Le Bristol and other great Paris restaurants

[molto e]

Well, molto, today's France Soir agrees with you; apparently having been leaked info that Frechon and Dutournier - Carre des Feuillants - will be elevated to three stars/macarons by the Michelin.

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John,

Thanks for the scoop, as you know I feel that is deserved. I bought Frechon's cookbook available in English at the hotel and feel it is one of the best in my collection, the name is Taste Sensations "70 Once In A Lifetime Gourmet Experiences". My friend just called up the hotel and they patched him through to Raphael and he filled the order for the cookbook for him. The pastry chef Gilles Marchal has a great book also, but just in French. The pictures in both the cookbooks are beautiful and Frechon gives his theories in his and it is just great.

Molto E

Edited September 9, 2005 by molto e (log)

[little ms foodie]

oh my! that meal looks amazing! I'll be in Paris in December for my birthday, this might be the spot!!!

[PaulaJK]

Setting, service, cusine and photo enhanced review----all

marvelous! Thank you

[PaulaJK]

I'm somewhat surprised re: doutournier [if

leak is accurate]. We had more very enjoyable

dinner there but a mediocre one about 6 months

later. Even the better one did not reach the

heights viewed above and experienced in Savoy,

and Le Meurice.

[Bux]

I am also somewhat surprised regarding Dutournier. We had a superb meal there years ago, but he's been overlooked for so long, I assumeed his fate was sealed. Perhaps there's still hope for Roellinger. It makes me want to return to Paris before the announcement is made officially and I can't get a reservation.

[dinerenville]

I am also somewhat surprised regarding Dutournier. We had a superb meal there years ago, but he's been overlooked for so long, I assumeed his fate was sealed. Perhaps there's still hope for Roellinger. It makes me want to return to Paris before the announcement is made officially and I can't get a reservation.

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I am a fan of three stars and have dined at most of them (still have Le Cinq to go). My extraordinary dinner at the Bristol in October 2004 was every bit as good if not better than those at Guy Savoy, Taillevent, Le Meurice, but my lunch in May 2005 was definitely two-star--as disappointing as the October dinner was ecstatic. (The winners in May were Alain Ducasse and Taillevent--the Mozart and Beethoven of Parisian cuisine.)

[vmilor]

I had a very good dinner on sunday, October 23 at Bristol.

My friend and gastroville partner Degusto has given a 16/20 to the restaurant a year ago. My meal was even better, possibly one point higher and it delivers at the higher end of 2 star(but not as good as Can Roca or Cordeillan Bages or Chateauvieux, all 2 stars). The cuisine is very calculated and attentive to detail. It is also consistent throughout. My one qualm is that because Frechon is eyeing the third star (he will probably get it this year) he is playing a bit safe and deemphasizing cuisine bourgeoise aspects that he is very good at. I am also against cooking duck "sous vide" and the very good duck dish there stood no comparison whatsoever with the sublime Colvert duck we had at L'Ambroisie one day earlier.

Service there is very good and accomodating. The dining room temperature is arranged for ladies who wear sleeveless dresses. I had to take off my jacket during the finest course which is also served hot: queue de boeuf cuite en pot au feu. While taking off my jacket I asked for permission and the first reply by the assistant sommelier was negative pointing out that everybody else wore jackets. I simply shrugged my shoulders quipping that "je m'appelle Milor et suis pas tout le monde". Then the maitre d' walked towards our table smilingly and told me that I was welcome to take off my jacket. My jacket was already hung behind the chair of course. This I thought was a classy gesture on his part. The rest of the meal proceeded smoothly and the service by a young team was even better than the very good food.

[molto e]

I had a very good dinner on sunday, October 23 at Bristol.

