John Talbott

Well, is cost a factor? I'm away from my data base but I think db's "menu" is only at lunch but Senderens prices are the same all day, non?

And yet another - Wednesday in Le Figaro, Stephanie O’Brien had an article with spectacular photos of réveillons desserts from Dalloyau, La Maison du Chocolat + Picard ; respectively seven bûchissimes, a Bûche Chocolat-Mandarine and a « gâteau matelassé au look très couture ». -

And in an article in Expatica, the author expounds on typical Christmas eve dinner fare, giving links to recipes, that can include: champagne or kir royal, fancy cocktails, amuse-gueules, artichoke with foie gras canapés, blinis and caviar with 'Crème Sure,' foie gras with sweet wine, escargots, oysters (recipe with caviar and sabayon of champagne), goose (Alsace) and turkey (Burgundy) with chestnut stuffing, duck, ham and fish, lobster, crab, or game meats such as venison or boar, cranberries (recipe: a duck breast with them), and desserts such as a bûche de Noël but also regional specialties, such as the 13 desserts of Provence mentioned on the dessert thread) and pain d'épice, kougelhopf and springerle of Alsace.

In an article in Expatica, the author expounds on typical Christmas eve dinner fare, giving links to recipes, that can include desserts such as a bûche de Noël but also regional specialties, specifically the already mentioned 13 desserts of Provence and pain d'épice, kougelhopf and springerle of Alsace

As always, Ptit has the scoop and is correct. In addition to the link Forest gave, VivreManger also put together the list in English here.

If you go upthread to May 4th there's a terrific list from Le Figaro. On it, I'd recommend: Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Table du Lancaster, La Cerisaie, Mon Vieil Ami + Le Temps au temps.Edited by John Talbott to add some meat.

The one thing I avoid though is the industrially made and packaged baguettes.

Great list Phyllis. Another spin (targeted to Christmas and New Year's Eves) was given in Monday's Figaro by Alexandra Michot that I put up here.

Yes, we have braved Auchan during the holiday season. Since we don't have a car every year and since "my" Auchan is outside the peripherique we've tended to buy there sporadically and for bulk items (diapers, paper towels, bottled water) but have bought wine, champagne and Richard and yes the prices are good and the quality not discernibly different to me. When traveling outside Paris I find hypermarches to be convenient for buying everything from gas to wine and while I feel a twinge of guilt depriving the local butcher of my trade, I find the charcuterie, etc pretty good.

