John Talbott

It's true, I was waiting, lurking behind my Freudian beard and my Laconian adversion, to see what others would say.So I will respond. I don't get Michelin's drift. I don't see how flowers, flash, expensive drapes and decor can propel one into staritude. I ate at l'Arpege and Loiseau before and after their reach for the stars and find it amazing, for instance, that Passard is now getting $200 for a lunch prix fixe. I also find it astonishing that Passard's pretentious clone Bertrand Grebaut, Helene Darroze and Yohann Parran are lauded, while workers in the vineyard like Eric Jolibois, William Ledeuil and Rodolphe Paquin are treated as sub-dreck. But I'm in the minority and I realize it. So I will soldier on, enjoying the guys who put out the food, day after day without the flowers and drapes. And for July 4th, I will be at Spring and even though he will never get a star, (for reasons intimated at/to by Pti), Daniel Rose gets my gold star.

OK we've got: Versus: My father had an annoying response to pleas that he side with either me or my sister in arcane arguments (such as, does a glass of milk have tidal activity?) He would say, "You're both right." Well, I've just come back from meal three at Itineraires and I now agree with Poppy and daemon even though I used to think Olivier and I were correct. What was wrong? Well, it's hard to pin it down. As Atar said "it's as if another chef was cooking today." The veal tongue was so-so and the spicy guacamole helped but not enough, though Colette thought her gaspacho was equal to her last one. Then two of us had the quail special that was again so-so, the lotte (8 E supplement - Why?) with veggies and rabbit were not raved about either. We decided to call it a day then; the bill with 4 coffees, 2 wines and no bottled water was 159 Euros for four. Go again? Hoo boy, let's see how this topic goes.

Guy Martin, he of the Grand Vefour has opened a sandwicherie Miyou, 35, rue de Miromesnil, in the 8th and in Terminal 2E at Roissy CDG where they sell "la salade Vegy" with tofu and mango infused with ginger for 9,50 € and a fish wrap with tuna and veggies for 7 €.

Thanks to Julot and markemorse; our culinary experiences were as follows: V Four, 10 rue St Michel, Nancy is a Michelin one fork/Bib Gourmand open on Sunday with a terrace, ergo, a perfect choice for a hot Sunday afternoon after a walk through the old town. They have a 19 € market menu for lunch on weekdays and 26 and 38 ones as well. Colette decided to go with the a la carte pigeon which was superbly cooked, on top of nice mashed potatoes. Meanwhile I had the 26 menu. But both of us started with an amuse gueule of cold whole ecrevisses with chopped summer vegetables; delicious. Then I had a tartare of daurade royale with chives and spinach leaves and a chicken breast with turnips in a saffron sauce; good. Finally Colette had a fine moelleux and I had more than standard red fruit in red sauce. Nummies included marshmallows, tuiles, macaroons and meringues. With an excellent bottle of red Macon, two coffees and no bottled water our bill was 99 E. A definite repeat. For dinner, we went to the Brasserie (Flo) Excelsior for the décor not the food. It (the décor) was indeed spectacular and made the food almost worth putting up with. It being a brasserie in Lorraine, Colette had a quiche Lorraine with green salad that she deemed good and I had the choucroute Strasbourgoise that I decided had failed the rule of CIMIB (Can I make it better?) The bill was 44.40 € with a bottle of Toul pinot Noir, no bottled water or coffees. Again? No, just a beer and chips for the view. Lunch the next day in Nancy was at a place called Les Nouveaux Abattoirs which looks straight out of a 1950’s film. Nice staff. We shared a green salad first that had great dressing. Then Colette had a veal strip that she thought was not great but I disagreed and I had a filet of beef that we both agreed was good product, well-cooked (blue) but unfortunately came with mealy potatoes and out-of-the-can green beans. With a fine Morgan, 2 coffees and a calvados the bill came to 83 €. Go? Nah.

