John Talbott

Not me but there's a lengthy description on Bonjour Paris by Lee Ann Cornelius who paid a visit. {It was my impression that it’s more of a sensitivity “experience,” eg, of what its like to be blind, than a culinary one.} Also, the website for Expats, Expatica.com has another article on it. Finally, there were several reviews in French I noted in the Digest in 2004. Please tell us what you think; me, I'll wait for you try it.

Please do. I, for one, would love to hear your thoughts on all these subjects. On this thread is fine, but you may want to start a new one since I'm sure it will be a lively topic. ← I second Carlsbad's thought to post it as a new thread. You have already written so much that's interesting that I think a new thread would really be a contribution. Thanks for what you've done to date and I look forward to what's coming.

The Week of January 17th, 2005 Friday, Alexandra Michot in Le Monde’s “Toque” interviewed Emmanuel Renaut who has worked besides Marc Veyrat and cooks at Flocons de Sel in Megeve, 04.50.21.49.99. He talks of Savoie cuisine and products as well as inventive cooking and chefs in Megeve. Monday, A Nous Paris reviewed two places and gave each 3 of 5 possible blocks. First was Le Saint Amour, 8, rue de Port-Mahon in the 2nd, 01.47.42.63.82, closed Saturday lunch and Sunday, reviewed last week in Zurban + Figaroscope, so I won’t go into dishes this week, menu-carte at 33 E, 18 E for a main, dessert and glass of wine, 01 47 42 63 82, Metro = Opera. The second place is Au Grain de Sel, 13, rue Jean-Beausire in the 4th, 01.44.59.82.82, closed Saturday lunch and Sunday dinner, Metro Bastille, lunch menus are 20 and 30 Euros, a la carte 29 to 45.50 Euros, where they serve classic bistrot food (eg roast cod with olive oil and smashed potatoes) and give you your little pot of salt as you exit {nice touch}. Wednesday, Sebastian Demorand published his usual four reviews in Zurban.. Two sound grand, the lead one: Bourse ou la Vie, 12, rue Vivienne in the 2nd , 01.42.60.08.83, Metro Bourse, only open at lunch, except Thursdays, a la carte = 25-30€, which he describes as a “strange bistrot with a fabulous patron" Patrice, enormous veal kidneys swimming in a sea of cream (he advises the reader not to come expecting a feast of vegetables instead of a ton of cholesterol) that he loved, fried potatoes which were cooked correctly the second try and a devilish granache of chocolate and the last one in his “Casseroles”: L’Ecaille de la Fontaine, 15, rue Gaillon in the 2nd, 01.47.42.02.99, Metro = Quatre-Septembre, closed Saturdays and Sundays, a la carte about 40 Euros where he loved the huge bigorneaux (winkles). It’s next to La Fontaine Gaillon Gege & Bouquet’s {trans = Gerard (Depardieu) & (Carole) Bouquet} other resto which opened just a bit ago. He says the menu is oysters, oysters, oysters – but there are also crab, bulots and langoustines. The other two are a bit of a letdown: 123, 123, avenue de Wagram in the 17th, 01.42.27.61.50, Metro: Wagram, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, a la carte about 50-60€; it’s the old Faucher space which despite renovation and lower prices, sounds worse and Ciel et Sable, 56, rue de la Sabiere in the 14th, 01.45.42.68.29, Metro Pernety, closed Saturday lunch and Sunday, lunch menu = 11,80, a la carte 20-25 Euros which is a Japanese cantine. Wednesday as well, Figaroscope delivered its usual three items. In “C’est nouveau” Emmanuel Rubin assessed five places and gave L’Ecaille de la Fontaine, coordinates immediately above, two hearts, the photo and lead, serving all manner of things from the sea. He estimates that the a la carte is 30 Euros. Another two hearts went to Can Tin’h, 5, rue de Vanves in Boulogne, 01.46.08.14.12, open everyday at lunch (except weekends) and open Thursday for dinner, described as a Vietnamese cantine two steps from TF1. One heart each went respectively to a Japanese, Basque and Indian place: Kokohana, 1bis, rue Jean-Mermoz in the 8th, 01.45.62.15.68, open everyday but Sundays, Metro : Franklin-D.