John Talbott

Actually, with all due respect and caution as to false accusations, the staff is not the same. Same numbers but strikingly less polished, at least a month ago. My dining partner, who has spent 10 years in the Food Biz, said one way Senderens was able to go from 400 E to 100 E a person was by down-skilling the staff (well, that's not the word she used, but you get the point).

Far be it for me to explain why this happened but I can say that twice in the past week (I'll be posting stuff over the weekend) at swank places with largely French businessmen, the stuff flew in and out of the kitchen. Now that was at lunch and even F Simon talks about how quickly one can/should get fed a business lunch but at dinner it should not be that way. Yesterday I had to tell the wait staff at Gaborieau-Pergolese the same thing; I'm in no hurry; and still the rush-rush went on.

I've only been once but I don't see why not.

I am pretty sure I saw something on French TV that said sturgeon were greatly over-harvested and endangered in several areas and Googling it found this article in the NYT by Cornelia Dean about 6 weeks ago (Oct 29) entitled "U.S. Broadens Ban on Caviar to Include Black Sea Basin." My guess then is that it's a conservation rather than a health issue.

When we still lived in New York, my wife, Colette, and I were dining with Italian friends/colleagues in a loft in Milan where the trilingual discuzione got so hot and heavy over everything from grappa to Giorgione that we looked at each other and mouthed - "just like New York." To get back on topic, I've had similar discussions in France, but never in a restaurant and never quite so passionate and loud as in Italy or NY.

