John Talbott

As we were walking and shopping around and on the avenue d'Ivry in the 13th this afternoon it occured to me that I've often wondered where to shop if I'm really stuck and forget to go to the street market in the AM and want something outside the realm of my three pan-Asian traiteurs, two flower shops, boulangeries and one "Arab 7/11." So as another helpful resource for our "Eating, Shopping and Staying" topic, I'll start off by saying that certainly Tang, the Paris Store and various other places on the Avenue d'Ivry are in full flower Sundays.

L'Agassin - a revisit and revision. After eating here almost two months ago, coordinates in the original review, I returned today with Colette and a friend. We all three had the 34 Euro menu-carte with many of today's specials. They started us off with cups of warm cucumber soup with chunks of cod and diced chives - quite good. Then we diverged - I having the warm rascasse with a great crisp salad; Colette had a dish of scallops with creamy white beans that was good; and our friend had dried duck with salad. Then I had beef cheeks with a dark brown pepper sauce and a ton of carrots; Colette the mullet with veggies that had a terrific lemony zing to them; and our guest had the salmon with spelt spaghetti, which she thought was quite special. Finally, I had the same pain perdu with ice cream I had last time; Colette had a soup of clementines and citrusy sorbet and our friend the rice pudding. The bill with wine, coffee but no bottled water was 148 Euros for three. I rated it higher than the two ladies - the consensus vote being about 6.0.

Before we all get into the 3rd age tradition of repeating ourselves, please check out what we said before in Tipping in France and Tipping in France Redux. This is sufficiently specific (3 star) we'll let it play out then do some merging. John

It's in the 8th. Host's Note. Robyn: You raise an important point about giving coordinates and details that we agreed to a few years ago but are worth repeating: other readers/members are grateful when we put in addresses, telephone numbers, cost of "menus' and meals themselves, etc. I know that we all try to list the coordinates of new places but I suspect that once a place is listed in all the guidebooks, BE is an example, we omit details.

Could someone describe/define a "half-smoke?" Please. This sounds like something my Froggie friends (and I) would really see/eat that's totally new.

I've been lax on this because I keep thinking I'll get down to that neighborhood for some errand or another but it keeps not happening. I hesitate to recommend Brasserie Beck to someone who probably lives near 20 of them -- at least this one isn't owned by a chain -- but it offers a decent meal. And I'm not sure what you consider walking distance, but Rasika is a pleasant walk if you have time, and I like their Indian food quite a bit. I seem to recall that you've been to Cafe Atlantico, which can be hit or miss but always seems worth a gamble. Also by the same owner Jaleo and its small plates and Oyamel for upscale Mexican. Again, all these are a nice stroll away, but probably not if you only have an hour for lunch. There's not too much close to the Convention Center itself. ← Not so much as to turn me off. Love it as well as Jaleo.Thanks much Charles.

My understanding of the rules of the game (La Règle du jeu) is that we declare comps, how much we actually paid and when we last ate at a place. What's the downside?

Sorry you are correct - I'll fix. It was l’Epigramme John I am a little unclear which restaurant you are referring to; because of your 6.0 rating it must be l'Epigramme. ←

I did indeed, but I haven't been back for several years. It's not their problem, it's mine; too many places, too little time. Sorry, I'll think about a revisit. Thanks for your fidelity dlc. I'll endorse La Cuisine. ← John, Just curious do you not like Clos des Gourmets? I seem to remember you reviewed it favorably a couple of years ago. Maybe it was the other John? ←

Update March 21, 2008: l’Epigramme Four of ate here today and again were warmly welcomed. Two of us started with terrific warm tete de veau slices. Then the ladies had the rascasse on a bed of veggies in a brown sauce. One "recipient" liked the dish but the other added salt and was not impressed with the product nor the veggies and sauce. However, I really liked my beef cheeks stuffed with mushrooms and Monsieur his veal on a bed of sweet-potato. Everyone but me had dessert; one serving of chopped apples with a sable; two others had mixture of banana, chunks of chocolate cookie and formage blanc. Both were quite good. The bill was 73.50 Euros a couple with wine, coffee but no bottled water. Our rating was about a 6.0.

