John Talbott

The Week of March 16th, 2009 Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand wrote up Rodolphe Paquin’s new annex, the Café Cartouche, in the ex-Bihan Café space, 4, rue de Bercy in the 12th, 01 40 19 09 95, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, is managed by Paquin’s former front-man Benoit and serves great old-school charcuterie (pate and sausage) with beans and a tarte sablée au chocolat at reasonable prices. Tuesday as well, in ANP, Jerome Berger gave 3/5 to the Bistrot d’a cote, coordinates given before, commenting on its XXL portions and wine; and Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to the Petit Curieux, 16, rue des Filles du Calvaire in the 3rd, 01.42.74.65.79, closed weekends, with lunch menus at 15 and 19 and dinner ones for 20 and 25 € and well chosen wines, serving a cream of sardines amuse-bouche, filets of sardines, porcelet with maple syrup, and tiramisu with foie gras. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave his rare rating of 3/5 hearts to two restos: the Costes at their best 4, Place Saint-Germain-des-Pres, coordinates given in the name, in the 6th, 01.53.63.60.60, open 7/7, costing 40-70 € for (in addition to “snacking” food), Thai-style shrimp soup, Mandarin duck and sea bass as well as the Japanese cantine Momoka (le retour), 5, rue Jean Baptiste Pigalle in the 9th, 01.40.16.19.09, closed Sundays and Mondays. He also gave 2/5 hearts to the Italian Samesa, 13, rue Brey in the 17th and 1/5 heart each to the Thai A La Table de Nouk in the 2nd and 93 Montmartre,coordinates in the name, in the 2nd, 01.40.28.02.23, closed Sundays, serving for 40-50 € mozzarella, chicken and Saint Marcelin. Figaroscope’s Dossier this week by Colette Monsat et al listed the Bio markets of Paris: The Marche Raspail The Marche des Batignolles The Marche Brancusi and outside Paris St Clou, Boulogne-Billancourt, Joinville lr pont, Sceaux and Malmaison. In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed Meating, where it cost 159 € for two (with a 64 € St Loup) and two Nangus menus with cheese and a good apple tart. Go? Yes, if you live there. Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed very positively Le Grand Pan, coordinates given before, where except for a lackadaisical waitress, he had a fine meal. Thursday, Pierrick Jégu wrote up as his restaurant for under 30 euros, the Bistrot F 4 aka Fabrique 4 in the 17th and Jacques Brunel wrote up the Italian Primo Piano on the first floor of Mon Marche. Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Aida + Garnier were in good shape and he’s following Café mode 24, rue François-Ier in the 8th, 01.47.20.98.18 which costs about 35 E a la carte and the Chinese Le Lys d'or in the 12th. Thursday, in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said that Dalloyau + Goupil are in good shape and he'll follow La Pulcinella + Arthur. Friday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote about violet Pontoise cauliflower, used by chefs such as Yannick Alleno at Le Meurice, coming into the markets as well as both healthy and weight-losing diets. Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro, Francois Simon wrote about two new places with out of the ordinary décor: Costes + La Fidelite, in the 6th and 10th respectively as well as a long piece on Gordon Ramsay’s fading empire (closing his Prague and Hollywood places) amidst fine personal earnings (7 million ₤; 250 € meals at the Trianon Palace) and contradictory life-style (voted “celebrity father of the year” while carrying on a 7-year affair). He (FS) also wrote an accompanying piece on other Brit outposts here: Rose Bakery Bar Hemingway Le Timbre Willi’s Cupcake & Co + Mister Brian in Monte Carlo. NB The Bar Hemingway is included because of its British bartender not Hemingway’s origin. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Eating Sarah, 6 New York & Samesa Buzz , and John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “FAQ: Why do you spend so much time in Paris?” Sunday, Astrid T’Serclaes in JDD wrote a review of l’Assiette and gave Yannick Alleno’s three secret addresses that included the Café Moderne + Astier. In this month’s T&L, Luke Barr, in article on Aix-en-Provence, mentions Chez Thome, Les Deux Garcons + l’Hostellerie de l’Abbaye de la Celle. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Yesterday/today’s Le Monde had an article about the EU allowing rosé wine to be made by mixing red and white wine “to make it easier,” one source said. The phrase that got me was from EUbusiness and said “Winegrowers in France's picturesque Provence region are pink-faced with fury over EU plans to let producers make rose wine by mixing red and white….”

Still didn't buy anything at Thanksgiving today. But they do have soft tortillas. David Lebovitz also indicated they're available elsewhere.

I've said it before but it's worth repeating: Mestra is the place to stay (one can run) and eat (more Slow Food restos there than the city). Save that, Venice is fun. My recs for all three cities are on those topics, for what it's worth, too.