After a while in Nancy described here: We stayed and ate at the only ecrevisses farm in Europe; le Moulin aux Ecrevisses where Jean Pierre Geeraert raises ecrevisses, leads tours, has three rooms and serves an ecrevisses-centered meal. We started with a glass of local champagnoised wine, then a salad of alternating slices of beets and goat cheese. The ecrevisses (3 years old) came next in a tomato, cognac and white wine sauce that I wish had been more assertive but Colette thought was just right. The final dish was a clafoutis of cherries with a most delectable crust. With all that and wine but no coffee or bottled water, the bill was 82.50 E. Repeat? Nice folks, interesting place, a toss-up. The Rendez vous des Amis in Chamarandes near Chaumont was our next stop. It sure sounded good in the Michelin, was packed with locals and (French) tourists and had a wonderful terrace. But the positives stopped there. They have a habit, encountered in too many other provincial restaurants, of having a dizzying number of “menus” and chalkboard options. I chose a champagne plus three-course one, except they forgot the bubbly. The foie gras two ways was banal; the bloc of foie gras was like any other, anywhere and the sautéed foie gras was as tasteless as it could be without some help. Then the main; a huge piece of sweetbread that was again simply ordinary. Meanwhile, Colette was pushing around some shrimp and scallops in a vol a vent shell and mumbling. I finished with a café gourmand, a so-so coffee with five so-so desserts. Our bill = 84.50 E with one bottle of wine and one coffee. Go. Uh huh. The final meal was at a place called the Jardin Gourmand in Troyes, a city with an incredible amount of charm. We weren’t in the mood for any cute stuff, so after a green salad we split a chicken breast with vinegar sauce and a duck breast with cassis sauce. Both were standard issue and serviceable. The bread roll and floating island were very good, however. The amiable host made up for any need for outside entertainment. Our bill was 68 E with 1 bottle of wine, one dessert and no coffee. Go? A few doors up was Valentino, next trip I call there in advance.

2.5-5.5 Angelic for some, devilish for others. L’Angelique, 27, ave de St Cloud in Versailles, 01.30.84.98.85, closed Sundays and Mondays, run by Régis Dhouysset, who made L'Escarbille in Meudon so successful and the sous-chef there, Alex Guiet, ex-Chibois, ex-Grande Cascade, was found a few weeks ago by Jean Louis Galesne of Les Echos and now the Figaro and other gangs list it on their best lists. Four of us went yesterday and had a mixed reaction, as follows: Starters: Foie Gras croque monsieur: 1 very interesting, 1 interesting, 1 OK, 1 cute idea Sot l'y laisse with wheatberries: 1 good, 3 needed help. Mains: Lotte with white asparagus: 2 great, 1 liked it, 1 I don't do monkfish. Daurade: 1 fine, 1 tricky fish, 2 over-the-hill. Joue de boeuf: 1 terrific, 2 OK, 1 between terrific and OK, needed salt. Cochon de lait: 1 best ever, 2 yes, but, 1 so? Desserts: Apple "tart": 3 yes, 1 yah. Red fruit: 4 fab Chocolate cappucino: 3 you got screwed, 1 it's not that bad The bill = 100 €, a couple with 1 bottle of wine and two coffees, no bottled water. Go again? I suspect not and not just because of the schlep - but if someone asks where to go, when there, next to the Veranda, this would do.

