A Bite Here a Bite There - restaurant sampler

[Laidback]

Here is a sampling of a few meals we have enjoyed so far in Paris nearly 1/3rd of the way through our Spring visit. I have already mentioned Drouant for Easter and Les Fables de la Fontaine where the croustillant of Gambas was delicate and toothsome

as were the langoustines with mayo.

A small hole in the wall spot called Bar des Artistes has a good wine list and an excellent limited menu. We have been happy with steak tartare, entrecote, house paté, charcutier plates and desserts such as strawberries with mascarpone, honey and lime, and a simple roasted pear drowned in chocolate sauce:

Another favorite is Carte Blanche with a €35 menu and an imaginative chef who comes up with things like roasted Patanegra pork loin:

and Le Sot l'y Laisse with foie gras:

as well as interesting entrées like carpaccio with bigorneau:

I enjoy alternating between imaginative chefs and classic old traditional spots with good product such as Chez Georges where the term cutting edge refers only to your steak knife, but who can argue with simple dishes of fresh white asparagus with a good Hollandaise sauce or Sole Georges, with a creme fraiche, white wine and chopped shallot sauce. Desserts are traditional but good as you can see from my Vacherin aux fruit rouge:

There are several more on my list; Violon d'Ingres, Romain, Dell Orto, Mollard, Terminus Nord, Le Florimond, P'tit Troquet, Bistro des Deux Theatres, Spring, etc. and it is growing every day. Because of the unwieldly nature of a post with photos, I will wait until some of you give me guidance on whether I should soldier on like this, or cut out or down on the photos. I await your suggestions.

Edited April 19, 2007 by Laidback (log)

[John Talbott]

Wait just a minute Laidback - the Bar des Artistes - where did that come from, a little more history, description, etc. Looks and sounds great.

And from one reader I'd say keep the reports and photos coming, but please name the restos in the title so folks searching next month can find these great reports.

Have a good rest of the time.

John

[Laidback]

Wait just a minute Laidback - the Bar des Artistes - where did that come from, a little more history, description, etc.  Looks and sounds great.

And from one reader I'd say keep the reports and photos coming, but please name the restos in the title so folks searching next month can find these great reports.

Have a good rest of the time.

John

←

Bar des Artistes is on rue Saulnier just around the corner from the Folies Bergere and most of the cast( les artistes) of the good production, Cabaret, have a late dinner there after the show. It is small with negligible decor, mainly posters of the shows and artists from the Folies, but the chef/co-owner? is Denis Geoffroy who put in some years with Christian Constant and whose father was a charcutier. He is anxious to put out a good product, and was delighted that Petit LeBey mentioned him shortly after they opened. They also have some good value wines from the Languedoc Rousillon area that they are proud to tell you about. That's about all that I know; if you enjoy steak tartare, you may find his to your liking.

Edited April 19, 2007 by Laidback (log)

[Laidback]

And from one reader I'd say keep the reports and photos coming, but please name the restos in the title so folks searching next month can find these great reports.

Have a good rest of the time.

John

←

John I guess we will just let this thread die a natural death from lack of interest. I can PM you my thoughts on other restaurants if you wish.

[Forest]

John I guess we will just let this thread die a natural death from lack of interest. I can PM you my thoughts on other restaurants if you wish.

←

What a shame...don't let it fade away if you've still got more reports and photos to share with us! I'd like to read them.

[grace3]

What a shame...don't let it fade away if you've still got more reports and photos to share with us! I'd like to read them.

I have been watching for more from you!! Please keep going..........

Joan

[Laidback]

To follow up on the thread "A Bite Here a Bite There" using Dr. Talbott's suggestion to include restaurant names in the title, here are 3 more.

Christian Constant's Le Violon d'Ingres changed direction last year and became a much more relaxed, affordable, modern bistro even though it still retains a Michelin star. You can dine here on 3 courses for €45, and choose very reasonable wines such as a good Languedoc-Roussillon "Cauchot" for well under €30. I am a fan of cassoulet and have had few that were more to my taste than Constant's Montauban version:

You can see that the serving is more than generous and there is a nice golden gratin on top: the meats are of good quality and the beans are still intact, waiting to explode with flavor when you bite into them rather than the unrecognizable mush that is served sometimes.

Another winner was this dish of beautiful Noix St. Jacques with caramelized endives in a citrus sauce; simple, top quality and delicious:

If you are a caramel soufflé fan, let me recommend this version; the souffle itself is comme il faut but what puts it over the top is the little pot served alongside of caramel beurre salé sauce:

Le Florimond, where I have eaten at least 3 times a year for 10 years, is in an entirely different category of restaurants; nobody famous in the kitchen, no pretention or fanciful decor, but a warmer, more sincere front man than Laurent Martin I have yet to find. This place's claim to fame is the chef's version of Chou Farci, which Emmanuel Rubin, among others, states is the best in Paris. I have not eaten every stuffed cabbage in Paris but this one, along with the good bread to sop up the gravy/sauce is as good as I will ever need. It is not a photogenic dish, but deserves to be shown:

My dessert was a very simple Blanc Manger with a blood orange, pomegranite sauce.

The next restaurant, "Romain", is new to us and is Italian...not quite another slick Manhattan Mori Venice Bar but not bad. I started with an asparagus appetizer which was generous enough for a main course, with the inclusion of the prosciutto rolled around bread sticks:

My main was a standard, good quality veal with lemon sauce except for the addition of the veggie medley:

The restaurant is a family affair; father at the stove, mother up front along with the son, Romain, for whom the restaurant is named.

[grace3]

Thanks for the additions................keep them coming!!

[yplady]

I agree, love the photos - keep them coming - a pictures is a great addition to a thousand words...and it IS convenient to have the resto name in the title.

yplady