Paul Kondeff

I have read through this thread a couple of times because we will be spending some time in France later this month and part of next, and the subject interests me. I love the thought of eating good, simple, but flavorful food and this thread points me to some places that fit that, near where we will be staying. Abra, who mentions somewhere near Ch du Pape above, on another thread recommended 2 Pas du Potager. I have booked a table there for a Sunday lunch during our stay in Provence, even though I could not find any collaborating input. Her report plus their website made me do it, http://www.a2pasdupotager.fr/index.html . This may not be L’Arpege with Allain Passard directing but someone growing the produce that he will send to my table sounds great. This is what I think eating in Provence should be. Dave Hatfield was so kind to send me information on how to save some of my precious dollars. He also has a list of restaurants in his part of the Lot (?) on his website. Actually his site has posts that are more insightful than just lists of places and are entertaining and fun to read. He also seems to come, originally, from my part of the world, SF bay area. Carlux’s description of “Chez Jeanne” made me find Pomerade on my GPS and mark it. I thought that as we drove up from the Languedoc toward Sarlat on a Sunday we would stop in for lunch. I will call to book. She sent me the contact information. Many thanks to her. Maybe she should list her website as part of her signature to her posts? Bartow, welcome to retirement. There is so much to do; you will find it difficult to figure out how you had time for work before. I have just read “From Here You Can’t See Paris” by Michael Sanders. Researching for places to eat in the Dordogne/Lot I came across mention of this book. My wife has had a copy of the book in our library for a few years. When I looked it over last week I recalled that I had declined to read it before thinking that I was Peter Mayle(d) out. I started reading it last week and found it was very different from the Mayle books. The Mayle stories are about interesting ‘caricatures’ whereas Michael Sanders’ book is about interesting people. If it is not too late before you begin your journey through France get a copy and read it. At the book’s end there is a list of markets, fetes, places to go to eat, etc (Chez Jeanne-Murat is listed there). The book is a fun/good read, you will enjoy. But before the end you will want to explore the Lot and/or any other rural area in France. Since the main topic of the book is the restaurant La Recre we have also booked a Sunday lunch there.

Janice, congratulations. It sounds as if you had a wonderful trip. My wife and I will be in Sarlat next month during our 29th anniversary. No decision on where we will spend it. Chateau de la Treyne sounds lovely but we are leaning toward Vieux Logis, it was mentioned very favorably on this thread and also on another forum. We like to graze so the tapas lunch at Vieux Logis will fit nicely. Sorry to hear about Le Relais de Poste. Did it look as if they are no longer in business or just closed for vacation? Oh well, we still have La Belle Etoile to look forward to and La Recreation in Les Arques (since someone gave us "From Here You Can't See Paris" to read). Plus, the woman who manages the house we are renting gave me hints on how to sauté foie gras properly. Once again congratulations on your engagement and hope for a long and happy future.

We will be spending the first two days of our month in France in Cassis. I am hoping for some restaurant recommendations near the port. Is there anywhere that serves a good Bouillabaisse? I would prefer not to drive anywhere, since I want time to recover from the long trip from San Francisco, but good food is motivating. I, like Tarte Tatin have searched the board but mentions of Cassis are very sparse. Tarte Tatin, would you please post on your experiences while in Cassis past January? Thanks to all that reply.

Chufi, please report back on your dinner. We won't be there until early Oct. but Gaigne heads my short list for the first dinner in Paris this trip, which will be on a Sunday. Paul

Hello, Astier is open Sundays and Pudlo does not list any annual closing. Also from John’s latest reviews in “June 8 – Itineraries…” he mentions Le Gaigne which sounds very good and is open for Sunday dinner. It’s website doesn’t mention an annual closing.

John, I have answered my own question. Google was able to lead me Le Gaigne’s website http://www.restaurantlegaigne.fr/index.html and they are indeed open for dinner Sundays, 7:15-10:30. If anyone else has been there or to Itineraires please post their experiences. Poppy Quince seemed much less enthused about Itineraires than John. This type of difference makes dinning and wine tasting so interesting. Off topic. Last week my wife and I attended the DjangoFest in Mill Valley, California for our second year. Where can we go in Paris to see musicians that carry on his music? It is amazing that so many great guitar players today are doing with five fingers what Django did with only three so well. To make this fit into eGullets food and drink theme it could be moved into it’s own thread “Biere & Jazz".

