CombatCritic's TravelValue™

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Paris, France: Quaint Restaurant In The Shadows Of Notre Dame

Au Bougnat
26 Rue Chanoinesse
75004 Paris, France
Near Cathedral Notre Dame De Paris - 4ème
Phone number +33 9 64 09 51 94
Website: aubougnat.com
Prices: €€€€

In the shadows, literally, of the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, you will find Au Bougnat, a small restaurant and bar with quaint charm and in a historic building. You enter the restaurant through the bar, entering the tiny dining room through a short, narrow passage in which you must bend at the waist in order to avoid bashing your noggin.

A three-course dinner will set you back a modest €29 (€24 for two courses). Starting with a 50cl blonde draft beer (€6.50) and a bottle of sparkling water (€7) while we waited for our friend to arrive, we then ordered from both the "Specials" and regular menu. Our server was very kind, spoke perfect English and was very attentive.

We were first brought a small, cold cauliflower soup to start our four course meal and it was delicious. For our entree (starter - €9 à la carte), I decided on the Oeuf Cocotte aux Escargots de Borgogne - eight snails sautéed in garlic butter and placed on a brioche then topped with a lightly poached egg - while my wife and her friend had the Gratinée á l'Oignon (French onion soup). My escargot were sublime, a term I rarely use, but very fitting in this case. The poached egg oozed its yoke as I cut into it, a preparation that would have made even Gordon Ramsey sing the chef's praises, and every bite was as good, if not better, than the last. The onion soup was slightly sweet and salty with plenty of sautéed onions and topped with a slice of bread and gooey, delightful, melted white cheese.

Both my wife and I ordered the plat (main course - €18 à la carte) Filet Mignon Roti, Risotto de Blè, Jus Rèduit and our friend the Entrecôte de Boeuf (350g), Pressè de Pomme de Terre, Sauce au Poivre Vert. Our center cut pork filets sat atop a generous serving of risotto while surrounded by a dark brown sauce reduced during the cooking of the pork. The pork was cooked perfectly and was very tender, the reduction light and savory, and the creamy risotto the perfect accompaniment ... YUM! Our friend's 12 ounce ribeye steak was topped with a creamy peppercorn sauce and accompanied by a crispy baked potato puree. The steak was huge and well cooked, the sauce delicious, and the potatoes very tasty.

For dessert (€8 à la carte), I went with the decadent Chocolate and Hazelnut Tart and my wife the Crème Brûlée while our friend decided to go with a much healthier green salad. My tart was delish, a creamy chocolate with chunks of hazelnut baked in a round tart shell and my wife's crème brûlée was very well done, creamy with a crispy sugar topping ... HOOAH!

The 2-course and 3-course meals are quite a bargain compared to ordering á la carte with a savings of €3 and €6 respectively, so that is definitely the way to go. I have to say that for the price, Au Bougnat is a terrific value, especially considering the fact that it is so close to tourist central. I was surprised that such a charming and delightful little restaurant could be found so near Notre Dame and am glad our friend suggested it ... MERCI BEAUCOUP!

CombatCritic Gives Au Bougnat 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

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CombatCritic's Travel Value: France

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Kennington, London, England: I May Be Olde, But I'm Not Lion ... This Place Sucks!

The Old Red Lion

42 Kennington Park Road

London SE11 4RS

United Kingdom

Tube: Kennington

Phone number +44 20 7735 4312

Website: theoldredlion.com

Prices: ££££

We were so rudely shooed away from an empty table by the bartender upon entry that I was about to leave. Unfortunately, I did not listen to my gut instinct and we stayed, very sorry that we did after the horrendous experience that ensued.

The other "available" tables were littered with spilt beer, empty glasses, and dirty plates, so we picked the least disgusting one, ordering an ale, a shandy, one Steak and Volden Ale Pie (£12 - $15.50) and one Ale Battered Haddock (£12 - $15.50). Arriving in due course, the steak and ale pie appeared decent, but my haddock looked atrocious - greasy, soggy, and burnt - so I returned it to the bartender, telling him that it was inedible. He offered to replace it, although I think he lied when he told me that there were no more steak and ale pies, so, being short on time, I ordered a simple Burger and Fries (£10.50 - $13.50) and told him to "keep the difference".

The Offensive Bartender

One Bite Was More Than Enough

Having missed two of our flights to London through no fault of our own, our luggage had been lost, forcing us to wear the same clothes for 4+ days straight. We had to be back at our Airbnb flat NLT 6PM to accept delivery of our finally found bags, having an early morning departure for Paris the next day. I waited and waited for the burger to arrive, but as it was going on 5:45PM and it was still nowhere in sight, I asked him if we could take it "to go". Frenchy refused to box the still nonexistent meal for me, so we had no choice but to leave, having paid nearly $16 for a meal I never ate. What a wanker!