-Roosevelt, la Pibale-Club 308, 308, rue de Charenton in the 12th, 01.44.75.01.55, open everyday but Saturday lunch and Sundays and Mondays for dinner, Metro : Porte-de-Charenton, menus are 22 € at lunch and 30 €, and Merveilles de l’Inde, 57, rue des Batignolles in the 12th, 01.42.28.05.80, open everyday but Monday lunch, Metro : Place-de-Clichy. For their “Dossier” entitled “Oeuf mayo, Tete de veau, Gigot” the team reviewed places serving several “cult” dishes created by inspired chefs: Herring with Potatoes: Josephine AKA Chez Dumonet Hard boiled eggs with Mayo: Le Voltaire Bacon and Eggs: Les Deux Magots Matchstick potatoes Chez Georges Choucroute: L’Alsaco Beef tartare: Closerie de Lilas Leg of lamb: J’Go Coq au Vin: Le Coq de la Maison Blanche Scallops in White Butter: La Grille Sole Meuniere: Gaya Rive Gauche Fish tartare: Le Duc Beef Pot au Feu: Chez la Vieille AKA Adrienne Pork Pot au Feu: L’Avant-Gout Tete de Veau: Caves Petrissans Souffles: Le Souffle Baba au Rhum: La Table Lauriston Petits Pots de Crème: Bistrot d’a Cote all three Granache au Piment: La Famille Malabar ice cream: Spoon Hot chocolate: Angelina And to wind up Figaroscope’s offerings this week, Francois Simon reviewed Publicis Drugstore Champs-Elysées for pasta shells with truffles and ham, which despite the mere 160 Euro bill for four, he says not to go, largely because the deluxe budget food is served in a cafeteria where its difficult to talk because of the blaring music. Thursday-Friday, Le Monde’s Jean-Claude Ribaut’s “Toques en Pointe” reviewed three truffle restaurants and one “gastronomic” truffle one. The ordinary truffles are to be found at: Casa Olympe, 48, rue Saint-Georges in the 9th, 01.42.85.26.01, closed Saturdays and Sundays, menu-carte at 37 € (truffles are supplementary); Armani Caffe, 149, boulevard Saint-Germain in the 6th, 01.45.48.62.15, closed Sundays with truffles at 4,50 € a gram; count on 45 € (70 € with truffles from the Piedmont); and the Relais de Sevres, 8-12, rue Louis-Armand in the 15th, 01.40.60.33.66, closed Friday night, Saturdays and Sunday, menu = 110 €, business menu with wine = 70 €, a la carte count on 90 €, serving truffles with a lot of dishes. The “gastronomic” review, but also of a place that serves truffles, was of Apicius, 20, rue d'Artois in the 8th, 01.43.80.19.66, closed Saturdays and Sundays, a la carte count on 100 €, degustation menu = 130 €; where he loves their stunning desserts. The Weekend FT had an article by Nicholas Lander entitled “Sight to behold, tastes to savour” about the restaurant he feels is in a “class of its own” – Taillevent. Lander et al came for the famed pressed duck at a family dinner but he comments on the great view, the quenelles of pike with a 95 E Reisling and 109 E Gevrey-Chambertin they had with the other mains (lamb, brill and beef with foie gras); the bill for 6 was 1030 Euros, which he notes was less than a disappointing meal they had at Arpege. Margaret Kemp, in Bonjour Paris recounted that Dominique Bouchet, of the resto of that name in the 8th at 11, rue Treilhard, Metro: Miromesnil, 01.45.61.09.46, closed weekends, which is her favorite place, was awarded the Legion of Honor. Ex of the Crillon, he serves 40 covers with a seasonal menu; on the carte the day she ate there was chestnut soup with truffles, a terrine of Beaufort cheese with artichokes, ham and salad, scallops on mache with parmesan, five fish dishes and a seven hour lamb. Also in Bonjour Paris shortly thereafter, Lee Ann Cornelius paid a visit to Dans le Noir, 51, rue Quincampoix in the 4th, Metro = Rambuteau, 01.42.77.98.04, open everyday, bill from 29-35 Euros without drinks, {Ed Note: it’s already been reviewed by others but this is one of first detailed reviews in English and reveals that it’s more of a sensitivity “experience,” eg, of what its like to be blind, than a culinary one.} They liked the shrimp and octopus served on polenta and chocolate-caramel with vanilla-pepper ice cream. On the website for RestoaParis, appeared a note about a sort-of “Resto U” called La Terrasse de la Cité Internationale, 17, boulevard Jourdan in the 14th, Metro Cite Universitaire, 01.43.13.66.38 that serves a dish at 10,50 Euros or a starter and main for 13,60 Euros but a review January 14th only gave it 1 of 3 stars {it sounds like the place to send your hitchhiking young relatives who want cheap eats}. It’s near the “U’ but is open to the public and has separate tables and actually looks quite nice. Heather Stimmler at Secrets of Paris recommends a “lovely wine bistro” La Robe et Le Palais, 13, rue des Lavandières- Ste-Opportune in the 1st near the Chatelet, 01.45.08.07.41 with over 250 wines and one wine of the day. She loved the pumpkin soup. The website for Expats, Expatica.com has yet another article on Dans le Noir the resto in the Marais that’s pitchblack. Jean-Luc Petitrenaud, in ”Saveurs” in L’Express, writes about a wine bar: Le Petit Verdot , 9 rue Fourcroy in the 17th, 01.42.27.47.42 serving big plates of sausage, rillettes, parsleyed ham, etc, a la carte 19 Euros. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

