Digest: 2008 Paris Restaurant Reviews

[John Talbott]

The Week of June 23rd, 2008

Monday in Le Fooding, they reviewed the third Etchebest place - the Cantine du Troquet, 101, rue de l'Ouest in the 14th, no telephone, no reservations, closed Sunday nights and Mondays.

Tuesday the group at l'Express, the group listed their favorite places with terraces; L'Eclaireur, Chez Julien, Nabulione, Le Télégraphe, Fauchon le Café, Le Crillon, Hôtel Fouquet's Barrière, Le Montalembert, Hôtel de Sers, Le Pur'Grill, Le Zyriab by Noura, Le Diapason, le café Branly, Le café Faubourg, Le Moulin de la galette, le Chalet de l'Oasis, La Véranda, Musée de la Vie romantique, La Grande Cascade, Théâtre du Rond-Point, Taeko, le salon du Panthéon, Om'Zaki, Le Café A, Le Laurent, Le café des Lettres, Fuxia, La Gare + Moisan.

Tuesday-Wednesday, in ANP, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 blocks to l’Escapade, 36, bvd des Batignolles in the 17th, 01.45.22.51.77, closed Sundays, menus at 15 & 19 €, a la carte 25-45 € for asparagus, salads and cod but in winter, heavier fare such as cotes of beef or veal, beef bourguignon, tartare, etc.; and Jerome Berger awarded 3/5 blocks to A la Chataigne, coordinates already given, which serves Corsican fare. In addition, the gang gave their favorites for the year by arrondissement:

1er ARRONDISSEMENT - Ebis

4e ARRONDISSEMENT - Chez Georges, Monjul, Les Cotelettes, Le Carre, The Studio, Le Gaigne

5e ARRONDISSEMENT - La Montaigne Sans Genevieve, Le Temps, La Perle

6e ARRONDISSEMENT - Coco & Co

8e ARRONDISSEMENT - Le Toi

9e ARRONDISSEMENT - Les Pâtes vivantes, Café I

12e ARRONDISSEMENT - Le Cotte rôti

14e ARRONDISSEMENT - Les Petites Sorcières, L’Entetee

16e ARRONDISSEMENT - Etc.

17e ARRONDISSEMENT - La Bigarrade, L'Agapé

18e ARRONDISSEMENT - Guilo Guilo

19e ARRONDISSEMENT - Café de la Musique

{For those who care about such things, the ones that are also in Le Point’s list last week include Les Pates Vivantes, Le Cotte Roti, Les Petite Sorcieres + l’Agapé}

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Colette Monsat et al Emmanuel Rubin’s “C’est nouveau” reviewed Gordon Ramsay’s Trianon Palace in Versailles, coordinates above and gave it a broken heart for its stiff, dismal and tasteless food that was also expensive (120 € per person); and awarded one heart each to: La Bocalee, 6, rue Ernest Renan in the 6th, 01.47.34.67.55, closed Saturday lunch, Sunday night and Mondays with lunch menus at 18 and 22.50 and about 50 € a la carte for shrimp with citrus, pea soup, lamb and profiteroles; Le Transversal a la Maison Rouge, 10, bvd de la Bastille in the 12th, 01.40.01.08.81, closed Monday and Tuesday and only open until 7 PM except Thursday til 9 PM, with menus at 20 and 25 € for mashed potatoes, stuffed pepper and egg cream; La Branche d’Olivier, 44-46 rue de Naples in the 8th, 01.42.63.48.18, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, serving mackerel rillettes, beef filet and fromage blanc on 29.50 and 36 menus and 45 € a la carte; and the Spanish-sounding Basque-Bohemian La Bocata, 31 rue Milton in the 9th, open everyday but Sundays, serving coldcuts and simple fish for 15-30 €.

Wednesday as well, the Figaroscope had its traditional end of the season summary that started off with the 20 spots for summer as follows (liberally translated):

Most Guinguette

Chalet de l’Oasis in the St Cloud Park

Most Versaillaise

L’Angelique in Versailles

Most “in”

Etc

Most discreet

153 Grenelle

Most airy

Le Veranda in Versailles

Most Japanese

Shu

Most interesting behind the front

le Nouveau Telegraphe

Most bistronomic

Itineraires

Most rapid

Pates Vivantes

Most Korean

Sobane

Most gastronomic

l’Agape

Most pic-chic

Patio du Crillon

Most tropical

Napulione

Most panoramic

Zyriab by Noura

Most Thierry Marx

Ozu

Most bobo Brazilian

Gabriela

Most Italian

La Briciola

Most umbrella

Chez Jean

Most Corsican

A la chataigne

Most Arabian shack

Le Comptoir de Tunisia

And, Francois Simon’s “Hache Menu” featured the newest in the Costes empire Chez Julien where he ate a sexy meal for 143 € menu for two with no entrees or coffee, but a 73 € wine.

Also Wednesday, in Paris Update, Richard Hesse went to the old tourist haunt l’Escargot de Montorgueil which was “eye-wateringly expensive…..[for]…..nice dining, not stratospheric gastronomy.”

Thursday, in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski rated the following: Itinéraires + Le Bistrot de Breteuil in good shape, Shu a place to follow and Di Vino in trouble.

Friday Jean Louis Galesne in Les Echos presented three new restos with terraces, his favorite l'Arome, Julien + Nabulione, 40, avenue Duquesne in the 7th, 01.53.86.09.09, open everyday, running one 45-60 eurors for lettuce hearts, crab salad, shrimp, cheeseburger, cote de veau, tartare or cod.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp had an article on “Passard’s Vie en Rose” and John Talbott had one on “the Fable of the Lion and the Squirrel”.

Sunday, in JDD, Astrid T’Serclaes went to La Bricola + Itineraires calling the latter exquisite.

June’s WHERE had Alexander Lobrano’s picks: Citrus Etoile, coordinates in the guide books, the new Bar a Huitres near Ternes, coordinates already given, Camdeborde’s take-out shop, the Creperie du Comptoir next door and new chef Anthony Boucher’s fare at Chez Jean in the 9th.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of June 30th, 2008

In Monday's Le Fooding Frédérick-E. Grasser-Hermé wrote up Hi Beach in Nice.

Tuesday-Wednesday, in ANP, Philippe Toinard wrote of the Italian-WorldFood place La Briciola while Jerome Berger had a review of l’Arome which opened December 2006. In the side-bar, they reported on the opening of Joel Robuchon’s Cave, two steps from l’Atelier and the reopening of Le Telegraphe.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin’s “C’est nouveau” reviewed the Palace Elysee 20, rue Quentin Bauchart in the 8th, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, a la carte 70 € for asparagus, swordfish with wasabi, beef filet, black cod, parfait and the Cantine du Troquet coordinates given before, no telephone, no reservations running one 30-40 € for celery remoulade, pea soup, poitrine of pork and cafoutis. He also gave one star to Le Petit Cler, 27, rue Cler in the 7th, 01.45.50.17.50, "piloted" by the Fontaine de Mars team featuring oeufs mayo, tartine of St Marcellinand a faux filet for 20-30 € and B4, 6, square Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie in the 4th, 01 42 72 16 19, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, where the lunch menu is 12 and a la carte 38 € for veggies, big shrimp and rumpsteak. Finally he gave a busted heart to La Terrasse - Le First in the Hotel Westin, 3, rue Castiglione in the 1st, 01.44.77.11.11, open 7/7 running one 50 € for white asparagus, beef tartare or roast beef.

Wednesday as well, the Figaroscope “Dossier” dealt with places near water:

Inside the walls

Chalet des Iles

Le Grand Bleu

Point Ephemere

Le Chalet des iles Daumesnil

West coast

River Cafe

La Guinguette de Neuilly

Les Pieds dans l'eau

Le Petit Poucet

O Restaurant

Quai Ouest

Terraces around la Villette

25 Est

Rendez-vous des Quais

MK2 Quai de Loire

O'Kay

la Criee

East Coast

Chez Gegene

La Guinguette du Martin Pecheur

And, Francois Simon’s “Hache Menu” dealt with La Plage where he had a forgettable dinner for 129 €.

In Saturday’s Figaro Francois Simon wrote a “Croque Notes” about the existing place La Grille and their service of their famous tourbot with white butter sauce.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott had one on “Is this place still in business

July’s WHERE had several restaurants reviewed by Alexander Lobrano - La Veranda in Versailles and he found the cooking “witty, precise and generally delicious” [which conforms to my view not that of the French food mob] and several older ones: the Congres Auteil that he calls “an exceptionally well-run brasserie,” Laurent, Medhi + Dessirier.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of July 7th, 2008

In Monday's Le Fooding Chloé Aeberhardt wrote up Les Banquettes, 3, rue de Prague in the 12th, 01 43 47 39 47, closed Saturday lunch, Sundays nights and Mondays, lunch menu 14 € with ¼ of wine, evening 24 two courses, 30 for three, serving avocado soup, confit de canard and aligot (Tuesday evenings) in a kitchy setting.

Tuesday-Wednesday, in ANP, Philippe Toinard wrote of the Italian Di Vino in the 16th while Jerome Berger had a review of la Cantine du Troquet, 101, rue de l'Ouest in the 14th, no phone, no rez’s, closed Sunday nights and Mondays, for 25 € getting one neo-bistro food such as cold pea soup with mint, pork belly, big fries and rice pudding or fruits.