The Week of March 9th, 2009 Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed La Bouche, pl Maurice-Chevalier, 1 rue d’Eupatoria in the 20th, (right near Le Baratin), 09 53 56 24 14, closed Mondays. is open from 10 AM - 7 PM and 8-10:30 PM with formulas at 12 (lunch) and 23-29 and glasses of wine starting at 3 € where one has wine and coffee and munchies (gazpacho) like at a café at lunch, but is more like a bistro at night with foie gras maki, udon and rascasse. Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard wrote a page on Jacques Genin – Chocolaterie-Salon de the {coincidence that Nicholas Lander wrote it up last week in the weekend FT?} Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave 2/5 hearts to two restos: the good place to go during this recession Le Petit Ampere, coordinates already given, which serves up bobo food such as sardines, a paleron of beef and chocolate mouse on a 18 € formula and 25 € menu; and l’Invitation, 82, rue Boileau in the 16th, 01.46.47.87.19, closed weekends, serving basque ham, beef tartare and Alleosse cheeses for between 30-60 € with lunch formulas at 35 and 42 €. Then he gave 1/5 hearts to the other three, the now Colliot-less l’Orenoc in the Meridien Etoile which is not only expensive but just corporate/business/airport food; the California/sushi/esque Rollifornia Gril, 47, blvd Henri IV in the 4th, 01.42.74.88.28 open 7/7 serving ravioli soup, diced beef and tiramisu for less than 20 €; and Mon Resto in Mon Hotel, 1, rue d’Argentine in the 16th, 01.45.02.76.76, open 7/7, serving smoked salmon, cheeseburgers and St Marcellin for between 35-50 €. Figaroscope’s Dossier this week by Colette Monsat et al listed the quick bite/drink places around cultural landmarks: Olympia, Opéra Garnier, Théâtre Edouard VII ... Yo Le Duke’s Bar Paparazzi Ristorante Comédie Française, Louvre, Palais-Royal Scoop Angelina Bar Defender Alfred Le Fumoir Beaubourg, Châtelet, Clubs de jazz ... Kong Le Garde Robe Georges Chez Vong Théâtres des Grands Boulevards Jeannette Plomb du Cantal Arthur Opéra Bastille, Musée Picasso ... Le Bar a Soupes Autour du Saumon La Plancha Café du Passage Théâtre Marigny, cinémas des Champs-Elysées... La Butik Jabugo Ibericvo & Co 15cent15 Relais Plaza Gaïté Montparnasse, Fondation Cartier ... La Cabanee a Huitres Exki Backstage Café La Cerisaie L’Opportun Palais de Tokyo, Guimet, Quai Branly ... Carette Tokyo Eat Victor Le Coq Nocturnes Parisiens aka places with a “late” second service l’Ami Jean La Regalade Le Baratin Atelier Maitre-Albert Alcazar. In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed one such, of these, Quai-Quai, where it cost 121 € for two (with a good bottle of Beaujolais) but which had a clientele that was drunk, loud, Texan/American; despite that he says Go! Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed very positively La Maree, coordinates given before. Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Aida + Garnier were in good shape and he’s following Café mode 24, rue François-Ier in the 8th, 01.47.20.98.18 which costs about 35 E a la carte and the Chinese Le Lys d'or in the 12th. Thursday in , Francois Regis Gaudry picked as his resto of the week, the Petit Champarret, coordinates given before, where he commented on the coppa, rabbit, a fricassée of mushrooms, and tiramisu. Friday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote about now being the time to eat out; it’s on the Economy topic. Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro, Francois Simon wrote about two places offering good food at good prices, the Chinese Shan Gout, in the 12th and La Bouche, coordinates above. On the rest of the page, he and Alexandra Michot do a sort of “how to” best dine at the Palace hotel restaurants, giving their highs and good ideas. Saturday/Sunday in the weekend FT, Jancis Robinson had an article on the new laws on alcohol, driving and abstinence. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Les Tontons 2, the second such, in the 15th , a “neo-bistro….starring tartares” and John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “Failure and Success – a History Example Translated to Food?” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Friday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote an article about now being the time to go out to eat due to the following: - Pierre Borgen of La Cabane in Guérande (Loire-Atlantique), letting customers pay what they think the meal is worth, - Guy Savoy, letting 12-17 yo adolescents eat for free with two paying adults at Chiberta, L'Atelier Maître Albert + Les Bouquinistes and 15-17 yo’s at the mother ship, - More menus "à prix fixe" with the Michelin getting 900 places in all of France which until April 5th will offer reduced price meals if you have the pass in the ’09 Guide, - Alain Ducasse, with the 100 chefs of the Châteaux - Hôtels de France Group, offering a 28 € lunch menu from now til May 15th; he commends that at l’Assiette as an example, - Antoine Heerah’s Chamarré Montmartre which had a jerky start, tightening up it’s menu with a lunch formula at 17 € and menu at 25 €, a “windfall,” - In Paris as well, L'Aventure offering lunch for 50 €; Alain Senderens’ Mama Shelter, offering a lunch formula at 25 €; Ivano at Le R-ital, {don’t ask}, offering a lunch formula at 18,50 € and dinner at about 35 €; the chic Montalembert offering a less pricey meal; L'Alcazar, a lunch menu at 26 € (midi) and daily special at night for 25 € and Olympe, a lunch menu at 33 €.

