John Talbott

It's happened twice to me and only in the last 3 years. Once at La Maison du Charly where I ordered a full meal and Colette a salad and wine, they said no, we walked; the second where 3 of us ordered a full meal and my buddy's wife wanted a salad, they said no, she said OK, nothing and sat there for two hours watching us eat (they are/were Francophonic and not tourists either).

Again, yet, still? Yup they sure are. The rag has gone yet another transformation and hasn't yet found its footing. The reviews are so out of date, the content so glossy (think travel ads and expensive wines) and its appearance so unpredictable that I've taken to respectfully asking my vendor to let me leaf through it, jotting down the scores on the restos and putting it back on the rack. Folks who used to work there can provide the gory details but it is a sad end to what was so exciting to us all when it broke onto the scene.

Well it was bound to happen once the Place des Victoires was taken over by boutiques that famously displayed racks of 10 frocks in a warehouse sized place and sandwich shop owners got the idea they were Eli Zabar. Progress.

Welcome Shira. A l'Huitriere can get pricey a la carte, but it's good food and the lunch menu is affordable. A bit back, we ate at the quite acceptable and affordable Brasserie de la Paix because we were primarily there for the exhibition at the musuem (which you should not miss - despite the French's intent to have all regional museums equal, they are not) - it was just fine, not great but fine.

For more on Dehillerin you may want to go to this ancient thread. A. Simon just up the street (JJ Rousseau) north from Dehillerin also has stuff in both its stores and come to think of it there's another shop on the South side of Etienne Marcel too (in fact, the quartier used to be teaming with cooking stuff stores in the days of Les Halles - walk about and you'll see the remaining ones). A. Simon 36 rue Etienne Marcel and 48 rue Montmartre, 75002 Paris Telephone: 01.42.33.71.65

There are three more scholarly journals (not all of whose content is about French food) mentioned in this summer's issue of Gastronomica : Food and History Food and Foodways Food, Culture and Society

I would consider just about anywhere in the 5th, 6th or 7th-- could walk back from most anywhere within those districts. ← OK, then Fontaine de Mars or Fables de la Fontaine if you want to be on the street or Maison de l’Amerique Latine which is in the backyard courtyard.

Regarding Chez Ramulaud , I ate there in 2001 shortly after it opened (it had three hearts in Figaroscope) and altho it had good products, the preparation was lacking.At Les Amognes I had an experience where my plat (brains) was bad but everything else for 4 was OK to good; repeat visit mixed picture again.

It's still there, at least it was when last I was in Term 2.

Fair enough; where in the 6th?

Felice has really hit them all. I'd add that the Ecalier du Bistrot has fantastic Utah beach oysters and is the offshoot of Paul Bert, which is why it's l'Ecalier du..... I think it's tough to choose among Le Sot y Laisse, Le Temps au Temps, + Le Vieux Chêne, all are pretty new and small and good. There are also the older places Les Jumeaux, le C’Amelot + Repaire de Cartouche. I've said before the 11th is where it is. I don't think you can go wrong.

I think a nice place to eat outside is the square bordered by the Fontaine de Mars + Fables de la Fontaine. But the Maison de l’Amerique Latine is fabulous and shows how good it was to be the King. Those in the Bois are also quite wonderful, eg Le Pavillon des Princes, Pre Catalan, Grand Cascade. From the Digest though, I'll give you others and and finally In Palaces and Grand Hotels : Show Offs : With that Village Feeling : Charming : Eye-filling : On greensward: There are other lists if you want to go back in the Digest to the summer of 2004 but I think this in enough.

Incredible; as I'm reading this I'm thumbing through receipts and chance on last month's from Damman's Montebello for 11 Euros, I can taste the coffee's intensity now. It's another fine place.

Undoubtedly the inimitable Steve Jenkins whose Cheese Primer sits on the top of my bookshelf - remember to order it through eGullet. Steve has/had a eye and palate for cheeses from all over. But back to the point. I'm less discouraged than the Independant's author; one still has a wonderful variety of choices in the great stores in Paris and driving through the country-side, there are still enough hand-lettered Reblochon and chevre signs to sustain hope. Indeed, I'm always amazed that on the news at 20h00, the farmers, eleveurs, etc., whom they show during times of secheresse, for instance, are so young and energetic.

Stories no, stores yes. I'd second Louisa on Berthillion and Amorino (the Vavin branch is perfect after running your 6-year-old out in the Luxembourg).

A few more which may come of help: city vox france at a touch welcome to paris internaute.com discount city hotels

Well, even though it was founded in 1924 and frequented by American food-writers in the '50's and early '60's, I don't recall Americans flooding it until the '80's; thus I think when most folks think of '80's Parisian bistro style/atmosphere, l'Ami Louis is their standard.

Ah. Then aside from Menton's suggestion there are two other books that have pix. One is called something like Best Restaurants in Paris, very glossy and overhyped, which actually has the same info as Menton's site and the other is historical - it may be the one Felice suggested. In any case go to FNAC and they should be there. Also try John Whitings' "Whitings Writings" website for bistros, he has photos like the link I posted for Le Regalade. Edited by John Talbott to amplify book-Website connection.

Oh oh, that really throws an ideal list up against the wall of the reality of closings/openings in August. I was going to suggest le Troquet but it may not be open either. So, Felice's suggestion, to go the book route, makes a lot of sense. Another book resource is the Petit Lebey des Bistrots Parisiens which now that I'm there shows le Troquet closed 3 weeks in August (but which three weeks requires a call). Polidor says every hour, every day, Felice noted the reopening of le Regalade on the August opening thread, Bistrot du Dome 365; the brasseries, 365.