Wednesday, in Paris Update, Richard Hesse reviewed Itineraires, saying that it was “a real privilege to enter Sylvain Sendra's very personal garden of delights.”

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribault in Le Monde dwelt with more terraces which I posted on that topic.

In Saturday/Sunday’s Figaro Francois Simon wrote a “Croque Notes” (currently available only in pdf) about the monument Le Procope and its existence since 1686 where the tourists expect to see Voltaire or Wilde and where he ate some tasteless langoustines, tete de veau and a mille-feuille with ½ a bottle of wine and 4 coffees among commercially humorful waitfolk for 123 Euros.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott had a piece on “What’s New in Paris.”

In the July-August Paris Notes, “Paris Bites,” Rosa Jackson listed her favorite outdoor restaurants as:

Mini-Palais

Le Moulin de la Galette

Le Café de l’Homme

Da Rosa

Rose Bakery

Le Fumoir

Blé Sucré

La Table du Lancaster

In the June-July bmibaby member Adrian Moore lists his current favorites under 40 € as: Afaria, La Bulle, L’Arôme, Beurre Noisette, La Cave Gourmande & Spring.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of July 14th, 2008

In Tuesday's Le Fooding Julia Sammut wrote up La Boite a Sardines in Marseille.

Wednesday, in Paris Update, Richard Hesse reviewed La Cagouille, noting that he liked and would recommend the food but found the service “over-brisk.”

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribault in Le Monde wrote about places in Provence interieure that included: Balthazar + Jeroboam in Montélimar, Le Prieuré in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, La Bonne Etape in Chateau-Arnoux-Saint-Auban, Auberge du Teillon in La Garde, Hostellerie des Gorges de Pennafort in Callas, Lou Cigalon in Valbonne and La Cave + La Table du Chef in Cannes.

In Saturday/Sunday’s Figaro Francois Simon wrote a piece on preparing spider crabs and their serving at Laurent available only in pdf.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp had a piece on the Summer Garden at the Bristol.

Sunday Seth Sherwood in the NYT recommended the following in Toulouse: Le Colombier, Bicoq’ + Le Genty Magre.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of July 21st, 2008

In Monday's Le Fooding Andrea Petrini wrote up Espace Le Bec a 200 seat brasserie at the St Exupery airport near Lyon.

Wednesday, in Paris Update, Richard Hesse reviewed Agapé, noting that Francois Simon thot it hubritic and unadventuresome {and I agreed} but that he liked the named products and wine as well as the food despite the steep prices.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribault in Le Monde wrote about oysters and places in Brittany noting that good tables are rare but mentioning le Moulin de Rosmadec, Sur le Pont + L'Amphitryon.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp had a piece on the Italianate Bellagio & Clipper, the yacht, and John Talbott one on “Why I could never be a real food critic.”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Edited July 28, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

The Week of July 28th, 2008

In Monday's Le Fooding, Marie Grézard said you should run to the Blue Cargo in Bidart.

Wednesday, in Paris Update, Richard Hesse reviewed l’Absinthe, saying that he liked the setting but thought the food and Anglo crowd didn’t match it.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribault in Le Monde wrote about new tables in the Basque country {only available pay per view.}

And, in L’Express two articles concern out-of-town places: one by Thierry Dupont on places in the Basque country: Les Rosiers, Bistrot Ahizpak, Auberge du Lausset, Hotel-restaurant Arcé, La Ferme Lizarraga + Le Bellevue as well as Olivier Le Naire's suggestions in Corsica: Le Lido, Ferme-auberge Campo di Monte, L'Endroit, L'Ariadne Plage + A Pignata.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott had an essay called “What to do when you are unsure where to eat?”

This summer’s bmibaby has an article by Adrian Moore on good meals for under 40 € that lists: Afaria, La Bulle, l’Arome, Beurre Noisette, Cave Gourmand + Spring.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of Aug 4th, 2008

Monday, Le Fooding's Mamie Françoise wrote up Ô. Bontemps.

Wednesday in the NYT Mark Bittman wrote an article entitled “Rich, Luxurious, French (Not to Mention Vegetarian)” about La Zucca Magica in Nice.

Saturday-Sunday in Figaro Madame Lucile Escourrou had an interview of Gregory Coustanceau about his 10-year-old resto Les Flots in La Rochelle.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote a piece on the missing Michelin searcher Pascal Henry and John Talbott one on “Bistro Brasserie Resto Café Bar.”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of Aug 11th, 2008

Monday, Le Fooding's Sylvie Augereau wrote up Le Duo des Lys in Nyons.

Figaro Madame had an article on Anne Fontaine’s new book on Normand food.

This week in l’Express, there was an article by Sylvie Wolff on restaurants in Arles that included: La Chassagnette, Le Bistrot d'à côté, La Charcuterie, La Bodeguita + Chez Bob.

As I’ve noted before, it’s a slow news month, so I’ll list these 10 Hot places in Paris according to Gayot.com: L'Astrance, Le Chacha, Chen -- Soleil d'Est, Le Dali, L'Epigramme, ETC., Fogon Saint-Julien, Gordon Ramsay au Trianon, Jean-Jacques Jouteux, 153 Grenelle + Lasserre.

Saturday-Sunday in Figaro Madame Lucile Escourrou had an interview of Gregory Coustanceau about his 10-year-old resto Les Flots in La Rochelle.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott published an essay on “Bistro Brasserie Resto Café Bar II.”

On Sunday, Edward Lewine had an article in the NYT entitled “Classified Matters” that discussed the debate over St Emilion chateau wine classification.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of August 18th, 2008

Tuesday in Le Fooding Julia Sammut wrote about Les Tamaris in Marseille.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut in Le Monde wrote an article on Alain Passard’s apple tart.

Saturday-Sunday in Bonjour Paris Margaret Kemp had a piece on “Alice’s Boudoir Buzz” and John Talbott published an essay “Bistro Brasserie Resto Café Bar: What’s in a Name - III?”

This month's Gourmet was devoted to Paris; a topic on the issue discusses it.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of August 25th, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to Le Boudoir d’Alice Bardet, 25, rue du Colisee in the 8th, 01.43.59.25.29, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, formulas at 21 and 27, a la carte 38-76 €, which he says you’ll adore if you liked the Point Bar and Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to the Italian Pizza Chic, in the 6th.

Tuesday, Sylvie Augereau of Le Fooding favorably reviewed La Perle Noire in Candes St Martin.

Tuesday, Le Point declared that Le Soleil + Le Restaurant were in good shape Le Bistro du 17e was worth following but Kok Ping was in trouble.

Wednesday-Thursday Jean Claude Ribaut had two articles in Le Monde one (pay per view) about selling off a restaurants’ furnishings; the other on Venice.

In Saturday’s Figaro Francois Simon wrote a “Croque Notes” piece about the book written by Gauthier Pajona, an Air France cabin chief and his favorite restaurants, among which is l’Auberge Pyrenees Cevennes in the 11th.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Le Gaigne, Pierre Herme + Palais Elysee and John Talbott published his fourth episode about “Bistro Brasserie Resto Café Bar: What’s in a Name?”

Sunday, Aurelie Chaigneau had an article in JDD about six restos where you can prolong your summer – Racines, Da Rosa, l’hotel Amour, Les Cocottes, Le Garde Robe + J’Go.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of September 1st, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Jeu de Quilles, 45, rue Boulard in the 14th, open for lunch only, Tuesday-Saturday and private dinners evenings, costing about 30 € {I found it much pricier}, serving next door butcher/neighbor Hugo Desnoyer’s meats, a terrine de lapereau, heirloom tomatoes, mackerel and plum clafoutis {for the record, it should be noted that bragging rights about “finding” it go first to Francois Simon in Le Figaro, who called it the resto of the rentrée August 12th and Caroline Mingot, who wrote it up on her Table a Decouvert blog August 21st.} Meanwhile, his colleague Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to the top fashion Palace Elysee, 20, rue Quentin Bauchart in the 8th, 01.40.70.19.17, open 7/7, with 19 + 34 € lunch menus of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, tuna steak, cheese-burgers and moelleux.

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Marie-Odile Briet wrote about chef Yanning Samot’s (exLa Famille, Cheri Bibi + Refectoire) new restaurant, Cul de Poule, 53 rue des Martyrs in the 9th, 01.53.16.13.07, closed Sundays and Mondays, 20 for 2 courses, 27 € for 3, that uses fine products in preparing Basque charcuterie, meats, desserts and wines.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave two places three hearts; the above mentioned Jeu de Quilles where he liked the pumpkin soup, moules and lisettes and the Italian Pizza Chic, coordinates given last week. Two hearts went to the third Relais de l’Entrecote, 101, blvd du Montparnasse in the 6th, 01.46.33.82.82, 7/7, serving the same formula (in the US sense), salade-entrecote-frites, for about 30 €. Then, he awarded one heart to La Table d’Adrien, 9 rue Volney in the 2nd, 01.42.61.00.44, closed Sundays for lunch serving “ultradition”al food such as home-made foie gras, peppered beef, and pear-chocolate tart from the 1960’s {I had a very different rating} and Le Comptoir du 11e in the former Purple space, 35, rue Faidherbe in the 11th, 01.43.71.65.30, closed Sundays costing about 30 € for vitello tomato, chicken tandoori and fresh cheeses. The Dossier this week concerned Pain au Chocolat, so you can find it here and the article on chef changes is here.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote two articles in Le Monde - the first on Variations 18, rue des Wallons in the 13th, 01-43-31-36-04, open 7/7 and its signature scrambled eggs with bio algae, etc and the second on the new “trendy” carte at SYDR created by Alain Dutournier devoted to what he thinks are young peoples’ tastes.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott published “To tell or not to tell; that is the question?”