The Week of December 5th, 2005 Monday, A Nous Paris’s Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 blocks to the wine bar Vin Chai Moi, coordinates already given, which he essentially terms a safe haven in this (20th) neighborhood; meanwhile Jerome Berger gave 3/5 blocks as well to La Cave est Restaurant, ditto coordinates, where wine and food are equally well represented. In Wednesday’s Zurban, Sebastien Demorand devoted his major photo and space but only a lukewarm reception to a new Pourcel (his calculation their 52nd) resto – Sens, 23, rue do Ponthieu in the 8th, 01.42.25.95.00, serving “chic junk-food” for 50 E a la carte and a 18E lunch formula. {Editor’s Note: I went by yesterday and like the Atelier de JR, you have the sense of trying to look into a limo with one-way mirrored windows, although the photos of the inside show bright, trendy furniture.} His “Casserole” places were the bistro Les Fils de la Ferme, 5, rue Mouton-Duvernet in the 14th, 01.45.39.39.61, closed Sunday and Monday, menu-carte at 26E, where he had a mostly successful meal for the price (pate, scallops with a superb puree of cauliflower and an enormous portion of Munster) and the Italian place Innamorati in the 3rd. But, also in Zurban, whose cover announced “30 secret addresses,” Demorand asked ten chefs to list their favorite resto, wine bar and store; they are as follows: Bruno Doucet (Regalade), Ambassadeurs, Papilles, Planete fruits Benoit Bordier (Chez Jean), Mon Viel Ami, Coteaux du 9e, Couteau d’Argent Sylvain Sendra (Temps au Temps), Baratin, Cave de l’insolite, Idea Vino Bertrand Bluy (Papilles), Comtoir du Relais, Cave des Papilles, Cap Hispania Viveka Sandklef (l’Indigo Square), Tagawa, Ma cave, Mon Petit boucher Rodolphe Paquin (Repaire de Cartouche), Paul-Bert, Auge, Patisserie Demoulin Gilles Choukroun (Angl’Opera), Chez Jean, Lavinia, Izrael Christophe Beaufort (l’Avant Gout), Cerisaie, Avant-Gout cote cellier, Boucherie St-Medard Flora Mikula (Flora), AOC, Café du Passage, Tang Freres Christian Etchebest (Le Troquet), Lou Mazuc, Guy Jeunemaitre, Beau & Bon This week’s Figaroscope’s “C’est nouveau” awarded 2/4 hearts to three places. In pole position (photo and blurb) was the {6th place by my reckoning} chic and elegant restaurant opened two weeks ago by the Coutanceau family of La Rochelle (2 macarons, 4 knives & forks) Le Cou de la Giraffe, 7, rue Paul-Baudry in the 8th, 01.56.88.29.55, closed Sat lunch and Sundays, 39 E and 45 E menus, a la carte runs 50-60 E, where ER liked the carpaccio of scallops, stuffed rabbit and “exochic” pineapple with vanilla butter{for my even more enthusiastic take, see my post after December 17th.} His other two hearts went to Victor & Capucine, 101 bis, rue Lauriston in 16th, 01.47.27.55.07, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, formula at 25, a la carte about 35E for an impeccable egg cocotte, beef with morilles and gratineed potatoes and Miss Betsy, 23, rue Guillaume-Tell in the 17th, 01.42.67.12.67, closed Saturday and Sunday, with menus at 25, 29 and 33 E, lunch formula = 12 E - serving crunchy veggies and Salers beef tartare with sage. Rubin gave one heart to Le Petit Four, 4, rue Auguste-Vacquerie in the 16th, 01.47.20.62.52, closed Sunday and Monday, running one about 25-35 E a la carte for tomato soup needing heating, flabby veggie cake and “so-what” cheese-cake. He also gave a busted heart to Les Elles in the 4th. Figaroscope’s “Dossier” concerned Scandinavian places, which conforming to my rule, I’ll just list: Flora Danica, Olsen, Petite Serene de Copenhague, Comptoir du Saumon & Cie, Café Lapon, Nils, Café des Lettres, Café Suedois, Comptoir Nordique, Ikea + Cercle Suedois. Francois Simon’s ”Hache Menu” reviewed the Swedish place Trema. Thursday in l’Express, there were reviews by Jean-Luc Petitrenaud of Au Soleil d’Austerlitz, 18, bvd de l'Hôpital in the 5th, 01.43.31.39.36, menu at 14E serving rabbit terrine, tete de veau, sautéed kidneys, a cote de beef and a fish of the day as well as the Obélisque at the Hotel Crillon, 4, rue Boissy-d'Anglas in the 8th, 01.44.71.15.15 serving a 50 E menu with things such as veal scallops, beef filet, lobster with green beans, scallops, well the list goes on to cover most anything you can think of. He also reviewed the Auberge de Saint-Mont in Saint-Mont (Gascony) which has a 9 E menu {I swear that’s what it says.} Thursday, as well, Alain Ducasse in Le Point, on the verge of opening his second resto in Tokyo, offered us two books, the Dictionnaire amoureux des menus plaisirs byAlain Schifres (Plon, 459 p., 24 E) and Pain par Poilâne, by Lionel and Apollonia Poilâne (Le Cherche-Midi, 389 p., 35 e). Thursday’s ParuVendu gave as its weekend pick – Papille in the 11th and last week ran an article on women chefs in Paris: Helene Darroze, Chez Catherine Guerraz, Cathy Vidalenc at Le Reveil du 10eme, Flora Mikula, Dominique Versini at Casa Olympe, Adrienne Biasin at Chez la Vieille, Alice Bardet at Le Point Bar and Iza Guyot at Le Casier a Vin. Thursday, Metro reported the winners of the fall-winter “Fooding 2005 week” reported here by Felice; in case you only see this they were Le Comptoir, Ante Prima, Gaya pPG, La Cave est Restaurant, Fogon, Senderens, + Kai. Friday in Les Echos, Jean-Louis Galesne had an article on several restaurants in Reims (it being champagne season and all) that included: Les Crayères, L'Assiette Champenoise, Le Foch, Le Petit Comptoir + Le Boulingrin. Saturday, Francois Simon’s “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro concerned itself with some un-named resto proposing a “menu” in honor of Joel Robuchon and Alain Ducasse, with Simon suggesting that this was a pretty silly idea, if you wanted their food you’d go to their places and then going on about their various forays into each other’s territories, for example, Monte Carlo, Tokyo and New York. In addition, in Le Figaro’s Madame Magazine, there was an article on various holiday chocolate desserts. I believe I also missed reporting on the November 26/27 weekend Figaro article by Francois Simon on top restos in Nantes; in any case, the top 4 getting 4 points for the cuisine were the Maison Baron Lefevre, l’Abelia, Le Pressoir + l’Atlantide. Saturday/Sunday in the WSJ an article entitled "Trendy Paris's New Hood,” that is, the 10th,11th,19th, and 20th arrondissements mentioned: Le Boulangerie, Chez Prune, La Bague de Kenza, Cafe Charbon + Juan et Juanita. Sunday, in the JDD – the featured chef was Marc Meneau of Vezelay whose picks of reasonable places he likes in Paris were: Le Point Bar + Polidor. In addition, in the Femina magazine, Astrid de T’Serclaes reviewed Al Dente + Café Ventilo. Where Paris’s Alexander Lobrano’s “Trendy New Table” was Sens pour la Compagnie des Comptoirs, coordinates already given, where he loved the swordfish and duck; his “Holiday Dining” tip was Le Jardin at the Hotel Royal Monceau, where he praises the vegetables especially; and his three “Best Bistrots” for December were l’Evasion, 7, pl St-Augustin in the 8th, 01.45.22.66.20, which he says “gets it right on all counts” {but I’ll be differing when I post my review next week}, La Tradition, 2, rue de Budapest in the 9th, 01.48.74.37.33 open only for lunch with foie gras, steak au poivre and “easy-going prices and Le Petit Verdot coordinates given previously. IN a nearby article that deserves wider distribution, Lobrano blasts the French Michelin Red Guide as out of date and touts the Omnivore product, the 150 tables de la Jeune Cuisine mentioned in this thread. He also listed the game restaurants currently serving such: l’Ambrosie, A La Biche au Bois, Gerard Besson, Le Petit Colombier, Au Petit Marguery, Le Repare de Cartouche, La Soupiere + La Traversiere. Meanwhile Time Out Paris is touting Benoit largely for its “tiled floor, etched glass, banquettes and brass coat rails,” rather than 70 E food. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, there is a piece by John Talbott entitled “Reinventing Paris Restaurants.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