In January and February, Hugh W and John W commented on La Mere Agitee thusly: Hugh Jan 19, 2009 John Jan 19 ← Subsequent reports to me have bourne this out, including a recommendation in the last Pudlo, which prices lunch at only a euro more.Hugh Feb 22 Sometime last month, my perceptive and charming cohost suggested we go and then due to mixed info, we chose not to. However, last week in the Boston Globe another perceptive reviewer Joe Ray wrote nicely about it and a Boston/Cambridge friend suggested we two go when he was over next time. So I'd like to restart the discussion and ask: "Does anyone else have experiences here and what do you think?" Thanks.

Of interest is that Galen Sampson now has 20 wines selling for $20; four of us ate very well there last night (I had a super bouillabaisse) and had two bottles of Negroamaro '06 La Corte "Solyss" from Puglia, something one doesn't usually encounter (I'll check the Wine Source to see if they supplied it).Oh, and we sat at a table near the rear exit and were easily able to talk to and hear each other.

Another new place in a familiar setting is Alizee in the Colonnade. It's owned by Joe Chen of the Moulin de Paris French Bakery in Severna Park and its cuisine is described as "French fusion" but the fusion includes southeast Asia, especially Viet Nam. The menu is divided in three parts, small plates such as calamari, fusion sushi plates such as a tuna and salmon tartare or a spicy salmon roll, and large plates, such as strip steak and chicken with risotto. In fact those were exactly the five dishes four of us had the other night. I thought the calamari had a most interesting marinated vegetable spin to it; the sushi OK and tartares OK; but the strip steak was really rare as I ordered it and super-generous, and its bok choy and gingered mushrooms excellent. The chicken was OK but I wouldn't order it again. The house-made bread was with black olives; moist and delicious. One lemon tart as dessert was enjoyed by all. The bill was $146 for four, before tip but with two bottles of wine. I will be back.

David: were the almonds Monoprix's own brand?

Please consult this topic for "All You Need to Know......"

Drat, I couldn't find the article I read last week, but the website for the JDD says: "Mais Paris pourrait modérer ses ambitions, en réclamant une réduction de la taxe de 19,6% à 10% et non à 5,5%," and while my French is awful bad, that 10% number seems to have legs.

Well I read somewhere that because of the loss of revenue to the state, the President of the Republic will more likely lower it halfway - the figure I saw was 10%. On verra.

The Week of March 2nd, 2009 Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed the Korean Manna, in the 15th. Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard as well gave 3/5 to Le Petit Ampere, 3, rue Ampere (thus next to Philippe Detourbe’s older brother house) in the 17th, 01.42.27.89.92 which has an 18 € formula and a la carte is 20-30 €, for food such as crostini, merlu and crumble; while Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to the Spanish Xato in the 3rd. Tuesday in l’Express, Francois Regis Gaudry picked as his resto of the week, the Philippe Starked Mama Shelter, coordinates given in the 20th and as his one under 30 E La Bastide de Cabriès in the Bouches du Rhone; and Pierrick Jégu picked as his resto for under 30 € - Xato, the Spanish place in the 3rd. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave 2/5 to just one place, the strangely named (for its two owners/principals) Le Marcab, 225 rue de Vaugirard in the 6th, 01.43.06.51.66, open 7/7 with lunch menus at 19 and 24, dinner at 32 and a la carte 40 € with a carpaccio od scallops with wasabi, turbot, chocolate “soup” with bananas; and 1/5 to two places: the Relais de Paris, 13, rue d’Odessa in the 14th, 01.43.21.15.70, open 7/7, serving the entrecote “formula” (salad with nuts, beef frites with a secret “sauce,” and the Indian Taj Mahal in the 4th. Two places merited a busted heart: the Carmine Café in the 7th and Villa Pereire in the 17th. Figaroscope’s Dossier this week by Colette Monsat et al listed the cantines frequented by women. They include: Primo Piano Michi Les Terrines de Gerard Vie Racines Bar Laduree Chez Charlotte Sur un arbre perche Chocolaterie Jacques Genin ZenZoo Covo & Co. In addition, in his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed one of these, the “dull, listless” Le Boudoir, where it cost 237.00 € for two (well they had a bottle of 130 € Chateau Talbot) with underheated Jerusalem artichoke soup, Iberique pork not up to its reputation and two disappointing desserts. Go? It’s mediocre. Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update wrote about a place he thinks is star-bound - Chamarré Montmartre, despite its “punching below its weight.” Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Stella is in good shape and he’s following Le cotte rôti + Glou. Friday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote about Heston Blumenthal’s recent doings as well as earlier in the week about the Michelin and Eric Frechon’s third star. Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro and partly on his blog, Francois Simon wrote about two meals, one lacking soul at Thoumieux, now a Costes operation, and the other where he couldn’t stop – at La Cremerie. Saturday/Sunday in the weekend FT, Nicholas Lander wrote an article on Auguste and his and others use of Jaques Genin’s chocolates. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about “Meeting the chef at Meeting” and John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “Why aren’t critics criticizing?” Sunday, in the JDD Astrid T’Serclaes wrote up Glou and Aurelie Chaigneau Le Miroir + La Fidelite. Alexander Lobrano, in WHERE, wrote up the Café Moderne + Spoon on its 10th anniversary. In addition, he had an article in the NYT T section, comparing good value restos in Paris with those in New York and gave coordinates for Afaria, Le Beurre Noisette, Chez Michel, Christophe, L’Epigramme, Itineraires, La Table d’Eugène + Au Vieux Chêne as well as a photo of L’Ourcine. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

