John Talbott

Although to counter-balance yours and Phyllis's comments, he had even fewer tables at Caves Miard/Cremerie and had no hesitation about taking my reservation for 1 and on my arrival, found a table where I didn't compromise his ability to fill all the other chairs. As I recall, he actively moved chairs and tables as the customers came and went. My memory of the seating possibilities at Racines is a bit hazy, tho, since I was preoccupied with my two captivating eating partners.

Well, Pierre45, I and a chef talked about this strategy today and I realized that's really not fair to any chef, especially in a place (like Les Racines that has very few covers). I must admit I did it in Paris before I realized I should be honest and to date I've never been refused admittance as a solo dinner (knock wood).

And today I had it at Cavesteve albeit not up to the level of other places.

The Week of October 13th, 2008 Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Au Petit Panisse, (in the ex-Vache Acrobate space,) 35, rue de Montreuil in the 11th, 01.43.71.37.90, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays with formulas at 10, 12 and 15 at lunch and 24 and 30 € at dinner for chicken and celery soup,veal and green beans and chocolate tart; while Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to Miroir, coordinates below, serving a paleron and joue de boeuf, eggplant puree with marinated salmon, echine of pork, chanterelles, pumpkin and a cream pot. Tuesday, in Le Fooding Andrea Petrini reviewed the wine bar Georges Five, in Lyon. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave two hearts to 4 places: the picture and lead review to Agapes, address ex-l’Equitable, {beloved by the NYT and many of us}, now closed Sunday for dinner (brunch Sunday noon) and Monday, formulas at 16, 18 & 22, menus at 28, 30 & 33, tasting menu = 56 €, for crunchy tete de veau, veal kidneys and rice pudding that lacks binding; then Miroir, 94, rue des Martyrs in the 18th, 01.46.06.50.73, closed Sunday dinner and Mondays, with a formula at 18 for lunch and menus at 25 & 32 € serving a mushroom and andouillete soup, pork loin and a vanilla cream and confited apples with a sable; l’Hydrophobe, 53 bis, blvd Arago in the 13th, the ex-Pearl space, 01.45.35.53.42, closed Sundays and Mondays, 16 lunch formula, 30 and 34 € menus, serving lamb sweetbreads with trumpets of death, rumsteak with a Bercy sauce and a fondant of chocolate; and the Italian Barocco instead of the Pourcel Bros Sens in Levallois. Finally, he gave one heart to {the most appealing name of a place in years} Des Gars Dans La Cuisine, 72, rue Vielle du Temple in the 3rd, 01.42.74.88.26, closed Sunday night (brunch Sunday noon) and Mondays, costing 40-50 € but with 16 lunch formula, serving a beef salad with soy and cucumbers, daurade and “a Guy’s hamburger.” Wednesday in the “Dossier” Colette Monsat et al presented a list of 23 of the best oeufs mayo: 1. Le Voltaire 2. La Closerie des Lilas 3. Café de l’Epoque 4. Petites Sorcieres, Chez Flottes, Café Max 23. l’Oeuf Mayo. And Francois Simon in his “Hache Menu” reviewed the #1 - Le Voltaire, especially for its oeuf mayo; verdict – it’s good, exorbitant (123.10 € for dinner for two without wine and sharing a dessert altho' it's only 90 cents for the oeuf); thus only go if someone takes you. Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote two articles, the first about the sauces ravigote, gribiche and poulette as accompaniments to tete de veau and pieds de cochon, the second about the best tripes in Paris, which are at Ribouldingue, but he also recommends: the African Lounge, Moissonnier, Petit Mâchon, Au Quincy, Benoît, Bastide Odéon + Bistrot d'à côté as well as the tripe-maker Maurice Vadorin. Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon, in his ”Croque Notes,” wrote of the relaunching of the Mere Brazier in Lyon. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about “Constant, L'Arome, Petrossian” and John Talbott wrote an essay on “Travel is so broadening: Part II: Romania!” Sunday, Seth Sherwood in the NYT spent 24 hours in Paris and recommends Julien, Usagi, L’As du Fallafel + La Belle Hortense wine bar and the ethnic places around the Enfants Rouges market. Sunday in JDD, Astrid De T' Serclaes reviewed Le Gorgeon in Boulogne-Billancourt. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