This Forum is a “happening place” and the recent thread on US/FR culinary cultural differences shows how active we are. But, there seems to be no subject more generative of passion in this Forum than smoking in French restaurants (leave aside smoking inside and outside the RER cars, hospitals and art galleries). I have a self-imposed rule I use a propos criticizing persons/customs/practices/etc in other countries/cultures/religions/etc.; to wit, keep the mouth firmly shut until others criticize themselves, then it’s “free ball”….“all men come in” time. Full Disclosure: I have never inhaled (tobacco smoke), often note smokers/smoking in my reviews and change tables when overwhelmed with fumes. That said, I’m also not as sensitive as my wife Colette and others are to smoke/smokers in Paris restos. And, since I am a guest-worker, I take it as gospel that “when in Rome…..” That is, if “they” want it this way, so be it, I have no vote (not this year, but next year I will.) However, two items today prompted a revision of my American stereotype of French citizens’ attitudes (this mind you, one day after an IPSOS poll showed that only 1% of the French polled wanted Jacques Chirac back in 2007) – specifically - that they tolerate if not encourage smoking, think individual freedoms trump public health and don’t believe some research (e.g., the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report – now 42 years old) because it comes from an Anglo-Saxon country. Item 1 – a letter to the editor in today's Metro entitled “Kamakize smokers,” that essentially attacked a prior article that said that deaths caused by smoking are no worse than those caused by alcohol, fatigue, drugs, obesity and hunger. The author’s (Vincent’s) point; smokers are “serial killers” [sic] because second-hand smoke kills, whereas the other conditions are self-limiting (e.g. one kills only oneself). Item 2 – Conrail, our friendly neighborhood rail system, is banning smoking (as did the TGV’s earlier), now, well, soon (there’s a grace period until passengers are informed). So “what’s the point Dad?” I cannot but quote our common-law poet laureate, M. Dylan - “the times they are a changin’.”

I have not been since the sale but Francois Sullam (prop) and Christian Bisch (chef) bought it and presumably (according to Pudlo) have "conserved" the seasonal flavors, esp the game in fall-winter.

