Auberge Nicolas Flamel, Paris

This is NOT your snooty "French" restaurant. It's on a back street (look hard to find the door), and feels as old inside as it really is. The "Wine Cellar" is a real cellar -- our waitress had to lift the trapdoor to get down to the wine cellar. Menu written on a black board and a parchement the waitress brings around. Absolutely nothing pretentious here, and our "not a word of French" group did not feel the legendary Parisian rudeness either, even though nobody there spoke a word of English.

We had the leg of lamb, complete with the distinctly French white-beans side dish, and a pitcher of a very nice Beaujolais. I've paid more here in the states for a fancy burger and beer than that meal cost us. For those who want it, there's also a higher price "gourmet" menu, but as good as our "ordinarire" was, who wants the fancier stuff? For that we'll seek out a place with a Michlen star or two.

This is an experience that the stereotype "ugly American" tourist will not enjoy, and I hope none of those types ever find their way to this out-of-the-way place. It's too French. If you're not comfortable with different ways of doing things, don't go here, but if you want a genuine "auberge" meal, it's one I still remember 20 years after we were there in 1984.