The Week of June 23rd, 2008 Monday in Le Fooding, they reviewed the third Etchebest place - the Cantine du Troquet, 101, rue de l'Ouest in the 14th, no telephone, no reservations, closed Sunday nights and Mondays. Tuesday the group at l'Express, the group listed their favorite places with terraces; L'Eclaireur, Chez Julien, Nabulione, Le Télégraphe, Fauchon le Café, Le Crillon, Hôtel Fouquet's Barrière, Le Montalembert, Hôtel de Sers, Le Pur'Grill, Le Zyriab by Noura, Le Diapason, le café Branly, Le café Faubourg, Le Moulin de la galette, le Chalet de l'Oasis, La Véranda, Musée de la Vie romantique, La Grande Cascade, Théâtre du Rond-Point, Taeko, le salon du Panthéon, Om'Zaki, Le Café A, Le Laurent, Le café des Lettres, Fuxia, La Gare + Moisan. Tuesday-Wednesday, in ANP, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 blocks to l’Escapade, 36, bvd des Batignolles in the 17th, 01.45.22.51.77, closed Sundays, menus at 15 & 19 €, a la carte 25-45 € for asparagus, salads and cod but in winter, heavier fare such as cotes of beef or veal, beef bourguignon, tartare, etc.; and Jerome Berger awarded 3/5 blocks to A la Chataigne, coordinates already given, which serves Corsican fare. In addition, the gang gave their favorites for the year by arrondissement: 1er ARRONDISSEMENT - Ebis 4e ARRONDISSEMENT - Chez Georges, Monjul, Les Cotelettes, Le Carre, The Studio, Le Gaigne 5e ARRONDISSEMENT - La Montaigne Sans Genevieve, Le Temps, La Perle 6e ARRONDISSEMENT - Coco & Co 8e ARRONDISSEMENT - Le Toi 9e ARRONDISSEMENT - Les Pâtes vivantes, Café I 12e ARRONDISSEMENT - Le Cotte rôti 14e ARRONDISSEMENT - Les Petites Sorcières, L’Entetee 16e ARRONDISSEMENT - Etc. 17e ARRONDISSEMENT - La Bigarrade, L'Agapé 18e ARRONDISSEMENT - Guilo Guilo 19e ARRONDISSEMENT - Café de la Musique {For those who care about such things, the ones that are also in Le Point’s list last week include Les Pates Vivantes, Le Cotte Roti, Les Petite Sorcieres + l’Agapé} Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Colette Monsat et al Emmanuel Rubin’s “C’est nouveau” reviewed Gordon Ramsay’s Trianon Palace in Versailles, coordinates above and gave it a broken heart for its stiff, dismal and tasteless food that was also expensive (120 € per person); and awarded one heart each to: La Bocalee, 6, rue Ernest Renan in the 6th, 01.47.34.67.55, closed Saturday lunch, Sunday night and Mondays with lunch menus at 18 and 22.50 and about 50 € a la carte for shrimp with citrus, pea soup, lamb and profiteroles; Le Transversal a la Maison Rouge, 10, bvd de la Bastille in the 12th, 01.40.01.08.81, closed Monday and Tuesday and only open until 7 PM except Thursday til 9 PM, with menus at 20 and 25 € for mashed potatoes, stuffed pepper and egg cream; La Branche d’Olivier, 44-46 rue de Naples in the 8th, 01.42.63.48.18, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, serving mackerel rillettes, beef filet and fromage blanc on 29.50 and 36 menus and 45 € a la carte; and the Spanish-sounding Basque-Bohemian La Bocata, 31 rue Milton in the 9th, open everyday but Sundays, serving coldcuts and simple fish for 15-30 €. Wednesday as well, the Figaroscope had its traditional end of the season summary that started off with the 20 spots for summer as follows (liberally translated): Most Guinguette Chalet de l’Oasis in the St Cloud Park Most Versaillaise L’Angelique in Versailles Most “in” Etc Most discreet 153 Grenelle Most airy Le Veranda in Versailles Most Japanese Shu Most interesting behind the front le Nouveau Telegraphe Most bistronomic Itineraires Most rapid Pates Vivantes Most Korean Sobane Most gastronomic l’Agape Most pic-chic Patio du Crillon Most tropical Napulione Most panoramic Zyriab by Noura Most Thierry Marx Ozu Most bobo Brazilian Gabriela Most Italian La Briciola Most umbrella Chez Jean Most Corsican A la chataigne Most Arabian shack Le Comptoir de Tunisia And, Francois Simon’s “Hache Menu” featured the newest in the Costes empire Chez Julien where he ate a sexy meal for 143 € menu for two with no entrees or coffee, but a 73 € wine. Also Wednesday, in Paris Update, Richard Hesse went to the old tourist haunt l’Escargot de Montorgueil which was “eye-wateringly expensive…..[for]…..nice dining, not stratospheric gastronomy.” Thursday, in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski rated the following: Itinéraires + Le Bistrot de Breteuil in good shape, Shu a place to follow and Di Vino in trouble. Friday Jean Louis Galesne in Les Echos presented three new restos with terraces, his favorite l'Arome, Julien + Nabulione, 40, avenue Duquesne in the 7th, 01.53.86.09.09, open everyday, running one 45-60 eurors for lettuce hearts, crab salad, shrimp, cheeseburger, cote de veau, tartare or cod. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp had an article on “Passard’s Vie en Rose” and John Talbott had one on “the Fable of the Lion and the Squirrel”. Sunday, in JDD, Astrid T’Serclaes went to La Bricola + Itineraires calling the latter exquisite. June’s WHERE had Alexander Lobrano’s picks: Citrus Etoile, coordinates in the guide books, the new Bar a Huitres near Ternes, coordinates already given, Camdeborde’s take-out shop, the Creperie du Comptoir next door and new chef Anthony Boucher’s fare at Chez Jean in the 9th. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