The IHT today had a article by Matthew Saltmarsh entitled 400 Cheeses: Are they losing their flavor? which made statements like ''Raw milk is the battlefield," attributed to Pierre Boisard, a sociologist who is author of "Camembert: A National Myth" and ''The big worry is whether we will be able to preserve what we have inherited," said by none other than Philippe Alléosse and "It is a silly debate," said by Luc Morelon, director of communications at Lactalis, who also stated that "We never wanted to kill small producers; they have the capacity to kill themselves." Having just had a sheep tomme and aged Conté from Quatrehommes, while passing up the fare at my Monoprix, I have no complaints but it's interesting that this has reached the international stage.

This is the first of I'm sure many comments on the new Food Guides rolling out over the next six months. Today's Figaro + Goumandises de Philippe announced that the new 2009 Gault Millau 2009 France would be out Monday and Figaro had a little blurb saying that their chef of the year was Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur in Menton, a good choice despite the unhappy Marc Veyrat's comical position remaining a 20/20.

For some reason I hadn't seen this before today and it provoked a strong memory when my wife and I and 3 year old were in Rio for Carnival in 1967 (courtesy of the US Army and NJ Air National Guard) and hyper-super-inflation caused all the banks to shut. No money and in those days no ATM's. Back to food: I had prepaid for our hotel and the last morning of our stay I rose to go running and found our breakfast on front of the door, the hotel completely shuttered - with a sign outside saying they went broke, would the last person close the front door (the electricity was already cut). Carnival was fun though and the beef extraordinary.

Well as I will report later, my pal Atar and I went to Moulin a Vent which we chose over Severo this week to our everlasting ignomy. Pti and I had just great beef at Bis and Atar tried Desnoyers veal at home and it was super. But they did as Pti or was it Julot suggested, ask for the best. Me next.

L’Accolade, which I tried in November 2006 is holding up quite well. While I’m not sure our meals today were solid 7’s, some things were great: in particular the amuse bouche mushroom soup, bass tartare, veal onglet, pear with crumble and crunchy bananas. Somewhat less successful were the starter of seafood nems with a spicy Asian sauce, scallops with potatoes and over-toasted calamari with an odd sauce but a super risotto. Our bill for three was 137 € with 1 ½ bottles of Chinon and 3 coffees.

The Week of October 6th, 2008 Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to Fous de l'Ile, 33, rue des Deux-Ponts in the 4th, 01 43 25 76 67, formulas 21 & 26 €, brunch on weekends, serving chicken salad, chicken in the pot (the wallpaper is all sorts of poultry), gaspacho and salmon, herring style. Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Lilane, 8, rue Gracieuse in the 5th, 01 45 87 90 68, closed Sundays and Mondays, lunch formula = 16€ & 20€, menus-cartes at 25€ & 30€, serving many dishes including: langoustine raviolis, grilled daurade and risotto with artichokes, braised veal and chocolate mi-cuit. Monday, in Le Fooding Sebastien Demorand reviewed Le Chat, in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire. Tuesday, Caroline Mignot reviewed Hermès et Bacchus, 6 rue Emile Gilbert in the 12th, 01 40 01 91 80, lunch formula = 16 €, which is perfect if you're headed out from the Gare de Lyon and which has in addition to lots of wines, such fare as snails, gizzard salad, confit de canard, daube de bœuf aux olives noires and a fig tart; the latter two of which look, in her photos, quite yummy. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave 4/5 hearts to Eric Briffard’s new chef-ing at Le Cinq, coordinates well-known, a la carte 200-250, discovery menu 210 and lunch menu 85 €, open 7/7, serving superb crab, autumnal wild duck and delicate banana with chocolate; and 2 hearts to Le Zebra (ex-Zebra Square), coordinates known, with a carte running about 60 and lunch formulas at 28 and 32 €, open 7/7, serving avocado and crab, an egg trio and exotic chicken. Three places merited one heart: La Cocotte du Saint Jo, 147, ave Parmentier in the 10th, 01.42.40.15.57, closed Saturday lunch, running one about 30 a la carte but with formulas at 15 to 25 € for “tapas Facebook time,” snails and an honorable blanquette of veal; Chez Margot, 25 bis blvd Henri IV in the 4th, 01.42.72.39.85, closed Sundays, running about 25-40 € a la carte for lentil and haddock salad, entrecote with shallots and a home made Paris Brest; and the Italian Sorza in the 6th. Wednesday in the “Dossier” Colette Monsat et al presented their list of culinary stores in which to buy bread, cheese, meat, fish, wine, etc. In addition, they went to the favorite shops, eg market(s) with four individuals, one of whom was Caroline Mignot. Francois Simon in his “Hache Menu” reviewed Pasta Linea in the 4th. Wednesday, Richard Hesse on Paris Update wrote about les Cotelettes, coordinates already given, where it sounds like he had a fine dinner over-all. Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote one article about leeks and another about favorite fish. Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon, in his ”Croque Notes,”wrote up Laurence Salomon in Annecy. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Marc Meneau and John Talbott wrote an essay on “Bordier Butter, Thiebault veggies, Desnoyers meat, Cantin cheese, etc.!” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Pierre my friend, you have yet again discovered a place before the big boys; congratulations! Wine at 7 E will surely entice a few of our convives.And Versaison's chef is a delight; I ranked him above Gordon @#$%^&*@# Ramsey, just below Hide Kobayashi.