The Week of December 11th, 2006 Monday, Olivier Hachon-Bueb, in Le Figaro’s MIAM Nº3, had another article, this on Pierre Herme’s macaroons. Also, Stéphanie O'Brien wrote that chocolatier Jean Paul Hevin has made a chocolate Harcourt glass in honor of Baccarat. Monday/Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 blocks to Jean Yves Bath’s, 25, rue Bayen in the 17th, (the ex-Beatilles space), 01.45.74.74.74, closed Sundays, lunch menu at 25 € and a la carte 59 € where he liked the Auvergne (lentils with smoked duck)/Basque (baby eels)/Spanish (sautéed squid, paella, chorizo)/Italian (tostini, risotto)/Burgundian (boeuf B.)/Breton (scallop galette) fare. His colleague Jerome Berger gave 4/5 to the genuine street market Japanese stall Taeko in the Marche des Enfants Rouges, 39, rue de Bretagne in the 3rd , closed Sunday afternoon and Mondays. {As readers know, I don’t usually “digest” foreign places but their food (Japanese “hotdog,” tuna panini, fried chicken & leeks with soy), hours (9AM-3PM and 4-6 PM) and prices (formulas from 8.90-12.50 €) make it irresistible. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin, in Figaroscope’s “C’est nouveau,” awarded two hearts to Bath’s, coordinates above, {that he says is} closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, lunch menu at 25 € and {he says is} a la carte 50 € for baby eels with piment d’Espelette, cassolet of lobster and lemon soufflé. He then gave one heart each to the second wine bar of Le Taste Monde, 8, rue Serene in the 8th, 01.42.66.19.89, closed Saturday lunch {NB: different than ANP said} and Sundays, lunch menu 25 € and a la carte 50-60 €; Savoye Café, 13, blvd de Courcelles in the 8th, 01.42.89.20.99, closed Sundays, a la carte about 30 € juice/soup/smoothie place Bob’s Juice Bar, 15, rue Lucien Sampaix in the 10th, 06.82.63.72.74, open everyday except Mondays from 7:30-9 PM, lunch formula 7.50 € and a la carte 10 € and the world food place La Serre, 58, ave de la Republique in the 11th, 01.48.05.01.65, closed Sundays and Mondays, 20-35 €, a la carte. Figaroscope's Dossier published descriptions of places that serve a special St Silvestre dinner that included: Less than 100 € A & M Le Pré Salé Le Partage Zen Garden Mood La Villa Pereire 100-200 € Royal Mdeleine Les Muses Liza Chez Clement Bizen Maceo Blue Elephant Barlotti L’Orenoc Senseo Daru Cafe M Barrio Latino 200-300 € Murano Les Ombres Le Frist Maison Blanche El Cortile Taillevent 300-400 € Carre des Feuillants Yachts de Paris Beyond 500 € Le Meurice l’Espadon And, of course, Francois Simon’s “Hache Menu” covered another, this the Elysees de Vernet, in the 8th, where he says passionate food people should go for 270 € (but there are menus at 85 € et 56 € for lunch.) Wednesday, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviews Velly in the 9th. Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut had an article on “Eternal Champagne” that says while the French have three bottles annually per person, Brits drink one-half bottle and Americans a glass. L’Express has started posting reviews in a strange place and I note I missed Francois Regis Gaudry’s very positive take on Jean Paul Arabian’s Cameleon in the 6th, coordinates given before. Thursday, in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski reviewed the scene; liking Lavinia + Astier in the 1st and 11th respectively as well as saying that Lasserre + P’tit Troquet in the 8th and 6th were holding up well. Outside the metropole he lauded La Cambuse in Golfe-Juan, Le Bistrot de Jean in Corne-de-Cerf, Saint-Malo, La Table des Frères Ibarboure in Bidart and Chez Maïté in Rion-des-Landes. His products of the week were the Champignons de Paris whose growing center is now actually in Anjou and gives a recipe for a mushroom salad. Friday, Jean Louis Galesne in Les Echos wrote an article about the Opal Coast, e.g. Dunkerque, Boulogne and Calais, mentioning: Le Corsaire + Hôtel-restaurant Hirondelle in Dunkerque, Le Channel + Le Grand Bleu in Calais, La Matelote in Boulogne-sur-Mer, and La Liégeoise + Epicure in Wimereux. Rosa Jackson in “Paris Bites” in Paris Notes tried this month to find ideal places to eat for 20, 30 and 50 € (without wine) and came up with the Petit Vatel in the 6th as one of the best value places she knows of; Le Petit Pamphlet in the 3rd; and finally Le Violin d’Ingres in the 7th; all three of which she was pleased with. Voyages d’Affaires Issue #100 featured Eric Frechon’s Restaurant le Bristol. In January’s {British} France Magazine Jon Bryant has a spread on the “King of Truffles,” Clement Bruno of Lorgues; and places to eat in Saint Malo that include: l’Abordage, Le Lion d’Or + l’Ange Bleu as well as a book entitled La Durée by Serge Gleizes, published by Abrams for ₤19.95. January’s Food & Wine Magazine had a nice spread by Jane Sigal on Yves Camdeborde and Le Comptoir calling him the pioneer of “elevated food at bistro prices” and giving five recipes; a recommendation for three of his “acolytes” who now run Ribouldingue, Chez l’Ami Jean + l’Ourcine as well as a big piece on “100 Tastes to try in 2007” that included: a recipe for green bean salad with toasted pecans by eGullet member and celebrated Chocolate and Zuccini blogger – Clotilde Dusoulier – from the soon to be published book by the same name and the “groovy, haute bistro" Sensing. Saturday-Sunday, Bonjour Paris had an article by Margaret Kemp on the three restaurants in Neuilly run by Emmanuel and Nathalie Laporte - Feuilles Libres, Entrees Libres + Temps Libres. Sunday’s New York Times Travel Section had a piece on the opening (until January 15th) of the George V’s Ice Bar where for 55 € you get drinks and amuse bouches for 30 minutes at 18˚ F. Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Today's Figaro had a rather radical alternative to a Buche which is a a soup of exotic fruits and instead of chocolates, serve old-fashioned Lille-type guimauves (marshmallow-stuff) that could be a hit at school.

