pierre45
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Posts posted by pierre45
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We shall be spending 8 days in mid march in florence.
After quite a lot of research i did not find any recent postings that discuss authentic,honnest and non touristy restaurants.We are hoping that they exist .
Any help will be appreciated.Merci
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Bonne Maman, the French jam company, has created a ‘boutique éphémère’ in an art gallery in Montmartre which will be open until March 21. You will find their latest jams along with demonstrations by guest chefs.
Village des Abesses à Montmartre
Autour du Pot - Bonne Maman - Espace Ephémère
44, rue Lepic - 75018 PARIS
Open Wednesday- Sunday
This should be quite interesting .I love jams and Bonne maman jams have excellent rapport qualte /prix.
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My one meal at Taillevent was at best a two-star, and more like a one-star experience. We sampled quite a lot of dishes and the food just wasn't as good as what was offered at the other three-star (or two-star) restaurants we'd been to. Not really in the same category. The space, the style of service (if not the execution), all those things had their charms, but the food was third-tier. If Michelin is really signaling that it's going after the restaurants that have been hanging on to undeserved three-star ratings, that's a good thing -- if it's done even-handedly. If it's just a question of singling out Taillevent, that's not credible.
My last meal at Taillevent was 2 years ago ,even though I had eaten there a few times previousely , I stopped going there because the food was uninspired and definitely not 3 stars.However the wine list,specially burgundies was exceptonal. The service was outstanding and mr Vrinat unbeleivably gracious.It was after midnight when we finished dinner and on a rainy night we had to wait over 45 min for a taxi.He asked someone from his staff to drive us to our apt. So one can see as to why Taillevent is beloved by many .
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IN conclusion the wines reflected a somewhat flat year for 1998 with no exciting prospect.
Pierre, very interested in your experience.
I've only really tried two of my 98's yet: Chateau Berliquet, which is drinking really well - great depth, rich fruit - and Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux, which has all of the characteristics you describe (or perhaps that should be lack of characteristics). People say the Right Bank wines are generally better in 98 and it may be that the Margaux is going through a "dumb" phase, but it has a long way to go before it's worth what I paid for it!
Overall 1998 is not a great year.However as always there are exceptions.
Well made wines usually go through several "dumb" or change periods.When you open a bottle in that gestation period you will note a very cloudy wine and the wine is very dispointing.I have had many, many such experiences,so that when i taste the same wine a few years later its a totally different experience.
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I went to wine a tasting recently at le club savour in the 16e.
Every one sat around with paper and pencil and water as well as some chesse and bread.The following !998 wines were tasted:
-Chateau clinet-pomerol
-Chateau mission haut Brion-Pessac leognan
-Chateau cos d'estounel-st estephe
-Chateau leoville barton- St JUlien
A sommeliere went through the basic of wine tasting.Namely color,nose,taste and aftertaste.
Overall all the wines ,except for leoville barton were closed ,with high level of tannin.So its more of an intelectual excersize of determining as to which one had a bright future.Cos d'estounel was the favorite as it had more of a presence,even though it had a strong Cuir animal nose (rotten vegetable in my book).My favorite however was the haut brion.it has a much better future as it develops, and the hidden fruit elements of good breed emerges
The leoville barton was simple and quite pleasant but not worth the price(28 E).
Chateau clinet had strong bouquet ,but the fruit was masked.ITs about average in terms of future prospect.
IN conclusion the wines reflected a somewhat flat year for 1998 with no exciting prospect.
The 1999 chat d'Yquem was delighfull like all Yquems.However the 1999 was weak in acidity so that it was not as vivaceous.
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Interesting observation by grace about casualness and dress code in starred restaurants.
In the past 10 years france has adopted a more casual and faster pace .This is reflected in many starred restaurants in changing to a less formal and fancy environement.i,e Senderens,le violon d'ingres , Robuchon etc.
Also fast food places such as Mcdonald have become hugely popular ,specially by the young.In many ways this is a reflection of the US influence and also lowering of living stds for the average frenchman
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I have a tendency of writng mostly about worthy restaurants but eating in a disapointing place makes one realize how important and pleasurable a good one is.
Les bookinistes a guy Savoy venture is just that, a business that provides food and that at a price.With JOhn Talbot i had lunch recently, we both opted for a la carte ,as the fixed menu was boring and had 2-3 choices only.All i have to say is that both appetizers and main dishes were at best average and not worth 40-45 euros.
Le casier du vin was worse .THey make a big deal about wines from all over the world matched with its food equivalent .Their wines were on display on 2 walls and was limited.There were a few spanish and chilean ones .I guess that makes it international.Their cold cuts looked good ,so i just should have had that ,instead i fell in the spell of Mme with her description of salmon cooked with coriander,curry ,etc.I forced myself to eat half of it as sustenance as it was dry and unappetizing and i was starving.I have to be fair to say that their foie gras was decent.However has any one heard of bad foie gras.?
