John Talbott

A few comments on some recent eats: The Teatro del Vino is located in the 4 story Gambero Rosso Citta del Gusto (Taste Town), which also houses a cooking school (in full swing at 11 PM), a TV stage, bookstore and so forth. We started with different things: I really liked my bucantini (giant spaghetti the Romans favor) with a pancetta/tomato/etc sauce; others liked their gnocchi and tripes. The 5 of us then more or less shared several platters of cured meats, cheeses and smoked fish; all were top-rate products. With wine, lots of water, two delicious desserts and no coffee the bill was 33.70 Euros each. The Marriott Rome Park’s Brasserie (way out near the Muratella train stop) is a place no one wants to be but where I had to eat twice due to a conference. At the first meal, I started to order the 14 E pasta but the others, three Italian guys, who were paying, were all ordering the 39 E filet. OK. They must know something. I order mine blue – crudo – it’s perfect, not bad for Italian beef, with nice grilled winter veggies and some valpollicello. Bill - dunno, they picked up. Dinner was the pasta with meat sauce – did the trick. In the midst of the meal I started to outline a story and my very attentive waitress appeared with paper – nice touch, even through she charged me for two 30 E special buffets. Tram-Tram is in the St Lorenzo area and Colette and I had a terrific meal there last year. Unless I knew it was the same place, I would never have guessed it, it’s fallen so far. That day, it was never more than ½ full (it had been packed to the rafters a year ago), the three ladies (Mama and her two daughters) who ran it, were disorganized and scatterbrained and the food was not knockout (as it was a year ago). I started out with the exact same dish (orchiette with clams and pureed broccoli) I had gone gaga over before and it was “so what?” Then I had the Salad Tram-Tram with radicchio, microtomed slices of pear, pecorino and walnuts. I dressed the radicchio with I gotta say good Balsamico and Olive Oil, ate it, then the pear shavings, and finally the cheese and nuts - and therefore was able to have a contorno, dessert and cheese, thanks very much!, instead of my hated dish - a composed salad! With wine, a coffee correct and no water, my bill was 24 E (which they’d miscalculated [having added in water] but recalculated as 24 E [readjusting it for the Berlusconi Factor], so I gave up on their math skills.) As I left, I re-read the article in English on the wall I’d been impressed with last year, and wouldn’t you know, these three (getting older fast) ladies, who when the place opened 16 years ago, had stark black hair – now are all blondes. The Osteria Il Bocconcino, near the Coliseum is another Slow Food place we’d eaten at last year and loved. It’s an unprepossessing place which despite its location is largely frequented by locals. I had the special of the day – spaghetti with clams that were enhanced by two things; teeny, tiny, crunchy bread crumbs and a really spicy sauce – delicious. I ended with a fondente of chocolate which while my daughter does it better, was pretty good. With wine, a correct coffee and no bottled water my bill was 24.50 E.

From a recent trip to Florence: The Trattoria Antellesi, where I’d eaten last August twice. Warm welcome. One look at the menu; order spaghetti con vongole; no sorry (it’s Sunday night); so I had the tripes, not bad (which for non-Franco-fanatics = pretty damn good.). Bill with wine and green salad (quite fine), no dessert, water or coffee = 17.50 E. The Trattoria Camillo where I’d dined very well six months ago. I started to order the very same things but shifted to fried veal brains instead of chicken, which was probably a mistake, since they needed a jolt of something that August’s chicken did not. The fried green tomatoes (previously marinated in vinegar) and zucchini blossoms (in February mind you; shame on you for breaking the Slow Food pact) were quite good with a bit of salt. The bill with wine, water, grappa and coffee (but no dessert) was 41 E. The “Decima Musa” has been open just two years and was 20% full, almost all with our friends who have the Power of Yen. It was horrid. I had the tempura of gambas, whose batter was not burned but had a burned-taste. It came with an accompanying salad whose dressing was tart and after one taste, unapproachable. For my main I had a risotto – OK, admittedly, I wasn’t in Risotto-land – but with seafood that was expensive, it should have been great. Nope! Rice so undercooked it wasn’t al dente but al raw-way. Seafood one had to pick out of the mound of uncooked rice, like one did with a Coney Island grabber claw. Wine OK (with pix of lady on it like Yulia, the PM of Ukraine), water OK; but are wine and water why we come? Bill = 36 Euros. The Trattoria Cibrèo (not to be confused with the food shop, café or restaurant of the same name – the block is sort of like that, that Zabar’s gradually took over) had been recommended by three different experts (one American, one French and one Italian.) The place opens at 12:50 on the dot, there’s a line outside at 12:45, like Mary’s Fish Camp and one almost scrambles for a seat (while I was warned there were only 5-6 tables, actually there are 8, seating 30 covers, and even if you lose out here, the bigger resto will accommodate you). The front window is bedecked with Slow Food/Osterie stickers with one other from a fish award association. So I ordered the fish soup that came with a bread toast topped with shredded cheese but without the rouille (as in France). It was superb; tasty, dense and spicy. Then I had a most unusual dish; what must have been quenelle-like chicken liver mousse slices that had a really distinctive sharp taste with a sauce the color of mustard that wasn’t. At the side of the plate was a genuine cooked cock’s head with comb and it came with divine potatoes cooked with tomatoes and carrots. I ended with the flourless chocolate tart. With wine, water, a grappa but no coffee the bill was 33 E (no credit cards – sorry.)

