John Talbott

I think I need to put fancy into the equation.

Without going through all my issues (eg ignorance, cheapness, lunch preference, "been there done that," senility, neurosis, etc) I have been asked by one of my bosses in one of my prior lives to recommend a great place for 6 persons for or under 100€ per person all included for DINNER. I suggested lunch at the Meurice, les Ambasadeurs, le Bristol, Lancaster, Passiflore, etc or a pique-nique in the park Monceau, but for dinner, folks, I need your help (you know who you are - Julot, Pti, Choco, Pierre, Bu, Margaret, Laidback, Carlsbad, Zouave, OAKGLEN, Andy, Felice, prashant, Fresh A, Paga, and especially now - Robyn and Vinotas who've just done all the research). I apologize for those I've omitted - pile on! Merci!

Your question is a terrific and timely one. Another member of the Society and I were just talking about where I'd be eating light bites on two forthcoming weekend trips to Hyeres and Bilbao. In Bilboa, even though I haven't been in 20 plus years, I can find the tapas bar street and that'll be perfect. But in Hyeres, like Blanche Dubois, I'll have to depend on the kindness of strangers since the Gantie and other guides don't cover light stuff. For years, we've been eating our main meal at noon and light stuff at home at night. Even on the road, it may be gauche, but we often eat and sip back back at the gite/B&B. Around the Georges V, you have Noura (great pastries but also hot dishes), Tokyo Eat (salads, etc, and if good weather, the terrace can't be beat) and Marius & Janette (for one fish or shellfish dish). Another strategy is to go to a wine bar, they seems to grow like kudzu, but nothing rings a bell in the 8th or 16th nearby. I'm trying a place today that's called Mets & Vins that sounds perfect for you but is in the 17th. Let's see what everyone else comes up with. As for the white night, not been set yet, although midsummer's night is a good substitute.

I presume you've already done a search(es), if not I think you'll be pleased to find a lot under Provence, Aix, Avignon, Ventoux, etc.

Obviously quite different from our experience, but since you're from Towson and surely ate at Troia's what do you make of Gino Troia's downhill course at Grano?

As Peter Ustinoff, imitating Commendatore Enzo Ferrari, said about his pre-Formula 1 racing cars' tendency to burn out their brakes, "Any fool can make a car stop, it takes a genius to make her go fast." To paraphrase/translate: Anyone can read the Michelin/GM/Pudlo/Lebey/etc but it takes courage and focus to search the eGullet French Forum for real food finds. Happy searching and finding.

As usual Pti you've done us a great service. I have only one amendment, if you like it almost raw ask for - "vers cru." I am one of those rare and crude (puns intended) folk who want my meat "meaty" tasting, especially lamb, liver, beef and veal (flying things and gamey things and kidneys should be cooked through though) and I try to imply (as I did successfully today) that one should cook whatever it is so that it has some almost burnt tidbits outside and almost quivering insides. PS. The liver today was at the newly revived M Comme Martine BTW. More, later, etc.

I'd like to chime in that I've eaten Chez Doucet three times and done very well twice and not so well my last time, due to what the RFC and I see as the chefs trying to find a way past or post Camdeborde. The bread and terrine and value are certainly still there though.Report back Pierre, you and I agree most of the time.

Elsewhere I asked about food around Le Lavandou but I'm intrigued by the islands off Hyeres where I'm staying for a wedding. Does anyone have any experience eating in any of the three islands - Porquerolles, PortCros, Levant? Thanks

I am sad to report that Angl'Opera is closed "definitively" according to a concierge at the Edward VIIth, wherein it sits. A sign in the window says it'll become their bar and the concierge said she thinks Choukroun will simply be occupied with his other ventures (Mini-Palais, Cafe Very) but she didn't really know, she said. I probably shouldn't be too sad, because I think he was at his best at the Cafe des Delices and tried too hard at Angl'.

Host's note: So as to get this back on a food theme, I'm going to suggest we all send Vinotas our purely housing related advice via PM and keep this topic focused on where to live near food (restos and markets). And I shall do do myself immediately. Thanks. John Edited by JT to correct keeo to keep.

Impressive - but I'm still trying to find real Jewish grated horseradish not the French creme nor the Brit Colman's which do not work in one of my recipes. Until 9/11 I schlepped over mine but I'm afraid the liquid would disqualify it as medication. Ditto for real Heinz's Chili Sauce whose "export" label makes me suspicious. And, on the same theme, I'm still importing cocktail (cashew and pea-) nuts, they seem different. But as with so many things, maybe it's just me.

My experience at the Luxembourg Amorino wasn't bad.

Julot's six year comment was only made the 4th of April so it's pretty current.Warning: I'll be merging this into the existing topic as soon as it runs out of steam.

