fresh_a

....and two hearts!

Well it's got a sort of Japanese eye with the preparation and quality of products. The tartar was very good. Apparently his tartar of veal with oysters is the specialty but I didn't try it. The tataki of tuna was great. And the faux filet- yum! The décor leaves one wanting though...

Seeing as I predicted Yam'Tcha as last weeks 3star, how 'bout this for next week: Passage 53. Located in Paris' oldest covered passageway (just across the way from Les Racines, this must be the most gastro passage couvert in the city). Anyway, nice modern decor, nothing too incredible (except the tiny private dining room for two on the upper level), cheffed by a former cook from Aida (the only Michelin starred Japanese in Paris), great products (tartar and faux filet from Desnoyer), and friendly , young service. Just a nice little place that makes you feel good, and doesn't murder your wallet. Pix on my blog as I couldn't manage to upload here!

ah shucks....

Yeah apparently at the Bar des Roses the food is good (ex chef from Fogon)

La Lucha Libre for Mexican wrestling and cocktails! (in truth, the cocktails kinda suck, but the ambience is fun!). The Curio was fun the other night too.

You're welcome! Actually, François Simon turned me onto this first, having been the evening before (yes, the chef knew, and she was really nervous!). So I had to go..I predict that in two or three weeks it will be impossible to get a table.

A quick insider: one of the editors of Condé Nast ate at Itineraires the other day - booked under "Condé Nast" . Wow, wonder if he'll be treated like the other customers..

I've already written about this on my blog, but since I can feel the impending buzz surrounding this new mini gastro, thought it merited a mention here. I went the day after they opened for dinner. It's a small space located a couple streets away from the rue de Rivoli, clean, modern, with exposed brick and an open kitchen where Adeline, who worked with Alléno at the Scribe and Pascal Barbot at Astrance before going to Hong Kong and learning how to make dim sum and vapor cooking. She came back with her husband (who is Chinese/French) and does a market based menu (that is supposed to change daily, but has, for the moment been pretty much the same since opening). There is a lunch menu at 30€, and a 45€ evening (three course) and 65€ tasting menu (5 dishes). We ate soy salad with smoked tofu and coriander, mozambique shrimp with Korean mushrooms and a garlic sauce, asparagus with pan fried foie gras and mustard leaves, "cheval de mer" (?) fish with pok choy, an excellent fillet of beef, and olive oil biscuit with milk ice cream. There are some good wines that are not too expensive, with a nice Crozes Hermitage at a reasonable 30€, as well as a selection of teas brewed by Adeline's husband in several services. The restaurant was about half full when we went, but there were resounding murmurs and oohs and ahhs from pretty much all of the diners. The cuisine is very subtle, and I predict a three star Figaroscope rating, and all the others to jump on the bandwagon , and this to be the hot new table in town. Yam'Tcha means "drink tea" in Mandarin Chinese apparenty, and they do offer tea throughout the meal, but I stuck pretty much with wine Anyone else been?

22 minutes now...

What does "extras" mean?

And be careful, the chef's dangerous when out of the kitchen!

No Villaret?

Did you walk to the restaurant???

I have a lot of high level clients who do this. Obviously they pick up the Michelin guide then just ask their concierge to book and entire week of two and three star lunches and dinners. They are always warned against it (as VERY few people can handle this highly caloric marathon) and it always turns out the same way: one or two meals, then they cancel the rest of the hard to get reservations at the last minute. Quite sad actually.

Another sensationalist article by someone who probably has never been to Paris..True, there are recently more and more "luxe" sandwich places (Cojean, Guy Martin, etc), and time is less and less available, but articles like this are sometimes no more than filler..

Any thoughts on France Soir unveiling the new guides stars? (in French) : Three stars Paris Bristol (we already knew that..) Two stars, Paris and suburbs Gordon Ramsay, Versailles Michel Roth , Hôtel Ritz à Paris One star Paris Agapé, la Bigarade, Etc, le Fogon, le Jules Verne, 35 Ouest, l’Arôme, l’Angelique. Might be a bit dubious seeing as they got the names of a few restaurants in province wrong, misspelled...

How thick is a thick layer of truffles in a 55€ menu? Not Rostang thick I suspect...

It's all in the rumor mill anyway- I doubt any of those will move from three to two stars...

Actually he said yes for the Bristol and Ritz , but the others was more written in a "wishful thinking" style..I'm waiting to see if it's Ducasse, Gagnaire or Lesquer who go from three to two...

It's acceptable for the food and atmosphere (at least on weekends...) The breakfast was pretty terrible though...

How unromantic...

That Telegraph article sounds like bull to me.... Martin's sandwich shop was open before "la crise" as was Camdeborde's sandwich place... another example of a big publication with noone on the ground sensationalizing things...

He's smart enough to cut through the superficial and get to the heart of the matter. And he pays his bills. And he's not always incognito.. I think a lot of people don't like his flair, but for me, he's one of the most enjoyable critics to read.

Well, just today, Le Fooding put up Gulu that they categorize as Vin sur Vin, so wine is covered. It's at 101, r. Vieille du Temple 75003 PARIS T 01 42 74 44 32 m° Filles du Calvaire Closed Tuesdays Costs about 30 €. ← Wasn't that GLOU?