While travelling through Italy recently I went back to Ferrara: L’Oca Giuliva was much as I recall it from Colette’s and my lunch 2 years ago; very fancy and lots of eager staff. I knew I’d be going to a blowout place for dinner so I limited myself to a dish of eels on a puree of tomato with roasted winter veggies; OK but Slow Food/Nouvelle Cuisine at its sparest.

On a recent trip I ate at several new places for me: The Cantina Bentivoglio, was a place I went to with a research group that was meeting. They needed a big place that would accommodate them, not necessarily a great food opportunity. I was not especially taken by the food, sampling the antipasti and tagliatelles al ragu Bolognese, but really enjoying only the green salad and “cream” gelato. Da “Silvio,” was hosted by the heart of the research group I was answering questions for, my two colleagues and one girlfriend. Our host, Silvio Cavalieri, half maitre d’, half raconteur, flooded us with antipasti and desserts; the most memorable of which were the mortadella mousse and cream gelati. In between I had a divine goat’s knuckle and they equally enjoyed their food (osso bucco, beef and baby chicken). I have no idea what the bill was because it constituted part of my “consulting fee.” The Ristorante Cesarina, “in business since 1908,” it said on the aprons. My host was keen on my having tortellini, a Bologna specialty, until we looked at the menu, and I fixed on the culatello, a ham cured in sweet wine that’s soaked in a cloth that’s wrapped around the ham. It’s served with Bologna’s version of New Orleans’ Café du Monde’s beignets, without the sugar dusting. We also split the green asparagus topped with melted pecorino; quite good too. We both discussed the merits of the (sweet and sour) guinea hen and rabbit and again did a bit of splitting – I think my guinea hen won out. No dessert but the requisite after dinner liquids and we were off (bill again paid by my host’s “administration,” he said.) We also dropped by but did not eat at the brand new book store cum wine shop/wine bar cum restaurant cum café called Eataly that one of my Facebook or blog correspondents suggested I go to. It was a cinema before, a market before that, a church (St Michels) before that, and originally a market street (or did I reverse the last two?) I thought it was great; it had everything from Simenon to St Emilion, ravioli to ristretto, etc.

