John Talbott

The Week of December 10th, 2007 Monday, Le Fooding, there was an article by Trish Deseine on the Bandol sur Mer in Torstrasse and Weinerei Frarosa in Zionskirchstrasse. Monday-Tuesday, A Nous Paris had places to go for New Year’s Eve: Good price-quality ratio Atelier Berger 72 € New Au Petit Marguery 98 € Franco-Italian Il Cortile 265 € High Up Jules Verne 750 € Full Sea Dessirier 128 € Classic Les Noailles 160 € with wine Playful Jean, rue St Lazare in the 9th, 125 € Offbeat Kube 190 € Palace l’Espadon – Hotel Ritz 500 € with wine Wednesday, Adrian Moore did a nice review of Le Grand Pan, coordinates already given. Wednesday, Richard Hesse in Paris Update very positively reviewed Toustem, calling Helene Darroze someone who’s everyone’s favorite “whipping-girl.” {I am one nay-sayer}. Wednesday, as well, Emmanuel Rubin, in Figaroscope awarded just one two-heart to the reborn Le Petit Marguery, coordinates unchanged, menu-carte at lunch for 23 and 26 and dinner 30 and 36 €, where he indulged in 9 oysters, a rable de lievre, lievre royale and soufflé. Filling out the week were 4 one-stars: the Thai Bistrot de Mme Shawn in the 3rd, the tea-salon Thé Cool in Neuilly, a sandwich/wrap/deli place Alef Bet in the 5th and half-bobo buchon and wine bar Au Fil du Vin, 45 quai de Valmy in the 10th, 01.46.07.28.36, closed Sundays, running one 20-30 € depending on wine chosen, for an ample plate of cheese and pork products. Figaroscope’s “Dossier” this week was concerned with more New Year’s Eve places. They included: Up to 100 € Le Winch Astier Chai 33 Chez Cecile From 100-150 € Le Royal Madeleine Ferme St-Simon L’Epigramme L’Angle du Faubourg Blue Elephant Le Noailles La Table de Babette Cafe Faubourg La Cave des Cordeliers Le Daru Kub Hotel Cafe Lumiere 144 Petrossian From 200-300 € l’Orangerie Maison Blanche Il Cortile Mini Palais au Grand Palais Les Ombres From 300-500 € La Table de Lancaster Yachts de Paris Pre Catalan About 500 € Le Bristol Le Meurice Ritz And of course, Francois Simon in his ”Hache Menu” got to go to a swank one Laperouse, coordinates well-known, where for 485 € for three and the champagne at 22 € a glass, he concluded “No one is making you go.” Wednesday/Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut had several pieces in Le Monde; one on molecular cuisine, another on champagnes for the holidays, a third on five specific wines for the same, and a fifth on caviar, specifically from Petrossian. Friday, Jean Louis Galesne in Les Echos wrote up five restaurants in Metz: Le Magasin aux vivres, l’Ecluse, Au Pampre d’Or, Chez Georges a la ville de Lyon + Les Amis de Saint Louis. Saturday-Sunday in Le Figaro, Francois Simon had a Croque Notes piece on le Crillon where he was impressed by the products, Asian influences, clientele and price (502 €/2). Finally Saturday-Sunday, Margaret Kemp had a piece on Lasserre and John Talbott, one on “How to tell when a restaurant is dying” in Bonjour Paris. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Monday-Tuesday, A Nous Paris had more places to go for New Year’s Eve: Good price-quality ratio Atelier Berger 72 € New Au Petit Marguery 98 € Franco-Italian Il Cortile 265 € High Up Jules Verne 750 € Full Sea Dessirier 128 € Classic Les Noailles 160 € with wine Playful Jean, rue St Lazare in the 9th, 125 € Offbeat Kube 190 € Palace l’Espadon – Hotel Ritz 500 € with wine

Today, l’Internaute.com announced that the Jules Verne will reopen under the helm of Alain Ducasse today. And the AFP has an article in English for those interested, that says the three course lunch menu will be 75 € and dinner with “drinks” will be 250 €.