I forget if anyone's mentioned this one, I don't see it above; I found it scanning stuff for the Digest this week: Heather Stimmler at Secrets of Paris recommends a “lovely wine bistro” La Robe et Le Palais, 13, rue des Lavandières- Ste-Opportune in the 1st near the Chatelet, 01.45.08.07.41 with over 250 wines and one wine of the day. She loved the pumpkin soup.

I just don't understand why this place continues to be recommended on any grounds other than cheapness and the appearance of terroir-devotion. click ← As is obvious from my {comments} I ate there and while finding it fat & meat heavy did not think it was disgraceful, indeed I've kept its handout menu thinking I might go back. If I lived around the corner, a chilly night, I might just.

Better translation and sense, I fell back on my memory that Fairways is known for fresh produce not prepared stuff.

I’m not sure about the interests on the New York Forum, but in my sweep of publications in Paris for the Paris Digest, I occasionally come across articles that cover restaurants elsewhere. In Thursday-Friday’s Le Monde, their food critic, Jean-Claude Ribaut, wrote an article roughly translated as a “A new diet for New York.” In it he talks of how Americans’ “obsession” with dieting has modified the menus of restaurants, even those run by French chefs. He then goes on to mention what is commonly known, the demise of four great tables: Lutece, Lespinasse, Cote Basque + Caravelle which effectively ended the 1960’s initiated craze for soufflés and crayfish with creamy cheese sauce and he also notes the recent decline in interest in foie gras not only as a result of the California decision but on dietary grounds, despite the fact that two Quebec farmers in Saint-Alexis-de-Montcalm make excellent goose foie gras. He notes that while the French-inspired restaurants: Daniel, Le Bernardin, Jean-Georges, Bouley + Alain Ducasse are terribly influential, New Yorkers are now used to picking up fresh products at places like Faraway [sic] and despite the publicity surrounding the French paradox (ironically featuring southwestern French products such as Cahors wine and confited duck) or the best seller “French Women Don’t get Fat,” are in the thrall of low-carb Atkinsesque diets. Finally to his point, that French chefs in New York are changing their fare, he cites as examples and gives sample dishes at: DB Bistro moderne, Mix in New York, Le Montrachet + Caviar and Banana Brasserio. This is probably more than you wanted to know about penguins, but if you’d like to see the original article, it’ll be on the Le Monde website for a few more hours.

To revive and keep this great thread going, I'll add that Jean-Luc Petitrenaud, in ”Saveurs” in L’Express, writes about a wine bar: Le Petit Verdot , 9 rue Fourcroy in the 17th, 01.42.27.47.42 serving big plates of sausage, rillettes, parsleyed ham, etc, a la carte 19 Euros.

Lucy - I was just thinking of how I can't find raifort by the bottle in my Monoprix any more (I use it for a chili-catsup-tabasco-horseraddish dip). Thus I import it in my luggage. But maybe I'll look for it in my fresh air market or Hediard. I suppose it could be used for everything horseraddish is, eg with beef, pot au feu, etc.

