Day Six: Dinner: Restaurant Polidor

One of the restaurants dismissed during the anniversary dinner research was one recommended by Frommers but described as more of a classic drinking house of days gone by. It prides itself on not accepting credit cards since it opened in 1845. It is a favorite haunt of French professors due to the lower prices, or perhaps due to the minimal sanitation facilities (the "bathroom" is a hole in the floor).



Restaurant Polidor has been operating since 1845 and, although not pictured here, it appears some of the original staff are still waiting tables. Much like the famous Van Wert, Ohio, venue (perhaps they are sister restaurants?) Polidor is primarily staffed by lovely old ladies of few words.

Seating is bench style using the "pack 'em in" seating methodology. This means you know precisely what your neighbor has for dinner and what they plan on doing afterward. One of our dinner companions was a professor at a French preparatory school, with side consulting gigs with every type of engineering company in france I could think of. He designed brake systems for Renault, waste disposal systems for nuclear reactors and guidance systems for the French air force (I only made one of those up). He was a very interesting guy who almost did not talk to us because we ordered the Boeuf Bourguignon and he was looking for Americans to talk to (Americans never order beef, didn't you know). We learned all about the French educational system and about cross-Atlantic relationships (his girlfriend works in Boston). He also heartily recommends Legal Seafood, if you get to Boston. :)

So it was a tired crew who walked the eight meters back to our hotel from dinner, thinking of doing the Louvre on Friday. I see a theme developing here...