Sunday’s NYT Magazine had another article on David Tanis’ Aux Chiens Lunatiques which also announced the publication of his new book, “A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes” of dinners recipes and menus for 12 persons tested in his “club or underground restaurant.”

As ulterior epicure noted Food + Wine suggested features three wine bars in Paris in this month’s issue: Alfred, Cavestève + Racines {which is not really a wine bar.}

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of September 8th, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Les Banquettes, coordinates given elsewhere, where he liked the rabbit terrine, mesclun, beef with potatoes and crème brulee; while his compatriot, Philippe Toinard had a less successful trip giving only 2/5 dots to l’Ardoise Gourmande, coordinates also given elsewhere, where he commented on the beef with shallots and a puree, boudin noir with pear, scallops (in August!), sausage, echine and veal chop and panacotta that was too liquidy.

Tuesday Roland Zemour in Le Fooding wrote of Rosa Bonheur {19th century woman painter), Avenue de la Cascade (eg in the Buttes Chaumont) in the 19th, 01 42 00 00 45, closed for Monday lunch only, (but closing in November until Spring for renovations) serving snacks like Serrano, Jabugo, chorizo, sausages, cheeses, sardines, pâtés, salads, etc for 20 E as well as bio wines (3 a glass, 18 E a bottle).

Tuesday, Francois Simon on his blog termed as authentic Memere Paulette, 3, Rue Paul Lelong, in the 2nd, 01 40 26 12 36, running one about 30 E for meat or andouillette, boar rillette or stuffed tomatoes.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave three places two hearts; La Table d'Eugène, 18, rue Eugène Sue in the 18th, 01 42 55 61 64, lunch menu 10.5-12.5, dinner menu 21-27, a la carte 25-30 €, closed Sundays and Mondays, where the exBristol chef serves crusty-runny risotto, foie gras raviolis, rice pudding and home-made jam; La Banquette, 3, rue de Prague in the 12th, 01 43 47 39 47, closed Saturday lunch, Sunday night and Mondays, lunch menu 16, evening menu 24-30, a la carte 8-18 € serving in the old Petit Porcheron space, piment d'Espelette, beef from Salers, pommes rattes and crème brûlée au thym; Cul de poule, 53, rue des Martyrs in the 9th, 01 53 16 13 07, menus 20-25, a la carte 35 €, closed Sundays and Mondays, serving Basque charcuterie, a cote de cochon, citron tart and too dry chocolate éclair. There were also two one hearts: Le Boudoir, 25, rue du Colisée in the 8th, 01 43 59 25 29, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, menus at 21 and 27, a la carte about 40-60 €, serving grilled sole, a côte of veal with girolles and chocolate cake and the Family Affair, 33, rue Beaurepaire in the 10th, 01 40 18 49 79, lunch menu 31.50, a la carte 25-30 €, open 7/7, the third in this chain of “world food” places serving pasta from all over as well as a Spanish salad (beans, Serrano ham….), pistoleros mexicanos (with chorizo) and a cold pistachio soufflé.

Wednesday, Richard Hesse on Paris Update wrote about Hotaru.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote two articles in Le Monde – one concerning chili con carne at Le Baratin; the other an elegy, I kid thee not, about potatoes, their UN sanctification {my word} and the 5th Congrès Potato Europe 2008, September 10-11 in Villers-Saint-Christophe (Aisne) that deals with their origins, usages and beneficial aspects.

Thursday, Patrick Jegu in the l’Express of September 4th, reviewed le Cantine de Troquet, coordinates already given and François-Régis Gaudry, reviewed Gen. C’s Richard Toix’s restaurant in Saint Benoit.

Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon dined with Werner Küchler of the Relais Plaza at McDo’s and with Gauthier Pajona wrote up 14 restaurants in Burgundy although it’s entitled 13 places.

In the weekend FT, Nicholas Lander wrote up two seafood places in Alsace Restaurant JY’s + Aux Armes de France.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp surveyed Quoi de Neuf in Paris and John Talbott published “To tell or not to tell; that is the question?”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Edited September 18, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

The Week of September 15th, 2008

Monday, in Le Fooding Julia Sammut wrote of Les Bacchanales in Vence.

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to La Table d’Eugene, coordinates given elsewhere, where he liked the seafood gratin, grilled squid and strawberries but not the dry cote de cochon and his partner in reviewing, Philippe Toinard had a less successful meal giving only 2/5 dots to Cul de Poule, coordinates also given elsewhere, which was noisy and where he commented on the banality of the salmon carpaccio, andouille or cold meats and warm cod.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope awarded two hearts to l'Assiette, 181, rue du Château in the 14th, 01 43 22 64 86, lunch menu 25 €, evening menu 50 €, a la carte: 25-40 €, closed Mondays and Tuesdays, now under the command of David Rathegber, who serves up insipid escargots, quenelles with a non-ponderous Nantua sauce and tuna belly with spinach as well as Le Dos de la Baleine, 40, rue des Blancs-Manteaux in the 4th, 01 42 72 38 98, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays with a lunch menu for 16.50 € and dinner running one 40-50 € serving fresh cuisine such as a ceviche of shrimp, mushroom soup with peanuts, filet with five flavors and “ultrabio” wines. One heart each went to l'Ardoise Gourmande, 12, rue de Belzunce in the 10th, 01 48 78 40 03, lunch menu at 22 € and a la carte 30-55 €, closed Saturday lunch and Sunday dinner and serving pork, boudin noir and creme brulee and Crep Story, 23, rue Rambuteau in the 4th, 01 42 77 05 06, closed Sundays with a lunch formula = 12.90 € and a la carte 20 € for salads, crepes and cakes. A busted heart went to La Paiva, 25 ave des Champs Elysees in the 8th, 01 73 54.77 00, open 7/7, located in a superb hotel particulier serving 4 bling food for 50-70 €.

Wednesday in the “Dossier” Colette Monsat et al covered Sugary treats at the Plaza Athenee, Jean Paul Hevin, Chez Jean, Palace Elysee, l’Arpege, Pierre Herme, Café de la Paix, Hotel Meridien Montparnasse/restaurant Justine, Angelina, Laduree, Lenotre, Dalloyau, Fauchon, Pain de Sucre, Ble Sucre + des Gateaux et du Pain. Last Wednesday, also, there was a nice Dossier in Figaroscope on the Martyrs/Trudaine area that mentioned Spring, Sobane, Rose Bakery, Hotel Amour, Fontaine Fiacre, Hotaru, La Pizzetta, La Bocata, Cantina clandestine, Cesar + Wally le Saharian and Francois Simon singled out the Brazilian Gabriela as a place one should go to.

Wednesday, Richard Hesse on Paris Update wrote about A la Chataigne, coordinates already given, where he recommends you go after he had a meal described as an “honest take on an excellent regional cuisine” with an “inveterate food blogger.”

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote two articles in Le Monde – one on preparing langoustines, the other wine making in Provence.

Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon talked about Cyril Lignac {of "Oui Chef" TV fame} who has also {in addition to the Quinzieme Cuisine Attitude} taken over Chardenoux, in the 11th, where despite his not yet ranking as a great chef, he serves up OK {Paul Bert area type} food on a 18 € formula and charges 20 € for cod and 9 € for dessert. The article also speaks well of Thierry Burlot’s take-over of Zebra Square but only makes passing reference to Benoit Rathgeber at l’Assiette, Eric Briffard at the Cinq and La Paiva. Next door, Alexandra Michot wrote a {very thoughtful} article on "What will replace tuna?" suggesting sushi of pollack or a tartare of oysters. She mentions that Auchan and Casino have stopped selling tuna, Moshi Moshi sushi stores in the UK have replaced it with local coalfish/black cod or mullet, Prince Albert of Monaco has asked it not be served there and certain chefs such as Romain Corbiere at the Relais du Parc agree but some, such as Benoit Delbasserue of La Mare O poissons in Ouistreham refuse to. The author also suggests replacing it with mackerel, raised shellfish, Pacific salmon, Gascony Bay sardines and whiting. {One strange omission : she never mentions that the fishermen of New Zealand halted its depletion of its waters of fish by agreeing themselves to stop over-fishing some species.}

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote of the Maison de Sophie Dudemaine near Deauville and John Talbott wrote an article whose title was published as “Reservations needed?”

Sunday, in the JDD, Astrid de T’Serclaes interviewed Maki Maruyama (Japanese tea specialist; who directs Jugetsudo in the 6th). {While it is not my practice to cover “foreign” restos, her choices were interesting to pass on}. Best take-out sushi = Naoki; best Chinese(he)/Japanese(she) resto = Ebis; best Japanese = Kai; best tea pavillion at the Maison de la Culture du Japon; best patisseries – Aoki + Toraya; best epicerie = Kioko.

