Paris:Falling in, being in and falling out of love

[John Talbott]

This was prompted by the response made in/on (hum, my English is a bit rusty) the thread on the Clos des Gourmets

Funny the number of ex-regulars that place has!

Clotilde.

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So, why does one:

(1) start off loving a place, then

(2) go several (up to a dozen) times, then

(3) sour on it?

Is it one event, a series of “insults” and/or as Pierre45 and Paga keep reminding us – there’s too much goodness out there to fool around with a blemish/bad meal/problem.

I’ll start off the process with:

The old and I fear new Thierry Burlot's bumping the prices, unavailability of reasonably-priced wine, etc.

The old Jumeaux's same old carte every time

Bistro Cote Mer's departure of Mme Rostang

The old Cottage Marcadet's chef's inability to pour wine

Chez Catherine Oh boy, moved up big-time, as did Eric Frechon

Petit Marguery, hummm, stagnant

Wepler, Marty, + Bofinger been there, done it,.….

l’Huitrier hummm, just as good on my street and I haven't sliced my hand yet.

Plunge in folks!

[Ptipois]

Le Comptoir de l'Odéon ?

(Question mark because I expect this statement to be controversial.)

[John Talbott]

Le Comptoir de l'Odéon ?

(Question mark because I expect this statement to be controversial.)

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I assume you compressed Le Comptoir du Relais with Carrefour de l'Odeon and refer to Yves Camdeborde's newest venture. It will be controversal but I agree with you that I stopped going after I oversold lunch there and the couple I took, who'd been to Regalade a dozen times, hated the charcuterie/etc. approach. On the other hand, I had a nice dinner with Phyllis/Felice there before the disastrous lunch.

[Ptipois]

Well, yes, le Comptoir du Relais (de l'Odéon). You can't really blame a restaurant for its approach, as long as the food is good. No, it was a food problem and a serious one, which makes all the hype and "booking policy" seem over the top.

[pierre45]

Well, yes, le Comptoir du Relais (de l'Odéon). You can't really blame a restaurant for its approach, as long as the food is good. No, it was a food problem and a serious one, which makes all the hype and "booking policy" seem over the top.

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I never understood camdeborde's approach of creating hype through his "booking policy"(no vacancy for the next 3 months).Specially when a few times i just walked in at prime time .

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Lack of constancy in food is the primary reason we drift on. We usually give a favorite place some leeway for a few visits, but if it seems that the chef's attention is straying, we stop booking.

Resurrecting one of my favorite dead horses, we also do not return to uber-popular restaurants where loud American conversation alters the ambiance to the point of overshadowing the food.

[pierre45]

Lack of constancy in food is the primary reason we drift on.  We usually give a favorite place some leeway for a few visits, but if it seems that the chef's attention is straying, we stop booking.

Resurrecting one of my favorite dead horses, we also do not return to uber-popular restaurants where loud American conversation alters the ambiance to the point of overshadowing the food.

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Totally agree with Margaret.Unfortunately quite often i find that the chefs are not consistent,specially with a time lag.I guess its human nature .Also quality of ingredients may not be the same .Once in a while the whole experience is better. Perhaps we may be different as well.C'est la vie.

[John Talbott]

Lack of constancy in food is the primary reason we drift on.  We usually give a favorite place some leeway for a few visits, but if it seems that the chef's attention is straying, we stop booking.

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Wonderful!

Therese, largely present in the Southeastern and Food Traditions & Culture Fora, and I lunched today at the Fables de la Fontaine, about which I'll report more later, where M. Constant warmly greeted us and over the door to the kitchen had this painted:

"Etre Constant [JAT capitalized] un jour, c'est etre constant toujours." Trans by me = To be consistant today is to be consistant forever; Alt trans [taking the pun into consideration] = To be me (Christian Constant) today, is to be with me/us for all time."

[Judith Gebhart]

Le Comptoir de l'Odéon ?

(Question mark because I expect this statement to be controversial.)

←

I assume you compressed Le Comptoir du Relais with Carrefour de l'Odeon and refer to Yves Camdeborde's newest venture. It will be controversal but I agree with you that I stopped going after I oversold lunch there and the couple I took, who'd been to Regalade a dozen times, hated the charcuterie/etc. approach. On the other hand, I had a nice dinner with Phyllis/Felice there before the disastrous lunch.

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So John where does that leave us that are not Paris regulars? Judith Gebhart

[John Talbott]

So John where does that leave us that are not Paris regulars? Judith Gebhart

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I'm not sure whether you're asking whom should one trust when some folks love a place and others have stopped going or are you asking if you have a vote in this? You'll have to decide whom to listen to; but you certainly have a voice and a vote.

And, I know residents here who rarely eat out and then at the same place(s) they went as students vs energetic American visitors who eat 14 quality meals in a week; who's more qualified?

[boston]

maybe a different approach based on our roles;

"friends": some restaurants provide comfort food and comfortable relationships like our friends. Sometimes we get reacquainted and spend periods of time together. Sometimes we don't see each other for awhile but when we do we take off right where we left off and... we are willing to over look some transgressions because they are our fiends but like our friends this has a limit. for me la maison du jardin is such a place.

the critic: sometimes we are the critic and we are judging the restaurant and sometimes we say we are judging the restaurant but we are actually judging the "critic" that sent us there. Here we have strict standards and little leeway.

both the critic and the friend: sometimes we find a restaurant that is both on the trendy edge and our friend like Ze for me or Violin D'Ingres ( pick a Constant). Our critical expectations are always present and because it is a "friend" we are that much more delighted where they are realized. However consistency can change our relationship.

We are all entitlted to play any of these roles.

Sandy