If memory serves me correctly (Phyllis chime in) there is a very different menu at night, one of whose items is among the lunch choices.This could be another example of why lunch is preferred.

Feb-Mar 09 – MBC, La Maree, Mon Oncle, La Bodeguita du XVIIème, Petit Champarret, Barbezingue, Le Bistrot de l’Entrecote, Le Petit Ampere, Bar a Huitres, Au Bistrot d’a cote, Le Gorge Rouge 7.0 Gilles is back and I hope for good. MBC, 4, rue du Debarcadere in the 17th, 01.45.72.22.55, closed Saturday noon and Sundays. Well, where to start? At the end, of course – Gilles Choukroun is back to his old level achieved at the Café des Delices and before that the La Truie Qui File in Chartres and come in from the cold of “consulting/overseeing” at the Angl’Opera, Café Very + MiniPalais, plus other ephemeral gigs. He’s at the piano, at least in the evening, and the results are the old standard (for him). My charming eGullet co-host and I went for lunch today and did very well. I was first struck by the stark new décor and the badly placed column that blocks easy entry into the door but that was soon forgotten. The amuse bouche was classic Choukroun, heavy on flavors, spice, baie/peppercorns, etc. although containing dried tomatoes and olives. My first was a divine creamy lentil soup with chunks of dry sausage and Madame had his divine signature MBC (here mint, basil and coriander rather than mango, basil and coriander as it was at the Café Very) wrapped up in foie gras. Then she had 3 divine scallops (simply perfect product) with the most unexpected contrast – boudin noir and mashed potatoes while I had a divine dish of sliced grilled eggplant covered with a mixture of spices, sardines, nuts, chickpeas and herbs, topped off with a pork filet. For dessert my partner had a citrus “soup”, was it on ice cream or cold yogurt, anyway, divine. The bread rolls were excellent, the wine reasonable, the coffee good and the bathroom the best of the year. Our bill = 108 €. Go? Finally a place I can take Colette to. 6.8 Boy this Golden Oldie has really come back! La Maree, 1 rue Daru in the 8th, 01.43.80.20.00, is a place I last went to with Colette and a great local friend, MF, a good 20 years ago. It was a special place then, charming, good, reasonably-priced and I don’t know how and why we fell out of love with it. But we did and I’ve passed it many times and wondered how it was doing. But nobody seemed to talk about it much and the prices seemed to creep up (the Pudlo 2009 gives the lunch menu as 65 € and a la carte 140.) In looking at said Pudlo, I see he mentions its transfer from the Trompier family to the Blanc stable but it wasn’t until Francois-Regis Gaudry called it the address of the week two weeks ago that I took notice. The price alone caught my attention – 35 € for three courses (29 for 2), morning or night. It’s the same old place, same old voiturier, same old glass windows. But the food, John, boy! The amuse bouche was a potato soup with chestnut bits, bland enough but a classic for pre-fish stuff. My eating partner and I glommed on the same dishes and had ample tasting of all six. He started with coques mariniere that were classic and good, but I think I scored better with a marmite of shellfish and leeks, including an ample scallop in a terrific ginger and lemon sauce. Then I had a bourride with three fish filets (daurade, monkfish and rouget) again with a great shellfish sauce and he, two big fat, toasty quenelles with a classic langoustine sauce (they called Daru). He chose the cheese which was a smart move; all three, especially the camembert, were excellent quality and perfectly affinated. Then we finished with a dense chocolate mousse topped with toasted almonds. Our bill (with coffee, wine and no bottled water) would have been under 100 € if we hadn’t “had to have” some red wine with the cheese. Go? Quickly before the big boys blow it out of proportion. 6.7 Totally local folk until the Russian oligarchs and their babes arrived. Mon Oncle, 3, rue Durantin in the 18th, 01 42 51 21 48, supposedly closed only Saturday noon and Sunday night and Monday but they fooled the USA’s #1 food critic and I one Friday so double check. I reserved (again) for myself alone (sob, Colette was not available) and arrived very early Paris dinner time (20h00) because they had a private party moving in (they have 30 covers, but 14 in the “back” room can also be reserved). The front guys (man and woman) were really nice and while she was curious why some Dude from the nabe who hardly spoke the tongue was there, she only pried a little bit (enough with the finger-nail pulling that I admitted I came on the advice of the RFC.) The menu is quite interesting and I immediately glommed onto the l’os a moelle (that has surprisingly (for me) been on everyone’s menu this week) – strange! It was plain fab. Then I had the veal bits with a cilantro sauce that were heaven. I had a very interesting wine too – a Bois sans Soif, Côteaux d'Ensérune, which if I understand it, means something I shouldn’t be doing. In any case, here, even at night, in full Tourist Heaven, 2 courses are 23 €, 3 are 27 € and my bill was 30 €. Go? To find a place on the Mont(martre) that’s this good, my lord. 6.2 An exceptional opportunity but essentially a local hang-out. La Bodeguita du XVIIème, 