My hunch is that Americans think big is better, see "Supersize Me" and sizes of drinks in movie houses and I've heard horror stories from waiters about nasty complaints that folks weren't served big enough portions whereas I think the French judge a good meal more on quality, product, cooking, etc. All this is steoreotyping, no doubt, but may like all stereotypes have a grain of truth therein.

Recall that there's also the Bis de Severo where two of us liked the Cote de boeuf. Going out of ones way is a relative thing; the Severos are on one of my Metro lines so.....

I'd agree; certainly lots of product; some deconstruction, some innovation.

This month, l’Internaute.com gave a list of places to eat molecular cuisine that included in Paris: Pierre Gagnaire, Magnolias, Lena et Mimile + Transversal.

The NYT Dining Section yesterday, articles now free, published an article entitled "Is the Entree Heading for Extinction?" by Kim Severson, giving as reasons - a shift from big protein-laden mains to salads, sides and appetizers, small plates and "tapafication," "mix and matching." Severson also quotes Gael Greene saying that "By the time she and her dining companions have ordered everything they want to try from other parts of the menu, they’re too full for a main course." It can't happen here, or can it? Certainly we've seen a proliferation of wine bars plus (think Racines), small plate (mezza) places (think l' Atelier de JR) and tapas (think Afaria). However, in general, I do think in France the portion size is more sensible and will mitigate against the "extinction" of the entree. Every time I come back to the US and go out for the first time, I have to stop myself from ordering an appetizer and main, since I know I'll never finish the main; thus two appetizers work better. Your thoughts?

Expatica reported that AFP reported the the Committee for Modernisation of the French Hotel Trade did a survey and found that "..........38 percent of restaurant clients complain of the chronic incompetence of staff, or of a disagreeable or impersonal welcome," ....

A. Lallement is the chef and Reims the location. See here.

Since this topic veered off into a discussion of Racines and "secret places" I split off those posts into a new topic. Thus we may return to the question: What is "Not your everyday in Paris."

I feel exactly the same as you do about Racines. It is definitely not a "destination" bistrot in the common sense of the word. I think not everybody, especially if "attracted" by the English-speaking press or media, will get it or even like it. Even the wines won't be to everybody's liking. Many people, when served one of their sparkling, unfiltered, appley-peary Loire chenins, will wonder if someone is not playing a joke on them. ← This reminds me both of his prior place Cremerie Caves Miard + Breizh Cafe both of which I and the RFC liked but others "didn't get." It does not surprise me, Felice, that Figaroscope picked it as a "best of," after Francois Simon's love note.

I agree, and while they're at it, they should restore the agglomeration maps printed before big towns in the Red Guides that showed starred and Bib restos in concentric circles around the cities. These were most helpful when driving or trying to find a B&B (eg Table d'hote/Gite).

Absolutely Le Baratin. My memory of the "old" Astier wine list is foggy, but I think the new one is not quite as impressive.

True enough, I ate at a table with Colette and we had limited choices, but Pierre45 ate at the counter and really dived in.

As Steve Shaw/Fat Guy and I have noted, a lot of chefs, owners and critics read the Forum. For a secret society, we're doing a lousy job.

Before you became really active here Julot we had a long topic initiated by Pierre45 on "secret" places; my conclusion, with all the print and internet news, such a thing is impossible. The four new restos in my quartier that I thought I'd "found" recently were "discovered" by the big boys shortly thereafter.A bit of nostalgia: back in the good old days when Craig Claiborne was King of the Times, he did indeed keep some restaurants in NYC in pectore and one at least was quite special; I'm not sure with the internet that's possible any more.

Elsewhere, ewindels wrote that: My response: As for wine places for 100E for two with two bottles, Les Papilles or Louis Vins would do the trick. P.S. I realize on rereading that I was thrown off by the phrase “lower priced place” and therefore assumed he meant 100 E for two, but at 100 E apiece, my suggestions are modest.

On another topic, ewindels wrote It occurred to me that many of our members are heavily involved in both New York and Paris cuisine and it might be fun to look at equivalent restaurants, if any. For instance are these equivalent: Le Veau D’Or = or ≠ l’Ami Louis, Taillevent, Laperouse, Tour d'Argent + Laurent ? Cookshop + Market Table = or ≠ Les Racines + Breizh Café? Danny Meyer’s Empire = or ≠ those of Robuchon, Ducasse or Savoy? Etc.

