Eating French

Gaulart & Maliclet is a small cafe at 98 Broad Street in Charleston, SC and would be easy to pass by if you were in a hurry. My wife and I remembered the quaint restaurant from our honeymoon two years previous and enjoyed it enough to dine there again on our 2nd anniversary trip. We walked in, sat down and waited patiently for our waitress to come and take our order, all the while keenly aware of the laid back atmosphere, part of the reason we enjoy it so much. Our meal came out in due time and we casually savored our soups and sandwiches and finished whenever we were done. The food was not over-seasoned, but rather just subtle enough to appreciate the flavors.

Now if this dining scenario seems quite different from what you are used to, it might be because we were dining at a French restaurant. I have learned from my wife, who has spent 6 weeks in France, that the scene I just described is the norm rather than the exception for the French people.

So say what you will about the French, but I would much rather enjoy my meal at my leisure than scarf it down in the fast-food style we do as Americans. Now if only I could remember to slow down whenever I am not on vacation.

Eating French, Charleston, SC