10 Apr Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Outdoor Dining at MEET at Paris in Culver City with a friend

We cannot hop on a plane and fly to Europe. But when my friend tempted me by saying “Meet me in Paris”, I was intrigued. It has been more than one year since I have enjoyed a lunch out with friends. I have respected the request to stay home and isolate and have limited who I spend time with. And all that patience has paid off. I got my two vaccinations, waited two more weeks, and then it was time to meet a friend for lunch who I had not seen in more than a year. I used to eat out 3-5 times a week but this first time eating with a friend at a restaurant in LA in over a year was the highlight of my week and that is why my lunch MEET at Paris is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Serving classic French comfort food, Meet in Paris is a Paris bistro in Culver City. The restaurant is not new but for someone who has not been out to dine in over a year, everything felt new! The restaurant has expanded onto the sidewalk and into the street. They have set up covered seating and in the center is a colorful lounge on AstroTurf. The best part of the entire meal was seeing my friend and giving each other a huge hug! Even though we are both vaccinated, we are still being cautious and I loved how prepared the restaurant and the staff were. We sat down at our table, nicely spaced from other tables. A card was on the table with a QR code for us to pull up the menu on our phones. When we were ready, our server came over, fully masked and with a face shield on. I really appreciated this. As we had “met in Paris” we ordered two bowls of mussels and a loaf of bread (with butter). There are numerous ways to chose the preparation for the mussels, ranging from the classic “marinières” to unique preparations such as “Thai”, “Roquefort”, “Truffle and Mushroom, and “Lobster Bisque”, to name a few. We selected the classic Pastis for one order and the “Escargot” made with parsley, garlic snail butter, white wine, cream, and chives. To enjoy with our mussels, my friend brought a 2004 Chateau de Chantegrive from Bordeaux. Seventeen years old and that wine was absolutely gorgeous! We need to continue to keep safe but slowly life is moving towards normal and enjoying lunch with a dear friend was the highlight of my week!