153 Grenelle - A revisit* that revealed a weakness. Well, we three went again today* and upon looking at the "menu" all gasped: not great choices, but no a la carte, so we were stuck. Oh well. Ordered. Two of us had the carpaccio of bass (loup) with a dribble of oil and generous microtomed slices of cantaloupe and Colette the heirloom tomatoes with a boiled egg; all quite good. Then the men had the lamb chops with again a generous portion of string beans while Madame had the whiting (merlan) with a timbale of ratatouille; all again quite good. We waved the goat cheese option for the Ganguette strawberries with a digestif sauce; once again, quite good. Our bill, after 3-35 E menus, 2 bottles of wine and 3 coffees was 170 E. Go? Sure, but the weakness I referred to is/are the limited choices on the "menu;" so go only if you're one or two. *Last meal June 27th, fully paid for.

Well, my goodness, we haven't been to l'Huitrier (16, rue Sausier-Leroy, 17th, 01.40.54.83.44, closed Sundays and Mondays) in a dog's age. But we needed a place to go for lunch where we could eat light and still have room for ribs and such for dinner. It looks pretty much the same today* as it did umpteen years ago when we were regulars; great display of oysters and other shellfish outside - I know, I know - June hardly has a "r" in it, but..... We ordered a dozen #3 speciales and they were plump and good, along with an order of fried anchovies. Then we three had three mains: my suppions had a taste of antique frying oil I found strange but my wife and friend did not; they split an OK daurade with olive oil and gambas a la plancha, both of which I deemed alright but not heavenly. With two bottles of Muscadet, three coffees, one prune and no bottled water the bill was 181.00 Euros. *Our last meal was June 26th, fully paid for.

Yesterday in Le Figaro the front page and back page of the first section were taken by photos and stories by Francois Simon of Alain Ducasse becoming a citizen of Monte Carlo to avoid taxes. Not since Johnny Hallyday tried to move to Switzerland has there been such a fuss.

No no no. If your heart says no, don't go. We should start a topic on this. There are places, such as l'Astrance, Ze Kitchen Galerie + Itineraires where honorable eaters disagree; we should respect that. We should each speak our piece, but tastes differ and that's life. And information as to where to go.

Four of us went* for our umpteenth visit to Ze and were just as happy as always; the place was even livelier than usual with M. Ledeuil two kids and a stagiere from Philadelphia helping serve and Madame in the salle eating. I don't know how he does it; always coming up with several fresh, interesting and inventive new dishes. For starters we had the marinated pulpo and eggplant with Sicilian mozzarella (barrata) and for mains two orders each of the pigeon and rabbit. In between he sent out portions of chicken and shrip raviolis that had great spicy herbs inside, sitting in a bed of spicy bouillon. We finished up with one portion of mango "cappuccino." The bill was 192.40 Euros. *Our last meal was June 25th, 2008; paid for except for the raviolis and coffee.

Both.

Wednesday's Figaroscope gave its list of terrace restos for this summer: Le Saut de Loup Fontaine Gaillon Lena & Mimile J'Go La Cigale Recamier Cour jardin du Plaza Flora Danica Cafe LeNotre Laurent Cafe Guitry L'Art H, 34 rue Sainte Marthe in the 10th, 01.53.19.04.14, closed Sunday and Monday night, a la carte 30 €, Le Tir aux pigeons, restaurant of the Cercle sportif in the Bois de Boulogne, now open to the public, route de l’Etoile, 16th, 01.40.67.95.44, only at lunch in the summer, save Mondays, a la carte 45-60 €, Jardins plein ciel du Raphael Le Roland Garros Bagatelle Tokyo Eat La Gare Bistrot des Dames, in the Hotel Eldorado, 18, rue des Dames in the 17th, 01.45.22.13.42, open all summer, a la carte 30-35 €, Le Diapason Da Vincenzo Cozzoli in the Buttes-Chaumont.

