . . . lunch at MOULIN or bouillon MOULIN. It was crazy busy ( as always ) at MOULIN when we arrived around 1.30pm. Initially we thought we might score a table on their huge outdoor patio ( no indoor dining ) but it was just too packed out. I walked inside bouillon MOULIN next door and the lovely hostess Sophie greeted me with her million watt smile. At the same time a person I recognized at the bar turned around and said . . I’m not here ! It was Laurent the owner sharing a little inside joke about my passion for meeting the owners of restaurants we love to patronize.
And I do love to meet the people who drive a successful business ! I told Laurent that MOULIN was so busy we will have to eat here. IT’S ALL GOOD ! I headed back outside to my wife minding our eBikes so we could park them outside bouillon MOULIN. Sophie the sweet hostess offered us a table outside near our bikes but I said we would prefer inside at our fav spot just inside the front door. THANK YOU ! Laurent the owner immediately popped over to say hi to my wife and have a quick chat with us.
We watched as Laurent happily worked the whole dining room stopping at every table to welcome his guests. And then he was gone . . off to another of his restaurants to spread comfort and cheer. Jeremie our fav server looked after us like royalty from the get-go . . a well made double shot Latte for me and something smaller like a Cortado for my wife. Out came the huge serve of COMPLIMENTARY WARMED UP FRESH BAKED ARTISAN BREAD and dollops of butter.
We have tried something new every visit here..not that the menu is huge but everything is very well executed. SO TODAY ! My wife liked the sound of the TARTINE DE CHEVRE CHAUD Appetizer ( Warm goat cheese, over toasted baguette, drizzled with honey and walnuts, green salad ) and we both agreed on the COQ AU VIN Entree ( Braised chicken legs, bacon, pearl onions, carrot puree, and green peas served in red wine sauce ). My rich tasting latte was just what I needed and we couldn’t leave the scrumptious warmed up fresh baked baguette alone. YUMMO ! New diners just kept rolling in the door and the ever courteous hostess Sophie made them all feel right at home.
Our Tartine de Chèvre Chaud arrived and tasted very pleasant . . gotta love goat cheese ! We polished that off pretty fast just in time for our Coq au Vin to hit the table. The incredibly tender chicken meat literally jumped off the bone as I forked it. VERY DELICIOUS ! For dessert we decided to share a TARTE AUX POMMES ( Apple tart, caramel drizzle, salted caramel ice cream ) which was more than a delightful finish to our very enjoyable lunch visit !