John Whiting was kind enough to point me to an article from the FT by Michael Steinberger that relates to the French/American food comparison. He writes that Francois Simon ate in NYC and from Chicago to LA on Route 66 and in Steinberger’s words, NY restos “fell substantially short of [his] expectations;” there was “nothing….fantastic”… “something [was] missing.” More soon in the Digest. Note: it was also summarized and discussed at greater length in this thread.

The Week of January 10th , 2005 In the January 8th Weekend FT, there was an article by Michael Steinberger entitled “US leaves a bitter taste” about one of France’s premier food critics Francois Simon, reporting on his disappointing trip to the US. One has to pay to view the article online. (Note: it was also summarized and discussed at greater length in this thread.) Steinberger writes that since Simon is so critical of the “complacency of the French culinary establishment,” he (Simon) expected to return with a “glowing report.” Not true. Steinberger writes that Simon ate at Bernardin, Restaurant Daniel and Per Se in NYC and in Steinberger’s words, they “fell substantially short of [his] expectations;” there was “nothing….fantastic”… “something [was] missing.” He then went down Route 66 from Chicago to LA, expecting to find good food, and apparently was ‘so disappointed” that he will not even write it up the several week trip for French audiences. The reasons I’m posting this here and not on a US thread is that: (1) Simon is probably not as well-known to US readers as those in Paris and (2) Simon had hoped to explain to French audiences that food in the US had made great progress and they shouldn’t think France is the be all and end all, and (3) it would probably tee off eGullet members in the US. Vincent Noce in last Friday’s Liberation wrote up Le Jardin, 37, avenue Hoche in the 8th , (actually, it’s in the Hotel Royal Monceau), 01.42.99.98.70, menus at 60 and 110 Euros, closed Saturday, Sundays and Monday lunch. 75008. 01 42 99 98 70, Menus 60 et 110. He called it classic and demanding food by a new 35 year old chef in a renovated place that he admits has seen chefs come and go over the years. I won’t quote all the dishes mentioned but they sound grand, the service is good and it boasts one of the best sommeliers in Paris. Sunday the Journal du Dimanche published a page pegged to Eric Frechon of Le Bristol who named as his favorite restos: Le Repaire de Cartouche, Villaret + Chez Vincent. There was also an article on Yves Camdeborde, with no news of his date or place of reimergence. Monday, Francois Simon in Figaro Entreprises’s Table d’affaires wrote up a place in Nantes – Maison BL, 33, rue de Rieux, 02.40.89.20.20, closed Sundays, lunch menus = 15-18 Euros, 25 at dinner. Monday as well, “A Nous Paris,” now arriving grace a Felice, gave “Six Sure Values” as its “Coups de Coeur;” Les Papilles, Le Temps Au Temps, La Table Lauriston, Mon Vieil Ami, La Cuisine + Le Point Bar. Wednesday, Sebastien Demorand in Zurban devoted his big review to Les Nouveaux Robinson 57, rue Robespierre in Montreuil, 01.42.87.06.36, Metro Robespierre on the #9 line, closed Sundays, open for lunch only from 8 AM – 8 PM, menu 14 Euros. This is a tiny bistrot in “biobioland” which neighbors “boboland,” that is an offshoot of an organic supermarket, thus the veggies are the best part but the rest sounds pretty bad, e.g. dry entrecote and chicken without a hint of salt or pepper. He likes the copper-cooked items at Auberge & Cie, 23, rue Clauzel in the 9th, 01.48.78.74.40, Metro Pigalle, closed Saturdays at lunch and Sundays, which has a nice sounding menu-carte (cassoulet, confit de canard, escargots) at 32€ but caution: it only takes credit cards with bills of 50€ or over. Also he likes the cosy, neighborhood neobistrot Le Saint Amour, 8, rue de Port-Mahon in the 2nd, 01.47.42.63.82, Metro Opera with a menu-carte at 32€ as well plus a lunch formula for 18,90€. Ironically it was also reviewed by Figaroscope this week; he liked the snail fricassee, oysters, scallops and Cotes du Rhone. Finally he mentions the well-established mega wine store Lavinia 3-5, bd de la Madeleine in the 1st, 01.42.97.20.27, Metro Madeleine, lunch only every day but Sundays, a la carte about 45€ and enormous plates (of say charcuterie) which run 15-20€. Wine is of course what it says on the shelves. Wednesday, as well, after several weeks of silence Figaroscope re-emerged after its holiday slumber. In “C’est nouveau” they gave two hearts to the Press’café, 89, rue Montmartre in the 2nd, 01.40.26.07.30, Metro Bourse, run by the ex chef at