The Week of May 12th, 2008 Tuesday, Jerome Berger and Philippe Toinard in A Nous Paris listed six good (4/5 blocks) restaurants with good prices (in addition to the old reliables – Regalade, l’Ami Jean + Chez Michel). All except the last’s coordinates have been listed before. They are Coco et Co, La Briciola, l’Angelique, Corneil, La Cave a l’Os a moelle + Les Comperes, 32 rue Dantzig in the 15th, 01.45.33.72.71, closed Sundays and Monday nights, serving charcuterie, spinach with chicken livers, pork ribs and tiramisu on a 14 € lunch formula. Tuesday, in l’Express, Yves Nespoulous reviewed Autour d’un verre, coordinates given before, a wine bar in the 9th. And Friday, François-Régis Gaudry did a special edition on Monte Carlo (it’s Cannes time) including Louis XV, Le Sporting Monte-Carlo, l’Aromate, Cave Croisette, Cave de l’Origine, La Mer Germaine + Le Rendez-vous. Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin awarded two hearts to three places: Itineraires, coordinates given last week, 153 Grenelle, address idem in the old Soleil space, in the 7th, 01.45.51.54.12, closed Sundays, lunch menu = 35, dinner 59 € for blue lobster, langoustines and four tiny desserts and La Folle Avoine, 91, rue de Grenelle in the 7th, 01.45.51.02.59, closed Sundays, running one 30-35, formulas at 20 and 25 € for shrimp tempura, entrecote and bar. Two one heart ratings went to: l’Oga, 82, rue Jean Pierre Timbaud in the 11th, 01.43.57.60.15, closed Saturday lunch and Mondays (brunch on Sundays) with lunch menus at 10.50 and 12.50, a la carte 35-40 € for soup, minced ostrich and pannacotta and Les Fromages de Pierre, 148, ave Felix Faure in the 15th, 01.45.54.12.26, closed Saturday and Sundays, serving cheese from Androuet in fare such as a tartine, aligot with charcuterie and fondues for 25-40 € This week, in Figaroscope’s Dossier, Colette Monsat et al described Museum Restaurants: Grand Palais Mini Palais Quai Branly Les Ombres Tokyo Tokyo Eat Baccarat Cristal Room Baccarat MAC VAL Le Transversal Centre Pompidou Georges Musee de l’Homme et de la Marine Café de l’Homme Musee des Arts et Metiers Le Café des Techniques And of course, Francois Simon gets to p;ick his choice: in his Hache Menu he went to Le Saut du Loup where he advises readers to go for pleasantness of the terrace but not the price – 143 € for two to pick at the food. Wednesday-Thursday in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribault discussed Le Clos de Sens in Annecy. The day before he had written a tribute to Paul Haeberlin. Thursday, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed Les Petite Sorcieres, coordinates given before where the dishes were not as exciting for him and his dining partner as expected but which he still deemed “magical.” Friday, in Les Echos, Jean Louis Galesne sings about the pretty restos of May: Guilo Guilo, ETC + Itinéraires. He also announced that Alice Bardet was “directing” another restaurant in addition to the Point Bar – Le Boudoir, 28, rue du Colisée in the 8th and that Christian Etchebest, chef of Le Troquet in the 15th would open La Cantine at 103, rue de l'Ouest in the 14th ; both at the end of May. In Saturday’s Figaro Francois Simon wrote about La Cigale Egarée in Quimperlé where he ate well. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote “Spring at the Pre Catalan” and John Talbott wrote a piece entitled “Trapped by the Chef.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Well, when I bought (1990) prices in my part of the 18th were a bargain and I'm on a market street (Poteau & Duhesme) and I love it. I think it's the perfect blend of markets, price, nearby running opportunities and neighborhoodly, non-touristy feeling.

There is a topic up running but I'd check the website of the Canadian authorities.

Ok Ok Ok.Let's not go overboard here. When I was 18 I thought Paris was really the pits and I much preferred the food, ambiance and scenery of Brittany, Provence and even (gasp) Northern France. But now that I'm a bit more advanced in age not wisdom, I like both. In 1985, we (there's Colette too, remember) tried to buy a pied a terre on Lac Annecy, but the regulations and co-ownership stuff were stiffling. So in 1990, when things were a bit simpler, buyer-wise, we pluncked down in the 18th, grace a Paga et Elan. But since then, even we, dedicated shoppers on our market street, buyers at the Galeries Lafayette & Bon Marche, splurgers at Mavromatis, Bellota-Bellota and Noura, go outside the peripherique. We, in Paris, are not Neanderthals, we go to Brittany, Normandy, Provence, the South-West, the Savoie, the Jura, the Pyrenees, even to Cannes (but not now), and we like the food, the people and the air. As a psycho-medico-gastro-sociologist, I'd like to think that this discussion reflects our wishes to be inside and outside, cheap and generous, adventuresome and sitting by the fire - and there are no losers - everything wins. In the next few weeks, I'll be in Bilbao, Toulon and Le Lavandou et environs and the Big P. As far as I'm concerned, it's all France, it's all great - aren't we lucky?

Stephen Whitlock, in today's NYT mentions Noma, Claydies, Karriere + Aamanns for interesting food and decor.

In today's NYT "T" section were some restaurant suggestions in the Vaucluse by Amy Wilentz: Chez Serge in Carpentras, Chez Udo in Velleron, and Maison Gouin in Coustellet.

Today's NYT has a Readers Picks piece mentioning: Hlucna Samota + Al Capone pizzeria.

And, in today's NYT there's an article that suggests: Bay Kahkaha for Turkish food, Atolye Cadi Kazani Cafe for Turkish coffee and Ta Kala Kathoumena for a "frothy frappe and political commentary."

Correct. Family lore has it that the wine was named for (rather than by) John Talbot who reconquered Bordeaux in 1452.Robert Talbott wines of Monterey, CA, however, is owned by a Talbott.

Today, in Les Echos, Jean Louis Galesne sings about the pretty restos of May and announced that Alice Bardet was “directing” another restaurant - in addition to the Point Bar – called Le Boudoir, 28, rue du Colisée in the 8th and that Christian Etchebest, chef of Le Troquet in the 15th, would open La Cantine at 103, rue de l'Ouest in the 14th; both at the end of May.

Ah you guys are too fast for me. To be reported next week in the Digest: "Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin awarded two hearts to 153 Grenelle, address idem in the old Soleil space, in the 7th, 01.45.51.54.12, closed Sundays, lunch menu = 35, dinner 59 € for blue lobster, langoustines and four tiny desserts."