At the risk of being chastised for double-posting but with the rationalization that it will appear in the Digest too late to be helpful, an update on what to serve on Christmas and New Year's Eves from today's Figaro. Alexandra Michot wrote about (1) serving traditional dishes and where to get them, (2) with some new twists or (3) alternatives. They are: Oysters from Cancale, Prat-ar-Coum, etc – Twist = sink them in gelatin - Alternatively = get escargots from L’Escargot Montorgueil. Foie gras (duck from the SouthWest from say Le Repaire de Cartouche) – Twist = serve balls of foie gras with a stick like a lollipop from Lenôtre – Alt = a terrine but of pork, fish, scallops, veggies, etc. Caviar from Pétrossian, Prunier, Byzance, Caviar Kaspia – Twist = serve on crème fraîche in a watercress soup – Alt = salmon, herring eggs. Smoked salmon from Safa – Twist = sauces (sweet-sour, anis, honey) or as smorebrod – Alt = smoked eel, herring, trout, halibut, sturgeon. Turkey – Alt = capon Buche – Alt = a soup of exotic fruits Chocolates with coffee – Alt = guimauves (that marshmallow-y stuff).

The January Food & Wine mentions as part of its "100 tastes to try in 2007" two places: Mistral + Oaken Skargardskrog, which as you all know, are highlighted in the thread on the Gambero Rosso.

In the January Food & Wine, among their 100 "Tastes You Must try in 2007" are three from Copenhagen; Noma on which there's a thread currently running and Remisse + Paustian which have already been mentioned here and there.

I know you know, but others may not, that we have a compendium of threads running on Sunday and weekend dining as well as what's open and closed on Mondays.In addition, to update those, I've been impressed in 2006 with La Maree Passy, La Mascotte, Petrus, Jarasse, Vieil Ami, Pinxo + Fogon on Sundays and Les Anges, l'Accolade, Cerisaie, Drouant + Senderens on Mondays.

Ah that's another matter; on Saturdays and Sundays and even Mondays, one is dealing a different set of cards. I'd say yes; start over; what would folks recommend for lunch and dinner those days. That said, Pierre45 has a point when he says

Wonderful report and tantalizing looking food. I agree we've got to go. Thanks much Gabe.

Absolutely. I was limiting myself to the list. But Carlsbad, not everyone has had the positive experiences we've had at Drouant; and, one of six meals I've had at Mon Vieil Ami was "off" just after Westerman and Anthony Clemot shifted their attention to Drouant.

L'Avant Gout is just fine at a great price-quality ratio.And Forest, let's leave everything on this thread, since as you suggest, it's specifically about lunch.