← John, my question is Le Gaigne open for dinner on Sundays, 7:30-9:30, or only brunch at noon. Pudlo nor Michelin have any information. Le Gaigne seems like a great place, not only for the food you describe but also because it might be a pleasant walk back to Cour du Bel Air. We hope that the quartier near Cour du Bel Air is not as exciting as Cara Black's novel "Murder in The Bastille". Thank you for any help in solving my Sunday dinner dilema.

John, thank you for letting me know where the Sendras left Temps au Temps for. In your review of Le Gaigne you mention that it is open on Sundays. Is it open for dinner or only brunch? When we arrive in Paris this coming October it will be on a Sunday and it sounds like Le Gaigne may be the place to go that day. The others on my short list are Astier and La Cave l'Os a Moelle. Also thanks for your monthly reviews.

I wasn't aware that Michelin ever listed "all" the restaurants. It only lists those that that it's inspectors consider to be the "best in every category of comfort and price". I am sure you know this but the knives and forks are an indication of a "pleasant restaurant" i.e. one with good decor, service, etc. It doesn't indicate the quality of food. Food quality is indicated by either a bib or the stars. Thus a nice place with good food will have a bib/star and some crossed knives and forks. ← Michelin reformatted their Paris Red Guide 2 or 3 years ago. Prior to that there were only short cryptic entries for each restaurant and there seemed to be a lot more entries than now. Now there are only one or two entries per page with lengthy descriptions. I have not actually counted up the number of entries in the 2008 Paris guide versus the 2001, for instance, edition but I am sure it has been cut down quite a bit. ← It was about 2-3 years ago that the Via Michelin website changed its format also. It was much more user friendly. If you wanted to change the neighborhood you were searching in you just needed to drag the map and click to a new center then click again for the restaurants nearby. You could even filter the search for only bibs, stars or whatever. Now their mission seems to be to get you to book a hotel through them so they can collect a fee. Maybe that is why they list fewer hotels in the Red Guide, so there will be more room for others on the website? I find the opinions in this forum, and some of the posters blogs, to be more dependable than Michelin’s. I mostly use the Red Guide, or the web site, to check opening hours and phone numbers. With Pudlo now available in English it could take Michelin’s place even for that.

It has been three years since we were in Sarlat. I have fond memories of two meals where the food stood out. Sunday lunch in Roque-Gagneac at Belle Etoile on the terrace over looking the Dordogne was wonderful. The setting and the food were more then worth the 85 euros for two menus, 2 glasses of Champagne, a half bottle of wine plus the 15 minute drive from Sarlat. Our best dinner in Sarlat was at Le Relais de Poste. We wouldn't have found the restaurant if not for a recommendation of the shop keeper at Tout Tissue. It is located on the tiny Impasse Vielle Poste. The dining room is the stone walled grand room of a centuries old house. They had several menus to choose from with the most expensive in the mid 30 euro range. We are returning to Sarlat this autumn and plan on visiting both of these restaurants again. There is a new Michelin 1* in Sarlat this year, Le Grand Bleu. You can find it's website from the link given in Via Michelin website. It has a 29 euro menu and if you don't add too many items with supplements it looks that it can be reasonable. If you do try it post back and let everyone know how it is. After rereading your original post, ja_rtw, I want to add Guelle et Gosier on rue de La Salamandre. The food is not up to the other two but for about 50 euros for 2 menus plus wine it is quite acceptable. They have a little terrace and on a warm evening with the twilight shinning off Sarlat's slate roofs the food will seem better than it is, which is pretty good. It is up the hill from more touristy area so it does seems 'less touristy'. tony h, thank you for your recommendation of Vieux Logis. We will be in Sarlat for two weeks so a drive along the Dordogne to Tremolat may be in order.

