Can Charm Overcome Bad

I pride myself on: (1) reviewing new places that others have only barely or not yet discovered, (2) eating out everyday no matter “snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night,” from the (3) viewpoint of a curmudgeonly/contrarian/geezer who has seen it all.  But occasionally, even I am surprised and have to do a double-take.  Setting: A dreary French weekend when there are the usual poor choices on Sunday for lunch.  Context: Strike paralyzing or at least gumming up the city.  Drive: Gotta eat out; gotta get out; gotta act like the cheminots aren’t winning – retire at 50, are they kidding?  American reference to strike issue at stake: As a former brilliant boss of mine famously said “You can easily give folks benefits, but you cannot take them away.”  Decision-making process: Consult the Ouija board, the entrails and if all else fails – Figaroscope.  Final result: Go to the 3rd resto of the famed Toulousian place J’Go (aka Gigot) and start from the terminus of the #4 Metro line so I can get on the darned train.  Arrive: 35 minutes early.  Welcome: warm, extremely warm, nice, welcoming, exceptional.  Seated: or more correctly instooled at a barrel facing too many chalkboards of grignottes, tartines, ham plates, prepared dishes, wines and desserts as well as take-out meats.   First intimation of trouble: There are no roasts on the menu (carte) whereas these are the heart of the deal at their other places.  Oh sure, there is a lamb curry, a brochette of cold lamb and lots of cold meals – but I came for J’Go’s emblematic dish – the Gigot d’Agneau, especially on a cold, dreary Sunday afternoon.  Second hint: Chatting up my charming serveuse, she indicates that they’ve only been open 6 weeks and don’t yet have “permission” to use the ovens/rotisseries/whatever to do roasts.  So while the first course was good but a bit bizarre temperature-wise, eg hot piquillos stuffed with warm + cold confit de canard, the second was practically inedible (a sausage of their famous black pork cut into three slices which were reheated in a microwave oven) and the cheese, a named brebis, was while good when at room-temperature 7 hours later, insupportable when straight from the frigo.  But all the while, the wait-staff was charming and warm and wonderful and the clientele equally so.  Indeed, the whole experience was charming.  Charming: Location Setting Décor Staff Clientele  Except: The food.  So Bottom Line Question: Can charm overcome bad/cold/microwaved food?  As the lawyers say –  “Res Ipsa Loquitur.”   * last meal November 18, paid in full.  My favorites during the strike have already been given.  ©2007 John A. Talbott