Oh jackal, would that the held.Example: at a place like Tante Marguerite or the Restaurant le Club: la Maison des Polytechniciens, 12 rue de Poitiers in the 7th, (my favorite "cantine"), frequented by all the politicians who attended the "X," like all our civil war generals went to West Point or all the Viet Nam generals were classmates at Hue or Dalat, there is no discussion of Proust or Van Gogh or Zidane or Bernard Pivot (or even Star Academy); alas. If I overhear correctly (and that's in question for multiple reasons): it's all politics, sex and religion (well, some religions plus Tom Cruise - but not the Pope or Dalai Lama). And even the last few days in the 8th Le Cou de la Girafe and 16th Gaborieau-Pergolese, Chirac, Sarkosy, Shanghai and Romania were the hot topics. As for food; sorry again, time has crept up on the old rules; some folks here are nutsier about wine than Napa wannabes. In "my crowd": admittedly a very bent group, it takes effort to talk about anything but the food. Even in the good old days, my "French father," like Monsieur Courtois in "French in Action," talked about little else (oh well, except Louison Bobet's performance that day in the Tour) but apertifs, food, wine and digestifs. In re: well, do we, then or now, anywhere discuss those people sitting next to us? - now to gossip about others, most especially politicians and celebrities, that's fair game. What minister is sleeping with which actress; why not? Getting back on topic; which chef is getting publicity doing what with whom?

Please tell me more about this one. ← I have the feeling I'm way over my head here. Lucy - The reasoning behind each is different; at least I was told that. Since we ate (in my French "family") family-style, one often selected one's own food, except for the soup. One was, therefore, expected to finish what one placed on the plate (one other thing I didn't explain in my prior post - this was 1953 and WWII and its deprivations were still very present in folks' memories; food was precious and not to be wasted; the nights' veggies always reappeared as a veloute or soupe or puree the next day at lunch). However regarding wine, emptying the glass (as we Americans do it,) not leaving a drop, is a signal, to the host, in my case a man whose night job was selecting wines and wine lists for restaurants throughout France and very attuned to wine etiquette, to refill it - whereas leaving a bit at the bottom passively signaled that he (the host) could remain seated. As I said before these things may be class, age, regional, post-WWII, familial/etc determined. But both seemed to make sense to me then and indeed even now. Bux - Correct. My recollection is than in the US, if there are over six persons, one begins immediately (so the food doesn't get cold) or at least after the hostess/lead woman picks up a utensil; whereas here, esp in bistrots or brasseries, unlike gastro-restos, where everything is often "finished" together, because say the fish dishes may be done before the meat ones, I have noted (as recently as yesterday) that the folks getting the fish, for example, start and when the meat arrives, the others join in. Again a caution, my experience yesterday was among local French inhabitants of Paris who are in my age demographic - it may not apply to ados or suburbanites.

Now that's what I call really useful information. Thanks for the other answers as well.

Very interesting Pierre. You'll recall, I'm sure, Michael Todd (the third husband, if memory serves me, of Elizabeth Taylor and inventor of ToddAO, precursor of later widescreen films) who had insufficient customers at his Times Square cinema until (surely apocryphal) he put out a sign saying 2:30, 4:30 sold out, a few tickets remain for 6:30. I'm sure Yves is not in the same company.

In the December Where Paris, Alexander Lobrano listed the game restaurants currently serving such: l’Ambrosie, A La Biche au Bois, Gerard Besson, Le Petit Colombier, Au Petit Marguery, Le Repare de Cartouche, La Soupiere + La Traversiere. PS I've found that the last month most every place in Paris has had one such dish.

OK, I don't want to encourage bad behavior (ie not reserving ahead) but..... This is the third report I've seen/heard of persons calling being told they were fully booked until "x" month but walking up and getting in (I know, it's worked for me in New York too). Add to what the airlines tell you, "call every week, something could open up;" walk up and ask (it happened to me at Pere Bise in the ancient past; could work for you too today.