14, rue Rennequin in the 17th, 01.47.6317.17 used to be the Club Professionals du Vin, whose wine inventory they inherited, but which they will change over the next few weeks/months. I was invited to lunch with/by two wine critic-writer-geeks and it was some experience. They warned me that it was new (3 weeks), untested, and "just a wine bar" but oh boy! Coupled with the restaurant/wine bar owner and a winegrower from the base of the Jura, we five blew a whole afternoon on wine, politics, movies and food/wine criticism. (I have no idea what one would pay for such a lesson at OFF, say, but this wound up after 2 bottles and lots of tasting glasses to be just 45 Euros a person). We started off with bread sticks and a chili (I swear it was truffles) vinegar. Then we shared a generous platter of chorizo, dried beef and a large galantine of turkey (again I would have guessed rillettes of pork), baby tomatoes and pickles with not at all bad bread. Next, two of us had a splendid confit de canard with broccoli and salad and a big potato and the odd man out, the andouillette with the same accompaniments. We finished with two great affinated cheeses (a St Nectaire and Machecoulais). Go back? I could never get these four dudes to waste an afternoon again, with the likes of me. Seize the day! 5.8 Hey Ma, It’s me John, and I’m having fun. Le Petit Champarret, 30 rue Vernier in the 17th, 01.48.80.01.39, closed weekends, got one of those 3/5 dots in ANP and 2/4 hearts in Figaroscope, like a thousand other places, and next week will be the (?lead) resto in l’Express. How do I know? Because the photographer was snapping today and I chatted him up, so my anonymity may be blown, but Ma might be happy if my photo is not just on the Post Office wall. Now I’m not saying that this is this spring’s Spring, Afaria, Grand Pan, Au Goût du Jour etc., but my first meal there (there will be more) was a home run. It’s another new place in the Pereire/Champarret area (Clocher Pereire, l’Idee etc.,) that has a good client base and not too much haut competition. So I come in, the place is already hopping at 12h45 and I get the primo table by the window. The host greeted 80% of the folk warmly and it’s clear that after 3 months this place is “the” place. They had a very tempting 22 € menu of pumpkin soup, scallops (6) on a celery puree and a millefeuille with pistachio fluff. But yesterday’s scallops spooked me and instead I went for the carte. I started with a most intriguing sounding dish, cooked veggies (eggplant, onions, zucchini, etc) served cold atop which sat a sliver of sautéed daurade – it was superb, the tartness and spice and crispiness of the veggies perfectly offset the daurade’s fishiness. Then I had a rabbit in the Corsican style (huge beans and Corsican charcuterie) that again allowed the accompaniments which were spicy and flavorful to offset the usual dryness of the rabbit. Rarely do I have dessert after such a meal but I had to, but the two things I should have ordered in advance (the chocolate and the tarte tatin) were outside my time-frame so I had the awful-looking millefeuille with pistachio fluff. It was pretty adolescent, but I rationalized it by saying I was testing it out for my 10 year old grand-daughters’ meal later this month. The bread was better than it looked, the coffee passable and the Getz/Gilberto “Ipanema” terrific. My bill was 42.80 € with two glasses of a very surprisingly good Touraine. Go? For sure, I already talked up the host about it with the 10 year olds whom he said he’d bend the rules for. 5.5 No one who reads this will ever go, so I can make up anything I want. Barbezingue, 14 bvd de la Liberte in Chatillon (yes, Chatillon, 15 minutes walking, 10 minutes busing from the Chatillon Metro station), 01.49.85.83.50, closed Mondays, is a place discovered by Sebastien Demorand of Le Fooding and since written up by tout le monde and is Thierry Faucher’s fourth place (after l’Os a Moelle, la Cave de l’Os… + Les Symples de etc and is oddly or logically a combination of all three: an oyster shuckery (outside), a resto (on the ground floor), a wine bar (southwest) and a table d’hote (upstairs). My intrepid food cook book writer pal and I were in the resto and I was seated in a dental chair, which luckily I forget about or the drilling (which she teased me by starting) might have spoiled the meal. It’s got a 30 € tasting menu, that’s right, you didn’t misread it, 30 € for 4 courses. We started: she with the hot lentil soup with beautifully toasted pine nuts and foie gras, a bit watery but excellent, and I had the cold mussel cream soup with crunchy croutons, also excellent. Then she had the daurade (daurade for a first – wow) with shredded beets and I the slice of hure of sanglier with shredded cabbage; both well worth it. Next, she had the rabbit leg and back with beans and I the pigeon with salad and a nifty, spicy sauce (we could each have had either). Finally we both had the baba with ample rum; classic, good, did the trick. The wine, interesting story: they have no list, only bottles in bins one chooses from. I had scoped them out waiting for her, but she, having spent weeks recently in a famous wine region, was the expert and I made her choose: a pétillant Cerdon Rosé. Our waiter, picking up our conversation, said “You realize that’s an aperitif?” She said “It goes well with anything.” He (with his eyebrows raised and body language (to me) indicated) “We’ll just see about that.” We discussed more, then he returned to make sure. She said yes, and “John, if you don’t like it, I’ll cork it and take it home, I love it.” He brought it over, I tasted it, Jim Jones Juice if ever I had any. So I ordered a carafe of Luberon that was a mere 11 € and she took home the rest of the 17 € sparkling Koolaid. Our bill, even with all, that was only 95 €. Go? Yes, but you won’t, you miserable stick-in-the-mud-central-Paris-devotees. 