Done, with Ptitpois as the judge.

I'll endorse La Cuisine.

Good idea of you to pop in. I assume you've already checked out our compendium that has 11 topics so far on it. Good luck, John

Priceless Julot, thanks so much for starting this topic.

Much as I respect Julot, Laidback, E Rubin and P Toinard; four of us had a very different experience the summer of 2006, just after the later two had reviewed it very positively. Must have been an off day.

Today Figaroscope provided a list of restaurants open all night, indeed 24 hours: Au Pied de Cochon l'Alsace Le Grand Cafe Maison de l'Aubrac Pub Saint Germain Taverne de Maitre Kanter and notes that Hippopotamus is open til 4-5 AM.

Some chef news from today's "Quoi de neuf" in Figaroscope: Christian Le Squer of Ledoyen and team are opening a contemporary brasserie at l'Instant Epicure, 5, rue La Perouse in the 16th; the Transversal gang will open a branch at 10, bd de la Bastille in the 12th in the Maison Rouge gallery/museum; and Japanese nouvelle cuisine chef Eiichi Edakuni will open a place at 8, rue Garreau in the 18th (in Montmartre no less) with only 20 covers.

I had a wonderful meal at l'Agassin about a month ago reported here that I'll retest next week with Colette and report on. Both 35º Ouest and Le Petit Bordelais have had good press but I've not had the opportunity to try them yet. For oldies, all the Christian Constant & Co places are good as well.

I hate (actually I love it) to be a tease but we ate today at an equally RER-distant place - the Auberge des Saints Peres, 212, av Nonneville in Aulnay sous Bois - a one star Michelin place and it was as good if not better than Les M my last RER love. Love is so fickle. Stay tuned for my review.

Ah, no, not VA (I have to go there once a month so that's a different issue/topic).For my French pals in DC, we normally eat lunch, sampling the "local chow" somewhere accessible to the Convention Center (Recall, here inside Paris everything is reachable in less than 40 minutes on our Metro.) For me and Colette, we eat light, ethnic at night. For my French colleagues it'll be a weekday lunch; for my charming wife it'll involve lunch and dinner, weekdays and weekends. I think that's a confusing answer but all suggestions are gratefully received. John

Le Grand Pan Update: Three of us ate here for my fourth time and Colette's third and it too is doing just fine. My male pal started with the mackerel with leeks, while I had a sublime sauteed slice of pork belly atop room-temperature, marinated winter vegetables. Colette then had the splendid aile de raie (again); my friend several different cuts of milk-fed lamb in a chorizo juice and I the pigeon breast and legs with cabbage. We ended up sharing the chocolate with caramel mousse and rice pudding. With a liter of Bergerac, two digestifs, coffee but no bottled water our bill was 144 Euros. (My friend would like the world out there to know that the cote de boeuf was a very reasonable 50 E for two and looked superb with its fries.) This is a terrific place, well-meriting Pudlo's Coup de Coeur.

