John Talbott

Gambero is probably still the best, used in conjunction with the SlowFood Osterie d'Italia, which covers a more limited range. However, the organization and graphics of Gambero give me the pip, plus they change every year, it seems, so that by the time you're used to it, you have to learn a new system. Also, Gambero gives lower scores to restaurants with conservative menus. There may be good reasons for this, but you get situations where a hey-let's-open-a-restaurant newcomer that is not all that good and a reliable classic have the same score. Then there are the cases where they don't sufficiently explain why a restaurant has a lower score than most readers would expect, and in general I find the writing has become less critical and perceptive and the whole thing a bit too insidery. We still go to Gambero first, but sometimes the scores make no sense to us (my husband is an engineer and likes numbers). Slow Food is pretty reliable for trattorias, but again the whole thing is getting very insidery. You just know who all their friends are. Still, we've had some super meals thanks to Osterie d'Italia. Bottom line is we look for consensus among several guides, including Michelin. I haven't bought L'Espresso in a few years but will probably start again. ← Your post raises an interesting issue. When I'm travelling by car, I schlep 3 or 4 guidebooks but on my "Grand Tour" this month, I was backpacking and with a computer and running stuff, had to limit myself to one. I chose Osterie.

More precisely, he said that we've been told it's the deal of the century. But it's not, according to his review. ← Indeed it sounds awful; the words "service station" and "banal" as well as hiding the 9.90 meal chalkboard in a corner are enough for me to not even consider it for backpacking relatives.

So, Sandy, am I correct that it's your sense that what makes Bigarrade creative is its pricing not its food? If so, that would then open up a whole new bunch of places. ← Hi John Thanks for forcing me to be more exact. What I am trying to say is one view of creativity involves " what you make out of what you have to work with" compared to others. It is always about the food, but the food is created from the ingredients. On one hand creativity will express itself independently at all levels of available resources(ingredients). However given two creative chefs the one with the most resources will always out since more resources will provide more options. I appreciate both but respect more the creativity of a creative chef who inspires my taste having 10E worth of ingredients to cook with versus a creative chef who has 100E worth of ingredients with which to cook. I think I feel this way because with unlimited budget there is the danger that the ingredient itself will be considered what is creative in the dish as opposed to the creative use of the ingredient in the dish compared to how others have used it. Sandy ← Understood and agreed with.It reminds me of the way the Bocuse d'Or competition works and indeed, that's the way my daughter's graduation meal "test" at cooking school went; fixed ingredients, fixed time, pressure to put them together interestingly. I'd rather have "trash" fish cooked inventively than the haute gamme stuff broiled. In that light, a place that insists on holding prices down despite inflation and the economy is Clocher Periere and I guess that qualifies as creative. I was thinking Al wanted more of the stuff he cannot get in coastal US gastro-bastions, eg

So, Sandy, am I correct that it's your sense that what makes Bigarrade creative is its pricing not its food? If so, that would then open up a whole new bunch of places.

In today's Scope, F. Simon calls the 9.90 E menu at L'Auberge, 124, boulevard du Montparnasse, in the 14th, 01 56 54 01 55, the deal of the century. In addition, the "Dossier" is all about weathering the economic crisis with stuff like a 1 E sandwich at Goutu, 51, rue Le Pelletier, in the 9th. More in the Digest Monday.

Interesting distinction Pierre.But is Jadis, (or even Cameleon), creative or is its formula (finding an old cookbook and using contemporary equipment and ingredients) creative or "going back to the future?" I'd agree that Gagnaire and the other starred boys, famously and formerly Loiseau, keep creating. To recall Loiseau's obsession with constant creation is to remember what a tough business this is. And I agree with Margaret that Carte Blanche, which I originally thought was a slightly less impressive version of Ze, has not worn well with us.

Your final comment concerns me. Can you tell us more about the kind of resto you are looking for? ← Why the concern? This is the place I was referring to http://www.restaurantletimbre.com/le%20timbre%20.html Looking for just a good bistro/ brasseries and am particularly interested in hearing about any interesting new openings. ← I cannot speak for Margaret but Le Timbre has been open for a decade or longer. If you're looking for brand new places, say places that have opened in the past year, take a look at Pierre45 or my posts. If you're looking for those that have been open longer, say 6-18 months, both Lebey + Pudlo mark new ones with an N. For this week's openings, the Digest has the five new ones that open each week, reviewed by Figaroscope + A Nous Paris in particular. And for those about to open, Alain Fusion's website Les Restos.com often is ahead of the curve.It's a bit more work but just scrolling down the first few pages of the France Forum, you'll come across discussions of many new places; "Truly Creative," "Emerging Stars" & "Cheap Eats" are about as current as one can get, with the Table d'Eugene, Jadis, Fermin, Dos de la Baleine, Cantine du Troquet + Au Gout Dujour etc. Happy Hunting!

