Few things are more exciting for a British student than an all you can eat menu. You pay your ten pounds, settle down for the long haul, and try to consume what seems like your body weight in Chinese, Indian or Italian food. It’s brilliant and never disappoints. Even if the food is awful, the satisfaction gleaned from having eaten more than you paid for is consolation enough. Along with pubs, clubs, shots and throwing up in the gutter, it is a staple part of the great British night out.
Not surprising then that all you can eat menus are rare in France, and, just like a packet of Fruit Pastilles you buy from WH Smiths on Rivoli (not because you wanted them, but just because they were there), when stumbled upon they are a fond reminder of life back home. It was to my delight then that I discovered Sashimi Bar, just behind the Pantheon in the 5th. It sounded too good to be true, but for €16.80 you can truly eat as much as you want: prawns, noodles, brochettes, maki, temaki, the list goes on. The wine is cheap too, €4 for a demi-litre.
Go there and eat and eat and eat. Order everything, get drunk on cheap wine and live the gastronomical dream. You’ll feel sick afterwards (it’s a lot of raw fish in one go), lie in bed, think you’ve got food poisoning, curse your greediness and swear never to do it again. But one day soon afterwards you’ll walk past a Sushi restaurant with a €14 menu for 8 maki and a soup and the bug will bite. You’ll want to go back and you will – it’ll only be a matter of time.
Sashimi Bar
4 rue des Fossés St. Jacques
75005
Menu à volonté uniquement le soir