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Had dinner last night with John Talbot.This is a very tiny place( 16 seats) and one eats the 36 E, 4 course menu that the chef has prepared .There is no other choice.Its unique in that one feels like eating in a private home.Its intimate and cozy.
THe guests were a mixture of local residents and a group of very attractive and fascionnably dressed( in black) people.
1st course was squach soup .soothing and smooth and needing some salt.
The 2d was a wonderful dish of fresh mackarel with multylayered taste of chorizo,green apple and coriander.Very lively
Main was a thick piece of lamb from the shoulder.Tender and succulent in an almond and basil sauce with carrots.
Last but not least was a very refreshing 3 apple dessert.
Red wines from the languedoc went very well with the food.
The chef Daniel Rose is an american.He is young and watching him work is a true delight .He has paid his dues in various restaurants ,including Le meurice.
When asked about the future he said he would love to open a restaurant that's set in a private apt above the street.Which i beleive is an extention of his current concept
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John Talbot and I had lunch today at chaumette which is a few feet from radio france .
There were no tourists in sight and the clientele were 16th arrondissement locals plus some media people.Service was friendly and efficient and the menu consisted of 28 E prix fixe and a la carte.We ordered ala carte as it seemed more interesting.
Appetizers were gateau de foie de volailles and salade de langoustines,both were quite enticing .main dishes ordered were bar aux chorizos and pheasant with port sauce. The pheasant was quite pleasant but nothing special while the fish dish was really very interesting and tasty ,however there was no chorizo in sight.When we brought this out to the waiter he appologized and said they send us the dorade royal which is on the fixed menu and that we will be charged fixed menu prices . Also digestives were offered to make up for the mistake.
Overall i think this is a very honnest place ,not only in terms of treatment but also when it comes to food.as its a good and honnest rendition of classic french cuisine
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I went there only once and the food was nearly inedible, and so fussy and complicated that it felt like a self-parody of trendy cooking. A serving of poule au pot fell apart like tired cotton wool (and tasted like it too) and the broth was plain yuck. On top of the bargain, they sat the two of us in the narrow, cold and uncomfortable back room, where no one else sat of the whole evening, letting the regulars fill up the much warmer and nicer front room. I decided this first time would be the last.
But judging by Pierre's report they seem to have simplified their cooking and put an emphasis on better ingredients. So it might be worth going there again.
They sat me also in Siberia but that day the food was excellent .Perhaps its inconsistent. so i look forward to your next visit
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Based on John Talbot's recommendation i went to the outskirt of the 17e to a very anassuming little place for dinner.I was almost tempted to leave as the waitress disappeared for a long time.When i complained, she said that the owner takes the order.Pretty soon a rotund man with a warm face appeared.He seemed deeply appreciative of good food so with his help i had a raviole de queue de boeuf in a basil sauce.It was unbeleivable ,a sophisticated taste of citrus ,basil and beef.
The main was liver,but what liver ,probably the best i have ever had.A thick piece that was married to a carrot and mustard sauce and surrounded with pieces of artichauts.Tout ca a ete arrose avec un gamay du chef.IT went very well.fruity but well balanced.
TOtal cost including the wine was 58 E an oustanding value
ITs only in France that one could eat like this .In a simple place, food is beeing served that's equal to a 1 star restaurant
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Note that it's not Jean, but Jean-Paul Arabian. I too have heard terrible things about his attitude. But I haven't been to the place.
He has a rough guy attitude,but a decent fellow. Similar to Belmondo in the old days . He seems to have a good sense of humour.I,e i was listening to my ipod ,when he approached me to say" alors vous parler avec la maison blanche".
I can also see how the service could be poor. My waitress was great and worked very hard while others seemed lost.She helped me read the menu because i had left my glasses behind and said goodby when i left wishing me to visit again.
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Le Cameleon , was named by some as the best 2006 bistrot.so last night i took myself to the Montparnasse area and had dinner there.Its a small place,around 25 tables and the place on a tuesday night was 3/4 full.
The restaurant is a new venture by jean Arabian(his ex was a 2 star chef).He had been involved in the past with Ledoyen ,so he brought David Angelot from Ledoyen to be the chef at Le cameleon.
My appetizer was escargot without the shells in an emulsion of parsley, garlic and herbs.A succesful dish,very tasty and lively followed by porc chop with carrots redundant with coriander, a basque inspired dish,very flavorful and tender.
Both were oustanding.
Dessert was french toast which is very much in, nowadays.Better than one gets for breakfast in the US but nothing special.Wine by the glass at 4 euros each was quite decent.