My friend and gastroville partner Degusto has given a 16/20 to the restaurant a year ago. My meal was even better, possibly one point higher and it delivers at the higher end of 2 star(but not as good as Can Roca or Cordeillan Bages or Chateauvieux, all 2 stars). The cuisine is very calculated and attentive to detail. It is also consistent throughout. My one qualm is that because Frechon is eyeing the third star (he will probably get it this year) he is playing a bit safe and deemphasizing cuisine bourgeoise aspects that he is very good at. I am also against cooking duck "sous vide" and the very good duck dish there stood no comparison whatsoever with the sublime Colvert duck we had at L'Ambroisie one day earlier.

Service there is very good and accomodating.  The dining room temperature is arranged for ladies who wear sleeveless dresses. I had to take off my jacket during the finest course which is also served hot: queue de boeuf cuite en pot au feu. While taking off my jacket I asked for permission and the first reply by the assistant sommelier was negative pointing out that everybody else wore jackets. I simply shrugged my shoulders quipping that "je m'appelle Milor et suis pas tout le monde". Then the maitre d' walked towards our table smilingly and told me that I was welcome to take off my jacket.  My jacket was already hung behind the chair of course. This I thought was a classy gesture on his part.  The rest of the meal proceeded smoothly and the service by a young team was even better than the very good food.

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Vmilor,

Your partner seemed to like the meal far less than you did. I obviously really liked it and would continue to highly recommend it.

Molto E

[cmling]

I had a very good dinner on sunday, October 23 at Bristol.

<snipped>

While taking off my jacket I asked for permission ...

<snipped>

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Not that this is of any importance at all, but why, pray, did you ask?

[molto e]

This is the menu for New Year's Eve at Le Bristol with fireworks in the garden at midnight.

New Year’s Eve Menu

Restaurant d’Hiver

Gastronomic menu served on the 31st of December from 8 p.m.

Musical event and dance floor in the bar.

Fireworks in the garden at midnight.

Soup of potimarron winter squash and truffle essence,

sweet chestnut sauce whisked foamy with toasted hazelnuts



Bresse region stuffed chicken,

black truffle and foie gras en chaud-froid,

chanterelle mushrooms with vinegar



Line-fished sea bass in Marenne region oyster tartar,

purée of sea lettuce



Fillet of venison roasted with five savours,

beets in port, sauce Grand Veneur



Matured Brie cheese with roasted walnuts



Chilled corsican clementine orange,

sharp raspberry juices



A chocolate sweet for the New Year



Dainties, caramelized fruits filled with almond paste

and chocolates

500 € (drinks not included)

This menu is composed by our Chef Eric Frechon

[pirate]

The menu is straightforward; no fireworks there. But the real question is how well it will be executed. Taste, not presentation.

[pirate]

How about posting the menus at the other Paris palace hotels?

[little ms foodie]

We had a wonderful meal at Le Bristol on Dec 22nd for my birthday....

started with cocktails in the beautiful bar, completely overpriced but the bar was so pretty, but 20 E for a pimms champagne is crazy.

They sent some amuse to us from the restaurant, they are on slate slabs

We moved into the restaurant, very beautiful with it's round paneled room and tapestries

the breads they brought were amazing, the twist had shallots and bacon it it!

then another amuse, this one was sorrel foam on top with foie gras (possibly cooked sous vide?) on the bottom

(must upload more photos....more later)

[docsconz]

I guess this is sort of an amuse bouche of a report Looking forward to the rest.

[little ms foodie]

courses John, courses......

first courses for everyone.....

Dayne had the sea urchin

I had the stuffed macaroni

my friends first course was a crab cake soup type dish (so sorry I can't remember!)

bring on the mains!!!! the best damn chicken ever!!!

of course they provide quite the fanfare with the carving of the Bresse hen and plating with the vin jaune and ravioli stuffed with truffles. YUM!

Also on the table the John Dory

(more uploading)

[docsconz]

Lookin' good! I have to try that chicken next time I return to Paris and the urchin looks sinful.

[molto e]

Wendy,

I am glad you enjoyed your birthday dinner. I had friends that spend New Year's at Le Bristol and they loved it also. I wait impatiently for my next meal by Chef Frechon!