On a recent visit I had an opportunity to eat at some new places. Pane e Tulipani 2 blocks way from the Stazione Centrale was a traditional ask-the-concierge what’s the best pizzeria around. The place seemed packed with men, all of whom looked to be working guys, many with ties, which was not surprising for a joint located near the train station hotels. I started with a huge mixed salad that was quite good despite the hothouse tomatoes, a respectable pizza with funghi and prosciutto that was also huge, and a bit of house wine and dry grappa for 29.50 E. The Trattoria Milanese on the practically unfindable via Santa Marta, a Slow Food Guide rec near the Duomo that has racks of wine bottles, the top shelf of which are covered in dust – impressive! Once again, it was almost all men, almost all tie’d and almost all of whom clearly considered this their watering hole and drifted in and out to dine at shared tables. I had two artichokes “done in a pan,” a description that didn’t tell me much, followed by tagliatelles with funghi, made like pasta should be made. My bill with wine and a spot of grappa was 43 E. L’Osteria del Treno on the via San Gregorio was another Slow Food place. I arrived at 8 PM; big sign – WE DON’T OPEN TIL 8! OK, walk around the clock and enter. Pix of locomotives, cool. Menu with *’s for Slow Food Protected items, cool. Men with ties who work entering, cool. Order Slow Food stuff: mixed spicy salami stuff from Vasto etc – it’s Slow Food Killer Food with lotsa fat and salt. Then a pasta with guinea hen ragu, quite, quite fine with their own cheese (not parmesan (hey, it’s Lombardia) and pepe.) With the usual (w, w, g + no c) it’s 33.60 E. The Latteria San Marco at via San Marco 24, yet another Slow Food choice. I entered about 12h15 and the Maestro (Artur) was finishing his lunch and nicely but clearly said – “we serve at 12h30” but his wife Marie seeing me dripping with rain, beckoned me in, saying well at least you can sit and order. I know their names because there are several portraits of them on the walls, notable a takeoff of Bellini labeled Sir Artur and Lady Mary. The menu was a bit of a puzzle, with dishes named for localities and things I didn’t recognize. The chef indicated that the Asian guy would translate and while he did speak a few words of English, no one spoke French or German and my Italian books didn’t help. In any case, I ordered tagliatelles with a ragu Scopinich (which they jointly declared was made with tomatoes, olives and capers) – terrific. Then I had the calamaretti which were marked on the menu as coming with rosemary, but to which he hurriedly added in pen – in argento, showing all assembled the solid silver pan which was supposed to banish all acidic flavor. It was also quite good. Then, after asking the front-staff if I was having a main, he brought me out – making dumbshow gestures showing it was on him - a platter of mixed vegetables (incaolata alla Leviglianese) that included carrots, cabbage and other root vegetables, again very good. At that point, knowing I was going to dine with my manic Bolognese colleagues who were having a “research dinner at a noisy restaurant,” I should have called for the check, but I craved some cheese, so with a bit of wine, Pecorino, coffee and grappa, I got out with 47 Euros damage.

On a recent visit I had an opportunity to eat at some new and old places. Soupçon, 8, place du Bourg-de-Four, 1204, in the old city. I only tried the most-interesting of the forced-choices: a fine carpaccio of bar with shredded daikon and a not-bad souris of what they assured me was Spring lamb, not aged mutton, with all sorts of chopped winter veggies, followed by a clever baba with (not rum but) lemoncello. We also had a surprisingly good local Cabernet. The Café du Centre on the place du Molard 5, 1204. It was jammed as usual and its menu and chalkboard full of choices. My pal had bulots and I had what they called a salade lyonnaise that I ascertained was a classic salad frisee but it was not; it had more potato, tomato and croutons than frisee pieces, but it answered my need. Then we decided to order both the cod loin (dos) and sea bass loin (dos) and compare them; the sea bass (loup) came out way ahead. With 2 dls of a local Chardonnay and 2 coffees the bill was 109 SF. Le Relais de l’Entrecote’s in the 6th and 8th, one of which just opened on the Bd du Montparnasse. There’s clearly a formula here that works; it too was packed by 12h15. The salad was quite good and the entrecote and fries better than those I had in Paris a while back which is puzzling. We had no desserts but coffee and a half bottle of French red wine and exited with a bill of 115.50 SF.

Are you referring to the piece he wrote Jan 7th? I think there's more to come.

Last Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed the Brasserie Bordelaise, in Bordeaux. He's pretty reliable and knows Bordeaux.