Figaroscope Wednesday had an article on openings in the fall, some of which our members already know about: Eric Briffard ex-Elysees du Vernet to the the George V Antoine Heerah ex-Chamarre + Moulin de la Galette to Beauvilliers Thierry Costes of the Hotel Amour, Etienne Marcel, Chez Julien to l’Arbuci Thomas Langmann & Co of the Hotel du Nord to Chacha Thierry Faucher of the l’Os empire to Barbezingue Benoit Bordier ex-Chez Jean to Les Etangs de Corot Pierre Herme of the eponymous pastry shop to a new one on the rue Cambron in the 1st Alice Bardet of the Point Bar to a new one Point Bar 2 Julien Foulin former chef editor at Regal to open a new bio resto near the Bastille Gilles Choukroun, ex-Café des Delices, l’Angl’Opera to the Palace in the 9th Nicolas Le Bec of Lyon to the Opera Garnier.

There was a very nice article in the IHT last weekend on Apollonia Poilane.

Three of us went back to le Clocher Pereire today* and had another fine meal. The dishes were all suitable for a hot day (24 degrees C.), seasonal and terrific. Our firsts included a crab and puree of fennel mousse timbale with spicy fresh herbs and foie gras toast, risotto with fresh veggies and tomato and turnip slices with a squash blossom stuffed with goat cheese. Then we had rabbit with confited lemon and sundried tomato rollatines with feves; duck breast slices with a toasted envelope and a bland sandre with potato coating and fresh green asparagus. Desserts were two moelleux of chocolate and strawberries with sorbet. With 3 coffees, two bottles of wine and no bottled water our bill was 141 euros. *Last visited June 23rd, fully paid for except for two prunes offered.

The three harshest critics I know came back with me today* to Itineraires and loved it. Even the bread. For firsts we had the tomato gazpacho, sardine rillettes with a [sic] cornichon sorbet and a rabbit nem roll with mousseron mushrooms and cilantro; all inventive, slightly but not too busy or deconstructed and delicious. Then we had the joue de boeuf with mashies, that were mashed and whipped with something akin to egg whites posited Madame the expert cook; a huge souris of lamb with a coco-bean puree; rabbit with celery puree with vanilla; cod with clams and Japanese citrus (combawa) all also super. Finally I had a chocolate wonder with peanuts in the air; others the strawberries and rhubarb and what was called citron tart revisted – which surely was – this was truly deconstructed but very well deconstructed. Our bill for 4, with 4 coffees, 2 bottles of wine and no bottled water was 168 €. *Our revisit was June 24th, fully paid and we reserved again for next week.

Joannee That's very informative and thanks for taking the time to report. Good luck on the next 5 months.

This weekend's Figaro had an article on Rome that suggested the following: Pizzeria ai Marmi, Pizzerie Montecarlo, Restaurant vegetarien, Pierluigi, La Pollarola, Agusto, Tre Scalini + San Callisto, the last a bar.