Boy, this thread has legs. This is addressed to our genuine French eGullet members rather than we Francophilic wannabes. Since my family has not had a permanent residence in France since 1066, (I’m definitely SDF, unless you count the Red Carpet Club), like Therese, most of my instruction in French eating/etc. customs also came from my French “parents” at age 18; they were proper, formal and dignified but terribly warm folk as well as good communicators about customs/traditions/etc, but I often wonder, did they convey the right messages applicable to today’s world (they would shudder, as do I, at eating sandwiches on the Metro), how much was family-specific, how much class (I know there have been no classes in France since 1789, but…), how much their Flemish-Scots backgrounds? For instance: Approximating one’s glass of wine with those of others vs. clinking (trinquing) them American/Scandinavian style. Mopping up sauces with bread. Finishing one’s plate but not finishing one’s wine. Not leaving the table to rush off to the office/farm/shop until all were finished and all had expressed themselves. Not throwing food (just kidding, wanted to see if anybody was reading this). I’d be interested in the answers as well as invite others of us struggling with these critical issues to pose other possible differences that have not been beaten to death upthread.

How odd, that they use the German term. Are these places not common in France? ← Sorry, as usual, my telegraphic writing style got me in trouble. The boutique is a franchise of a german company called vom fass that has franchises in the UK (Selfridges, Harrods and a dozen other places) and two in France (in GL).

I want to get back to the "rudeness" issue since it seems such a preoccupation on past threads. I was lunching at the Cafe du Commerce today and had what I think was an experience some would consider "brusque," indeed perhaps "rude," service but was not at all. I entered (having reserved), was greeted at the desk and seated by the responsible and greeted by the waiter, all quite nicely I thought. I noted that as in so many brasseries, orders were taken, both waitstaff and dishes were flying in an out of the kitchen, plates were delivered efficiently, tables turned over promptly, etc. My order taken, I was making some notes on my handy-dandy orange Rhodia bloc note pad, when the waitress, who had previously been bustling about, cutting bread, setting tables, delivering food, clicking the computer screen, etc., suddenly stopped by my table and began to look at my note pad. When she saw the writing in my illegible English, she suddenly realized it was mine, laughed and took her same sized Rhodia out of her pocket and in a millisecond was my friend, tapping me on the shoulder, apologizing (for nothing really but buying the same pad as I), calling me "jeune homme," and running back to the kitchen chuckling. I think many Americans, save for egullet members who are more sophistocated, would regard this sort of waitstaff as cold, brusque or worse; nothing could have been further from the truth.

Tatre and others coming during the holidays; I hope this is not gratuitous advice, but don't just go on what the food guides print as closing dates, do call and be sure to ask if they will be serving their regular carte. Often places run by a couple with young children will take off the same days their kids are out of school and often places serve stripped-down or conversely priced-up meals the eve of or day of Christmas and/or New Year's. Logically, new restos (eg Cou de la Girafe) want to keep their momentum and are open except for say Christmas Day.

Even at a super- or hyper- marche one says "Bonjour" and "Au voir." Indeed, I find myself saying hello or good day now in US markets and people respond surprisingly enthusiastically to have been paid attention to. In addition, I do find it is more likely that in France saying hello and goodbye to the entire shop or restaurant is a habit more likely held by folks my age and more often in small towns. A story I've told before; a good friend arriving at Charles de Gaulle walked up to a customs officer and launched into a polite, detailed description in French of a question of importation into France. After this long query; the agent nodded as only someone who wishes to be of service can, and as if echoing the last sentence of Portnoy's Complaint said "Bonjour Madame."

Le Figaro reported that Le Chef named Olivier Roellinger of the Maisons de Bricourt in Cancale best chef of 2005.

As is traditional in France as in the US, the “best 10” or “best of” lists have begun to appear. I have already noted some of these from the 150 Young Chefs + Petit Fute, big Lebey and Pudlo, but a few days ago Francois Simon and crew at Le Figaro put them in perspective. Here’s what he said (more or less): that he trusts Lebey, that the Bottin followed Pudlo in “consecrating” Jean-Francois Piege of the Crillon, that Gault-Millau (among other silliness) persists in rating Marc Veyrat (La Ferme etc + La Maison etc) 20/20 while the Champerand ignores him. On the opposite page, a unsigned box notes that Jean-Francois Piege of the Crillon got the approval of Pudlo + Bottin, that Gault-Millau picked Thierry Marx of the Chateau Cordellian-Bages in Pauillac, that the Champerand picked Didier Elena of Les Crayeres in Reims, and Le Chef went with Olivier Roellinger of the Maisons de Bricourt in Cancale. Also, as I reported in the Digest, Le Figaro listed the magazine Restaurant’s best places in the world, reporting that the Fat Duck is Number 1. The French were #6 Gagnaire, #11 Michel Bras, #16 Guy Savoy, #17 Alain Ducasse, #24 le Meurice, #26 l'Arpege, #29 le Cinq, #37 l'Auberge de l'Ill and #50 La Tupina. Edited by John Talbott to add last paragraph.