So overall, i think this is one of the best 2006 bistrots.It reminded me a lot of la regalade of the old days of 2001-02.Total cost with wine was 50 euros.So its very good value.
If this continues it will probably be difficult in the future to reserve without notice.
I spoke with mr Arabian and congratuled him for his success.He seemed very proud and happy
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There are too many choices in Paris but to answer the question posed and based on recent experiences.
-Violon d'ingres
-Sensing
-Drouant
-Gaya rive gauche
All these restaurants are big notch above bistrots,both in food and surroundings and reasonable for the quality. Un excellent rapport qualite /prix.
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I met BUx 3 years ago in Paris and shared wine and conversation .
I appreciated his insights and love for french food .I remember that he valued authenticity in people and was an honnest person.
Well BUx, rest in peace and your words on egullet will be read well in the future
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. Service was perhaps over friendly, but am part to blame as they thought I was writing a review (solo diner, note book, much scribbling, silly questions about provenance of ingredients etc).
I was also very well treated when i dined solo last oct .I was also given an excellent table .I have to confess that i spoke french.I wonder what accounts for the difference in treatment as some had a horrendeous experience.
Perhaps ,speaking french and also looking the part of a serious diner.( I,e . I discussed the menu at lenght)
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Which would leave you with something like:
Friday
Dominique Bouchet lunch
Spring dinner
Saturday
Violin d’Ingres lunch
le Meurice dinner
Sunday
Bofinger lunch
Drouant dinner
Monday
Ze lunch
Cerisaie dinner
This does look amazing. But since we won't be there Friday and may decide to skip the fine dining this time around, replacing le Meurice with Spring would give me:
Saturday
Violin d’Ingres lunch - 7eme
Spring dinner - 9eme
Sunday
Bofinger lunch - 4eme
Drouant dinner - 2eme
Monday
Ze lunch - 6eme
Cerisaie dinner - 6eme
Now I need to organize our sightseeing/shopping with the meals.
Musée du Louvre - 1er
Notre Dame - 4eme
Sainte Chapelle - 4eme
Eiffel Tower - 7eme
Musée d'Orsay - 7eme
Arc de Triomphe - 8eme
Galeries Lafayette - 1er
Au Bon Marche - 7eme
Incidentally .Do you drink wine with your meals?
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I asked the Concierge to see about a reservation for me in early February. He has responded that he was told that they do not take reservations in advance, to call the day that you want the reservation to see if they have space!!
My responses was to forget the restaurant! There are far too many great restaurants in Paris where reservations can be made in advance. I will send my list after the holidays.
Don't give up.You will have very little problem going in with no reservation.The key is to go around noon for lunch and before 8.00 pm for dinner.Also weekdays are better.Bon appetit
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Monoprix is very good ,specially if you know what you're doing.
Also i have been quite succesful at carrefour and at other superstores.The key is to be selective.
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Hshiau is a lucky man.He is getting customised advice from knoledgable people.
The fact is he will not go wrong if he goes to any of the restaurants that have been recommended.
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How about gateau st Honore.My favorite cake
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As usual a delightful and informative read on the latest culinary scene in Paris.
Thanks to john and Pitpois "spring" will be on my list and Ouest is dropped from my radar screen.
Pitpois' pictures and prose were also wonderful.
Do you think i should mention your names when i call Spring?
Icidentally ,one item typifies this review.
A reference to " Pamil " restaurant as "pratiquement mille"
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I can't respect a guidebook that selects Helene Darroze as chef of the year.
(Pudlo)
However i have great regards for Lebey bistrot guide book as reliable and objective .
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my only explanation is that burgundy is a minefield (for wine), especially for those not used to drinking it. maybe your friends are, but then they would have known what producers and vineyards to look for.
I agree. The assertion that all wine in Burgundy is of a similar high standard is ridiculous. Even worse some very poor wines from distinguished appellations are both very expensive and absolutely appalling.
for me, enjoying burgundy is a matter of a lot of research, a lot of money and a lot of luck.
The above 2 statements sum up burgundy wines.ONe needs a lot of experience and knowledge to ferret decent burgundy.Cost has no relevance.The key is the producer. The best way is to rely on knowledgable sources.I,e restaurants ,wine bars or local wine producers , or local consumers
Florence Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations
in Italy: Dining
Posted
Thank you for your responses.Hope to reciprocate if any of you visits Paris.Actually you may find many of my comments about paris restaurants on egullet.
I am using Florence as a base to get to know florence and to visit the nearby cities of sienna and lucca. I don't have high expectations when it comes to food and i am not seeking fusion or inventive cuisine but excellent tuscan cuisine based on high quality ingredients and skillfull food prep.and with out any exhorbitant charges.
I am hoping that the recommendations to date will fit the bill nicely.