Actually, since I bought it I've been shmearing it on everything, well, not everything.

This is one of a series of compendia that seeks to provide information available in prior threads on eGullet. Please feel free to add links to additional threads or posts or to add suggestions. Alsace Lorraine Auberge de l’Ill Christmas in Alsace Westermann's Buerehiesel L'Arnsbourg in Untermuhlthal Colmar and area Pont aux chats Strasbourg to Sarreguemines Valence to Strasbourg Strasbourg Merged topics Alsace Alsace & Strasbourg Westermann’s new sandwicherie in Strasbourg

Partridge, usually young.For everyone's info there's a topic running on Game terms.

This topic has generated so much interest I hesitate to merge it with the other one on game/gibiers but there's much overlap so folks should check both out, for instance on Epigramme's lievre which in 2007 was available at lunch as well.

Labourdine, 3 place de l'Alma in the 8th, 01 47 20 49 26.

Charles My thanks for your work and advice to me. John

A member/friend downstairs had it at Carre des Feuillants yesterday and liked it.

Quite so, Julot; for example, my love affair with the Tantes occurred prior to Bernard Loiseau's death in 2003, well before my love affair with the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts and Letters started and the only one I've noted here was Tante Marguerite. Thanks for the report; BL lives on.

I suspect not since it faces the Gare de Lyon and that, not Daumesnil would be the landmark and Metro. But I liked it very much.

Les Zygomates? where and when did you see the pix; how new is/was it?

Last Wednesday in the “Dossier,” the FigaroScope gang listed reservation times for Friday dinner for two for these "most popular" restaurants: 10 days - Chez l'Ami Jean 15 days - Le Carré des Feuillants Le Pré Catelan L'Ami Louis Apicius Le Cinq La Maison Blanche 1 month - Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée Pierre Gagnaire Alain Senderens Les Ambassadeurs L'Ambroisie La Tour d'Argent 1 1/2 months - Guy Savoy 2 months - L'Astrance Comptoir du Relais Le Meurice Guilo-Guilo 3 months - Jules Vernes 4 months - Comptoir du Relais 5 months - Spring

still apply?I'd like to try it, but it would not be convenient at lunchtime. ← You'd best telephone Oliver; when I first ate there Sept 2, that was the deal; lunch only except private dinners; that's when my friend and I cooked up the idea of a dinner of anti-cons; we all went back Sept 19, but to tell the truth I did not ask if their policy had changed, I was so delighted (again) by the meal.Could you be so kind as to post your results, because if it's now open for dinner to all, I'm sure many folks would go.