The Week of January 26th, 2009 Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed the Brasserie Bordelaise, in Bordeaux. Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard dined at the 3/5 Le Clou de Fourchette, 121, rue de Rome in the 17th, 01. 48.88.09.97, a la carte 20-30 €, situated in colorful surroundings, serving such fare as a pork terrine, smoked tuna sausage, a mixed vegetable dish , soups and meats (thus something for everyone); and Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to Mon Oncle coordinates given before, serving red onion tempura, a faux filet with pepper, and pears with almonds. Also, on the side bar, news of the Meatings serving more than Black Angus beef – including cod, crab and tuna; as well as the closing of the Delicabar in Bon Marche replaced by an annex of the Casa Bini called Primo Piano, serving wines and grilled veggies and cold coffee. Tuesday in l’Express, Pierrick Jégu picked as his resto under 30 € Philippe et Jean-Pierre, coordinates given before and Yves Nespoulous picked as his under 30 € place : the oyster bar at l'Huîtrière in Lille. Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope rated as 3/4 hearts, the private salon/show room La Chocolaterie de Jacques Genin, 133, rue de Turenne in the 3rd, 01.45.77.29.01, closed Sundays and open other days from 11 AM to 9 PM, serving “brilliant” éclairs, millefeuilles, etc and gave two hearts to the feminine reprise of Rouge Gorge, coordinates in the guidebooks, costing 13.50 for the lunch formula and about 30 € a la carte for gizzard salad, entrecote and chocolate mousse. He also tested and gave 1/4 hearts to the Indian Gwadar in the 1st; the reprised (by Thierry Costes and Jean Francois Piege) cult brasserie Thoumieux, coordinates in the books, costing 40-50 € for leeks vinegarette, scallops, cassoulet and gourmandises; and the Point Bar, same location, which has passed from Alice Bardet to her sister Valerie, with menus at 14 and 21 € for lunch and dinner respectively and a la carte 35-45 € for oeufs mayo, chicken with mashed potatoes and a warm tart tatin. Figaroscope’s Dossier this week concerned cooking schools in Paris that Colette Monsat and colleagues “tested” {the details and descriptions should stay on the website for several weeks}: Atelier des sens Wa-bi Salon L'École de dégustation Atelier Guy Martin Atelier des Chefs, Lafayette Maison Bar du Park Hyatt Vendôme Parole in Cucina École Ritz Escoffier Le Cordon Bleu École Lenôtre Chef Martial Alain Cirelli. In addition, there is a ranking of pizzas in Paris compiled by the Figaroscope team that includes our very own Julien Tort {it’s in pdf only so I’ll give you the top ones only}: Bistrot Napolitain + Pizza Chic Pasta e Basta + Pizza Positano Sale & Pepe + La Pizzetta. In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed one of these, the Pizzetta, where it cost 144.50 € for four and he says to go from time to time. Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed L’Ordonnance, where he liked the food, especially the serious meat. Jean-Claude Ribault, in this Wednesday-Thursday’s Le Monde wrote about the Bocuse contest, reported elsewhere and upscale crepes. Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Les terrines + Jadis are in good shape and he’s following Le bistrot de Charenton + D'chez eux. Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro and blog, Francois Simon wrote about a meal at L’Avant Gout, with the recently deceased Raymond Buren. Sunday, in the JDD Aurelie Chaigneau wrote about “sales” in Paris restaurants, which mainly means reductions in prices charged for wines, water and plats du jour. Restaurants involved include: l’Escapade, La Cantoche Paname, Au p’tit bouchon + Market as well as the truffles at market price at Alain Ducasse’s places – Spoon, Benoit, Rech + Aux Lyonnais. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “Oh my, I’ve ruined this place.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Jan-Feb 09 – Le Café Moderne, Monjul, Clou de Fourchette, Glou, Fidelite 5.0 Definitely better but not cured. Cafe Moderne, 40 rue Notre Dame des Victoires, 2nd,01 53 40 84 10, closed Saturday noon and Sunday, menu at 30 E, a la carte 35-45, has gone through yet another transition, this by the team at Astier, importing a chef from the Crillon from the Dominique Bouchet era. The interior, which always struck me as box-car modern, remains stunning. This remains very much a businessman's place and was full, except for one table for six which I assume they were holding for a group. The menu was not much different in price from the carte and features three starters (rougets, petit-gris, duck and pintade) and one plat (today a tendron of veal). I liked the sound of it. The rougets were just about the best I've ever had, fresh and beautifully sautéed in olive oil and somewhat complemented with sweet peppers and guacamole [true]. I was all set for a great meal, especially when the glass of 7 E St Emilion was so nice. But the tendron of veal, while most ample, somehow wasn't what I wanted/needed; I know that's unfair, it's like criticizing someone for not writing the book you wanted. But this was simply not like I like it - braised with a thick black red wine sauce - but instead sat atop chopped green and red cabbage with baby carrots on top of it. And it didn't really have any kind of knock- out flavor, no matter salt and which accompaniments one used. With another glass of that fine St Emilion (BTW they have about 50 wines selected by 5 folks, running from 25-80 E), a coffee, no bottled water or dessert, my bill was 47.50E. BTW the service was mezzo-mezzo; fantastically friendly, extremely eager but dismayingly disorganized. Oh and the bread was not up to what their standards should be. Go again? It's a cursed space and I wish him/them well, but with all the other options, I suspect not. And now for something completely different. 