THE PLACE: We spent most of our time in Bordeaux in the historic Old Town or the trendy Chartrons District. It wasn’t until the last night that we wanted a low-key meal not far from our hotel and so we wandered over to the area surrounding the Basilica St. Michel. That’s where we discovered a local spot called Le Passage Saint Michel, a cozy affordable old-school brasserie with all the expected dishes and a fairly priced prix-fixe menu.
THE MENU: Nothing fancy here, but all the dishes we tried (steak tartare, smoked salmon plate, goat cheese salad) were solid. Service might have been brusque, but we had a great time (not to mention some very nice local Bordeaux wines). There’s even a kid’s menu where the little ones get smaller portions of just about anything on the menu to expand their growing palates.
THE DISH: Surprisingly, we were all most impressed by the dessert options. My wife’s creme brûlée was memorable, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the Baba au Rhum. The classic cake was airy and doughy with a vile of sweet rum awaiting injection. It was just the right amount of booziness and it balanced the sweetness. The homemade whipped cream could have been dessert on its own but served as a beautiful accompaniment to this memorable meal’s grand finale. Price: 7.40 EUR
| LE PASSAGE SAINT MICHEL |
| 14 Place Canteloup, Saint Michel Bordeaux, France +333556912030 |
| lepassagesaintmichel.fr |