I just received my copy of "Hungry for Paris" the other day and have been browsing through it. I find the book very enjoyable to read. The reviews seem personal and informative. His critique of the restaurants I have eaten at mostly agree with my opinion. We will be returning to Paris in October, after a two year absence, and thought the book would add to the knowledge I have gleaned from this forum. I will compile a short list of restaurants we are interested in and post a request for any new opinions and information closer to that time. One of our favorite dinners in 2006 was at L'Os a Moelle. I read Lobrano's review of Cave de l'Os a Moelle and he states the mother restaurant now only has a single menu. I recall many choices for each course. Has this changed or is his lament that there is only the four (or was it five) course choice? I am leaning strongly to going to Cave de l'Os Moelle for dinner on the day we arrive in Paris. It will be a Sunday (so few choises) and it is a simple Metro ride on line 8 from Ledru Rollin (our rented apartment is steps away) to Lourmel. Should we book ahead or could we be seated if we arrive before 8pm? I have read that there is a wine shop there and you can choose any bottle from for your meal. Do you choose before you are seated or is everything on the carte du vin?

I am glad to hear that Les Magnolias will not be moving during our stay in Paris, mid Sept. to mid Oct. We had such a wonderful dinner there last spring that it is at the top of our TOGOTO places. I checked the viamichelin web site to get Les Magnolias' website but they had it wrong. Their link led to the Hotel Magnolias in Meursault, looks great, could be where we stay the next time we go to Burgundy. Doing a Google search for Les Magnolias I found this article dated March 2002 by Patrricia Wells headlined 'Back Burner'; 'We were told it was just a 10-minute walk from the Nogent-sur-Marne RER train station. Well, a long walk and an even longer taxi ride later and we were finally at the door of Les Magnolias, the Michelin-starred restaurant that's up-and-coming and booked weeks in advance. I will try to make it short and sweet: Not since my first visit to Pierre Gagnaire in the 1980s have I seen so much unusual creativity from a chef. An avalanche of flavors, colors, ideas and a great sense of humor. But the results are a little too wacky, and the place just a bit too much off the beaten path to merit a return visit.' I wonder if she was in a bad mood because she went to the wrong RER stop. I won't let her review stop us from returning for such a wonderful meal. Nor do I think it will stop anyone else on this forum from what I have read. I will be making my reservation as soon as they return from their August break.

I have just joined eGullet because of the diversity of knowledge that I have read while visiting. My wife and I will spend four weeks in Paris beginning September 19. I also am interested in going to some restaurants similar to what Simon_S is seeking. I may be taking this tread off topic a little but since my main question fits I am adding it here. We went to Les Magnolias last Spring and will definitely return at least once during our stay this year. The tastes, quality, price, service and ambiance are perfect and make the RER ride to Nogent le Perreaux worth it. The Roc d’Anglade 2002, that the sommelier recommended, was a great new discovery. I was able to find it in San Francisco and share it with my wine group and they all (except the Zin nut) loved it and the way it continued to open and show new facets. In the price range Simon_S is looking and also the one I would be most comfortable in, I have listed these: Passiflore, Drouant (new owner and menu), Violin d’Ingres, and Relais Louis XIII. The well discussed L’Astrance might be here except for the difficulty of booking and a less than stellar review of a friend. In the next price level up and a more formal ambiance (maybe too formal for a California native) I have listed Le Bristol, Le Meurice, Le Cinq, Taillivent, Jamin, and Table De Joel Robuchon. I would appreciate all comments on these restaurants and any others you think that are worth adding. For bistros to make up for the majority of dining out I think that the postings of John Talbott, the web sites of Whitings Writings and Chez Pim, and the small personal book ‘The Paris Guide’ by Michael A. Bernstein (former owner of Mt. Veeder Winery above Napa Valley) will serve us well. But, if anyone has a new treasure to share please feel free to add it. We will have an apartment in the 3rd on rue Charlot across from the side entrance to Marche l’Enfant Rouge, so anything in that area would be great. Paul

Four years ago we spent 4 nights in Collioure and had a lovely dinner at Le Neptune. There is a terrace overlooking the port and the Chateau Royal. The food was very good, it had 1 Michelin star. For an aperitif I was served a dry Banyuls that I have never been able to find here in California, it seems that only the sweet ones get imported. We also had a nice dinner at the restaurant of the Hotel Triton very near to Le Neptune if you want something less pricey. Collioure is a wonderful village, and I think is easily close enough for lunch or even dinner to where you will be, maybe 20km. It sits in a cirque where the Pyrenees spill into the Mediterranean.