Rosa Jackson, in her Paris Bites, in Paris Notes, now only on line, reviewed Itineraires and continues to like Sylvan Sendra’s taking risks, although not all are successful.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of September the 22nd, 2008

{I just found out that ANP’s website has blossomed and now gives a list of reader preferences which are in some contrast to the critics, for example, this week they said the top places were the:

Readers: ANP critics

Palace Elysée 3/5

L'Ardoise Gourmande 2/5 1/4

Le Boudoir 3/5 1/4

Les Banquettes 3/5 2/4

La Table d'Eugène 3/5 2/4

And Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger and Philippe Toinard reviewed and gave the following dots to four new places, all of whose coordinates have been given before:

4/5 L’Assiette

3/5 Le Coin des Artistes

Zebra Square

2/5 La Grange Bateliere

Monday, in Le Fooding Pierre Siankowski wrote about the "proto-bistro" Aux Petits Oignons, 11, r. Dupont-de-l’Eure in the 20th, 01 43 64 18 86, closed Sundays and Mondays, which serves plates of cheese and bio charcuterie, ray, foie gras, tuna, daurade, rabbit stew with girolles (all according to market availability), chocolate fondant and mango fontainebleau, a la carte about 25-30 €.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope presented the picture (beautiful), lead article (on the history of Benoit Bordier’s move to Ville d’Avray from Jean in the 9th not to be confused with l’Ami Jean in the 7th) and lead review with scathing comments (monkfish with a sauce tasting like toothpaste) along with a broken heart to Le Corot which charges about 80-85 €; a second broken heart went to Les Coteaux du Tannay in the 7th charging 20-45 € for fried camembert, gratin of mushrooms and Bresse chicken. Have gave two hearts to La Laiterie, 64, rue de Bellechasse in the 7th, 01.45.51.74.61, closed Sundays, charging 25-35 € for the likes of oeuf mayo, ray salad, rabbit in cider and plum clafoutis. One heart each went to: the Thai Khaosan Rd in the 7th and Café Rouge, 32, rue de Picardie in the 3rd, 01.44.54.20.60, open 7/7, charging 25-30 € for Caesar salad, crabcake and a Pavlova located in a superb hotel particulier serving 4 bling food for 50-70 €.

Wednesday in the “Dossier” Colette Monsat et al covered Places with reasonable prices for the rentrée, that included:

Left Bank:

Itineraires

Jeu de Quilles

Nuxis

Cantine du Troquet

Right Bank:

Table d’Eugene

Café qui Parle

Cul de Poule

Pied de Fouet XI

Vintage

Now:

Petit Turin

Banquettes

Also:

Relais de l’Entrecote

Le Laurier

Hide

And, Francois Simon contributed a review in his “Hache Menu” of the Rollin, 92, ave Ledru-Rollin in the 11th, 01.48.06.51.92, closed Sundays and Monday nights, which has a 13 € formula but where he spent 68 € for 1 formula (lamb with thyme sauce and a puree, plus poached pears with chocolate and chantilly), 2-250 gram entrecotes (with many frites and a tumulus of salad with a true vinaigrette), 3 chocolate moelleux, 3 coffees and a liter of water. Go? Ans: “Yep!”

Wednesday, Richard Hesse on Paris Update wrote about Bigarrade, coordinates already given, which he called a “magical mystery tour,”

Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Clause Ribaut wrote about the "Cuisine bourgeoise" at L'Assiette, coordinates given before, which he says is a great relief having survived the transition from Lulu, aka Lucette Rousseau, to David Rathgeber, a 35 year old Auvergnat via Ducasse. He's adapted several old recipes and brought in new ones and he (Ribaut) clearly liked the meal.

Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon talked about three places to go, including La Table d'Eugene (spelled Eugenie), Maceo + la Beaugravière in Mondragon, 17 klicks from Avignon. In addition Alexandra Michot mentions the top 10 places for Fashion week : l’Hotel Costes, Le Flore, Mathis, Thiou, Kaspia, Ferdi, Kai, Dave, Anahi + La Paiva, that got a broken heart from her colleagues; plus Vingt et un + Stresa and the palace hotels and their bars and fashion show sites.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote an article on Perigord & Arthur and John Talbott wrote one whose title was “Lunch not Brunch on Sundays?”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Edited December 4, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

The Week of September the 29th, 2008

Last week’s VSD had a debate moderated by Paul Wermus between Francois Simon and Jean Luc Petitrenaud on the subject of whether food criticism is useful; Simon taking the oui side and elaborating on his disrespect for Guy Savoy who served black truffles in August, his paying his bill and his going anonymously; Petitrenaud saying not much of interest.

Monday, in the IHT Henry Alford had an article (also in the NYT) that mentioned Jean Paul Gauthier’s “fashionista” recs: the Jules Verne, Casa Olympe + Angelina.

Monday as well, Charlotte Balme in Le Fooding wrote up as the best brunch in Paris: Miroir, 94 rue des Martyrs in the 18th, 01.46.06.50.73, closed Sunday night and Mondays.

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard gave 4/5 dots to the "world-food" place Shu in the 6th while Jerome Berger awarded 3/5 dots to Chardenoux, 1, rue Jules Valles in the 11th, 01.43.71.49.52, lunch menu = 29, a la carte about 55 €; where Cyril Lignac ("Oui Chef" TV ex) has revived that old bistrot in the hot Paul Bert area, serving up cepes, salmon blanquette and a Paris Brest

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope reviewed and gave 2/5 hearts to Chardenoux, see above for coordinates, commenting on the cepes soup, lamb and tartare with flabby fries as well as Le Bar Laduree, 13 rue Lincoln in the 8th, 01.40.75.08.75, open 7/7, serving snack stuff for 30 and real meals (raw ginger beef, potatoes with salmon, scrambled eggs with artichoke and a first rate dame blanche) for 50-60 €. Three other places merited but 1/5 heart: the wine bistrot in the Publicisdrugstore Wine 133, 133 ave Champs Elysees in the 8th, 01.44.43.77.64 open 7/7 serving a deluxe salmon club sandwich, pasta with truffles and cut fruit; the good product place for a picnic in the Buttes Chaumont, open 7/7 Rosa Bonheur, costing 20 € for sardines, sausage and bio wines; an the Japanese-influenced chic take-away place Miyou in the 8th, open 7/7 for lunch and during all afternoons but Sunday.

Wednesday in the “Dossier,” the Scope gang listed reservation times for these "most popular" restaurants on a Friday night:

10 days - Chez l'Ami Jean

15 days - Le Carré des Feuillants

Le Pré Catelan

L'Ami Louis

Apicius

Le Cinq

La Maison Blanche

1 month - Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée

Pierre Gagnaire

Alain Senderens

Les Ambassadeurs

L'Ambroisie

La Tour d'Argent

1 1/2 months - Guy Savoy

2 months - L'Astrance

Comptoir du Relais

Le Meurice

Guilo-Guilo

3 months - Jules Vernes

4 months - Comptoir du Relais

5 months - Spring

And, Francois Simon contributed a review in his “Hache Menu” of the Pizza Chic, coordinates already given, which he says sure has chic pizzas costing one 20 a pop, total 40-70 €.

Wednesday, Richard Hesse on Paris Update wrote about l’Arome, coordinates already given, which he says has the current décor, trendy slate and named products.

Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Clause Ribaut reviewed Les Crayères in Reims.

Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon wrote about Paul Minchelli’s moderately new seafood place Le 21, coordinates given before, which he’s quite enthusiastic about.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott wrote an essay on “Smoking is Dead: Long live smoking.”

GoGo Paris announced the opening of a "healthy" organic "cantine" Supernature, 12 rue de Trevise in the 9th, 01.47.70.21.03, lunch & dinner Monday-Friday, brunch Sunday, serving herb juice, cheeseburgers, vegetarian tarts and carrot cake.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Edited October 16, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

The Week of October 6th, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to Fous de l'Ile, 33, rue des Deux-Ponts in the 4th, 01 43 25 76 67, formulas 21 & 26 €, brunch on weekends, serving chicken salad, chicken in the pot (the wallpaper is all sorts of poultry), gaspacho and salmon, herring style. Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Lilane, 8, rue Gracieuse in the 5th, 01 45 87 90 68, closed Sundays and Mondays, lunch formula = 16€ & 20€, menus-cartes at 25€ & 30€, serving many dishes including: langoustine raviolis, grilled daurade and risotto with artichokes, braised veal and chocolate mi-cuit.

Monday, in Le Fooding Sebastien Demorand reviewed Le Chat, in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire.

Tuesday, Caroline Mignot reviewed Hermès et Bacchus, 6 rue Emile Gilbert in the 12th, 01 40 01 91 80, lunch formula = 16 €, which is perfect if you're headed out from the Gare de Lyon and which has in addition to lots of wines, such fare as snails, gizzard salad, confit de canard, daube de bœuf aux olives noires and a fig tart; the latter two of which look, in her photos, quite yummy.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave 4/5 hearts to Eric Briffard’s new chef-ing at Le Cinq, coordinates well-known, a la carte 200-250, discovery menu 210 and lunch menu 85 €, open 7/7, serving superb crab, autumnal wild duck and delicate banana with chocolate; and 2 hearts to Le Zebra (ex-Zebra Square), coordinates known, with a carte running about 60 and lunch formulas at 28 and 32 €, open 7/7, serving avocado and crab, an egg trio and exotic chicken. Three places merited one heart: La Cocotte du Saint Jo, 147, ave Parmentier in the 10th, 01.42.40.15.57, closed Saturday lunch, running one about 30 a la carte but with formulas at 15 to 25 € for “tapas Facebook time,” snails and an honorable blanquette of veal; Chez Margot, 25 bis blvd Henri IV in the 4th, 01.42.72.39.85, closed Sundays, running about 25-40 € a la carte for lentil and haddock salad, entrecote with shallots and a home made Paris Brest; and the Italian Sorza in the 6th.