5.0 I thought I "gotta have it." Le Bistrot de l'Entrecote, 10 pl du Marechal Juin in the 17th, 01.46.22.01.22, open 7/7 is the 10th such like named (according to the Pages Blanches) not counting Miami and Geneva, rivaling the number of Original Ray's Pizza joints in Manhattan. But, but, but, it's different. The standard formula is a red awning with "gold" lettering, a rigidly fixed "menu" where one is asked "How do you want it," thas it. I know, I've eaten in three, in as many months. Why did I go? Well, after leaving Paris three weeks ago (in the slush and bone-chilling cold) on my Grand Tour of Switzerland, Northern Italy and the Mid-Atlantic, I arrived this morning (in bone-chilling cold) thinking only of Spike Lee - I "Gotta Have It" - it being French beef. Now why French beef is different is the subject of another essay, but it's definitely different from Colorado beef or Kobe beef, etc. So I'd read of this place opening a coupla weeks ago and while the esteemed Emmanuel Rubin gave it only 1/5 hearts, it sounded like his rating was due to his having ordered a "pathetic" squid fricassee and "sad" pot au feu, which was not what I craved, nor what they "do." The place is really newish looking and the walls are covered with faux-bookshelves, reminding me of a place on the Upper West Side in the 1970's called the Library, most memorable for the waiter who asked Colette, not me, to taste the wine. This location, though, is really trendy and while tables are jammed and full (economic crisis?), it's not cramped. They do have the famous 25 E formula, but not of a salad and an entrecote (a downer for me, that's what I wanna'd), but a salad with nuts on top and steak tartare with frites. So to the carte. I started with a most excellent salmon mousse and even better bread crisps. Then I had the entrecote (ordered blue, delivered rare) with a gelatinous looking bowl of Bearnaise which despite its appearance was spectacular and frites that were, well, Paris frites - somehow the frites god jumped from Belgium to the US of A, bypassing France. Then, since I had a lot of Ronan wine (it's a Bordeaux, I didn't recall its origin, either) left, I had a plate of Ossau-Iraty which was (gasp) room-temperature with an incredible cherry confiture. My, oh my. My bill, without bottled water (nor did many others, that's a sign of the times!) but with coffee, my bill was 45.50 E. Go? It scratched the itch, what more does one want? 5.0 This is a nice, good-product, cheap place for your backpacking relatives; no less, no more. Le Petit Ampere, 3, rue Ampere in the 17th, 01.42.27.89.92, is right beside Philippe Detourbe’s l’Ampere, where ironically I last ate with my dining companion, could it have been a decade ago? Anyway it got top billing in A Nous Paris this week and we went in horrible rain but were warmly welcomed. It’s a jumble: part wine shop, part counter take-out, part restaurant with about 5 different chalkboards making reading them all a bit neck-turning. My friend ordered off the carte (2 courses = 20,50) and I the formula (2 courses and wine = 18 €), both pretty good deals. They started us off with an amuse bouche of charcuterie and pretty darn good bread. Then Madame had lentils with a poached egg and I a crostini of tomato and mozzarella (toasted); both of which were quite good. Then she has the endless brandade of haddock (which I always find too fishy and smoky) and I a paleron with a rich, great wine sauce and properly al dente carrots and other winter veggies. With 50 cl of house wine, 2 Illy coffees and a carafe d’eau our bill was 52.50 €. Go? I don’t want to imply that this is the Bristol, or even l’Ampere, but for what it is, it’s honest and straightforward. 3.0 Nice enough but one can do better just about 100 meters away. Le Bar a Huitres Ternes, 69, ave Wagram in the 17th, 01.43.80.63.54, open 7/7 is where Goldenberg’s used to be but is totally new, nautical, with wonderful fish and bivalve drawings on the wall and a display of live such inside – there’s a fetching Citarella-like display outside as well. It has 2 course menu at 20 or 25 € for three, but I wanted the 39.90 one with scallops recalling how fabulous my partner’s were at MBC. Mistake! The product despite what one reads of lower prices and great opportunity now, was just not good. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First came some bread (dreadful) and rilettes (fine) and 9 #4 creuses (OK). Then the scallops with coral and weird looking pasta with a forgettable sauce but great sundried tomatoes (strange eh?) The meal was saved by the cheaply priced wine and excellent crepes facon Suzettes as good as those at the late great Bistro Cote Mer. Milk is opening here this week and in honor of Harvey (God Bless you wherever you are) and Sean Penn I had an Irish coffee to which I was introduced in San Francisco at the Buena Vista a very long time ago; PS it was perfect and the cream did float atop. The bill was 55.60 € Go? Not with the Brasserie Lorraine + l’Huitrier so near. 2.5 The old “U” shaped meal problem; great start and end, poor centerpiece. Au Bistrot d’a cote, 18, rue Lalande in the 14th, 01.43.20.00.28, closed Sundays, got a stinking one-heart review from Emmanuel Rubin but raves from two of my trusted pointers. So….., I had to go, with the oldest friend I have in Paris (55 years and counting). (Back story: Colette and I were sitting, but separated, in bulkhead seats in Economy en route to Paris in the late 1980’s and we asked a nice guy if he’d switch seats to allow us to sit together; sure, and subsequently, he told us he was heading “back” to Paris to eat that night at a fabulous new place opened by Michel Rostang next to his primo place in the 17th. We went, we loved it and frequented his series of other off-shoots, including the Bistro Cote Mer, for years). I entered ahead of my old pal and it looked terrific; the chalkboard was ample and the prices correct. We decided to share the pounti d’Auvergne that is commonly described as a pork meatloaf; but that’s most inadequate; it’s a mix of pork, prunes, etc (Clotilde’s Chocolate & Zucchini has a great recipe). It was great. Then we both (I know, I know, big mistake ordering the same thing) the gigot of lamb with beans – (1) they didn’t ask us how we wanted it, (2) the meat was tough, poor product and full of connective tissue and (3) the beans almost made up for it. Finally we had one of the best ever tarte tatin’s with both ice cream and whipped cream. With a pot of Bourgeuil (via my favorite folks the Bretons), one coffee and no bottled water = 63.50 €. Oh yes, the addition was delivered in a mousetrap, that’s an extra 0.5 points. Go? If you can figure out how to avoid the middle, yes. 2.0 “We call it a train wreck.” (4 for the food; 0 for its delivery.) Le Gorge Rouge (neat name eh?), 8, Rue St Paul in the 4th, 01.48.04.75.89, open 7/7, was my “Plan B”, “fall-back” place when the Villa Pereire, whose pubs and website said was open Saturday lunch, was definitely not. So I made it from the extreme Northwest of Paris to the full Marais in 30 minutes (no cheating by running either.) I entered to a mixed-age crowd – two octogenarians and five Gen X’ers – and the welcome was most welcoming. Nice place. Nice full menu (despite its advertising itself as a wine bar). Nice setting. Everything cool cool, calm calm, zen zen. Despite my inclination to order the foie gras crème brulee, Choukroun’s signature dish that I missed yesterday, I decided that if my cardiologist ever found out that I’d had foie gras twice in one meal, he’d fire me, so I opted for the geezers. By this I mean the microtomed gizzards, cooked to a wonderful crisp and with a sauce deglazed with raspberry vinegar, along with a salad and chives and finished off with ground baies roses (pink peppercorns) – quite wonderful. I was then sitting with my wonderful wine reading today’s Figaro and anticipating my “Perigord hamburger.” And I sat, and sat, and sat, and sat….well you get the idea, like the airlines that never tell you what’s wrong and how long it’ll take to fix it, I sat there, raising my eyebrows occasionally at the waitress, and sat. Now, luckily, Le Figaro today was really chock-a-block full of information, and my wine already poured in a carafe was like that of Jesus serving loaves and fish to 5,000, it lasted forever. Then I started to compose an essay on “When do you walk out,” and ask for the check (no one else had been served for 20 minutes either, and we were a total of 14 in a place seating 26) – when the “hamburger” appeared. The bun was actually pretty good, indeed, when I tried to eat the confit of duck, cepes and foie gras separately – it didn’t work and I went back to the “burger” approach, Dr. Barry Sears be damned! The potatoes and salad alongside went barely tasted but mainly untouched – I just wanted out. Afraid I would be there forever, I ordered a coffee serre (Illy) and the check - and my wonderful waitress said (for the third time) how was it? Now, my wife, friends and puzzlingly loyal readers know I’m a coward and always say, ”OK,” “excellent,” “thank you” or some such, but never the truth. However, today was a life-changing moment and I said – “Well, the food was quite good, when it came, but the time I waited was not.” Did I get struck with a thunder bolt? No. Did she spit in my soup? No. Did she tell the chef? Certainly not. But she did offer me a digestif. Did the “Prune” repair all? No. But I was at least a bit mellower. My bill = 61 € (in fairness, they do have a three-course forced choice menu for an astounding 13.50 E and a plate of charcuterie with a glass of wine for 15 E and the foie gras etc., I had did cost more than the average dish.) Ah, the “train wreck” reference. I once asked my buddy, the cellist in a major symphony orchestra, what the deuce had happened in the second movement of a symphony the night before and he said – oh, you mean the “train wreck?” Go? To the worst price-quality place of the calendar year?

