Underhill

Last month we went with local friends for lunch at Lou Fassum, a newish restaurant in the village of Plascassier---a fortuitous choice, as Julia Child once lived there.The restaurant sits on a hill with a view across to the Esterel coast and the Mediterranean, and there is a large terrace for taking advantage of the scenery in warm weather. The restaurant is named for an old Provençal stuffed-cabbage dish, and diners are given a copy of the recipe. The restaurant has, and more than deserves, one Michelin star. After some discussion (those with French friends know how they love to talk about food) we settled on the tasting menu, which proved an excellent choice. It is served only for an entire table. First came the best black-olive tapenade I've ever had. Tapenade is easy to make, but this one had something special about it, possibly the silky-smooth texture and just a hint of something unusual. It was served with hot toast points. Next came an amuse-bouche of 3 escargots in a parsley purée: different and very tasty. The escargots were followed by a meltingly smooth piece of foie gras, accompanied by a small slice of multi-layered pain d’epices. To add excitement there was a pipette of rose–petal confit to squeeze over the cake (nice homage to the parfumiers of Grasse, that), along with sea salt for the foie gras. We could have stopped there and been happy. The entrée consisted of two large, delectable scallops in a delicate sauce, accompanied by a coupe of asparagus cream purée. Hooked on the side of the bowl was a spoon holding caviar. The main course was succulent slices of saddle of lamb and two rib chops, with seasonal vegetables. By then we were purring. There was a small pre-dessert (I can’t remember exactly what, but puddingish in nature) and then came the desserts, the “surprise du chef.” That day the patissier chose to surprise us with a mini-platter holding a scoop of coffee sorbet, a dark-chocolate open-work "cage" holding whipped cream, and a slice of rich chocolate torte. Finally came several plates of assorted mignardises. We didn’t need dinner that evening.

Could it be one of the restaurants on the Place du Marché St-Honoré? L'Absinthe is a possibility, but I seem to remember that it's owned by a different major chef. How about Tomate?

Alas, the restaurant has closed. I learned from a cyperfriend's friend in Biot that J-P Silva has bought a restaurant for his daughter, in Cannes--no more information than that. I'm really sorry at the thought of never again experiencing Silva's cuisine.

Where do I find his post???

That's the non-working number. Do you have Bob's full e-mail address?

Does anyone have a current number for this restaurant? The original one seems to be out of order, and so far I have had no luck finding a new one. The French directory assistant couldn't find anything either.

What works best for me is baking the carcass before proceeding with the stock. That imparts a lovely dark color and enriches the taste. The stock is then made with the carcass and water, adding sliced carrots and celery; I like to throw in a little curry to bring out the flavor of the chicken. Bring the water to just under boil, partially cover, and let it all simmer for several hours, tasting as you go.

Senderens did quite nicely back in the days when he had L'Archestrate; perhaps nostalgia for the good old days has prompted his decision.

We too had a disappointing dinner at Bistro Jeanty--especially the very fatty daube de boeuf. Quality seems to be slipping. However, our lunch at the CIA Greystone restaurant was very good: asparagus and fava-bean salad, Nantucket Bay scallops with black mussels and artichoke hearts. Definitely worth a return visit.

We were fortunate enough to have known Brother Timothy slightly thanks to a grad-school friend of my husband who was a Christian Brother and in training to become cellarmaster when Bro. Timothy retired. Both were wonderful men, and we certainly appreciated the special wines that they introduced us to.

We dined at Bistro Jeanty last Thursday night for my husband's birthday. Having eaten there two years ago and loved the food we were disappoined to find that the quality wasn't the same--it is because Jeanty has other houses to run now? Escargots were off the menu, unfortunately, and the tomato soup in its puff-pastry tocque wasn't an adequate replacement. My dabue de boeuf was so fatty that I couldn't eat, and the tarte tatin was applesauce rather than apple slices and so sweet that I could only eat a small amount of it. We were saddened to find that our favorite restaurant in the Napa Valley is not what it was. Our trip was saved by lunch at the CIA in St. Helena the following day.

We've had lunch or dinner at Le Feu Follet every year for quite a number and found the food to be consistently very good. The French friends whom we took to the restaurant raved about the food, and they are not easily impressed. I wouldn't miss going there, Mimi; be sure to order the moules au curry and the escargot soup.

In Vieux Nice we always return to L'Ecurie for a meal; it's at 4, rue du Marché, toward the top of the little streets leading off the Cours Saléya. Nothing fancy, but very tasty offerings--including sometimes, as a daily special, farcis Niçois. The pastas are excellent, and I especially like the salad with garlic croutons and dressing. However, we were totally turned off by the rudeness of the woman (the owner?) at La Petite Maison when we asked about a reservation for the following evening and so did not eat there as planned. Local friends introduced us to the Café de Turin and its delicious seafood--don't miss it if that's something you enjoy. Beyond Nice in the old village of Mougins is one of our very favorites, Le Feu Follet. The prix-fixe prices are moderate and the food innovative and excellent, in a pleasant setting. The restaurant is family owned and operated, and it shows in the welcome and service. We've taken our French "family" there several times, and they pronounce everything delicious; it's a comfortable place for family dining, too.

Jack's, if you fancy Bordeaux--or even not. My own preference is for Burgundies and Rhônes, but the bottle of Bordeaux that was selected for me at Jack's last month reminded me of why I used to enjoy Bordeaux so much. The shop is tiny, but the knowledge of the two owners is not. I asked for a wine priced betwee 20-25€ and was offered one for a bit less--it was excellent, and I wish I could remember the château from which it came. Jack's is on the Bd. St-Germain, just down from the Hôtel Madison and the métro stop.