Hi: You are spot on about l'Ami Louis - it's yesteryear's food much like Le Veau d'Or circa 1970 (I lived in NYC until 1985). Expensive rotisserie stuff, but if that's what they want OK. The actual closest to Le Veau d'Or would be places like Taillevent, Laperouse, Tour d'Argent + Laurent.As for places like Cookshop, most new bio nonfiltered wine bars+ have named products (eg Bordier butter, charcuterie from Camdeborde frere, Cantin or Alleose cheese, etc). The newest is Les Racines where two members have eaten well recently but not posted yet and I had a good meal at the Breizh Cafe which is getting a lot of good press now. As for wine places for 100E for two with two bottles, Les Papilles or Louis Vins would do the trick. All of the above addresses, dates of closure, etc can be got by searching on the France Forum. Happy eating.

I don't think any guide is infallible. We could start a whole topic on this subject - for example Pudlo's Bistro of the Year, year before last, was one of the most awful meals I've ever had and when I wrote it up a French-American critic wrote me and said he agreed with me 100% and how could Gilles have got it so wrong. I read a lot in the print media and some blogs and I've never found anyone whose taste is 100% my taste. Which is why I encourage people/members to try to find folks whose tastes are both similar and different from theirs.As for the Michelin, again some of the worst meals of my life have been in the provences where they liked a place - and I or Colette have written complaining (to absolutely no avail). Maybe it's because they only have 5-6 inspectors, maybe because they only go multiple times to the big guys, maybe because they wait three years between most visits, maybe because they care more about toilets and flowers than food, maybe the chef had a good or bad day or a waitperson or two didn't show up or came in extra bouncy - I dunno. I assume you've read Pascal Remy’s “L’inspecteur se met à table,” which I gave a stab at describing; I reckon he points out their deficiencies pretty accurately. I should clarify my prior post in light of pirate's post. My first meal at Buisson Ardent was indeed when it came under new management a number of years ago and I mentally crossed it off my list from then on, despite the fact it is, as he says, in a nice position vis a vis the University/Monde Arab/etc. Then in the Spring of 07 it was taken over by an ex from Miss Betsey which I also had hated but because Pudlo, Figaroscope and Rosa Jackson wrote nice things about it, I put it on my April list of possibilities, only to come to my senses later and conclude that enough was enough.

I'm afraid I could have told you so. I ate there shortly after it opened but before I started work on this Forum and was still doing my private zamisdats and I didn't like it at all.