The Week of December 4th, 2006 Monday, Alexandra Michot had an article in Le Figaro on the comeback of the marshmallowy dessert guimauve {that ironically I was served for the first time in ages at a restaurant this week.} Monday as well, in Parisist, Robyn posted about her meal at the Refuge des Fondus in the 18th. Monday/Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 blocks to La Tradition, 2, rue de Budapest in the 9th, 01.48.74.37.33, closed Sundays, formulas at 32, 36, 41, 43 and 50 €, where the 50 € menu covers the aperitif, first, main, cheese, dessert, coffee and a half-bottle of wine; the day he went there were sautéed wild mushrooms, lamb with spices, a ragout of veal kidneys and sweetbreads, salmon with leeks, and a crumble of the day (he argues that even with a 30 € menu, the wine, water and coffee will push the final bill over 50 €, so order the 50 € all-inclusive meal.) His colleague, Jerome Berger gave 3/5 to the Argentinian place Unico in the 11th on the very popular Rue Paul Bert. Tuesday in Metro, the Le Fooding 2006 awards were announced: Unico Best Latin bistro Chateaubriand Best Table Hotel Amour Best place to see and be seen La Cour de Remi Best country place (Bermicourt) Youpala Best lunch (Saint Brieuc) Le Transversal Fooding honor Claude Colliot Young chef (l’Orenoc) La Rue Paul Bert in the 11th, best street {Paul Bert, l’Ecallier du Bistrot. Unico, Temps au Temps + De La Reunion } Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin, in Figaroscope’s “C’est nouveau,” awarded two hearts to Le Diane, at Fouquet’s Barriere, 46, ave George V in the 8th, 01.40.69.60.60, open every day, running one from 100-130 € per person, that Rubin says lacks talent despite it’s priceyness and ambition – he had vegetable raviolis, pigeon in kouing-aman and milk-fed veal with wasabi. He gave the same scores to the Korean l’Abre de Sel in the 15th and Le Perroquet Vert, 7 rue Cavalotti in the 18th, 01.45.22.49.16, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays with menus at 12.50 (lunch), 15 and 25 €, a la carte about 20-35 €, that serves vegetables with coco sauce, veal liver and choco-banana samosas. He gave one heart each to the North African Le Yahmi in the 1st and the Left Bank version of the “chic junk-food” place Cojean in the basement of Bon Marche in the 7th. This week in Figaroscope’s “Dossier,” they wrote up colors in restaurants, including: Monochromatic ones A white dish at La Blanchisserie A red menu at l’Espadon A violet salad at Delicabar The sign sets the tone Le Celadon La Maison Blanche L’Assiette du Purple Dans le Noir Colored menus La Famille Playing with color Black Jules Verne Red and Black l’Atelier Robuchon White Chez les Anges White and Green Jour, Eat me + Lood Juice Bar Playing with lights Music-Hall Bound In addition, they featured the ten booklets on color-coordinated recipes in the “Serial Colors” editions de l’Epure, 6.50 € each. Playing along with the theme, Francois Simon’s “Hache Menu” took him to Black Calvados, 40 ave Pierre 1er de Serbie in the 8th, 01.47.20.77.77, open evenings only where at 8:30 PM the place was empty (the night folk had yet to arrive) and he had pumpkin soup and black cod for 126 € for two and says he won’t stop you from going, especially to see the pre-clubbers warming up. This week, Expatica posted an article about the effort by the French, especially top French chefs, to have UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) “officially recognize” French food’s “ rich culinary and gastronomic heritage.” Wednesday in Paris Update Richard Hesse reviewed the no smoking Italian place Il Tre, in the 2nd. Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut had an article on fish, largely about its rising price. One revelation to me was that a recent report stated that whereas in 1980 only 9% of fish consumed was farm-raised, today it’s over 43%, a trend largely due to China’s pisciculture. He also states that wild European bass (bar) is relative abundant. One strategy is to order less pricey but poorly-known fish such as chinchard (the mackerel like saurel), "coulirou" (big eyed scad), carrelet (European plaice, dab), mackerel, merlan (whiting), mostelle (forkbeard) and maigre (meager). He ends by saying sardines remain a good buy and are delicious. Thursday, in Le Point, they published a 32 page section on the best restaurants in Paris for less than 30€ . Given the number and range of places, it is impossible to summarize. In addition, Gilles Pudlowski surveyed the recent scene; in Paris liking the newly renovated Boeuf Couronné + Christophe and finding the Italian Bocconi + Le Jardin at the Royal Monceau hotel in good shape. Outside Paris he dwells on the Auberge des Glaziks in Plomodiern, the Auberge de l’Ile in Lyon and Osterreicher im MAK in Vienna. His product this week is olive oil from Fortune Arizzi in Les Mes en Provence and his recipe that for a far Breton (savory pudding-cake) with Plougastel strawberries. Thursday, François-Régis Gaudry in L’Express, devoted a nice spread to Daniel Rose’s Spring, coordinates given before. Friday, Jean Louis Galesne in Les Echos wrote an essay/review of places to eat in Versailles. He starts with the only prestigious restaurant, Les Trois Marches that is well-sited and has a stunning view, serving up “intelligent cuisine,” such as a fricassée of wild snails with frogs’ legs and os à moelle and parsley, farm veal, lièvre à la royale, sumptious cheese and chocolate with triple vanilla. On the other hand is the bistrot-like Café Trianon serving a menu découverte at 33 euros consisting of a vegetable millefeuille with anchovies, mushroom cake, duck breast and veal’s liver. Then there’s the rustic inn-type place - L'Etape Gourmande serving well-prepared dishes such as quenelles with herring caviar, scallops, and banana tart. The Harmonium serves “subtle” fusion food and its pastry chef worked at Gagnaire; l'Aparthé is a restaurant and tea salon; Le Saint James has recently opened and provides a range from classic bistro food to modern ones; and La Marée de Versailles serves up oysters and other coquillages, cod, St Pierre and a market menu. Saturday-Sunday, on the “Gouts” page of Le Figaro, there was a “Croque Notes” by Francois Simon on the restaurant, the Saint Joseph in Garenne-Colombes; an article on Caviar suggesting you get it at: the Maison Nordique, Caviar Volga/ La Maison du Caviar + Petrossian; as well as an article entitled the 10 Commandments about eating caviar; eg don’t eat it with a metal spoon. The December Where has Alexander Lobrano’s positive reviews of the new chef at La Grande Cascade, as well as the relatively recent places Jarasse + Citrus Etoile. Saturday-Sunday, Bonjour Paris had an essay on the chef at Versance by Margaret Kemp and an essay by John Talbott on “Travel is Broadening.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread. Edited by John Talbott on 12/15 to fix link.