Wednesday in the “Dossier” Colette Monsat et al presented their list of culinary stores in which to buy bread, cheese, meat, fish, wine, etc. In addition, they went to the favorite shops, eg market(s) with four individuals, one of whom was Caroline Mignot.

Francois Simon in his “Hache Menu” reviewed Pasta Linea in the 4th.

Wednesday, Richard Hesse on Paris Update wrote about les Cotelettes, coordinates already given, where it sounds like he had a fine dinner over-all.

Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote one article about leeks and another about favorite fish.

Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon, in his ”Croque Notes,”wrote up Laurence Salomon in Annecy.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Marc Meneau and John Talbott wrote an essay on “Bordier Butter, Thiebault veggies, Desnoyers meat, Cantin cheese, etc.!”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of October 13th, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Au Petit Panisse, (in the ex-Vache Acrobate space,) 35, rue de Montreuil in the 11th, 01.43.71.37.90, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays with formulas at 10, 12 and 15 at lunch and 24 and 30 € at dinner for chicken and celery soup,veal and green beans and chocolate tart; while Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to Miroir, coordinates below, serving a paleron and joue de boeuf, eggplant puree with marinated salmon, echine of pork, chanterelles, pumpkin and a cream pot.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding Andrea Petrini reviewed the wine bar Georges Five, in Lyon.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave two hearts to 4 places: the picture and lead review to Agapes, address ex-l’Equitable, {beloved by the NYT and many of us}, now closed Sunday for dinner (brunch Sunday noon) and Monday, formulas at 16, 18 & 22, menus at 28, 30 & 33, tasting menu = 56 €, for crunchy tete de veau, veal kidneys and rice pudding that lacks binding; then Miroir, 94, rue des Martyrs in the 18th, 01.46.06.50.73, closed Sunday dinner and Mondays, with a formula at 18 for lunch and menus at 25 & 32 € serving a mushroom and andouillete soup, pork loin and a vanilla cream and confited apples with a sable; l’Hydrophobe, 53 bis, blvd Arago in the 13th, the ex-Pearl space, 01.45.35.53.42, closed Sundays and Mondays, 16 lunch formula, 30 and 34 € menus, serving lamb sweetbreads with trumpets of death, rumsteak with a Bercy sauce and a fondant of chocolate; and the Italian Barocco instead of the Pourcel Bros Sens in Levallois. Finally, he gave one heart to {the most appealing name of a place in years} Des Gars Dans La Cuisine, 72, rue Vielle du Temple in the 3rd, 01.42.74.88.26, closed Sunday night (brunch Sunday noon) and Mondays, costing 40-50 € but with 16 lunch formula, serving a beef salad with soy and cucumbers, daurade and “a Guy’s hamburger.”

Wednesday in the “Dossier” Colette Monsat et al presented a list of 23 of the best oeufs mayo:

1. Le Voltaire

2. La Closerie des Lilas

3. Café de l’Epoque

4. Petites Sorcieres, Chez Flottes, Café Max

23. l’Oeuf Mayo.

And Francois Simon in his “Hache Menu” reviewed the #1 - Le Voltaire, especially for its oeuf mayo; verdict – it’s good, exorbitant (123.10 € for dinner for two without wine and sharing a dessert altho' it's only 90 cents for the oeuf); thus only go if someone takes you.

Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote two articles, the first about the sauces ravigote, gribiche and poulette as accompaniments to tete de veau and pieds de cochon, the second about the best tripes in Paris, which are at Ribouldingue, but he also recommends: the African Lounge, Moissonnier, Petit Mâchon, Au Quincy, Benoît, Bastide Odéon + Bistrot d'à côté as well as the tripe-maker Maurice Vadorin.

Saturday in Le Figaro Francois Simon, in his ”Croque Notes,” wrote of the relaunching of the Mere Brazier in Lyon.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about “Constant, L'Arome, Petrossian” and John Talbott wrote an essay on “Travel is so broadening: Part II: Romania!”

Sunday, Seth Sherwood in the NYT spent 24 hours in Paris and recommends Julien, Usagi, L’As du Fallafel + La Belle Hortense wine bar and the ethnic places around the Enfants Rouges market.

Sunday in JDD, Astrid De T' Serclaes reviewed Le Gorgeon in Boulogne-Billancourt.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of October 20th, 2008

Monday in l’Express Pierrick Jegu reviewed the wine bar Le Porte Pot, 14, rue Boutebrie, Paris in the 5th, 01-43-25-24-24, open Tuesday-Saturday in the evenings for bio wine, cheese and charcuterie, costing about 12 euros and François-Régis Gaudry declared Jean-Luc Tartarin in Le Havre his restaurant of the week.

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed two places and gave each 3/5 dots: Agapes, coordinates given before, where he essayed the snails with bacon, veal kidneys and rice pudding and Variations, 18, rue des Wallons in the 13th, 01.43.31.36.04, closed Sundays with a 20 formula and a la carte 45 € where he sampled some of the big chalkboard – a scallop salad, duck terrine and pastas; meanwhile his colleague, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to the world food place Sorza, in the 6th.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding Chloé Aeberhardt wrote up Al Taglio, a pizzeria in the 11th that serves the likes of a pizza with truffles for 3 €.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave two hearts to two places: the picture and lead review to Lilane, coordinates already given, where he talks of the langoustine raviolis, paleron of beef and Swiss sable with raspberries and the two hearts to: Arthur, 25, rue du Faubourg St Martin in the 10th, 01.42.08.34.33, closed Saturday lunch, Sundays and Monday night, menu-carte at 40.50 € for a tartare of shrimp tails and lobster, chicken breast marmite with Armagnac and a baba. One heart each went to: the bobo-hotel sited, Alain Senderens-supervised Mama Shelter, 109 rue Bagnolet in the 20th,01.43.48.45.45, open 7/7, starts at 40 € but climbs steeply, for Caesar salad, lamb stew and rhubarb crumble and Jours de Fete, 72, quai de Jemmapes in the 10th, 01.40.18.38.84, closed Sundays, with two lunch formulas at 16 and 23 €, a la carte 20-35 €, for roasted Brie salad, duck breast pastilla and sautéed veal. A busted heart went to Les Valseuses in the 6th that sounds Asian and Italian.

In another section of the Figaroscope, there’s an article by Colette Monsat on where to take your friends from the country and suggests: l’Ecailler du Bistrot, Jeu de Quilles, La Regalade, Beurre Noisette, L’Os a Moelle, Chez Georges, Josephine + La Gazzetta.

Wednesday in the “Dossier” Colette Monsat et al wrote extensively about eating lunch on Sundays. It is posted here. News of Francois Simon’s “Hache Menu” is there as well. Another box on cult dishes at brasseries on Sundays is on the brasserie topic.

Wednesday as well, Heidi Ellison, editor of Paris Update, subbing for Richard Hesse, tried Cul de Poule and noted, as has been noted before, the labeling of all the products; the meal was a hit.

Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote two articles, the first about the reopening of Mere Brazier in Lyon and the second about sautéed banana pina coladas at Mere Brazier.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Mauro Colagreco, named Chef of the Year by G/M and John Talbott wrote an essay on “Paris mid-range restos empty: has the market hit bottom?”

In the September-October A Table, Emmanuelle Robin (that’s right, not Emmanuel Rubin) wrote an article about the “new chic cantines,” that categorized the following as qualifying: Cojean, Chez Bert’s, Jour, Cuizines + Soup & Juice.

In the November Travel & Leisure Green Guide, Claire Downey suggested we eat at BioArt + Arpege. Deeper inside, Christopher Petkanas discussed “Village Fare” in Provence, suggesting the Café de la Lavande in Lardiers, l’Auberge in Pantaleon les Vignes, Le Bistrot de Pierrerue in Pierrerue, Les Deux Nines in St Jurs and l’Oustau de la Font in Reilhanette.

In the November Saveur, in an article on the Auvergne, David McAninch recommended the following: Le Bouchon Fromager in Aurillac, La Poterie in Salers and the Restaurant Puech in Calvinet.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of October 27th, 2008

Monday, Pierrick Jegu in l’Express reviewed as his place under 30 E, Lilane, coordinates already given, where he criticizes the exJules Verne chef only for the spare wine list.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding, Julia Sammut wrote about the wine bar/bistro Les Buvards in Marseille.

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Firmin le Barbier, coordinates given before, where he commented on the marinated herring filet and beef cheeks and Philippe Toinard reviewed and gave 3/5 dots as well to Benoit Bordier (ex-Jean)’s new place, Le Corot, 53, rue de Versailles in the Ville d’Avray, 01.41.15.37.00 which has menus at 37 and 85, a la carte 54-71 € for langoustines and ham, foie gras raviolis, pork belly, overcooked potatoes and chocolate ganache with rice pudding.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave two hearts to four places: the Italian Sapido + Divinamente Italiano, the Indian Sumali and the Lebanese Branche d’Olivier but just a single heart to the only French place – Sur un petit velo, 62 ave Parmentier in the 11th, 01.43.57.26.11, open 7/7, costinmg 20-35 € for goat cheese with mint, marinated tuna and a “Tchiz Burger” (sic, cheese burger.)