What a great mission.It depends on what your vision is. If it's the bistro of your parents and my generation in the 1950's - l'Auberge Bressane written up by me and Sebastien Demorand and Ribaut etc. Mimeographed menus, classic dishes, wonderful crusty decor Next most evocative of ancient times is Le Regalade under Bruno Doucet - crusty bread cut to order, terrines of pate, a bit more low ceiling, packed, smoky, like the movies bistro A totally new but looking old, recreated bistro look is at the Duc de Richelieu If it's an old but big bistro refurbished to beat the band it's Aux Lyonnais. If it's a tiny, almost quirky place - le Vieux Ami. Incredible food with 18 covers but totally neo-modern-bistro look is Cerisaie l'Ami Louis is certainly the standard 1980's look and Apple still loves it Lipp, well it's a brasserie so it has the brasserie look like Julien, Terminus Nord, Bofinger, plus the snob appeal plus the celebrities Bristol & Gagniere - haute haute cuisine, no whiff of bistro Ze is the most modern new successful place but wouldn't strike most Americans as a bistro, it's just too white bright and gleaming (I love it) - the l'Atelier of Joel R. is pretentious (doors that cannot be opened from outside), glitzy (modern, stools at the bar, hip wait staff, good food but again I'd never think of the word bistro) For a seafood bistrot the Bistrot du Dome (white and blue and terrific) For a wine bar/bistro look - Les Papilles If you're mainly interested in scoping places for the look versus sampling the food - eat at Regalade, Ze, Cerisaie, Bristol + Bistrot du Dome and just walk into the others; I don't think anyone would object to your walking in, asking for a card, looking around and leaving. The other thing I've been doing lately is grazing - going one place for oysters, a second for the main and a third for dessert. Makes ordering wine a bit tricky but ultimately doable. In any case, after your week we'd love to hear what caught your eye. Finally, your last sentence reveals a problem in all this blue-skying - what's open; you'll have to look them up, go to the website thread now running, and/or telephone. Folks are just now winding up their vacations and places are reopening irregularly. Good luck.

Well, just to be contrary, I'm not sure I've ever heard a bad word uttered about Eric Frechon, either at his eponymous place or the Bristol; nor a good word about flunch.

Oh boy, here I am again in the minority. How to explain it? First, I don't think my opinion is infallable. I have had such different experiences from those of other persons whose opinion I value highly (eg Bux about l'Astrance + l'Ami Jean, raisab about Villaret, Felice about lunch at Le Comptoir, Sebastien Demorand about La Famille, the world about Pamphlet) that I've got to question my judgment. Second, I think I have a lower than normal/average theshold for dissatisfaction, so, if something is off, there are so many places that have just opened or I've heard about, that I venture off to try something new, even tho it might be bad rather than chance another off-meal at a known quantity.. Third, I value consistency and innovation so I think places should deliver consistently good food but not stick to the same carte for months on end. Fourth, I'm influenced by my companions' dishes - if say, one of the four of us has a terrible course, that's what I remember, not the 75% of them that were good. Which is not to say that I write every place off after one bad course - I am a sucker for thinking maybe I was wrong. That said, let's return to Villaret; I've only eaten there 6-8 times and despite my wife and companions' disgruntlement with the "lack of 'girl-food'" [their quote not mine] and overall food preparation, versus my relatively positive impression, I go back every time I hear someone rave about it. Bottom line - go, you'll love it, you'll wonder why I'm not passionate about it. Have fun.

Steve - or someone else, since you're probably otherwise engaged - regarding the cost, that is what would the cost be for the average home chef in the average American home or French apartment?

Recently, Greg Wilson put a list up of food magazines from all over on the Food Media and News Forum. It occurred to me we all might want to do the same here on the French Forum for what I’m sure would be an even bigger list of French publications. I’ll start with the ones Greg put up, then add a few and then encourage you all to add others. Thanks. PS I realize some are largely devoted to getting you to subscribe but let’s list them all anyway. Greg's ones: Bourgogne Aujourd'hui - http://www.wines-terroirs.com/bourgogne/index.pl (France) Cuisine Actuelle - http://www.cuisineactuelle.fr (France) Cuisine Et Vins De France - http://www.cuisineetvinsdefrance.com (France) Cuisine Gourmande - http://www.cuisinegourmande.fr (France) Elle a Table - http://www.i-g-a.com/categories.asp?cdc=3&cdt=3 (France) Gault Millau - http://www.guides-gaultmillau.fr (France) Guide Cuisine - http://www.guidecuisine.fr (France) *Revue du Vins de France - http://www.magnumvinum.fr (France - No longer published?) Thuries Magazine Gastronomie - http://www.thuries.fr/magazine/index.php (France) Vinum - http://http://www.vinum.info/fr (France) The couple I know of are: Cuisine Creative – http://www.cuisinecreative.com/ (France) Omnivore – http://www.omnivore.fr (France) La Toque - http://www.latoque.fr/index.html (France) Vins et Gastronomie - http://www.vins-gastronomie.com/ (France) Edited by John Talbott for clarity and spelling.

Wow, what a job. As you know, though, some sites are mainly to get you to subscribe (eg Gourmet and Gault-Millau). It occurs to me that we might do a similar list on the French Forum and thus provide you with an even bigger list.