4.5 Monjul, 28, rue des Blancs-Manteaux in the 4th, 01.42.74.40.15, closed Sunday dinner and Monday lunch, with lunch menus at 14 (2 courses) and 18 (3), Sunday brunch at 19 and a la carte 30 €, has been open for a year and a half. It took me this long to go because Emmanuel Rubin gave it a one heart, but over the 18 months it's acquired more and more fans (notably Richard Hesse for whom it seems to be his favorite place) and I keep seeing it everytime I get my hair cut across the street. My downstairs neighbor and I went today and had an interesting meal; we entered and there was one customer, a situation that lasted until practically the end of the meal when two couples came in. There was no amuse bouche as Hesse described but not to worry. My friend ordered the two-course 14 € menu. She seemed to like both the raviolis of potato and something else which came with an incredibly light emulsion of potato mousse as well as her salmon and potatoes two ways. I had the same very crisp raviolis, almost like crispy dim sum, with a bit more cheese and ham than she inside but I also got an onion "soup" which was really more like onions slowly simmered in broth and a side of the same incredibly light emulsion. Then I had several pieces of nicely cooked monkfish with sesame and some sticks of very spicy (hot) stuff. We had no dessert and our bill with a bottle of Corbieres was 72 €. Later, I actually did get my hair cut and and was talking to the barber asking if he'd been there and what he thought of its cuisine. Yes, he said, and it was traditional French cooking. I disagreed, saying it was fusion-esque Asian-oriented, etc., to which the other custumer piped up with - he's right (meaning me), it's not traditional French. My dining partner agreed and posited that the reason it might have been weakly reviewed and empty is that the French "don't get it" (she's French.) And maybe she's got a point; it's certainly closer to Ze Kitchen Galerie and Carte Blanche than Clocher Perriere or l'Epigramme. Go? As Monty Python used to imply: if you want something completely different. 4.0 Neither wine bar nor resto, but OK for the nabe. Le Clou de Fourchette, 121, rue de Rome in the 17th, 01.48.88.09.97, a la carte running one from 20-30 € is in a godforsaken part of the 17th, alongside the train tracks and on a cold day, it seemingly takes forever to get there. But the welcome is warm. Like the Café Moderne, it’s a long box-car room but its bar runs nearly the length of the room like Les Cocottes and it’s very brightly decorated and has an open kitchen so (as opposed to La Fidelite yesterday, one can see what comes out of the frigo, and what’s made anew). The menu is simple and as befits a glorified wine bar, heavy on sliced meats and fish. I ordered the “small” starter of smoked tuna from the Ile d’Yeu (my favorite island in the world) and it with the salmon and anchovies and grilled veggies was a dinner by itself and quite good. Unsuspecting, I ordered a magret de canard, assuming it would be the usual. Now I know magret is often tough, even in my skilled hands, but the chef decided to prepare it in brochettes, which even when supposedly rosé came out tough as leather. In retrospect I probably should have gone for the scallops or shrimp. There were lots of wine choices, running from 3 € a glass on up, the bread was decent and the Illy coffee terrific. Go again? I suspect not, unless stuck in the area. 2.5 “The restaurant of the month?” Glou, 101, rue Vieille du Temple in the 3rd, 01.42.74.44.32, closed provisionally Tuesdays, lunch formula 17 on weekdays, a la carte 25-48 €, has received rave reviews and been called “The restaurant of the month?” Four of us went on a Sunday and so I have witnesses to the fact that I’m not just a grouch-puss this month; we consisted of one Americo-Franco, one Franco-Brit, one Americo-Brit and myself. The place is nice, but you can’t eat nice, and stark, but not Philippe, and full of French bobo’s with kids. We had two outstanding wines (one a Table Wine from Languedoc, the other a St Nicolas de Bougeuil) that were both good and good price-quality, the water was good, the bread and coffee OK and then, ah, then, the food. Well, I ordered the Utah Beaches which I was really looking forward to – 10 minutes passed (did I say we were on the second floor, far from the waitfolk?) and word came there were none. So I had the much written about sardinillas with nice lettuce, OK, nothing more, and the three others shared two platters of chorizo, good, but obtainable anywhere. Then against my non-verbal discouragement, two (one American, one French) had 22 € hamburgers that whether medium rare or raw rare were dry as a bone and pretty tasteless and an affront to 22 €. My Brit pal and I each had 4 grilled wild shrimp from Madagascar that were OK, I suppose, for 5.50 € each, with a sweet potato puree that was pretty good. As I implied the service was amateurish, slow as possible and uninformed. Our bill was 169.40 € for four. Go back? No way to this disaster of the month. 0.5 Q. Can this place survive? La Fidelite, 4, rue de la Fidelite in the 10th, 01.47.70.19.34, closed Sunday and Monday, supposedly with menus of 16-21 €, a la carte easily 45 € before beverages. My food God, Sebastien Demorand wrote it up in December for Le Fooding and raved about the direction, the “inspirational” food, the prices (21 at noon, 32 at night, with a Cahors at 25 and Saveurs Printanières de Binner at 23 €). Something’s happened and it aint good. After getting locked out of Mon Oncle which only yesterday had assured me it would be open at 12h45 my friend and I scrambled to my “Plan B” - La Fidelite; I assured him that like Mon Oncle, it had been scouted and tested by folks better than we. After a brief journey, we arrived at what looked just like Les Zingots, except for a brilliant, wonderful neon sign outside and the traditional Costes (he informed me) mega-priapic pink Mickey Mouse inside. The carte (there was no “menu” or “formule,” we asked) looked exceedingly ordinary, so much so that my pal suggested that we go back to my place and eat all the goodies I’d purchased for dinner and abandon “Plan B.” Smart man this guy. But no, we stuck it out despite the fact that they were out of two items on the carte, had no wine list and the kitchen was closed for desserts. He ordered the one winner, beignets (made with tempura or phyllo dough) of tomato that were tart and simply delicious. I had the mackerel rillettes, which he claimed were frozen but I thought were merely tired and poor product (the bread was good, as was the Illy coffee, give them their due). But then downhill: his entrecote couldn’t be saved by any amount of condiment and my daurade was (this time I agreed) frozen and poor product. Outa there 69 € poorer. Q. Can this place survive? A. No, not in that area, with those prices, with frigo food and no nothing. If this is what happens when you cross a Costes with a d'Isny, Lord help us.