And I assume you've consulted this unfortunately 2 year old topic.

Host’s Note On another topic Al Wang asked us to suggest truly creative restaurants anywhere in Paris. I think it would be clearest if we separated this from restos in the 11th. I'll start the ball rolling; How about: Les Magnolias Ze Kitchen Galerie Lena & Mimile (the Herve This items).

February 7-8th, Raymond Sokolov wrote an article on "Icelandic Dining After the Collapse" and recommended: Panorama, Vox, 3 Frakkar, Sjafarkallarin, Thrir Frakkar + Saegreifinn.

Not for me or Colette unfortunately; some great meals but some disappointing ones too - ditto Paul Bert and as for Chardenoux......

My own list of places I'd go back to, in rank order would be: Repaire de Cartouche Le Rollin Ober Sale L’Ecailler du Bistrot

I started with L'Espresso, then shifted to the Gambero Rosso but for 2 years have preferred the Osterie guide. However, I got into a heated discussion at the Gambero Rosso HQ in Rome with an Italian food-expert last week who insisted Gambero was still the best. I too like Fred Plotkin's book.

The Week of February 16th, 2009 Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed the pizza/etc Alice Pizza, in the 18th. Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard as well gave 3/5 to Alice Pizza while Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to Barbezingue coordinates given before, serving Eric Ospital’s ham, lobster soup, veal breast and chocolate quenelles in a table d’hote type setting. Tuesday in l’Express, Francois Regis Gaudry picked as his resto of the week, the refreshed La Maree, coordinates in the guidebooks, where the menus are 29 and 35 € and a la carte is about 50 € for shellfish stew, pollack and a dessert “minestrone”; Pierrick Jégu picked as his resto of under 30 € Le Clou de Fourchette, coordinates given before, serving tuina, rilettes, lamb shoulder and mascarpone. Also Yves Nespoulous reviewed as under 30 E, the Berliner in Lille. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope rated five (thus all) places as 1/5: MBC, coordinates given before, which has Gilles Choukroun’s foie gras crème brulee, rumsteak/bulots and tapioca; Alice Pizza, coordinates also given before, costing between 20 and 60 €; the Lebanese Bistrot Beyrouth in the 11th; Le Darling’s, 43, rue Beaubourg in the 3rd, 01.40.29.40.47, closed Saturday, with a well-priced lunch formula at 18, a menu whose price is discussable at 32 € for over-cooked egg and over-cooked magret and too dry fruit tart; and the Japanese Jin Sushi in the 4th. Figaroscope’s Dossier this week by Colette Monsat listed the best galettes completes in Paris. In the text it mentions the Breizh Café, Yves Camdeborde/Creperie du Comptoir + Le Jardin des Cynes/Hotel Price des Galles but in the ratings ranks as the first six: Breizh Café Ty Breizh Creperie des Canettes Creperie Bretonne Fleurie de l’Epouse du Marin Creperie Suzette Creperie du Comptoir. In addition, in his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed one of these, the Creperie Josselin, where it cost 9.10 € for a double and the maximum wait is 20 minutes. Go? “Je vous en prie, après vous… “ Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update wrote about two rip-off meals at Le Petit Marché, in Paris where there was deafening music, an indifferent staff and food and wine already opened and plunked down, and La Cigale in Nantes. Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Chen + Brasserie Flo are in good shape and he’s following Le Boudoir + Michi. Friday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote about Bobo and bio fast food at everything from McDo’s + Flunch to Cojean, Rose Bakery, Naked, Lina's, Giraudet, + Exki, the latter a Belgian chain on the boulevard du Montparnasse, 14e, avenue de France, 13e, and boulevard des Italiens, 2e. Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro and blog, Francois Simon wrote about a meal at La Ruelle, in Angouleme. Alexandra Michot also had an article about the multiplication of food festivals worldwide. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote two reviews and a book notice entitled “Do You Glou? Zen Garden & Pudlo Bistro” and John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “Strategies for Survival.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