Lucy

The sole highlight of the event (I cannot say "meal" because I did not eat) was a three-legged delight by the name of Lucy, a small black terrier that lost a leg to a Husky as a puppy. She was as sweet as she could be and the staff would be well served by taking some lessons from her.

CombatCritic Gives The Old Red Lion 1 Bomb Out Of 10 And A Spot On My "WALL OF SHAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!

One Bomb Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

Friday, November 9, 2018

Saluting America's Veterans - FREE Chow On Veteran's Day Weekend (2018)

Veterans and active duty military can eat free or at a substantial discount on Sunday and Monday (Veteran's Day) as follows:

Sunday

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill: Free meal from a special menu.

Back Yard Burgers: Free Back Yard Classic Burger.

Bertucci's: Free small cheese pizza Sunday and Monday.

Bob Evans: Free meal from a special menu available all day Sunday at all locations.

Bonefish Grill: Free Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer.

Buffalo Wild Wings: Free small order of traditional or boneless wings with a side of fries.

California Pizza Kitchen: Free meal from special menu.

Chipotle: Buy-one-get-one free deal.

Cicis: Free adult buffet.

Cracker Barrel: Free slice of Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake or a Crafted Coffee beverage.

Dunkin': Free doughnut.

Famous Dave's: Free two meat lunch combo.

Friendly's: Free Big-Two-Do breakfast or free All-American Burger meal for lunch or dinner.

Hooters: Free meal from a special menu.

Houlihan’s Restaurant + Bar: Free meal from special menu. The chain has a 15% military discount every day of the year.

Little Caesars: Free Hot-N-Ready lunch combo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Logan's Roadhouse: Free meal from special menu between 3 to 6 p.m.

LongHorn Steakhouse: Free appetizer or dessert.

McCormick & Schmick’s: Veterans choose a free meal from a list of 10 entrées.

Mimi's Cafe: Free meal from special menu.

MOD Pizza: Free MOD-size pizza or salad.

Olive Garden: Free meal from special menu.

Outback Steakhouse: Free Bloomin' Onion and non-alcoholic beverage - 10% off everyday.

Ponderosa and Bonanaza Steakhouses: Veterans can choose a free buffet and beverage or 50 percent off a menu item.

Red Lobster: Free appetizer or dessert.

Red Robin: Free Red’s Tavern Double burger with Bottomless Steak Fries.

Rock Bottom Restaurants & Breweries: Vets eat free Saturday through Monday.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill: Free Mom’s Ricotta Meatballs and Spaghetti entrée.

Ruby Tuesday: Free appetizer up to a $10.

Shake Shack: Free scoop of Shake Shack Custard.

Sizzler: Free lunch from special menu until 4 p.m.

Starbucks: Free tall coffee for any veteran, active duty military and military spouse.

Texas de Brazil: Two veterans dine for free - 20 percent off for up to six additional guests.

Texas Roadhouse: Free lunch from a special menu.

TGI Fridays: Free meal up to $12.

Wienerschnitzel: Free Chili Dog, small fries and a small drink.

White Castle: Free combo meal.

Monday

54th Street Grill: Free entree up to $12.

Acapulco: Free meal - 3pm until closing.

Benihana: Free appetizer with purchase of an entree.

Denny's: From 5 a.m. to noon - free Build Your Own Grand Slam.

El Torito and El Torito Grill: Complimentary meal.

Famous Dave's: Free two meat lunch combo Sunday and Monday.

Golden Corral: Free dinner buffet with beverage from 5 to 9 p.m.

HMSHost: Free Budweiser BBQ Cheddar Burger at participating HMSHost-operated airport restaurants.

IHOP: Free Red, White and Blue pancakes or a patriotic pancake combo.

Joe’s Crab Shack - 20% Off

Ponderosa and Bonanaza Steakhouses: Veterans can choose a free buffet and beverage or 50 percent off a menu item.

Red Lobster: Free appetizer or dessert.

Rock Bottom Restaurants & Breweries: Vets eat free Saturday through Monday.

Shoney’s: Free All-You-Care-To-Eat breakfast bar - 6 to 11 a.m.

Texas de Brazil: Two veterans dine for free - 20 percent off for up to six additional guests.

White Castle: Free combo meal.

* Information aggregated from various websites, including USAToday.com, Military.com, and MilitaryWallet.com

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