Very inconsistent. My last meal was such that I won't go back til a dozen folks go and rave.

A question to all: Do I really have to go and eat there (I don't need a bed unless there's a fire in my building). I've heard and read such conflicting reports. does not inspire me.

Wonderful report. I wish everyone would report in. And of course I agree with almost everything.

Yup. Yup. Yup. But Francois is about to reveal the leaks.

La Cape, said to be out of town but it's not. Click here. Colette and I and Zouave have really liked it.

Are you thinking of La Locanda del Sant' Uffizio by any chance? It's in the Monferrato area of Asti Province and is more hotel and fine restaurant than a B & B but utterly charming, bucolic and the food was excellent last time I stayed there. According to their web site they have 40 rooms.Kate ← I doubt it; I'm temporarily away from my Italy archives but I recall it out North, over a bridge, up the hill and no more than 3-5 klicks away. It was supereasy to come into town every day. Parking a bit less easy. But restaurants all within walking distance.

Figaroscope’s Dossier this week concerned cooking schools/classes in Paris that Colette Monsat and colleagues “tested” {the details and descriptions should stay on the website for several weeks}: Atelier des sens Wa-bi Salon L'École de dégustation Atelier Guy Martin Atelier des Chefs, Lafayette Maison Bar du Park Hyatt Vendôme Parole in Cucina École Ritz Escoffier Le Cordon Bleu École Lenôtre Chef Martial Alain Cirelli.

Yikes, Raisa, I'm the guilty party. I did think it was one of my best meals of 2008 and to stick to my ratings, continued to list it as such. But I went back 3 months later and my canary-in-the-mine wife and best downstairs friends hated it. I didn't think my meal deserved a star but I wasn't as furious as they were. "Wasted calories" I believe one said. So there you have it - my glorious Herve This 1st one, my less-successful 2nd, and their boos. Please do tell us how it works out.

