European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 24, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine follow the Jolly Green semis a Lisa Rivard by Polly Clingerman a four course meal in France including wine and Coffee for under fifty francs about nine dollars yes. And not just in one out of the Way impossible to find spot. In fact if you Are Alert you can Careen through la Belle France indulging in riotous gluttony on the Small change rattling in your pocket. Well almost. We stumbled onto this incredible secret one cold rain driven noon in Rouen. Noon meals Are a tyranny in France because no matter How piteous your plea restaurants close their doors and their hearts at 1 30 Sharp. A wet ill wind was blowing when we pulled off the autoroute onto Rouen s Quai Cavelier de la Salle but this wind blew Good. It was after one our stomachs were crying eat. We promised each other that we would grab the first restaurant we hit. No walking from menu to menu in search of the perfect meal. We were in Luck. Our part of the Quai was lined with Small restaurants. We stopped at an expanse of steamy window and looked in on Long tables jammed with men Tough looking men with thick necks and bulging forearms and tattoos. Our resolve wobbled. I Don t see any women i muttered. The next presented the same scene. And the next. The minute hand was descending. Cold water dripped Down our necks. When we reached the last restaurant exotically named the London bar John gave the door a push and we plunged into warm yellow Light. The Buzz of male voices and knives on crockery replaced the swish of rain. Our adventure with Les relays routers had begun. Behind the bar the proprietor s wife called out Bon Jour. The diners looked up eyed us disinterest edly and returned to the business of eating. Women were obviously not an exotic Here. Later we would often see women in the routers restaurants. Madame pointed to two empty places at a table for six which held bottles of red Vin Ordi Naire of water and a huge Basket of crusty bread. A slate above the bar listed the Day s menu hours d oeuvres of your Choice then Rabbit in casserole beef braised Ham Toulouse sausages with lentils cold roast pork with Mayonnaise. These came with a Choice of two vegetables. Then came cheese fruit dessert Coffee. Price 48 francs. Forty eight francs our croissants and Coffee that morning had Cost 26 francs each. We shucked our wet Coats. Things were looking up. Our smiles broadened As we heaped our plates at the Long hours d oeuvre table these Are Standard at routers restaurants. Back at the table i scribbled Down what it contained two kinds of head cheese one with a creamy Vinaigrette ladled Over it cold crumbed pig s feet in Gelee bowls of grated carrots diced beets celery Root cucumbers cooked potatoes each dressed with the House s creamy Vinaigrette. Platters of coarse country Pate sardines Salami cer Velat sausage hard cooked egg. And finally a wine bottle filled with More Vinaigrette to slosh on at will. For 48 francs we hesitated dubious and plunged in. Of my. We cleaned our plates and mopped up the last drop of Vinaigrette in that rare mood when you know you re on a Roll and dread seeing the next course for fear it will break the spell. We turned our attention to our fellow diners. One of the delights of routers restaurants is the human landscape. These Hearty souls Don t look like one s idea of the sophisticated palate but they take their food seriously. Next to us a Tough looking customer peaceably attended to his Rabbit in casserole methodically opening the Bones with a Swiss army knife to extract the succulent marrow. Later that summer in a similar restaurant i saw a big Bruiser remove a Lemon slice from a Platter of grated carrots drop it into his Glass and fill the Glass with wine and a splash of water. Voila a drink suited to the Balmy Day. Madame plunked Down our main course generous and steaming. My beef Burgundy was perhaps a Shade chewy but Rich and Herby and i swished up every bit of the dark Brown Gravy with my bread. John s braised Ham a succulent half Inch slice from the leg was bathed in a delicious Pale Golden sauce. I asked Madame what Flavoured the sauce and she looked at me As though i had asked what fruit one put in Apple tart. One Cooks Ham in Madeira of course. Madame was t still for a minute. She ran out main courses juggled platters among the filled tables joked with her clients. She changed our plates and handed us the cheese Platter from a neighbouring table. I counted a Good six cheeses Gouda Pont i Eveque Bleu two Goat cheeses and a Camembert. The cheese went and she presented a tray with a Choice of fresh fruit flans or chocolate mousse. I Shook my head. Consternation. Would i prefer ice Cream Yogurt i finally took an Apple to make her feel better. John cleaned up his chocolate mousse and finished with a tiny cup of express. At the bar when we presented our 96 francs a modest $16the proprietor stunned us by saying no no Only 93. Madame took no  great Scott. We left the restaurant and crossed to lean Over the Quai Wall. Along the River below stretched a vast parking area filled with trucks and semis. Our great discovery was a truck Stop. On our Way Back to the car we noted that each of those Quai restaurants bore a Bright red White and Blue disc beside its name marked with the words Les routers. We took note. Now when we travel through France As noon approaches we watch for the cheerful disks. They Haven t let us Down yet. A few comments on enjoying these restaurants Les relays routers to use their formal name when you enter get the proprietor s Eye. Sometimes someone hurries up and shakes your hand As they do at Jean Yves & Annick another of the Rouen Quai restaurants. In any Case someone will Point out a place for you. The language will pose less problem than at the usual French restaurant because there is no menu and the informality of the places make things easy. The first course is almost always an hours d oeuvres Buffet. As for the main course if you can t make out what is written on the blackboard usually above the bar look around at what others Are eating an decide what looks Good. In a place like this you can Point when the server asks you without fear of making a spectacle of youself. From ten on you re in free. Everything else is brought for you choose and help yourself. In All the routers restaurants we have patronized you pay at the bar As you leave. Finally Here is something we Learned Long after that first Gleeful discovery there is actually a yearly guide Des relays routers available in most bookshops in France. An English language editon is available from routers limited 354 Fulham Road London sw109uh. However we get along just Fine without the guide. By keeping our eyes open it is amazing How steadily the routers discs crop up. They Are usually located on major highways but never the autoroute and occasionally on Little yellow and White secondary ones. We were told that when truckers get tired of moving on they remember a stretch of Road that had no stopping place and with the wife set up a restaurant there. Which explains the often surprising locations. If you re into food if two Small pieces of this fanned artfully above four curled shreds of that on a very Large plate do not set your taste buds a Tingle if your budget is slim like most of ours these Days follow the Jolly Green Semi when it stops at the red White and Blue disc marked Les  in France the old Folk Wisdom is True the truckers know where to eat. Polly Clingerman is an american freelance writer now living in Greece. Friday february 24, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13