Ah, Gay Paree! The gang of five here - wife and I on left, wife's cousin and husband on right with Agnes is in the middle, and her name is on the door because it's her restaurant.
My wife and I first went there when we were visiting friends in Paris, just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower. A few years later we were back in Paris with kith and kin, and we asked our ex-pat friends to join us there again.
Agnes's is quite small, seating maybe 20 if you tried real hard. Agnes is chef, owner, waitress, bus boy, hostess - the only employee of the restaurant. The menu is quite limited, and if you ask her what's good that day, take what she suggests. She's been to the markets and knows what's good. When in Agnes's, do as Agnes does.
Nearby was a table of Americans from Arizona, sort of a tour group led by a community college French teacher. Ugly Americans. We suggested she listen to Agnes, but noooo. She had to order from the menu and then request an array of substitutions. I guess she was trying to impress her posse. Then to add insult to injury, she asked Agnes to split the bill onto six different credit cards. That costs Agnes more money since there was a per use charge for her. We also tried to explain this to our neighbors to no avail.
Too bad for the ugly Americans. I don't think they enjoyed their dinner nearly as much as we did. Several times Agnes brought us (not them) special things to try - yum - at no charge. She knows who her good customers are and treats them well.
I am filled with wonderful memories and consider myself a fortunate man.
TGB
