La France re(cuisinée)

[tonkichi]

John Talbott wrote on the noticeboard:

Today, in Le Monde Jean Claude Ribaut wrote about a promotion of regional food at reasonable prices by members of the “Chateau Hotel” group where 100 chefs are going to serve lunch menus during the week for 28 Euros until April 30th. In Paris this includes Rech, Aux Lyonnais + Benoit, eg the Ducasse places

Two days ago we went to Rech to try out this promotion. Their 28 euro menu is for two courses (entree+plat or plat + dessert). No choices in menu items.

Entree: tartare of white fish with virgin olive oil

Plat: Salmon in cream sauce garnished with salmon and black (sorry didn't note the type, not terribly big eggs) caviar.

Choice of vegetables being potatoes, spinach or melange of spring vegetables. The server did not ask for our garniture choice, the husbands got spinach while me and my friend got spring vegetables.

Dessert: Ice cream encrusted with nuts drenched in chocolate sauce.

The food was straight off the textbook, straightforward, inoffensive, verging on dull. The ice cream in particular was a hard block of white stuff but redeemed by the chocolate sauce which was made with good quality chocolate.

Overall, not really a good value meal, with a half bottle of wine, three coffees and four menus the bill came to 143.50 euros. May as well save and splurge for their usual seafood dishes.

This reminds me of a meal with a bunch of French/ international women at Aux Lyonnais (of Ducasse group). Our special menu: choices included the rillette (very good), coq au vin (served with the chicken all torn up instead of in whole pieces, somewhat tacky I find) and a forgettable fruit-something dessert. With three bottles of Beaujolais shared among nearly 13 ladies and ~9 coffees we still ended up paying 52 euros each.

Benoit for regular brunch is very good though, my friend says. Still, if they run these kind of events to introduce themselves to customers who may not have thought of going, this is not the best way to achieve it.