The Week of December 3rd, 2007 Monday’s Le Fooding announced the Fooding awards already given by Felice elsewhere on the Forum; but for the record they were: Umami Best table (Strasbourg) Il Vino Best Bobo-wine Chez Jeannette Best décor Le Salon Cinema du Pantheon Best home cinema Spring Best One-Room Place l’Atelier du Sommelier Best wine dealer (Niederbronn les bains) l’Oncle Georges Best tarte flammée (Pfettisheim) Le Grand Pan Best bistrot Racines Best wine bar Le Tracteur Best country spot (Sanilhac Sagries) Tuesday, A Nous Paris’s critics reviewed two places: Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 4/5 blocks to the new sister of La Maree Passy called La Maree Denfert, 83, ave Denfert Rochereau in the 14th, 01.43.54.99.86, open everyday, costing about 50 € for seafood like palourdes, ray and scallops. Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 to Marguerite, 50 rue de Clignancourt in the 18th, 01.42.51.65.18, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, costing from 25-35 but a menu at 15 €, for quenelles of sandre, a game terrine, veal sweetbreads and a cote de boeuf. Tuesday, Gaudry François-Régis in l’Express reviewed Au Pied de Cochon, coordinates well-known after 60 years; Pierrick Jégu covered Les Sables Blancs in Concarneau for his under 30 € review; and {in what I suspect is a misdated review} François-Régis Gaudry says that Racines, coordinates given before, is much more than a wine bar/wine shop and is more charming than others like it such as Le Verre vole, les Papilles + la Muse Vin. The Tableadecouvert website has the first write-up of the intriguingly named Cavasteve, 15 rue de Longchamps in the 16th, 01 47 04 01 45, costing about 20-30 €, that was mentioned in Figaroscope but not really reviewed. In any case, Caroline Mignot has and it sounds like the usual wine bar good product. Wednesday, Richard Hesse in Paris Update gave a bad review to Les Diables au Thym, 35, rue Bergère in the 9th, 01 47 70 77 09, closed weekends, 2 course menu = 22, three is 28 and a la carte about 40 €. Wednesday, as well, Emmanuel Rubin, in Figaroscope awarded three restos two-heart ratings. They were: De Sers, Hotel de Sers, 41, ave Pierre 1er de Serbie in the 8th, 01.53.23.75.75, closed Sundays, serving chicken nems, cream of pumpkin, tuna lasagna and cheeseburgers for 50-60 €; La Marée Denfert, 83, ave Denfert-Rochereau in the 14th, 01.43.54.99.86, open 7/7, serving roast clams, sand sole, ray with capers and brioche perdu with caramel for about 60 €; and l’Oxilis coordinates given before, with a good quality-price meal (30 €) serving crab remoulade, scallops with butter and roast pigeon. Two one-hearts went to the Japanese Kadoya in the 1st and a wine bar Les Potirons 288, rue des Pyrenees in the 20th, 01.46.36.01.30, open 7/7 with a 15 € formula and a la carte 39 €, serving uncooked and overcooked oeufs cocotte, scallops and cheese. Figaroscope’s “Dossier” this week was all about places to have dinner after 11 PM. They included in the: Latin Quarter Fogon l’Alcazar Atelier de Maitre Albert Bourse-Boulevards Drouant Pierre au Palais Royal Fontaine Gaillon Mori Venice Bar Maris, Bastille, Gare de Lyon Cafe Baci Cafe de Passage Swann et Vincent Blue Elephant Enoteca Au Duc de Richelieu Etoile, Trocadero Ballon et Coquillages Le Coq Ginger Villa Corse Black Calavados Madeleine, Concorde Caviar Kaspia Motte-Piquet, St-Dominique l’Ami Jean l’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Cafe de Commerce Montmartre, Trudaine Cesar Cafe Burq Sole Caffe et Cucina Oh Bigre Gare du Nord, Villette Au Village Cafe de la Musique Le Bœuf Coronne Chez Michel And Francois Simon in his ”Hache Menu” went to Le Lup, coordinates given before, where he said 182 € for two dinners and a show was OK. Jean Claude Ribault in this Wednesday-Thursday’s Le Monde wrote about Christmas in Alsace, mentioning the following restaurants: Umami, Le Pont des Chats + Le Casserole in Strasbourg, Le Chambard in Kaysersberg and JY'S in Colmar. Thursday, our member Adrian Moore on Gridskipper posted his “Comfort Food” favorities that were: Afaria, Bath’s, Biche au Bois, Breizh Café, Chez Eux, Maison de l’Aubrac, Michel Rostang + Le Troquet. Saturday, in his “Croque Notes” Francois Simon wrote about SaQuaNa in Honfleur. Saturday-Sunday, Margaret Kemp in Bonjour Paris had an article entitled “Pourcel Buzz” which mentioned two relatively new places La Cuisine at the Buisson Ardent and Le Kenze. This month’s Paris Notes had positive reviews by Rosa Jackson in her “Paris Bites” on the Brasserie Rech and the Breizh Café, coordinates given before. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