The Week of June 16th, 2008 Monday, François Lemarié in Le Fooding wrote about the Chez Tonyon in Plouezec. Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard reviewed and gave 3/5 blocks to Nuxis, 129, rue du Chateau in the 14th {Michel Craca of Guifeli, which I thought was a terrific place, will open in a new Right Bank location under the same name}, 01.43.27.32.56, open dinner only except Sundays, with a menu at 28 € for avocado, vegetables, lamb with feta and a chocolate tart; and Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 blocks to 153 Grenelle, coordinates given before, where he liked the asparagus, langoustines, impeccable St-Pierre and voluptuous vanilla cream. In addition, in the sidebar, they announced that the Bar a Huitres Ternes, the third such, had opened in the old Goldenberg space. Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his usual five places but didn’t list them by number of hearts which I will do: two hearts went to the Japanese Hotaru in the 9th, the Brazilian Gabriela also in the 9th and the Lebanese Helem in the 2nd. One heart each was awarded the fusiony Le Perroquet in the Casino de Paris, 16, rue de Clichy in the 9th, 01.53.42.16.05, open everyday, which for 40-60 € given on crab Thai-style, risotto and chocolate nems and Au Pied de Fouet, 96, rue Oberkampf in the 11th, 01.48.06.46.98 open everyday, which for 20 € gives you cream of mushrooms, oeuf mayo, entrecote and a crème renversée. In this week Figaroscope’s Dossier, Colette Monsat et al gave where to go for sorbets: Apricot-Rosemary La Maison du Chocolat Kiwi Gelati d’Alberto Green apple Ice to Ice Yellow peach Pozzetto Wild blackberry Martine Lambert Cocoa Jean-Paul Hevin Litchi-Rose petal A la Mere de Famille Raspberry Berthillon Cassis Laduree Mango Macaroon And also La Tropicale + Le Bac a glaces. And in his Hache Menu, Francois Simon went to Toraya in the 1st for their menu of ices. Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed Zum Strissel, in Strasbourg, where he had a “self-indulgent, but oh, so satisfying” meal. Thursday, Le Point, had a special section devoted to food including suggestions for restaurants and other food-related places in the 1-10th Arrondissements and 11-20th see below, and Pudlo’s views on the great places. They also list the best of: best quenelles @ Aux Lyonnais, best entrecôte Le Relais Beaujolais, best veal liver Le Caméléon, best boudin La Fontaine de Mars, best canned tuna Le Dauphin, best fries Le Severo + le Bistrot Paul Bert, and best shrimp croquettes Les Petites Sorcières/Ghislaine Arabian. 1er ARRONDISSEMENT - Cibus, BAM, Joe Allen, Nodaiwa, Kinugawa 2e ARRONDISSEMENT - Liza 3e ARRONDISSEMENT - Le Café des Musées, Breizh Café, Mai Thai, Taeko 4e ARRONDISSEMENT - Ma Bourgogne, Chez Marianne 5e ARRONDISSEMENT - Itinéraires, L'AOC, Au Coin des gourmets, La Baleine 6e ARRONDISSEMENT - Fogon, Le Petit Verdot, PDG, Tsukizi, L'Epi Dupin, La Mercerie Mullot 7e ARRONDISSEMENT - Chez l'ami Jean, Petrossian, Le Café Constant, Les Cocottes, Le Violin d'Ingres, Café de l'Esplanade 8e ARRONDISSEMENT - L'Evasion, Le Griffonnier, L'Angle du Faubourg, Dominique Bouchet, Mini-Palais 9e ARRONDISSEMENT - Les Pâtes vivantes, Hôtel Amour 10e ARRONDISSEMENT - La Paella, Le Martel 11e ARRONDISSEMENT - Le Repaire de Cartouche, Da Lat, Bistrot Paul Bert, L'Homme bleu. 12e ARRONDISSEMENT - Le Cotte rôti, Les Crocs, Baron rouge, La Gazzetta 13e ARRONDISSEMENT - Chez Nathalie, Les Cailloux, Le Lao Thaï, L'Ourcine, Lao Lane Xang - To avoid - Bioart 14e ARRONDISSEMENT - Severo, Les Petites Sorcières, L'Ordonnance, La Marée Denfert, La Régalade 15e ARRONDISSEMENT - Afaria, Le Café des ombres 16e ARRONDISSEMENT - La Table Lauriston, Le Murat, La Pizzeria d'Auteuil, Chez Géraud, Carette, La Gare, Les Jardins Plein Ciel 17e ARRONDISSEMENT - L'Agapé, Sormani, La Maison de Charly 18e ARRONDISSEMENT - Le Moulin de la galette, Terrass Hôtel/Le Diapason 19e ARRONDISSEMENT - La Cave gourmande, Quedubon, Nakagawa, 25° Est 20e ARRONDISSEMENT - Les Allobroges, Le Baratin, Café noir, Vin Chai Moi. Friday, Jean Louis Galesne in this week's Les Echos wrote about several places in Boulogne-Billincourt: Le Gorgeon, coordinates given before; the new, adorable Violette et François, 38, rue d'Aguesseau, 01.46.05.01.93, closed weekends, lunch menu at 21, a la 35 euros, serving both traditional and non- food such as a radiant mache salad, peeled ecrevisses and cod with chips; the Japanese Sanki + La Trattoria, a true trattoria and a Spanish place Byzance; and a light snack lunch or Saturday brunch (14 E for either, 35 E a la carte) place Le Molière, 5, rue Molière, 01.46.21.91.86, closed Sundays and Mondays. Saturday-Sunday, in Le Figaro, Francois Simon wrote about Michel Troisgros’s new hotel-restaurant venture 20 minutes north of Roanne called La Colline du Colombier. Sunday, in JDD, Astrid T’Serclaes reviewed Ducoté Cuisine + Bis-tro Vin Sobre and Jean-Michel Lorain (Joigny) gave his two favorite places in Paris under 35 euros as Chez Michel + Le Restaurant du marché. And ironically, Sundays, Margaret Kemp in Bonjour Paris visited Lorain’s place La Cote Saint-Jacques in Joigny and John Talbott wrote about “Chefs on the Run: Up, Down and Sideways.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Le Gaigne – A pleasant Sunday revisit* with a gang. Not much changed from my last visit until today* except the amuse gueule was a little croque of lentils with ham and a slice of fine sausage atop, the wheaty bread was replaced by Banette and there were no marshmallows with the coffee. Since there were four of us we stretched the menu out a bit; for a starter I had an heirloom tomato and other squashed veggies in a pastry crust much like the veggie terrine I had at the Bistrot 121 forty years ago; my male friend had the tete de veau and Madame the warm veggies, both of which were just fine. Then two of us had the chicken, made as it was last time with forcemeat inside cabbage pockets; one had the lamb special and Colette had a rouget – all were quite happy. Finally we had a moelleux that had apricot pieces inside – good idea; one had rhubarb and two folks exotic fruits. With two bottles of perfectly light and chilled red Loires, two coffees and no bottled water we were out for 194 € for the four of us. Go back. Colette said sure, even on a non-Sunday. *Last visit June 22, 2008, fully paid for.