Molto E

p.s. waiting to see dessert, Chef Marchal rocks

[bleudauvergne]

Wow, this looks wonderful, Wendy. The presentation of the toast for along with the sea urchin is insteresting, can you ask Dayne what the butter was flavored with? It all looks so delicious.

[little ms foodie]

sorry also for the dark photos, we didn't have the flash on of course....

now this is what I call a cheese tray! I'm not joking when I say we tried all but maybe 4 of them! we each had 3 to 4 different ones on our plate

then they started to bring us desserts, we didn't really order any of this, it just showed up!

macroons in the best presentation!

sorbet

then the desserts we ordered showed up

candles for the birthday girl...

molton chocolate cake

blurry picture (sugar coma) of chocolate panna cotta

we were so full that when they came around with the mignardes we just couldn't....so we asked for them to go!!

[TallDrinkOfWater]

Wow, this looks wonderful, Wendy.  The presentation of the toast for along with the sea urchin is insteresting, can you ask Dayne what the butter was flavored with?  It all looks so delicious. 

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I honestly don't recall. I think it was tarragon, but that could be way off. I blame the wine for my memory loss...

[docsconz]

To go mignardises! That is something I could have used on more than one occassion. Great idea!

[little ms foodie]

I really enjoyed my dinner here and wish our pictures were better. But this is a fantastic 2 star and the chicken and desserts were highlights of the evening!

[eljo]

I have booked lunch at Le Bristol later this month for my birthday, largely as a result of the raves on this site, and especially the mind-blowing photos above.

About that chicken: what makes it so great? I understand the AOC designation for the Bresse chicken, but there must be something about this preparation that puts it over the top. It is, in effect, a poached chicken, no? The presentation is spectacular and it will be hard to pass up, but there are other luscious-sounding items on the carte (lobster, pigeon, duck) and as we are a party of 2 we won't be able to snag tastes from someone else's plate if we go with the chicken.

(By the way, props to the Bristol for keeping an up-to-date menu, including prices, on its website. www.hotel-bristol.com There are several mentions here about the Bristol being a good value. I suppose the 90 euro lunch is a good value, relative to the carte, but the choices are quite limited. Has anyone here been happy sticking with the set lunch?)

I am a long-time lurker and have been unable to travel for some time, but I have gathered a lot of great info on this forum and appreciate your sharing of expertise. Many thanks.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

About that chicken: what makes it so great?  I understand the AOC designation for the Bresse chicken, but there must be something about this preparation that puts it over the top.  It is, in effect, a poached chicken, no?  The presentation is spectacular and it will be hard to pass up, but there are other luscious-sounding items on the carte (lobster, pigeon, duck) and as we are a party of 2 we won't be able to snag tastes from someone else's plate if we go with the chicken.

(By the way, props to the Bristol for keeping an up-to-date menu, including prices, on its website.  www.hotel-bristol.com  There are several mentions here about the Bristol being a good value.  I suppose the 90 euro lunch is a good value, relative to the carte, but the choices are quite limited.  Has anyone here been happy sticking with the set lunch?)

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The chicken is poached in a special stock with some vin jaune. This results in both particular tenderness and special flavour. The truffle does not hurt either, or the quality of the chicken.

As far as the lunch menu is concerned, I would not consider Frechon's as a good idea, because it is really under what he serves à la carte. Of course it is a cheaper way to enjoy the place but it does not give a good idea of what Frechon can do (eventhough it is quite good).

Imo, lunch menus that are worth it include Savoy, Rostang, les Elysées, l'Arpège, and I heard a lot of good things about les Ambassadeurs. I reviewed the first three recently on my blog (julotlespinceaux.blogspot.com).

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Also: There is an interview of Eric Frechon in Thuries Magazine. He says two things I found noteworthy:

1- He describes his new style of cooking (since the renovation), more oriented towards ingredients, he says. That to me sounds like a novel attemps at the 3* status: you have to give those Michelin guys a reason to upgrade you. Will renovation+new style do the trick?

2- Frechon opened a bistrot in the rue Mademoiselle (15e), called Le Cristal de Sel. Anyone been?