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin ranked the new restos in various categories from gastronomic to bar – {which I’ve listed by rank only}:

9.0 Le Cinq

7.0 Jeu de Quille

La Table d'Eugène

Pizza Chic

6.5 L'Assiette

Cul de Poule

Miroir where Francois Simon also went for his 119 € Hache Menu (Go? Not across the city for this).

Firmin le Barbier

Chardenoux

Lilane

Le Bar Ladurée

Le Zebra

6.0 Agapes

La Cantine du Troquet

L'Ober-Salé

Arthur

Khao San Road

Barocco

Le Bar à pizza du Bellagio

Chacha Club

Mama Shelter

Dos de la Baleine

Rosa Bonheur

Miyou

La Laiterie

5.5 Le Relais de l'Entrecôte

5.0 Le Boudoir

Gars dans la cuisine

Family Affair

Jour de Fête

4.0 La Païva

Café Rouge

Le Corot

3.0 Valseuses

M. Rubin also had a box about various places that are “hot news”:

Oth Sombath, chef’d by the “most famous Thai chef” in France,

Beauvilliers, reopening soon under the hands of Antoine Heerah (Moulin de la Galette),

Le Jadis, on the Rue de la Croix-Nivert in the 15th by Guillaume Delage, exGaya under Pierre Gagnaire,

Rose Bakery II on rue Debelleyme in the 3rd,

Le Palace, 8, rue du Faubourg-Montmartre in the 9th by an exPlaza chef,

l’Arbuci, three stories,on the Rue de Buci in the 6th, reopened by the Costes,

Le Barbezingue, a table d’hote in Chatillon by Thierry Faucher (Os empire),

Ralph Lauren’s resto in the future boutique on the blvd St-Garmain in the 6th,

Daniel Rose, doubles up on the rue Bailleul in the 1st,

Gilles Choukroun, another with the pastry chef Sebastien Gaudard,

Bus Palladium renovated beside Blanche, {metro I assume,} in the 9th, and Lyon’s

Nicolas le Bec opening at the Opera Garnier.

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update, ate at Amici Meiei supposedly the best pizza place in Paris, which serves “good ingredients” but to which he will not return.

Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote about where to get game in and around Paris that included:

La Marlotte, Drouant, Les Chevaux de Marly, Taillevent, Gérard Besson, La Grande Cascade, Paul Chêne + Michel Rostang and also how Thomas Cagna (Relais Sainte- Jeanne) cooks Vexin pigeon.

Thursday, Le Point noted that Le Cinq +Armani were in good shape, l’Assiette should be followed and Pizza Chic was in trouble.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Mori, Lignac + Chardenoux and John Talbott wrote an essay on “Won’t you be my neighbor – the Saga of the 18th Jules Joffrin District Restos.”

Saturday-Sunday, in the FT, I spied the headline of an article by Jancis Robinson on “Bordeaux’s brilliant 2005 gets better” and thought – oh no, not another one of those pieces on wines with prices that are out of (my) sight, but no, she recommends them from 6.74 ₤ on up.

Sunday in the NYT, Elaine Sciolino {I thought she’d left France} wrote up Compiegne and recommended Le Palais Gourmand + l’Auberge du Daguet.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of November 3rd, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard reviewed and gave 2/5 dots each to: the Point Bar, now without Alice Bardet, which he says is like a fall without game serving a pumpkin soup, hachis parmentier of chicken and linguini with curry for 26.50-46.50 €, closed Sundays and Mondays; and the “jet-set-people-bling-bling” Toi, 27, rue du Colisée in the 8th, 01 42 56 56 58, menus 19 + 29 €, closed Sundays, serving veal chops and a dessert list as long as one’s arm.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding, Marie-Odile Briet wrote up the tapas Bar des Roses rear the Place de Clichy.

Tuesday as well, in l’Express, Pierrick Jégu wrote up as his resto under 30 €, Firmin le Barbier, coordinates already given and Andrea Petrini wrote up Eskis in Lyon. And Friday, their website had Pierrick Jégu’s review of La Laiterie Sainte Clotilde, coordinates already given, as another Restaurant (of the week) under 30 €, where he liked the simple salad, lamb and apple compote; as well as a review by Marie-Amal Bizalion of La Grand Puech in Mimet.

Emmanuel Rubin’s “Cest nouveau” in Figaroscope featured two 2-heart restaurants: one oldie with a new team Bistro 121, coordinates in the guidebooks with 2 courses for 26 and 3 for 32 € for foie gras, snail fricassee, bourride and its noted mandarine sorbet and the second most British bio-cantine, the Rose Bakery II, 30 rue Debelleyme in the 3rd, 01.49.96.54.01, closed Mondays where for 20 € one enjoys an omelette, chicken and lemon tart. He also reviewed and gave 1 heart to the restau-bar Bar des Roses, 1, rue de Vintimille in the 9th, 01.49.70.09.22, closed Sundays costing 30 € for three small plates of chorizo, confited squid and rice pudding as well as two Italian places Terrazza St-Germain + Al Taglia in the 6th and 11th, respectively.

In conjunction with the Salon Marjolaine, Figaroscope’s Colette Monsat et al, noted most of the bio places in Paris, that included:

Supernature

Le Phyto Bar

Rose Bakery

Bioart

Soya

Biobio

Nessens

Judicious

Chandelle Verte

Veggie for food and

Lavinia

Caves du Pantheon

Verre Vole +

Vin en Tete for wines.

In this spirit, for his Hache Menu, Francois Simon went to Crudus, 21, rue Saint-Roch in the 1st, 01 42 60 90 29, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, serving a few dishes, largely salads, and tiramisu or sabayon for dessert at district prices.

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update, ate again at Le Dome.

This week, in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote three pieces – about the Chocolate Salon, buying refrigerated wine stage units and preparing stuffed cabbage Auvergne-style with four spices.

Saturday, as has been reported elsewhere, Figaro had one article on and an interview with Olivier Roellinger's giving up his stars and one on what Francois Simon has learned on his Japanese trip (he mentions Stella Maris back home, favorably.)

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Caius + Blaise Mautin and John Talbott wrote an essay on “What does two hearts in Figaroscope mean?”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Edited November 18, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

The Week of November 10th, 2008

Last Friday, l’Express posted a review by François-Régis Gaudry of l’Assiette, coordinates given before, which under Lulu hosted such folks as François Mitterrand, Catherine Deneuve, Pierre Bergé and Jim Harrison, now serving the likes of quenelles sauce Nantua, canette Apicius, lièvre à la royale and an impeccable crème caramel borrowed from the chef (David Rathgeber)’s friend - Christophe Michalak, chef pâtissier at the Plaza Athénée. And this Friday, Pierrick Jegu wrote a review of Gustave et Jules, 12, rue Edouard-Lockroy in the 11th, 01-43-55-54-29, closed Sundays but open only at 6:30 PM, costing 25 € for wine bar fare plus dishes such as a venison ragoût and Danish smoked trout.

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to La Cave Edmond, coordinates below, where Thierry Burlot has now opened a wine bar across the street serving hot & cold dishes (sausage, shrimp raviolis, lamb shoulder) and reasonably-priced wines and Philippe Toinard, next column over, gave 3/5 dots to the Thai-chef’d/Eddy Mitchell-owned place Oth Sombath in the 8th.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand also reviewed the Wurlitzer jukebox-like Cave Edmond, where he talks of the Serrano ham, Corsican cheese and wines from 1,80 € a glass and 13,50€ a bottle.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin’s “Cest nouveau” in Figaroscope started off with ¾ hearts awarded to the aforementioned Oth Sombath; 2/4 hearts to Les Terrines de Gerard Vie, (exTrianon Palace) 97, rue du Cherche Midi in the 6th, 01.42.22.19.18, closed Sundays and Mondays, serving a formula for 30 €, without wine for fare such as a pigs foot terrine, veal with endives and iced coffee soufflé but (no thank you to the prune sushi); ¼ hearts to Au P’tit Panisse coordinates given before, serving chestnut soup, pork chop and chocolate tart as well as Anthracite, 20, rue de La Reynie in the 4th, 01.42.77.89.21, closed Sundays, which will set you back 40-50 € for what sounds like very Italian food (brochette, ham, gorgonzola and risotto of mushrooms.) Finally, a busted heart went to l’Horloge, 72, rue du Cherche Midi in the 6th, 01.42.22.46 where for 35 € one gets cuttlefish, duck with mashed potatoes or an entrecote.

This week’s Figaroscope’s Colette Monsat et al, briefly reviewed a number of wine places:

Wine shops with eats

La Cave Edmond, 10, rue Nicolas-Charlet in the 15th, 01 47 34 10 62, closed Sundays and Mondays, 15-25 €.

Au Fil du Vin, 145, quai de Valmy in the 10th, 01 46 07 28 36, closed Sundays at 6 PM, tapas/apero Thursdays, 15-20 €.

Mets & vins, coordinates given before.

5e Cru, 7, rue du Cardinal-Lemoine in the 5th, 01 40 46 86 34, closed Saturday lunch, Sundays, Mondays and Tuesday evenings ; cold food at night..

Bistros

Contrecarrer, 113, rue du Faubourg-Poissonnière in the 9th, 01 45 26 55 03, closed Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, 25-30 €.