Smart projection, Robert. But also people out of work may cull/filtch/plumb crustacean beds, fruit orchards, etc. I keep seeing very nice looking people in Paris combing the market streets for tossed items. The food world hasn't yet figured out that we're in trouble.

I hate to keep being the harbinger or perhaps more accurately - the conveyor - of bad news but this one got my attention - Figaro today reported that the Flo Group wants to close the Bistro Romain chain. Now, like filling station sandwiches, no self-respecting eGullet member would ever admit to being in a Bistro Romain but I, having no shame, will make such a confession. Colette and I were searching out French language schools (didn't do much good, did it?) in the 16th two decades ago, and had no plans for lunch and tumbled into one that (as they all do) offered unlimited lox or beef carpaccio or whatever that week. Now let me admit sin #2, it wasn't all that bad, whatever it was I had two portions of (Colette of course had a salad that cost twice as much). So I say resquiat in pace (after all the name Romain is in their own adverts based on "Roma's influence....and...Inspired from the famous Café Greco in Roma."

I was once again perhaps unclear.I did not question the toll on chefs of their life. (I had a direct familial experience with it) I was saying that when he first declared that he was going to shut down, the reasons seemed more economic, banks, etc, than now, and that was was long before the ski accident. The guy's a great guy, bless him, he can retire anytime he wants; it's a very tough business, thanks to whoever, that some people want to do it.

Indeed, he announced that he was closing, but was that to put pressure on his bank, debtors, etc, or a real vision of a bleak future? I dunno.

Thanks Hugh, but as I said above, they get enough "pizzas, sushi, thai, curry, etc" in the USA that we're trying to emphasize French French food.Me too, by the way, which I why I rarely "digest" or report on non-French places here.

One more feather in the wind: Today's Direct Matin and others reported on and increase of 15% in carafes of water to the detriment of bottled water and wine.

Thanks. Did you mean the one that was March 3rd and is for 15-17 for the Mother Ship and 12-17 years for the "satelites," Chiberta, Bouquinistes + l'Atelier Maître Albert?

I'm popping this up because now the shoe is on the other foot; Colette and I are bringing our two 10 year olds over in 2 weeks and I'm not sure we've ever hosted kids in that age group before. I've already thought of the Breizh Cafe + Le Souffle but I welcome others opinions. They are just getting adventuresome culinarywise and still are somewhat vegetarian/pasta/fruit/etc-oriented. They've been here before but wherever we've been, chefs tend to go gaga and send out salami, chocolate mousse and so forth but they may be too old for such-like now. By the way - no ethnic suggestions - pizzas, sushi, thai, curry, etc - not here - there's more than enough at home. (And frankly, better).

I too was disappointed last time. It may have run its course.