My foodly-wise 12 yo grand-daughter and I were at the museum and the restaurant's tables were minimally set; my guess (I did not ask) is that they do catering events but little else. This is a crying shame since the space and view are so spectacular.

I assume you've already checked existing topics but to repeat my personal faves this year from here they were the: Auberge des Saints Peres – in Aulnay sous Bois Chez Lena et Mimile l’Agassin La Cantine du Troquet Le Jeu de Quilles L’Entêtée l’Idee – in Levallois-Perret Les Bouchons aka Le Restaurant de Philippe et Jean Pierre, Hide aka Koba’s Bistro La Table d'Adrien Jadis

Forest, what a great idea. What with you and others have done with French maps, we need a special recogition.

To All: Please let us know where you settled. In looking through the archives, I found out that my true love of 48 years and I have never once been in Paris for Valentine's Day. So where would I go (were I not leaving Rome that day): Ze, Clocher or the Bistro du Dome - they cannot possibly be putting gold leaf on pigeon feathers.

Christopher: I think we have a lot to learn from you. Maybe instead of just cooking for the Ambassador, you should cook for us, we the "little people" in Paris. There are a couple of empty restos right now.

I'm sure you've checked out the Piemonte topic - there are lots of great places in and outside Alba. We stayed at a terrific B&B/locanda up the hill from Alba whose name escapes me but could make a nice setting.

The Week of January 19th, 2009 Tuesday in Le Fooding, Marie Aline reviewed Thoumieux, coordinates given, where the ex-Crillion chef is cooking items such as pasta with ham and comté, œuf mayo, steak tartare, confit de canard, foie gras and a vegetable terrine, Landes chicken and fries for about 50 euros a person. Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard sampled two places: the 4/5 Glou, coordinates above, where he lists a lot more dishes than the previous reviewers (Utah Beach oysters, fois gras pate, shrimp, poitrine of pork and yogurt) and the 2/5 Bistrot de l’Entrecote, ditto coords, where he also seems to like the lentil salad, pot au feu and beef tartare, fricassee of supions, duck, herring and potatoes, oeuf mayo and veal kidneys but not the over-salted pumpkin soup. Tuesday in l’Express, Francois-Regis Gaudry called Glou, coordinates given before, not a “Table d'hôte? Bar à vin? Bistrot de charme?” but the best hideaway of the rentrée.” Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave one heart to five places: Cristal Room Baccarat, coordinates well known, now under the direction of Guy Martin, costing 80-100 € for carrot soup, crab, entrecote and chocolate soufflé; the tea salon The Aux 3 Cerises in the 7th; the Slavic-Cossack-Georgian place Deda in the 1st; the sandwicherie Goutu in the 9th and D’Chez Eux, same address with a new chef who fixes snails, roast coquelet, duck confit and a mille-feuille. Wednesday, Figaroscope’s “ Dossier” by Colette Monsat, Alexandra Michot & Sylvain Verut was all about business lunch places: In the city Itineraire Café Moderne Jadis 153 Grenelle Le Cameleon Fermin le Barbier Nearby suburbs Ducote Cuisine Chartier Barocco. In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed l’Assiette, coordinates given, which cost 3 folks 137 € and he says he’ll revisit. Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed Chez Leon, (the one in the 8th), where he says it serves 1950’s café food like eggs mayo and pot au feu and does not rave about it. Jean-Claude Ribault, in this Wednesday-Thursday’s Le Monde wrote about drunch at the MiniPalais now under the direction of the folks from l’Ami Louis with a single price (28 €) meal Sundays 6-11 PM with a soup or daily plate from the chalkboard, then salads, eggs, lox, cold meats, frites, veggies and desserts from the rolling cart. Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Benoît + La Closerie des Lilas, are in good shape and to follow Sers. Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro, Francois Simon wrote about the Relais Plaza, a longer version of which is on his Simon Says blog. Also on his blog Tuesday, he called his meal at Epigramme impeccable. Ironically, Alexander Lobrano, Friday in his blog also lauded l’ Epigramme. Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott wrote an essay on “New Year, Old Friends.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.