Boucoleon with cheese raviolis, steak tartare he “yums” at, chocolate mousse, running 20 Euros a la carte and Le Saint-Amour (see coordinates above) run by the ex chef of Guilvinec with neotraditional cuisine; plus one heart each to the Hotel de Sens + Trema in the 8th and 10th respectively, the former expensive (50 Euro) and light, the latter as Scandanavian as IKEA; and finally, one broken heart to the Italian place in the 8th – Ziti. In a somewhat strange “Dossier” this week , the folks list places that are open early or late, are light or heavy, etc etc. saying you can now choose a resto like a piece of clothing. Here’s their list: Le Fumoir smoking Sale & Pepe no smoking Colette water bar Melac wine bar Auberge Le Quincy very slow food Les Elysees de Vernet very fast food at the zinc Les Fables de Fontaine all fish Severo all meat Rue Balzac caloric L’Opportun light food Chartier small budget Terre de truffes big spender Laperouse discreet Murano Urban Resort show off Chez Denise late Café Guitry early La Petite Sirene de Copenhague north La Boule Rouge south And finally, Francois Simon eats at Music Hall 63, av. Franklin-Roosevelt in the 8th, 01.45.61.03.63, open every day from 11 AM to 6 AM, except Sunday and Monday), serving “charming” dishes (lieu jaune with coriander a la vapeur; young carrots) and inventive but “humble” desserts, but it’s pricey he notes – 134 Euros. Should you go? “One hesitates” he suspects. Saturday, in Figaro’s “Croque Notes” Francois Simon writes one of his most lyrical pieces about a generation “C” of chefs whose association of that name has started a monthly called Omnivore . One can see the first issue’s cover and/or subscribe (apparently it’s only available by subscription; 10 issues for 80 Euros) at their website . The site says they’re the children culinarily speaking, of Bras, Gagnaire, Ducasse and Veyrat. Anyway, he speaks of a “new spirit in the kitchens,” a “profound” change in the world – and that the mammoths are dying, replaced by the new guys who are just having fun making food. He says one no longer needs guidebooks (bibles) with this new religion {OK so he mixes a few metaphors} because the public can find good food themselves these days. As he said last week, people give him tips or ask questions via his direct line (01.42.21.61.59). Examples: a brunch for 20 Euros at le Relais Lagrange, 17, rue Lagrange in the 5th, 01.43.54.14.65; a great table in Questembert called le Bretagne, 02.97.16.11.12; and a great dish at l'Orée des Champs in Epineau-les-Voves, near Joigny, 03.86.91.20.39 where the menu is 20 euros. You want to know who Pascal Barbot is? Chef of l’Astrance Ditto Jean Chauvel at les Magnolias in Perreux-sur-Marne; and Jacques Décoret at Gramont in Vichy. But he singles out as the best price/quality ratio the same place Pudlowski 2005 did: l'Abadache, 89, rue Lemercier in the 17th, 01.42.26.37.33, {which I’ve referred to before in the Digest and my reviews} and calls its dinner menu of chicken in aspic with herb salad, bar with cannellonis of piquillo peppers and chocolate fondant - “stunning”. Sunday, the New York Times “Check in – Check out” article in the Travel section by Seth Sherwood covered the Murano , summarizing its menu as “surprisingly unadventurous.” Alexander Lazareff and Natalie Radolinski’s “A Table” in the winter issue of France , the American not the Brit version, discusses Wine bars all over. Of interest to us are the ones in Paris he selects: Juveniles, L’Ecluse, Jacques Melac + Lavinia . January’s Gourmet has an article about Herve This about whom a thread was recently running. It indicates that his first book in English” Casseroles and Eprouvettes: Pots, Pans and Test Tubes” will be published this fall by Columbia Univ press. Margaret Kemp, who writes about food in Karen Fawcett’s Bonjour Paris, (which one must subscribe to), lists her “Best of Buzz 2004” as follows (coordinates given on those lesser known places): Chiberta Dans le Noir Les Fables de la Fontaine L’Entredgeu Pasco, 74, bd de la Tour Maubourg in the 7th, Metro Invalides, 01.44.18.33.26, running 15-24€ a la carte, serving Mediterranean food Le Murano La Table de Robuchon Apicius La Poele d’Or, 37, rue Miromesnil in the 8th, Metro Miromesnil, 01.42.65.78.60, her favorite place, closed weekends Dominique Bouchet, 11, rue Treilhard in the 8th, 01.45.61.09.46 metro Miromesnil, closed weekends Les Ormes Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Come on the schlep to Pte Clgnancourt is worth it! ← Ditto that; I don't have my stall map on me but there is a place that sells only things like you're looking for.