Well, my street markets close Sunday at 1 PM and Mondays anyway so the point is moot. My Monoprix is usually open abbreviated hours on holiday Mondays but I'd look for signs a few days before or ask rather than count on past experience. I think for shellfish I'd buy ahead no matter and veggies too unless you forget something, in which case the local "Arab," (not a slur, cf "Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran") is always open Christian holidays - at least mine is.

FYI today's Figaroscope's Dossier published descriptions of places that serve a special St Silvestre dinner that included: Less than 100 € A & M Le Pré Salé Le Partage Zen Garden Mood La Villa Pereire 100-200 € Royal Madeleine Les Muses Liza Chez Clement Bizen Maceo Blue Elephant Barlotti L’Orenoc Senseo Daru Cafe M Barrio Latino 200-300 € Murano Les Ombres Le Frist Maison Blanche El Cortile Taillevent 300-400 € Carre des Feuillants Yachts de Paris Beyond 500 € Le Meurice l’Espadon Edited by John Talbott to correct error in first amount (not 200 but 100 €.)

I like Magnolias a lot as well but since it's outside Paris it might be difficult for first timers to find, non? Maybe I'm being unfair thinking of my own relatives who would probably have trouble finding Notre Dame on their own ← Should you decide to go, I'll provide easy instructions.

I hate to see what I think could be a potentially interesting thread go cold. So at the risk of showing my cross-cultural ignorance, here goes. None except to stay out of Metro stations near the Bastille where cherry bombs will destroy your hearing. A trusted French friend, suddenly bashful, says at least on NYE, “stuff like caviar oysters champagne and other expensive foods.” Our (Talbott) house lays on foie gras, salmon and occasionally caviar, usually from the Petrossian stand at Galeries Lafayette, brioche, Bellota-Bellota or its moral equivalent and herring from the Maison du Danmark and often Oleron oysters from our local brasserie. Regarding her cross-cultural observation is as follows: Other views?

I would never diasagree with my esteemed co-host but since we're deviating from the list you gave, I would do one blowout breakfast at Laduree.