The Week of September the 29th, 2008 Last week’s VSD had a debate moderated by Paul Wermus between Francois Simon and Jean Luc Petitrenaud on the subject of whether food criticism is useful; Simon taking the oui side and elaborating on his disrespect for Guy Savoy who served black truffles in August, his paying his bill and his going anonymously; Petitrenaud saying not much of interest. Monday, in the IHT Henry Alford had an article (also in the NYT) that mentioned Jean Paul Gauthier’s “fashionista” recs: the Jules Verne, Casa Olympe + Angelina. Monday as well, Charlotte Balme in Le Fooding wrote up as the best brunch in Paris: Miroir, 94 rue des Martyrs in the 18th, 01.46.06.50.73, closed Sunday night and Mondays. Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard gave 4/5 dots to the "world-food" place Shu in the 6th while Jerome Berger awarded 3/5 dots to Chardenoux, 1, rue Jules Valles in the 11th, 01.43.71.49.52, lunch menu = 29, a la carte about 55 €; where Cyril Lignac ("Oui Chef" TV ex) has revived that old bistrot in the hot Paul Bert area, serving up cepes, salmon blanquette and a Paris Brest Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope reviewed and gave 2/5 hearts to Chardenoux, see above for coordinates, commenting on the cepes soup, lamb and tartare with flabby fries as well as Le Bar Laduree, 13 rue Lincoln in the 8th, 01.40.75.08.75, open 7/7, serving snack stuff for 30 and real meals (raw ginger beef, potatoes with salmon, scrambled eggs with artichoke and a first rate dame blanche) for 50-60 €. Three other places merited but 1/5 heart: the wine bistrot in the Publicisdrugstore Wine 133, 133 ave Champs Elysees in the 8th, 01.44.43.77.64 open 7/7 serving a deluxe salmon club sandwich, pasta with truffles and cut fruit; the good product place for a picnic in the Buttes Chaumont, open 7/7 Rosa Bonheur, costing 20 € for sardines, sausage and bio wines; an the Japanese-influenced chic take-away place Miyou in the 8th, open 7/7 for lunch and during all afternoons but Sunday. Wednesday in the “Dossier,” the Scope gang listed reservation times for these "most popular" restaurants on a Friday night: 10 days - Chez l'Ami Jean 15 days - Le Carré des Feuillants Le Pré Catelan L'Ami Louis Apicius Le Cinq La Maison Blanche 1 month - Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée Pierre Gagnaire Alain Senderens Les Ambassadeurs L'Ambroisie La Tour d'Argent 1 1/2 months - Guy Savoy 2 months - L'Astrance Comptoir du Relais Le Meurice Guilo-Guilo 3 months - Jules Vernes 4 months - Comptoir du Relais 5 months - Spring And, Francois Simon contributed a review in his “Hache Menu” of the Pizza Chic, coordinates already given, which he says sure has chic pizzas costing one 20 a pop, total 40-70 €. Wednesday, Richard Hesse on Paris Update wrote about l’Arome, coordinates already given, which he says has the current décor, trendy slate and named products. Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Clause Ribaut reviewed Les Crayères in Reims. Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon wrote about Paul Minchelli’s moderately new seafood place Le 21, coordinates given before, which he’s quite enthusiastic about. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott wrote an essay on “Smoking is Dead: Long live smoking.” GoGo Paris announced the opening of a "healthy" organic "cantine" Supernature, 12 rue de Trevise in the 9th, 01.47.70.21.03, lunch & dinner Monday-Friday, brunch Sunday, serving herb juice, cheeseburgers, vegetarian tarts and carrot cake. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

We were stuck Saturday last at noon at the Terminus Nord, despite my statement that from now on I’d go to l’Ardoise Gourmande in the future if leaving from the Gare du Nord, because the latter is closed Saturdays. In any case it wasn’t as bad as I feared. Colette had a Provencal vegetable "compotine" with goat cheese and pesto followed by a floating island, both of which she thought were pretty good; I the #4 fines de Claire’s and beef tartare and liked them too. With a ½ bottle of wine, no water and two coffees, our bill was 75.30 €.