It’s 8 in the evening, and you’re strolling by the beautiful Champs-Élysées, wondering where to grab a quick dinner. There are many cafés lined on the street, some popular American joints, a few snacking shops, and just then you see two well-dressed charming waiters inviting you to eat at their café – George V Café. Parisians greeting you with a smile – now that’s a rare sight. So we did what every other hungry tourist would do. Head right in. So, what’s George V Café all about? If you look to the right, you’ll see a fine dine air-conditioned place, and if you look to the left, it’s more of an open-air café, with a couple of tables right at the edge of the sidewalk. But obviously, we walked into the open-air café.

Here we saw a cosmopolitan audience having a great time. A few tables were taken by locals, a few by Americans. Young and old were taking respite from the shopping, while some, like the table next to us, had just settled for a post-work drink. Besides the food, the café is excellent for people watching. You can easily sit here with a glass of wine and write/sketch the scene in front of you. It was novel-like, if you know what we mean. The waiter had settled us in and was awaiting the order for food. We started our meal with a pint of Kronenbourg 1664, accompanied by a savoury little appetizer. There’s something utterly blissful about sipping chilled beer on an equally chilly Parisian evening. Now the next challenge was figuring what to eat. We scanned the menu for something interesting, but everything on it sounded so delicious, we were more than confused as to what to order. So we did the next best thing and asked the waiter to suggest their best dish. We cannot tell you how often asking for a recommendation has enhanced the dining experience, and this one was no different. He recommended the Magrets de Canard (Duck Breast) and what a dish that was! The Mrs. on the other hand opted for a Chèvre Penne Épinard (Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach). Her dish arrived with a side of yummy cheese, or as the waiter announced, “Cheese for the lady’s pasta”. The pasta was creamy, dressed with a dash of spinach and literally sprinkled with even more cheese. It was like a cheese-fest and the Mrs. couldn’t have been happier. One bite and it was so comforting. Like an old favourite with a dash of Parisian edge. Now coming back to the star dish of the evening, on my side of the table sat the most succulent duck I was ever going to have. Dressed up with open leaves around a sweet potato mash ball, it was the juiciest and most tender meat I’ve ever had. It was cooked to perfection and the flavours were nothing short of a tantalizing riot. There are some dishes that taste awesome in the first couple of bites, and then the novelty wears off. But with this duck, every bite had the same level of amazement and ‘mmmm’ going for it.

All in all, George V Café was a delightful experience. It wasn’t just the food. It was joy. It was happiness. It was about enjoying the hearty meal that leaves you satiated and fulfilled. If we had to pen down our evening in Paris, this sure would make for a memorable one.