Traditional Easter lunch at La Societé, St.Germain-des-Prés

Not quite a traditional Easter Sunday lunch, but it was for us in that coming here has become something of a tradition.
My family is fairly loyal to restaurants that are consistent in their quality of food and service.  Four years later, and one of our favourite restaurants still remains La Societé in St. Germain-des-Prés. It is by the brothers Costes and has the exactly same menu, and clientèle as L'Avenue on avenue Montaigne. For drinks we are equally faithful to Bar Costes in Hotel Costes on rue St. Honoré.
You'd probably walk past La Societé in winter- when the only indicator that there may be a restaurant hidden away in the random building is the valet parking sign. It's discreetly tucked away in what I think is a law office building. During the week, the crowd is the fairly staid and serious type, and over the weekend it's the hip and fashionable. But is is always laid back and unpretentious.
Decor is dark and austere perhaps - dark wood and leather chairs, but the service is always friendly, the staff young and energetic, and the food does not disappoint. We love it for that. Today, not in any mood to rustle up a traditional Easter lunch we went for lunch, and I realised that in all the years we have been in France, it's one of the restaurants which I really like that I have not yet written about.

From their starter menu, there are the vegetable spring rolls, that my children always share; a couer de salmon - which I have seen they have now taken off the menu -  but in its place they now have a new-style salmon sashimi starter. A lighter version to the smoked salmon sashimi that was served up with crème fraîche and blinis I suppose. It is always a combination of their crispy mandarin duck with potatoe purée, their chilli sea bass curry - delightful citrusy fish with chilli and coriander, or their lobster pasta. We are consistently boring that way sometimes. The menu is very wide and varied though, and with their Spring menu, there is now an addition of their lobster spring rolls, carrot and ginger juices and even vegetable soup.

Dessert is always a must, and like the rest of their menu, it too is equally varied. From plain vanilla ice cream, to a tarte fine loaded with apples and the size of a dinner plate! The terrace was open today, but with the below ten degree temperature - it was fairly empty. In summer, the terrace is the best place to be, and reservations are a must.

La Societé
4 Place Saint-Germain des Prés
75006 Paris
01 53 63 60 60

Ravioli de crevettes

Chilli Sea Bass

Mandarin crispy duck

That purée which tastes more of butter and cream than of potatoes

Tarte fine, served with salted caramel

Cheesecake