L'Absinthe

[Wilfrid]

L'Acajou has been good when serving one of their regional menus with appropriate wines, but it is not dependably good. I found the food at Chelsea Bistro utterly banal - in fact, one of the worst cassoulets I've eaten in New York, which is saying something.

A place no-one talks about any more is Rene Pujol, because it's old-fashioned and in the thater district. But they prepare traditional bistro dishes with some competence. La Lunchonette would be worth a mention too, if it wasn't so studiedly uncomfortable.

[baruch]

mosgsob, merci.

in that i asked u for your top 5, i do not want to criticize your kind selections. the following comments are entirely my own & not meant to be anything more or less:

l'absinthe: based on your passion, will return. hopefully, i won't like because too far to be a regular.

le gigot: tough to like, too small, very little atmosphere. maybe a good place to take your grandmother.

bistro margot @ 26 prince: in love with - wish they had a bar area

le charlot/le bilboquet: surprising in that VERY UES/EURO hangout, not necessarily la francais.

chelsea bistro: love when 1st opened. seems to have gone downhill since original owners left

jubilee: agree, but 54th & 1st makes it a real neighborhood bistro with its regulars. if closer, would visit

more often. actually, like the hostess! i guess i'm a glutton for punishment.

artisanal: tough description. "looks" french, but doesn't "feel" french, n'est-ce pas?

brasserie????

la luncheonette: don't understand why any hype @all?

cafe luxembourg: USED to always return after trying to always find "THE french bistro" without success, i.e., my 'gold' standard. technically not french, but USED to have that "je ne sais quoi" that is difficult to find. HOWEVER, & sadly, it has totally changed (for me). service crappy & catty, food became mediocre, attitude ratched up, living on past reputation, but don't tell al pacino or liam neesam that.

i would add: balthazar & pastis (sorry, but i just like both), montparnasse (food very good - chef from park bistro, co-owner from chelsea bistro), la goulue (very french, very good, & owners have a % of both l'absinthe & orsay), la pere pinard, jules, quartorze bis, aix (1st impressions)

interested n comments.

[Wilfrid]

La Lunchonette (their own misspelling) is run - or it used to be, anyway - by a guy from France and his wife. The menu was recognizably French. They had dishes like brains in black butter and sweetbreads, and they tasted like they might taste in France. Hence my positive comment. The downsides: it's a little out of the way (but no more than Rhone or Pastis), and it's a very simple, plain room, with rather hard chairs. I couldn't imagine lingering for an evening. I have used it for a quick lunch when visiting galleries out in the Chelsea hinterland.

[mogsob]

True, true. Haven't been to Chelsea in some time, so I really shouldn't comment. Can't believe I forgot Rene and all those great wines! Must go back soon.

As for Jubilee, I was at one time a resident of the aforementioned Sutton Place and went to Jubilee on opening night (very delayed opening I might add). Used to go about 10 times a month, maybe more when I lived in the area. I go, now and again, because they still remember me and it has some good memories. Besides, the cramped room, haughty hostess, and tight entrance remind me of some of my favorite places in France.

As for some of the others: balthazar & pastis (HATE, primarily the crowd, so I avoid), montparnasse (not been, will go), la goulue (haven't been in years as I generally stop at Charlot on the way downtown), la pere pinard (haven't been), jules (shit - knew I'd missed one -- definately in my top 5, for the jazz alone), quartorze bis (I live around the corner, but my wife HATES the staff), aix (haven't been)