Bistrot Vin sobre, coordinates given before

Le Refuge des Moines, 85, rue des Moines in the 17th, 01 42 28 92 52, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, 35-45 € before wines.

Wine bars

Wine 133, 133, av. des Champs-Élysées in the 8th, (PublicisDrugstore basement), 01 44 43 77 64, closed Saturdays and Sundays 12-3 PM, dishes about 20 €.

Gustave & Jules, 12, rue Édouard-Locroy in the 11th, 01 43 55 54 29, closed Sundays at 6 PM.

Porte Pot, 14, rue Boutebrie in the 5th, 01 43 25 24 24, closed Saturday lunch, Sundays and Mondays, around 30 €.

Wine tastings

Grand tasting at the Carrousel of rthe Louvre Nov 21-22

Salon des vins de vignerons independants, Porte de Versailles, Nov 27-Dec 1

Grains Nobles School’s wine bar, 8, rue Boutebrie in the 5th, 01 75 57 89 07 opens at the end of November.

In this spirit (no pun intended), Francois Simon in his Hache Menu reviewed Juveniles, coordinates in the guidebooks, which he’s been visiting since it appeared in one of the first Figaroscope’s; lunch 13 euros for dishes, wine and dessert, 63 euros total.

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update, ate very well with pate, sausages, lievre a la royale and ‘70’s desserts at La Marlotte as well as repeat meals at Ze Kitchen Galerie + Monjul.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut in Le Monde wrote one article on the food guides appearing this fall including Le Champerard, Gault-Millau, Pudlo Paris + Bottin and another on Olivier Roellinger’s closure.

Saturday, Francois Simon in his Figaro Croque Notes discussed what three stars are worth referring to Olivier Roellinger and Eric Frechon.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about l’Aventure – 6 Odeon and Roellinger and John Talbott wrote an essay on “Watching a Chef think (about the future).”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Edited November 22, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

The Week of November 17th, 2008

Sunday, in the NYT, Elaine Sciolino mentioned places to eat while “doing” the three Picasso shows this Fall: Les Saveurs de Flora, Orsay Restaurant + Café Marly.

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Al Taglio, an Italian place in the 11th and Philippe Toinard, next column over, gave 3/5 dots to the world food place Family Affair in the 17th. In the sidebar they mentioned Pierre Herme’s new branch in the Publis Drugstore and Le Nansouty, 35, rue Ramey in the 18th, 01.42.52.58.87, a new wine store which serves eats such as charcuterie and steak.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed Chamarré Montmartre, {see busted heart review by Emmanuel Rubin just below} and loved it, saying where else, except at Vongerichten + Roka, can you get this quality of food, for example: oysters in jelly and milk-fed pork, prepared by three chefs, Antoine Heerah and two others; lunch menu = 35 € (water & coffee included,) mini-portions of "bar food" with cocktails and other menus at 52 € and 65 €, with good wines priced about 9 € a glass or 32 € a bottle.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin’s “Cest nouveau” in Figaroscope gave the photo, blurb and first slot to the ¾ heart place Jadis, 208, rue de la Croix-Nivert in the15th, 01.45.57.73.20, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays where on the menu-carte of 32 € one can have poached egg with spinach, sautéed rabbit or yellow Pollack with smoked cabbage. He gave 2/5 hearts to the formerly only delivery of sushi-sashimi place Matsuri Bac in the 7th and one heart to the puzzle-fast-food Italiante B Di Comiso in the 9th. Two busted hearts each were awarded to the Italian sounding but apparently French striving l’Atelier du Parc, 35, blvd Lefebvre in the 15th, 01.42.50.68.85, closed Sundays which has menus at 29 and 34 and the Beauvilliers makeover as a Franco-Mauricien restaurant, Chamarré Montmartre, coordinates in the 18th same as Beauvilliers, open 7/7.

This week’s Figaroscope’s Colette Monsat et al, did a rating of the best baguettes a la tradition that I’ve posted in that topic.

{For reasons not clear to me} Francois Simon in his Hache Menu reviewed a ham-cheese sandwich from Café Parvis, in the Gare Montparnasse, total for 2 with drinks = 13.60 € and he insists you go before your train leaves.

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update, reviewed Lavinia where he found the wines well-priced but the food way over-priced, albeit OK.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut in Le Monde wrote one article on beef miroton and Beaujolais and another on truffles and where to get them served up: Le Pré du Moulin, Sérignan-du-Comtat, Le Grand Pré, Roaix, Le Temps de vivre, Uchaux, and the Villa Augusta, Saint-Paul-des-Trois-Châteaux.

Thursday, l’Express posted a review by François-Régis Gaudry of la Remenance in Lyon.

Thursday as well, in the throwaway ParuVendu, Philippe Charles gives his “selection” of bistrots as: Au Fil du Vin, Table d’Adrien, Carpediem, Miroir, Chez Casimir, Le Carré des Vosges, Chaumette + Chez Margot converted last September from l’Ecume, 25 bis, blvd Henri IV in the 4th, 01.42.72.39.85, menu = 16.50 € for leeks with egg, cote de boeuf Bearnaise and frites and pain perdu.

Saturday, Francois Simon in his Figaro Croque Notes reviewed and called Gerard Vié’s new place on the rue du Cherche Midi the “address of the month” liking his rabbit terrine and paleron of beef in particular. Saturday as well, he reviewed six new books, most about famous chefs:

Anton, le Pré Catalan, the “most spectacular”

Les Bons ustensiles et les Bons Gestes F. e. Grasser Hermé

Olivier Roellinger Trois etoiles de mer

Dictionnaire du gastronome Benoit France & Jean Vitaux

Simplement Bistot Yves Camdeborde,

plus one on Italian cooking.

Sunday’s Journal du Dimanche had several articles of interest: in the Version Femina, Astrid T’Serclaes reviewed Zebra Square where she judged the chef impeccable; Aurelie Chaigneau wrote up three places where the chefs put on a show, Bigarrade and two foreign ones Pates vivantes + Al Taglio. In addition their Business Section devoted a whole page to gastronomy; Benoist Simmat quoted a Crédoc study showing that restaurant custom was down 30%, business by 8-15% and that it affected small neighborhood places, brasseries, theme places, mid-range and one-stars but not the grand tables, bistrots and fast food chains; talked about the scandalous mark-up (3-10 times the price) of wines; Marie Nicot wrote of Cojean’s successful formula of fresh food, good product and fast-food in its 13 stores and CDT uses Vaudeville as an illustration of empty brasseries and the Flo Group’s loss of 10.5% clientele, largely from business folk, even though they’ve introduced low cost items and menus.

October, Alexander Lobrano, in Where, reviewed the results of the new chef at the Brasserie du Louvre, Place Andre Malraux, 01.44.58.38.38, where he liked the foie gras, (one of the best) risottos (in Paris), beef carpaccio, lamb and desserts, Arthur, coordinates already given, and the ItalianDiVino. The November issue contained a spread by Lobrano of the empire of Alain Ducasse and reviews of the Palace Elysee, Le Gaigne + le Mouton Blanc, recently renovated at 40, rue d’Auteuil in the 16th, 01.42.88.02.21, where he mentions the frisée salad, crayfish gratin, steak tartare, onglet and salmon.

In the December Travel & Leisure, there were two articles of note: one blurb mentioning the Senderens run resto at the new hotel Mama Shelter and an article “Europe for Less”, by Anya von Bremzen that defined "affordable meals" as "$100 for dinner for two and about $40 for lunch.....[with] interesting $30 bottles" [of wine]. The restos she names in Paris are: l'Entredgeu, l'Agassin, Itineraires, l'As de Fallafel, Breizh Cafe, Comptoir de Tunesie, Cantine de Quentin and Afaria.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott wrote an essay on “Watching chefs work.”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of November 24th, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to Jadis, coordinates given before where he too liked the eggs Florentine, pollack and fricassee of chicken parts for 32 € and Philippe Toinard, next column over, gave 3/5 dots to the cave a manger Au Fil du Vin, coordinates also given before, commenting on the wines, cheese and charcuterie plates.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed Jadis, coordinates given before and liked the dishes cooked “old school” by the young chef as well as the well-priced wine.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin’s “Cest nouveau” in Figaroscope gave the photo, blurb and first slot to the 2/4 heart place Antoine, 10, ave New York (it used to be called the Port-Alma, 01.40.70.19.28, open 7/7, costing 60-90 € for fried rougets, Ile d’Yeu sole, scallops and a soufflé. Then came four one heart places: the bocal bobo Montmartre Le Nansouty, 35, rue Ramey in the 18th, 01.42.52.58.87 serving charcuteries, steak and rice pudding on 14 and 19 € lunch menus (30 € at dinner); the Spanish Xato in the 3rd; the Costes-like l’Aparté, 15, rue Frederic-Sauton in the 5th, 01.43.29.55.37, closed Sundays serving club sandwiches, cheeseburgers and the like for 35-50 €; and the Italian trattoria Cipollina in the 8th.

This week’s Figaroscope’s Colette Monsat et al, did a listing of restaurants frequented by: Fashion and show-biz folks, Publisher types, Media people and CEO’s and financiers.

Francois Simon, in his Hache Menu reviewed the upscale Eastside Mama Shelter, coordinates given before, where he said Alain Senderens is in the kitchen. He says to go, although paying 156.50 € for three, he’s not sure whether it’s dear or not.