Le Bistrot Paul Bert Redux Sometimes it takes me a while to get smart. And this time* it took my friend Atar to suggest we go back, he having been several times since ’04 and both of us quite liking their bivalve/fish offshoot l’Ecailler du Bistrot next door. What’s different?; well - no Turkish toilet, menu’s gone from 26 to 34 € and waitstaff I didn’t recognize. Otherwise pretty much the same. Four of ordered: I had the 3-course menu with terrific sautéed small cuttlefish with bits of confited lemon - which 75% of the table ( I among them) thought were a great idea; then veal liver that I ordered blue (“you mean you really want it blue, that means it’s hardly cooked?” – “Yes”) but served more like saignant with mashed potatoes with olives and chives within; and finally poached cherries with a flat tuile and ice cream – all very good – a come back meal for 34 € (wines start at 18 €). Atar had the special, also itself 32 €, the beef filet with fries, that ironically, this week’s l’Express said were the best in any bistro in Paris save at Severo. I liked both a lot. The ladies, unfortunately, had the bland barbue (brill if that helps) with girolles in garlic butter that none of us were stunned by. Each was 33 €. With coffee, two bottles of Gamay-tasting but 13% wine and no bottled water our bill came to 180 € for four. Come back? You bet, me, not sure about the ladies with just one so-so fish dish available. * My last meal was June 21st fully paid for.

Thursday, Web Radio du Gout announced that President Nicolas Sarkozy presented Dominique Loiseau with the Legion d'honneur, noting chef Patrick Bertron's role with her in keeping the enterprise running.

How to respond? I said hello to the chef on entering but not later. We had a new English-speaking (I suspect USA) waitress and she was quite charming and interested. I dunno Pierre. Maybe success - the place was packed; maybe I was wrong the first time; maybe this is the way places go; maybe, maybe, maybe.