I liked Boccacio as well. So when I heard they had closed and most of the kitchen and front staff were going to move into the exBrasserie Tatin space, renamed La Famiglia, near Hopkins, gave it 2 weeks and then went. Friday night it was bursting at the seams and hasn't been reviewed or advertised yet. We thus had a wait (15 min) despite Colette's having made the reservation in person beause Comcast had screwed up their phone service. They've moved the seating back quite a bit and it's an impressively large space and maybe too much. Both Dino Zeytinoglu, the host and owner and our waiter couldn't have been nicer. I started with wonderful roasted peppers of various colors which with some salt and pepper did the trick. The mains, however, were another matter. Colette's veal piccata had a sauce that was visably gelatinous and while the veal was tender, was barely acceptable (the accompanying steamed green beans were standard). I probably shouldn't have ordered the pasta Bolognese since none will ever equal that prepared in a cooking class with Luigi Buitoni at the Locanda della Rocca in Paciano (Umbria); but even mine two weeks ago at the cavernous jazz emporium, the Cantina Bentivoglio, in Bologna, was better. In any case, both our mains were too generous and I wish they'd pay more attention to quality than quantity. With a bottle of Chianti Classico and no dessert or coffee, before tip, our bill was $76.85. Since this could be our "cook's night out" place, I do hope Dino succeeds in whipping up the kitchen and he eliminates the garish neon sign outside that just does not fit into this residential neighborhood (both the Brasserie Tatin and Jeannier’s presence was so much more subtle.)

I'm relieved to read one of the few echoes of my own less than ecstatic reaction. ← My reaction is mixed; I didn't like meal #1 that I had by myself shortly after it opened, then sort of liked it on #2 which I had with a good gastronomic friend and took Colette for #3 (Oct 07) and while I felt jammed in - the chow and service was good and at that point I decided it was a great place to send 1st time visitors to - although I've never been back, hummmmm.

Do you know if there is a relation between the fore-mentioned young Nicolas Duquesnoy and the not so young Jean-Paul Duquesnoy who had the long defunct 2-star restaurant "Le Duquesnoy"on Ave. Bosquet? ← No but it must be in the DNA. I must confess that once again though I'm the sole dissenting vote about it.

L’Internaute announced Pudlo’s awards in the "Pudlo Paris Bistrots et Brasseries" as: Table d’Eugene – Discovery of the Year Cantine du Troquet – Annex of the Year Café Tournon – Wine bistro of the Year Senderens – Top Gastro L’Evasion – Top Quality Bistro Gérard Vié, les Terrines - Reconversion of the Year Jean-Paul Arabian, le Caméléon – Best welcome Le Beaujolais d’Auteil – Best local Bistrot Le Gorgeon – Most Parisian in the suburbs And Web Radio du Gout announced that Lebey awarded Le Beaujolais d'Auteuil and its chef Nicolas Duquesnoy the Best Paris Bistro of 2009.

Very sloppy reporting on my part; of course he was comparing Le Villaret's list to that of stratospheric other places. I'll correct.

And in the Jan 18 NYT, Hotellerie du Bas Breau + Chez Bernard.

The Week of February 9th, 2009 Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed the Italian Caffe dei Cioppi, in the 11th. Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard dined at the 3/5 Villa Pereire, 116, blvd Pereire in the 17th, 01.43.80.88.68, closed Sundays, menus at 24.50 and 29.50 €, serving dorade, scallops, risotto and vacherin. In addition there was a short note about the return of Gilles Choukroun at MBC, 4, rue du Debarcadere in the 17th, 01.45.72.22.55, lunch menu 20, dinner 45, 65 and 80 € serving light herbs and condiments at lunch and otherwise at dinner. Tuesday in l’Express, Pierrick Jégu picked as his resto under 30 € Barbezingue, coordinates given before, mentioning the pumpkin soup, sauteed foie gras and chocolate quenelle. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope rated as 2/4 hearts, Mets Gusto, coordinates given before, where the ex-Ducasse chef prepares Mediterranean small plates, each under 10 € (thus total 30-40) for chicken-like porchetta, potatoes Roseval and a pigs feet cake. Then he awarded one heart only to the Bistrot d’a Cote, 18, rue Lalande in the 14th, 01.43.20.00.29, closed Sundays, which has wines under 20 €, soaked eggs, over-generous and tasteless choucroute garnie and prunes in wine; Le Numero 7, 81, ave Bosquet in the 7th, 01.47.53.01.52, open 7/7, formaulas at 22 and 27, a la carte 35-40 € for beef tartare (not bad), entrecote (passionless) and pineapple (boring); Le Mezieres, 16, rue de Mezieres in the 6th, 01.45.48.44.23, closed Sundays, costing 20-25 € for veggie tart, sautéed veal and plum clafoutis. A broken heart went to the Korean Jantchi in the 1st. Figaroscope’s Dossier this week concerned questioning if you are a bobovore, that is, a dining Bobo, listing the following bobo areas and their restos: Marais Temple Glou Breizh Café Rose Bakery II Café des Musees Martyrs Trudaine Rose Bakery Cul de Poule Hotel Amour La Pizzetta La Salumeria Cesar Montmartre Abbesses Pigalle Bar des Roses Café Burq Cheribibi La Famille Floors Miroir Mon Oncle Valmy St Martin Prune Sesame Soya La Cantine de Quentin Hotel du Nord Cambodge Mme Shawn In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon wrote glowingly about La Gazzetta which he advises one to go to fast. Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed Goumard, coordinates given before, which he says is a “safe bet” for a first date if you have the wherewithal. However he uses phrases like “nothing….soaring” and “nothing to write home about.” Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said le Bristol + Joy are in good shape and he’s following Le Bistrot 121 + La Strasbourgeoise. Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro and blog, Francois Simon wrote about Le Villaret, where the wine is nowhere near the price of a three-star's 1989 Haut Brion at 6,500 €. On the same page was an article by him on the 2009 Michelin Red, due out March 2nd, commenting on a new “essay” by Sebastien Demorand and Benedict Beauge entitled “Les cuisines de la critique gastronomique” as well as one “interviewing” them. Saturday in the IHT, Maia de la Baume in Globespotters recommended as “high-end cuisine, low-end prices" Gerard Vie. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “French, Fusion, Fluenced, Foreign.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread. Edited by John Talbott to correct reporting of Villaret's wine prices.