The Week of March 10th, 2008 Monday-Tuesday, in ANP, Philippe Toinard reviewed Bistro Poulbot, coordinates given before where he approves of the division of the carte between grandmother’s food (andouille, veal kidneys) and more contemporary stuff (scallops risotto and whisky soufflé.) Jerome Berger, in conjunction with the Salon d’Agriculture, presented a compendium of restaurants that serve “terroir” food: Little garden vegetables: Racines, Au Gourmand + Vapeur Gourmande Veal Liver Le Cameleon, La Ferrandaise + Le Grand Pan Beef Severo, l’Evasion + Devez Fish and Shellfish 21, Maree Denfert + La Cabane a Hiuitres. Wednesday, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed Monjul, 28, rue des Blancs Manteaux in the 4th, 01 42 74 40 15, closed Sundays and Mondays, menu at 29€. He calls it both an "incredibly good value-for-money price" and an "unusually fine dining experience," where he enjoyed the amuse bouche of smoked mackerel rillettes and ruby-red pepper stuffed with fresh tuna; the entrees of beef tartare, foie gras/pumpkin/yogurt; mustard coated rabbit with orange sauce and makis of beef; lychee pastry and chocolate mousse. Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin awarded four restaurants two hearts: the Japanese Youlin in the 5th; La Maison de la Truffe, 18, place de la Madeleine in the 8th, 01.42.65.53.22, closed Sundays, running one 60-80 € for scallops ceviche with truffles, eggs with truffles, risotto with….. and strawberry tart, recently reprised by the Kaspia folks nearby; Le Temps au Temps, coordinates given before, where a new team recently took over and he only mentions the bar and rice pudding; and Le Messager, 28, rue du General Bertrand in the 7th, 01.47.34.30.26, closed Sundays where for 30-35 € for a terrine, foie gras, beef cheeks and a pot au crème. The final place reviewed was the one-heart Thai Thai Time in the 12th. This week, Figaroscope’s Dossier dealt with sole at several well-known places, rating them as follows: 9/10 Les Fables de la Fontaine 8.5 Garnier 8 Chez Georges 7 35º Ouest 6.5 Le Dome 6.5 Chez les Anges 6 Le Bar a Huitres 5.5 Rech 5 Bofinger And also Bistrot St Ferdinand + Auberge Dab. And Francois Simon in his Hache Menu at La Maree, had a sole for two at 120 (the water was 16) and whose total - 233 € - would have been worth it, if it had been 233 French francs. Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut in Le Monde wrote about the effort at UNESCO to declare French cuisine an “immaterial patrimony” not unlike safeguarding architectural and country patrimonious sites. (For those wishing a nice article in English on the issue and designation, I would refer you to member Alexander Lobrano’s article. Last Wednesday, in l’Express Yves Nespoulous reviewed Grand Appetit, 9, rue de la Cerisaie in the 4th, 01-40-27-04-95 about 10-20 E for a macrobiotic experience. Then, this week, François-Régis Gaudry reviewed Lao Lane Xang 2, coordinates given before; while Andrea Petrini reviewed the huge Renzo Piano designed 33 Cité in Lyon. Thursday, in the Nouvel’Obs, Philippe Couderc reviewed La Bonne Vie in the 6th which he gave a 12/20 to for its Georgian cuisine. Friday, in Les Echos, Jean Louis Galesne reviewed Korean places that included: Woo Jung, Seoul, Myung K, Bong + Sobane. In Saturday’s Figaro Francois Simon wrote both a huge article and his “Croque Notes,” about Gordon Ramsey’s move to the Trianon Palace in Versailles. Saturday-Sunday’s JDD had the usual starred chef’s two favorites in Paris: in this case Patrice Caillault of La Domaine de Rochevilaine picking l’Epigramme in the 6th and Le Mandalay in Levallois-Perret. In addition, Astrid T’Serclaes reviewed the existing Hier & Aujourd’hui in the 17th and the new Le Machon, 16, rue Commines in the 3rd, 01.42.74.57.09, lunch menus at 14 and 17 €, evening menus 24 and 28 €, run by two guys who love food such as tete de veau, kidneys with mustard, lamb, Salers beef, clafoutis, crème brulee, etc. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp had an article of Il Vino + Vin Chai Moi and John Talbott had two articles on the “No English Spoken” and “Why Do I do it?”. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

PLease note that 2 of your recommendations ,Ze kitchen and les fables have received 1 star since then.Pas mal. ← Just to be fair, however, Pierre, since 2004, L'Equitable + Le Duc de Richelieu have fallen off the charts, La Dinee + Au Bon Accueil are under new (and worse) management, and remaining standing proudly are William Ledeuil of Ze Kitchen Galerie and Christian Constant's 3 - Le Violin d'Ingres, le Café Constant + Les Fables de la Fontaine. Which reminds me that we walked by and must revisit La Maison du Jardin, Le Beurre Noisette + Le Pre Verre.

Charles et al; Great topic. Altho' in my "normal" life I lived 50 miles away, I never heard the word "half smoke" - that sounds like something both I and my French pals have never had. I think the mission is accomplished. Thanks.

Report - It was fine after 10 days.