fresh_a

bettina - wow! not only an absinthe expert, but a relative of King Ludwig as well!

Sorry all. Although I have the capacity to translate the review, I haven't the time, although I hope it provided a small foretaste..

Thanks, pierre, I live in Paris, and have yet to obtain "vintage" absinthe myself..

What follows is a loosly (google) translated article which appeared today on gastronomie.com. Looks interesting, though the book exists only in French for the moment, and I haven't yet seen any real reviews. Anyone read it? 11/09: Frederic Beigbeder counters Luc Lang PARIS, August 26 (AFP) - Frederic Beigbeder and Luc Lang tell on September 11 2001 in an opposite way: the energetic and narcissistic novel of the first, the feverish and committed account of the second who refuses, for such an event answers, to resort to the fiction. Former advertising executive, ex-organizer tele (Canal+), author of the best-seller "99 francs", always critical, Mr. Beigbeder is currently an editor at Flammarion. Its novel left at the end of August is entitled "Windows one the World", of the name of the restaurant which was located at the 107e stage of World Trade Center. "the only means of knowing what occurred in the restaurant (...), between 08H30 and 10H29, it is to invent it", known as the novelist by describing the last moments of a father and its two sons, small-lunching this morning "in the center of the universe". When the hell breaks out, the father made believe in Jerry and David who it is about a play: "say p' Pa, do not have you need to hide your superpowers longer", known as David. That is worth poignant pages on their ridiculous efforts to leave itself there. But what interests the author, it is the impact of the attacks on itself. To measure it, it from goes away, sometimes with his daughter, with the "Sky of Paris", the restaurant of the 56e stage of the Montparnasse tower. Of up there, it reflects on this tragedy, on New York, its childhood, its generation, expresses its admiration for the United States. "narcissism" the writing of the novel, which, admits the author, "uses the tragedy like a literary crutch", is fluid, inventive and Beigbeder is full with spirit. But the book, well party for success, will aggravate by the interest that the writer goes. Which, malignant or perverse, does not hesitate to be whipped, or to make seeming: "I show myself kindness in narcissism (...), I show myself to have gone on Canal+ to avenge me not to be a star (...), I show myself self-satisfaction disguised in denigration", writes it by thus enumerating 40 charges. "Windows one the World" hardly has relationship with "September 11 my love" of Luc Lang, published in August, which qualified the first work, in an interview with the New Observer, of "trick with large spectacle, advertising company". "And isn't your title, it advertizing? Why not will +Sabra and Chatila my chou+ or +Srebrenica my darling+?", Beigbeder answered. The work of Luc Lang - author of "Thousand six hundred bellies" (Goncourt of the high-school pupils) and who teaches esthetics in the Art schools - does not contribute in the same category: it is a road movie, a great report in extreme cases of the test and, with final, pitiless instantaneous of the United States. September 11, 2001, Mr. Lang travels in the sublimes landscapes of Montana, on the traces of the Blackfeet Indians. He discovers the images of the towers struck by the planes in a reserve of Browning. Missing its go with "the survivors of a génocide", it then sees America meurtrie, but also America "furbishing its weapons and building its revenge". "A speed light, the electric image precipitated us in same time, in loop, we were there and, let us be still buckled to us there, each one knowing precisely, in this Tuesday September 11, of what its life was made. We were sudden, alone and recluse in our banality, together and contemporaries ", writes it at the end of this "book of combat" where, often, it removed the word "I" of its sentences. ("Windows one the World ", éd Grasset, 374 pages, 18 euros; "September 11 my love", éd Stock, 248 pages, 18,05 euros)

Paula, it means that if you are not a member of one of their many Middle Eastern princely clientelle, you will be treated in an offhand manner. In the 6 years that I've worked in a nearby palace, I have not had a single good comment. In fact, I once sent an excellent client of mine (at his request), was promised an excellent table, then later found out that they were placed in a downstairs room, next to the kitchen doors, and were bothered at the end of the meal by the entire kitchen workforce parading past them to change near the end of their shift. I am very unimpressed with their attitude, lack of service, and lack of care. As are my colleagues, who have had similar experiences. Otherwise in Mansouria, Timgad, Chez Omar, etc, I have had very good experiences...

I know a few restaurants in Paris who may have ancient bottles of Absinthe, but they will never say this in public.

I will dine there soon. Mrs Faugeron is a wonderful lady, and if her and her husband's dining establishment is any where near as open and generous as her, It'll be a great experience.

Timgad lost their Michelin star... I also would avoid the only other one-starred Morrocan, El Mansour as they are actively hostile to all but their own, insular petrol-money enriched clientelle. If you don't mind going a little further away from central Paris, the Mansouria, on the rue Faidherbe in the 11th has great food cooked by Fatema Hal, a wonderful woman, and friend. Check out her bestselling "Livre du Couscous" for proof...

Sorry guys, I've been offline to a bug in my system, and had to wipe my drive! Lou- I got it at my local G20 supermarche in the frozen food section, and have been eating it on and off for 6 months or so...they're not always well-stocked, so it either sells out really quickly , or they have a limited supply. It's pretty good, though, and buttery...

Actually, they're not bad, by far the best microwave frozen mashed potatoes I've eaten. The potatoes come in small blocks of roughly one centimeter and 1/2 in diameter. Milk is added, then 7 minutes in the microwave. Tasty and buttery...

For the Initiated Only!!

Chilli's isthe Plague!

"Gay" Martin!! Yikes!

Question answered!

White Castle?

Is falafel really that much of a gastronomic experience that so many people pine after it? I've been in the Middle East, and eaten some of the best falafel in the world, but the memories are not thatfond.

He's always been attending to his *** restaurant, which has never been diluted in any way by his "Bistro Empire". Shall we accuse Gagnaire of dumbing down his talents for "Sketch"?

I've heard a lot of humdrum, mediocre reports on Fore Street lately..

Inventolux- you had dinner with him?!?!?!? Extrapolate!

It's too damn hot! 99 degrees and no air-conditioning anywhere!

FG- I know what it is, but I never ate in one, but just because I'm in France doesn't mean I'm closed to the world!!

I've eaten tons of tartare here in Paris, and never once been sick. My little girl however was very ill after eating a Happy Meal at a local McDonald's (Gobelins).

Not surprising. I once read an interview with Ducasse saying he loved McDonald's chicken McNuggets with Curry Sauce..

The burning question is: Where did you get those fish trousers???

Eau de Paris is a perfume. "Eau de robinet" is more comprehensible to a server in a cafe.