Well, it took me a couple of years but I finally made it to Salt and am glad I did. I went with three academic associates who, when I pushed my duck fat fries towards them, gobbled them up shamelessly (after they'd all had arugula salads, seemingly putting me to shame with their health food vs my lack of same.) I had the crispy duck breast that was not crispy enough for me but was tasty and they were enthralled by their tuna (sushi quality, rare), monkfish ("oh boy," said he) and strip steak. The bill was $250 (incl wine and tip) for 4.

When will the 2009 Red Guide be published? In your opinion, what has happened at Le Grand Vefour? ← Simon says March 2nd.

The Week of February 2nd, 2009 Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed Barbezingue, 14, bd. de la Liberté, Chatillion, 01 49 85 83 50, another Thierry Faucher (L’Os à Moelle)-offshoot, this a combo bistro-winebar-table d’hote-etc for the suburbanites, serving oysters and foie gras, snails, rabbit shoulder and a baba, 17 € for the table d’hote, 30 for the menu, count on 40-45 € a la carte. Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard dined at the 3/5 Le Petit Champarrret, 30 rue Vernier in the 17th, 01.43.80.01.39, closed weekends, running about 30-50 € for gravlax, cod, panna cotta and citrus dessert. Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to Mets Gusto, 79, rue de la Tour in the 16th, 01.40.72.84.46, closed Sunday and Mondays, running one about 50 € for an ex-Ducassian’s fare of chicken with lardo, pulpo, pied de porc and clafoutis. There were also two notes in the center strip: one about the Italian Divinamente Italiano in the 2nd and the other – the guide of young chefs that includes mention in Paris of Drouant, Mon Vieil Ami, Itineraires, Ze Kitchen Galerie, l’Ami Jean, Les Saveurs de Flora + La Gazzetta. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope rated as 2/4 hearts, Leclou de Fourchette, 121, rue de Rome in the 17th, 01.48.88.09.97, closed Sundays, costing about 25-35 € for porkybits, a duck brochette with prunes and rice pudding as well as Mon Oncle, coordinates given before, where he liked the Milanese minestrone, boudin with mashed potatoes and cheese from the nearby Virginie. One heart each went to: the trattoria La Maison de Matteo, in the 9th and Bon Bec, 235 bis, rue St-Charles in the 15th, 01.45.54.05.31, closed Saturday lunch, Sunday and Monday dinner, costing about 30 € a la carte (19 formula) for onion grantinee, blanquette of veal and profiteroles. A broken heart went to Heureux Comme Alexandre, 2, impasse Berthaud in the 3rd, 01.48.87.88.22, closed Sundays, costing 15-25 € for a poor-price-quality meal consisting of a bourgignon fondue. Figaroscope’s Dossier this week covered dining in the 16th: Best best l’Astrance Best décor Cristal Room Best bistrot Le Beaujolais d’Auteuil Best seafood Antoine Best in the woods Le Pre Catalan Best stainless steel Le Stella Best come-back Zebra Square Best sushi Comme des Poissons Best putting on the dog Le Murat Best annex Etc. In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed another one in the 16th, Tokyo Eat, which he says is one of the pure pleasures of Paris at 80 € for two. Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed Le Cigale Recamier, coordinates given before, which he describes as busy, busy, busy, a fact that ruined his meal – everything about it was “detestable” except the food. Jean-Claude Ribault, in this Thursday-Friday’s Le Monde wrote that all was not well with ham. Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro and blog, Francois Simon wrote about a meal at Firmin. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

I don't know why I keep coming back to Maxim's, maybe because of my dinner there in 1920, but it surfaced again as l'Express's Restaurant of the week for Valentine's Day at 175 E a pop.