I realize it's not I asking the question, but you know, I was dragged kicking and screaming there a couple of years ago and it wasn't half bad. Also in case everyone hasn't figured it out already, the Tour M. is the only place where you don't see it, thus views from the roof are much better than the Tour Eiffel. We just revisited it last weekend and the looks into the gardens of the Ministries and Matignon, etc., still awe me.

It is a brand.It's in Red and Green square metal cans about 6 inches tall. See here for example. They also sell premeasured little trucs. In my Monoprix they're just to the right of the "bricks" of other coffees.

It's good to hear someone French explain the horrid condition of French coffee and confirm why I always note which restos serve Illy. Luckily my Monoprix has Illy and I don't need to go farther.

He sure did. One day it was announced he was at the Petite Cour the next day he left. I went after he'd left but before it hit the newspapers and was very annoyed. So, I'm curious how the Pavillon des Princes is working out. It's on the Southern edge of the Bois de Boulogne, 69 avenue de Porte d'Auteuil, metro the same name. It was nice but I don't know if he's changed the decor.

For someone like myself who likes his coffee, preferably Illy which available in some places, strong as in Naples (eg in Italian ristretto) ask for serré (that is dense).

I was about to point out that we should try to use the eGullet link to Amazon.com to help the Society receive a commission, but very few This titles are available there (and in languages other than English) versus Amazon.fr.

As Forum Host, I received this request via an email and I thought it was worth posting formally for discussion since I'll bet members have lots of ideas that didn't occur to me. My answer was: "This is a tough one. First, you really want a separate room and the number of places with such is a bit limited. Second, you want to negotiate with several places around prices, selections, wines, champagne, digestifs, etc. I think Pre Catalan is a great idea, but at night one must take a cab, while for lunch you can walk over if it's nice weather. I also know both Bon Acceuil and Restaurant W have rooms and excellent food and won't break your budget. I had my last big birthday party for 10 at Petit Colombier and it was affordable, good food and a wonderful room. A spectacular room in a nice setting is Terminus Nord but the food is just standard brasserie stuff not Savoy or Martin. Best wishes" Other suggestions?

January’s Gourmet has an article about Herve This. It indicates that his first book in English” Casseroles and Eprouvettes: Pots, Pans and Test Tubes” will be published this fall by Columbia Univ press.

Margaret Kemp, who writes about food in Karen Fawcett’s Bonjour Paris, (which one must subscribe to), lists her “Best of Buzz 2004” as follows (coordinates given only for the lesser known): Chiberta Dans le Noir Les Fables de la Fontaine L’Entredgeu Pasco, 74, bd de la Tour Maubourg in the 7th, Metro Invalides, 01.44.18.33.26, running 15-24€ a la carte, serving Mediterranean food Le Murano La Table de Robuchon Apicius La Poele d’Or, 37, rue Miromesnil in the 8th, Metro Miromesnil, 01.42.65.78.60, her favorite place, closed weekends Dominique Bouchet, 11, rue Treilhard in the 8th, 01.45.61.09.46 metro Miromesnil, closed weekends Les Ormes

“A Nous Paris,” gave “Six Sure Values” as its “Coups de Coeur:” Les Papilles Le Temps Au Temps La Table Lauriston Mon Vieil Ami La Cuisine Le Point Bar

You ask the darndest questions - here's a pix and this dictionery sez they're barnacles.

It does but I haven't eaten there in a couple of years.

Don't you mean, the food was offputting *and* the portions were so small? ← No, sorry, the door, the bar-seating and the price-quality of the food (albeit good) are off-putting. As I said Is that clearer?