The Week of November 26th, 2007 Monday, Le Fooding, there was a sort of a manifesto concerning le Fooding’s “war” over its name, already summarized on the Pinned Topic: Restaurant, Food and Chef News. Tuesday, A Nous Paris’s critics did a sort of “Where to Get what dish” at seven restaurants: awarding 4/5 blocks to: Breizh Café for crepes and galettes l’Ami Jean for rice pudding l’Avant Gout for Pot au Feu Chez Michel for game l’Epigramme for rabbit porchetta style and 3/5 blocks to Afaria for sausage with apples and La Ferrandaise for a blanquette of veal. Wednesday, Adrian Moore in GoGo Paris had a glowing review of Afaria, coordinates given before. Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update very positively reviewed Villaret, coordinates well-known. Wednesday, too, Emmanuel Rubin, in Figaroscope awarded just one two-heart rating to the weekday Left-Bank “cantine” Le Six Odeon, 6, rue de l’Odeon in the 6th, 01.44.41.09.72, closed Sundays and Mondays, costing 30-40 € for the likes of spinach and Gouda soup, tartare with fries, potato and foie gras “cake,” and chocolate mousse. Then came three one-hearters: a place Paris Hilton would eat Corsican food in: l’Empire de VIIIe, 11, rue Jean Mermoz in the 8th {natch,} 01.43.59.21.47, open 7/7 and costing 45-55 € for brocciu tart, a Corsican burger, veal stuffed with veggies and fruit sorbet; a pretty retro-bistro Café Charlot, 38, rue de Bretagne in the 3rd, 01.44.54.03.30, open 7/7 and costing about 30 € for food such as a beef tartare, penne arrabiata and a coffee éclair; and Le Passage Gourmet, 126, rue de l’Abbe Groult, 01.48.42.40.60, also open 7/7, and for 30-45 € serving lentils with smoked duck, leeks mimosa and a merlan en colere. Finally, he gave a broken heart to l’Artoise, 5, rue d’Artois in the 7th, 01.43.59.18.54, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, costing about 40 € (vs a formula at 39 €) rabbit terrine, veal liver and cold nougat. Figaroscope’s “Dossier” this week was all about places in which to consume a business lunch. They included: Daniel Passage St-Roch Le Diane Le Restaurant de l’Hotel Hotel Amour Sens L’Orenoc Lounge Club du Bar Anglais Restaurant W Il Cortile Le Murano Le Safran Francois Simon in his ”Hache Menu” got to go to Park Hyatt Vendome, coordinates well-known, where for 131 € for two he thought that for two coffees, one “transparent” dessert and four scallops, it was a bit much. Finally, Wednesday in l’Express, their three reviews covered the waterfront. The “top” was reviewed by Yves Nespoulous - Alfred, 47, rue de Montpensier and the Passage Beaujolais, 52, rue de Richelieu in the 1st, 01-42-97-54-40, running one about 50 € à la carte and closed Sundays and Mondays, serving “terroir” food such as sautéed vegetables, scallops with lentils and a fig tart. At the other end, reviewed by François-Régis Gaudry, was Cinquante-Zinc which he called a “flop” inheriting a cursed space at 55, rue de Bretagne in the 3rd, 01-42-78-64-50. Out of town, Pierrick Jégu reviewed Le Tourne au verre in Cairanne in the under 30 € category. Jean Claude Ribault in this Wednesday-Thursday’s Le Monde wrote about the release of the Japanese Michelin in which Tokyo restaurants received 191 stars vs Paris with 97; thus becoming the “gastronomic capital of the world” and where to have a quiet lunch including: the Hôtel Daniel, Le Céladon, Au Petit Théâtre, L'Espadon bleu, Le Carré de Marguerite + Cazaudehore-La Forestière in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The second from the last, the Carré de Marguerite occupies the space left by the Café des Délices at 87, rue d'Assas in the 6th, 01-43-26-33-61, closed Saturday lunch, Sundays and Mondays with a lunch formula at 19 €, menu 22 € and a la carte, figure on 40 € and is run by Benjamin and Chloé, serving items such as sauteed gambas with pumpkin confit, pork loin with plums and braised endives and a macaronade with orange. Thursday, Les Chroniques du Plaisir wrote about Zoe Bouillion in the 19th. Friday, Jean Louis Galesne wrote of little bars to eat at that included: Le Daniel, Restaurant de L'Hôtel, L'Eclaireur, Bar Senderens, + Baan Kanya. Saturday-Sunday in Le Figaro, Francois Simon devoted his Croque Notes piece to Jean Marc Boyer’s Puits du Trésor in Lastours. {For those who care about such things, even when you can no longer find Simon’s stuff on the Figaro site except in pdf format, you can get it 4-5 days later on his blog.} Saturday/Sunday, John Talbott had an essay on “Shameless Promotion” that featured Spring + Carte Blanche. December’s Gourmet has an extensive article on Guy Savoy and his ventures. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

And just in time, Figaroscope’s “Dossier” this week has New Year’s Eve places.