Yesterday's Les Echos has an article by Jean-Louis Galesne on several restaurants in Reims (it being champagne season and all) that included: Les Crayères, L'Assiette Champenoise, Le Foch, Le Petit Comptoir + Le Boulingrin. After a slight slap on the wrist (eg Elena confused Reims with NY at the start), he has very nice things to say about his food - using terms like brilliant and inspired. But he does say folks differ on their view of him, in part because he comes from Monaco not Reims.

I could be very wrong but normally a terrine de foie gras is "foie gras mi-cuit" this is what you get when you order foie gras that comes on toast. It is made from baking the raw foie gras in a terrine (a type of pan). It's sometimes wrongly refered to as paté, at least by Americans. It's mostly duck (or goose) liver with perhaps some spices and a little cognac, but that's it. You can also pan-sear raw foie gras. ← No, you are quite correct.I guess I wasn't clear; I was curious as to what the US Customs' Agents' little cheat sheet says about the acceptability of raw, mi-cuit, frais, cooked, tinned, etc foie gras?

Another list came from last week's ParuVendu and included: Helene Darroze, Chez Catherine Guerraz, Cathy Vidalenc at Le Reveil du 10eme, Flora Mikula, Dominique Versini at Casa Olympe, Adrienne Biasin at Chez la Vieille, Alice Bardet at Le Point Bar and Iza Guyot at Le Casier a Vin.

French Food Guides 2006 – Part 3 – Pudlo This year’s Pudlo Paris and France 2006 just came out and there is lots of news. I am unable to relate verything, but will try to choose items most of interest to our members. The big awards were as follows: Les Ambassadeur’s Jean-Francois Piege as Chef of the Year Goumard’s Philippe Dubois as Restaurateur of the Year Le Comptoir du Relais and Yves Camdeborde for Event of the Year l’Absinthe’s Caroline Rostang and Chez Serge’s (St Ouen) Caroline Montaldo as Hostesses of the Year Les Racines as Bistrot of the Year Au Vieux Chene as best price-quality ratio of the Year Il Carpaccio as best foreign resto of the Year The Duke’s Bar as Best Place to Meet of the Year Arnaud Delmontel as best pastry-bakery (9th and 18th) of the Year Sebastien Dubois (St-Germain-en-Laye) as Best Cheese maker of the Year Then there are the Coups de Coeur: 1st Willi’s Wine Bar 2nd Gallopin 3rd l’Ambassade d’Auvergne 4th Napoli Food 5th l’Estrapade 7th Le Vin de Soif + La Taverna 9th l’Art des Choix 10th l’Hermitage 11th Le Temps au Temps 13th l’Appennino 14th Le Fils de la Ferme 15th l’Ami Marcel 17th Chez Cedric + Goupil 18th l’Oriental 19th La Cave Gourmand 20th Le Baratin 95 Auberge d’Enghein There are also new places that got a plate (eg star): Auguste, Gaya par Pierre Gagnaire, Dominique Bouchet, Citrus Etoile, Il Ristorante, La Belle Epoque (in 78 - Chateaufort), Les Armes de France (in 91 – Corbeilles-Essonne) and Le Village (in 78 – Marly-le-roi) as well new places considered a good value: Temps au Temps, Vieux Chene, Fils de la Ferme, l’Ami Marcel, Chez Cedric, Goupil, + Caffe Peoria (in Boulogne-Billancourt - 92) and Le Clos Levallois (in Levallois-Perret – 92). And finally, in the Schadenfreude Corner, are some of those places that were involuntarily demoted or eliminated: Hiramatsu, Jamin, Les Muses, Le Dome, Thierry Burlot + l’Amphycles or that lost their price-quality edge: Pre-Verre, Bistrot d’a Cote + La Famille.