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update, reviewed the venerable Le Chien qui fume.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut in Le Monde wrote one article on choucroute nouveau and where to get it that I’m posting on that topic and another on hot chocolate with cinnamon as made by Christine Ferber in Niedermorschwihr.

Thursday, l’Express posted a review by Pierrick Jégu, of le Rollin, coordinates given before and one by Yves Nespoulous of L'Escale in Lège-Cap-Ferret. In addition, Francois-Regis Gaudry reviewed Oth Sombath.

Saturday, Francois Simon in his Figaro Croque Notes reviewed the recently renovated Bon, coordinates well-known and called some of its world food tilting toward the east, overpriced. The remainder of the “Table” page is devoted to an article by Alexandra Michot on the new Japanese chefs and restaurants in France.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about “Jean Georges and Georgia on my Mind” and John Talbott wrote an essay on “French Restaurants in Tough Times.”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

[John Talbott]

The Week of December 1st, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard, awarded 3/5 dots to another Beaujolais-named place Le Beaujolais d’Auteuil, 99, blvd de Montmorency in the 16th, 01.47.43,03.56, open 7/7, featuring a 29.50 € menu, a la carte 35-45 €, newly chef’d by an ex Relais Louis XIII + Ferrandaise, offering kidneys, a cote de boeuf and a chcocolate block and his mate Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to the Bar des Roses, coordinates given before, run by the owners of Sole + Floors and chef’d by an ex Fogon St Julien, where he liked the squid, chic tapas and chocolate desserts. There’s also a mini-review of Les Terrines de Gerard Vie which is mixed and has no grade/rating.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding, Marie Aline reviewed Derrière, 69 rue des Gravilliers in the 3rd, 01 44 61 91 95, closed Sundays and Mondays {which says it’s closed at lunch} where between and among six doors she found pumpkin soup, ham with mushrooms, tartines, kebab-roasted ham and eggs with Jerusalem artichokes for about 35 € a person.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin’s “Cest nouveau” in Figaroscope gave the photo, blurb and first slot to the 2/4 heart redone Goumard, coordinates well known, open 7/7, with a vastly reduced (in price) carte at 35-45 and menus for 29 and 39 € for six speciales #2, cocottes of lobster and macaroni and calamari but then two 3/5 hearts to the Japanese Michi in the 2nd and the aforementioned Derriere coordinates above, which he says is also open 7/7, where he mentions the leeks in a vinaigrette, shallot mousse, gravlox salmon unilaterale (too cooked and salted) and a cocotte of lamb’s feet and sweetbreads. Two more places merited 2 hearts: Le Beaujolais d’Auteuil, coordinates above, open 7/7, for cod, celery remoulade, pork chop and chocolate terrines and Victoria, 23, ave Victoria in the 1st, 01.40.26.15.68 with a lunch formula for 20 and 35-45 € a la carte at night for pumpkin soup, cod and a fondant.

This week’s Figaroscope’s Colette Monsat et al, did a listing of 10 new food boutiques.

And Francois Simon, in his Hache Menu went to the Slow Food Italianate ice cream place Grom in the 6th.

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update, reviewed two relatively new places - Ober-Salé + Laiterie de Sainte Clotilde, coordinates given before, both of which were good and OK value places.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut in Le Monde wrote one article on the 4th edition of the “Rencontres François Rabelais” in Tours and another on cooking cepes.

Thursday, l’Express’ restaurant of the week, picked by Pierrick Jégu, was Bigarrade, coordinates given before and the French one under 30 E by Yves Nespoulous was Meert in Lille; in Paris Al Taglio.

Also Thursday in ParuVendu, Pierre Rival’s best of the week was the Marriott restaurant.

Saturday, Francois Simon in his Figaro Croque Notes] dealt with Le Gaigne, coordinates already given.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about the best restaurants of 2008 and John Talbott wrote an essay on “What’s the matter with French chefs.”

December’s WHERE had three reviews by Alexander Lobrano: Paiva, Le Boudoir + Benoit.

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

Edited December 10, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

The Week of December 8th, 2008

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard, awarded 4/5 dots to Antoine Heerah’s Le Chamarré Montmartre, coordinates given before, where he loved the poached and jellied oyster amuse-bouche, partridge, foie gras and cepes, ravioli of innards and mango dessert and his colleague Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to the revived Café Moderne, coordinates well-known where the Astier team has installed a chef ex-Crillon of the Dominique Bouchet era, who serves a tart of petit-gris, supreme de pintade and good wine for 55 a la carte and menus of 30 and 39 € (closed Saturday noon and Sundays). They also mention in the sidebar two places: Mon Oncle, 3, rue Rurantin in the 18th, 01.42.51.21.48, lunch menus at 22 and 26 €, serving a rotating Franco-Italian spread like veal tartare with ginger, parmentier with black sausage and Sicilian caponata, as well as La Canaille, 4, rue Crillon in the 4th, 01.42.78.09.71, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays with 14.50-29.80 € menus, where the ex-Ramalaud chef serves up marinated sardines, ratatouille, duck filet and terrine of chocolate.

Tuesday, in Le Fooding, the Fooding Awards were announced on their website as follows:

New wave Japanese – Guilo Guilo

Best haunted house – Hotel Faurie in Saint-Agrève

Best chef - Christophe Pelé, La Bigarrade

Best bistrot – Le Chat in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire

Best little luxe – Al Taglio

Best “Station-Sandwich” – Gouter l’Aveyon in the rest area at the Millau Viaduc

Best troquet – La Cantine du Troquet

Best blow-out – Chez Navarre in Toulouse

D'Honneur - Rose and Jean-Charles Carrarini Rose Bakery

Best “Planque Verte” – Le Grand Couvert / La Colline Du Colombier in Iguerande

Best Paris Bistrot – Jadis

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin’s “Cest nouveau” in Figaroscope gave 5 places two hearts: Fabrique 4, 17, rue Brochant in the 17th, 01.58.59.06.47, closed Saturday lunch and Mondays, serving a 20 € lunch menu (35-45 € a la carte) of shrimp dim sum, line-caught pollack, and chocolate fondant; Le Montalembert, 3, rue de Montalembert in the 7th, 01.45.49.68.68, open 7/7, costing 60-80 € a la carte for eggs with parmesan, duck breast, scallops and fondant of chocolate; the African Le Palanka in the 4th; Benoit, formerly chef’d by the new chef at l’Assiette, old address, open 7/7, costing 38 € at lunch but 60-80 € at dinner a la carte for hot paté , fish cassolette and profiteroles; and in place of Le Boucoleon, Le Bouco, in the 8th, 01.42.93.73.33 closed weekends, serving simple, good food such as crispy potatoes, tartare-frites and poached pear on 22 and 29 lunch menus, a la carte 37 € at dinner.

This week’s Figaroscope Dossier by Colette Monsat et al, concerns the “cantines” frequented/recommended by well-known chefs as follows:

Alain Ducasse at le Crillon for brunch, l'Assiette, one of the 4 Constant places (Café Constant, les Cocottes, les Fables de La Fontaine + le Violon d'Ingres) for Sunday lunch, Ballon et Coquillages.

Thierry Burlot at Apicius, La Marlotte, Fogon, Monteverdi, New Hoa Khoan in Chinatown with family.

Éric Fréchon at Lapérouse, Ledoyen, Les Ambassadeurs, Le Cristal de Sel, L’Ami Louis.

Christian Le Squer at le Beurre Noisette, L'Ami Jean, Le Bascou, L'Hôtel, Lapérouse.

Hélène Darroze at le Coffee Parisien for a burger, l'Absinthe, la Galerie du Plaza Athénée for a club sandwich or tea, Mori Venice Bar, Jules Verne.

Alain Dutournier at Fogon for wine and tapas, L'Ami Jean, Le Repaire de Cartouche, La Tour de Montlhéry, Le Train Bleu, Le Grand Venise.

Yannick Alléno at Astier for cheese, Café Moderne, Atelier Robuchon, Guilo Guilo.

Guy Martin at Bizan, Les Ambassadeurs, Le Cristal Room Baccarat, Alfredo Positano.

Jean-François Piège at l'Hôtel Amour, Les Ambassadeurs, La Régalade, Le Comptoir du Relais, Le Georges.

Francois Simon, in his Hache Menu went to Severo featuring Hugo Desnoyer’s meat where you can count on spending 50 € for tartare, frites and wine. “Go?” “Yep.” [sic]

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update, reviewed Mollard, coordinates well-known, where he found the food as shabby as the carpets.

Wednesday-Thursday, Jean Claude Ribaut in Le Monde wrote one article on making foie gras, another reviewing four books, one on game, and a third on women involved in wine and cognac.

Thursday, l’Express’ restaurant of the week for under 30 €, picked by Pierrick Jégu, was Les Terrines de ….., coordinates given before and restaurant of the week, the Japanese Myabi in Sens.

Saturday, Francois Simon in his “Croque Notes” in Figaro, sampled lièvre à la royale, (doux Jésus!) at: Bascou, where it comes with a chocolaty sauce at 25 € a half-portion as well as Tateru Yoshino’s at Stella Maris and those at Gérard Besson for 65 € and Senderens, which with a 45 € Côtes-du-Rhône set him back 212 € for two.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Eric Briffard at Le Cinq and John Talbott wrote an essay on “Ain’t Technology Great.”

Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.