Quick dining at the Relais de l'Entrecôte

I had not really wanted to linger after our meal, but we found that the Relais de l'Entrecôte does not lend itself to that type of slow dining anyway. If you're looking for the kind of place where a midday lunch turns into a late afternoon, and a bottle of wine disappears long before the conversation ends - try some place else. The service is efficient - think conveyor belt efficiency. You wait -inside if you're early but most likely outside - in a winding long queue, to be seated so you can have a salad, their famous entrecôte and pomme allumettes - string fries. That's the sum of the menu.

Our order,  on the paper tablecloth.

It makes for quick ordering because once the drinks orders are taken, the only decisions to be made are about how you want your steak done; saignant - medium rare, à point - medium, or in our case as we were dining with children; bien cuite - well done. The orders are simply scribbled on the paper tablecloth, and the waitress that comes around with the platter of steak and fries serves up the table as per the scribblings on the tablecloth.
It had a loud, raucous and animated atmosphere. A combination of the constant movement of diners coming and going; the very efficient waitresses - dressed in their black and white waitress outfits - moving about replenishing plates; or maybe it was just a Saturday afternoon, with everybody feeling relaxed and at home, and nobody using their inside voices.

The healthiest part of the meal

It was a great deal of fun though. Just as we were finishing off our salad, our waitress was already making space for our main meal; rib steak, in a rich, delicious sauce and fries. The first serving was replenished before we had even finished. It really is fast food. It was a lot of red meat for one meal - but well worth it.
After we'd eaten, we felt no real need to linger - not to mention the fact that there had already been two seatings on either side of us in the time we'd sat down.
We passed on their very extensive dessert menu - after their two servings we were more than satisfied.
Although they have a telephone number listed, Le Relais de l' Entrecôte does not take reservations. There are five restaurants in Paris - we tried the one on rue Marbeuf in the 8th. It was an experience I had been looking forward to and it didn't disappoint.

The rib steak, in their "famous sauce".