Honeymooning in Paris in September

[pim]

This is not a recommendation about food, but I found it so much fun I had to recommend it.

A colleague who's never been to Paris before found out about a Paris tour on a Segway (aka Ginger & It) while researching touristy things to do. Of course the geeky side of me had always been interested in this machine, so I went with him and boy was that a fabulously fun time!!

The Segway was a hoot. It truly was one marvelous machine. The tour was almost 4 hours long, for a pittance (70E). We went from near the Eiffel Tower all the way to the Notre Dame and back on a different route. It was great!

The company that does this is called Mike's Bike Tour. They are on the web.

enjoy

[paulbrussel]

I had one dinner at his earlier restaurant. I thought it was very good and and remarkable bargain.

The GaultMillau magazine of September 2003 has a 'confrontation' betweeen Eric Fréchon of the Bristol and Yves Camdeborde of La Régalade.

[Bux]

I heard reports that the magazine had ceased publication. I seem to recall that was way back when the 2003 version of the guide came out. Was there a gap in publication or has it been pubishing continuously? Can you give us a brief synopsis about the 'confrontation?' I know they were part of that same generation of young chefs opeining inexpensive restaurants/bistros some years back. In fact, I at at Frechon's, la Régalade and Philippe Dutourbe on the same visit to Paris and swore I'd never eat in a starred restaurant again. Unfortunately my itinerary after we left Paris included Georges Blanc and Veyrat among other places and life at the three stars is good too.

[paulbrussel]

In a way GaultMillau is a restyled magazine; it started its new year months later then planned (I think the first issue was in April instead of January).

In the three issues so far, there have been other 'confrontations' - two chefs cooking together and preparing one meal.The last time it was Barbot with Troisgros.

Now there are Camdeborde and Fréchon, preparing one meal with different plats.

They do admit that since they met at La Tour d'Argent (1987) they have changed. They worked also together in le Crillon (1988-1992 when Camdeborde left to open its own La Régalade), perhaps for both the most important period in their career.

Camdeborde has become un "aubergiste", but very personal and modern but more brut; Fréchon tries to reinvent dishes at the Bristol. Nevertheless interesting to see their differences.

Different dishes that are presented in GM (with recepies):

Yves Camdeborde: "Variations autour de la tomate", "Pot-au-feu de pigeon rosé", Gelée Campari aux fraises garriguettes".

Eric Fréchon: Bar aux figues, citrons confits et amandes", "Poêlée de ris de veau et girolles au vieux vinaigre", "Cerises au Guignolet".

[Bux]

It was the spring of '98 when I ate at both la Régalade and Eric Fréchon's. At the time, they were already very different cooks and restauranteurs sharing one thing--the offer of a very well cooked meal at rock bottom prices. Camdeborde was cooking rather simple rustic food, while Fréchon's menu was more modern and less rustic. There has been at least one past thread here about the group, most of whom worked under Constant at the Crillon, who were livening up affordable eating in Paris. Constant himself was among that group with his own Violon d'Ingres.

Thank you for clarifying 'confrontation.' I was thinking of disagreement in the less collaorative sense, which is the connotation in English. Camdeborde's recipes here seem less like what I recall from eating in la Régalade.

[Jennifer Joan Lee]

I ate lunch at Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athenee last week. It was absolutely the most fantastic meal of my life... incomparably better than Helene Darroze, where I dined the evening before... and much more profound than Alain Passard of L'Arpege, a chef whom I already hold in high esteem. The service at Alain Ducasse is first-class, the decor is classic with lovely modern touches. If I were to have a "last meal" anywhere in Paris, Ducasse would be my first choice.

[hollywood]

I ate lunch at Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athenee last week. It was absolutely the most fantastic meal of my life... incomparably better than Helene Darroze, where I dined the evening before... and much more profound than Alain Passard of L'Arpege, a chef whom I already hold in high esteem. The service at Alain Ducasse is first-class, the decor is classic with lovely modern touches. If I were to have a "last meal" anywhere in Paris, Ducasse would be my first choice.

For those of us who live vicariously, could you? would you? give us a rundown of the dishes and your reactions to them.

[paulbrussel]

Camdeborde's recipes here seem less like what I recall from eating in la Régalade.

In what way? I was at La Régalade last December and I liked it a lot; it is indeed pure, but modern. I liked it more then the Bristol, as you know. [My ratings: La Régalade: 15/20, Bristol: 14/20.]

[Bux]

Camdeborde's recipes here seem less like what I recall from eating in la Régalade.

In what way? I was at La Régalade last December and I liked it a lot; it is indeed pure, but modern. I liked it more then the Bristol, as you know. [My ratings: La Régalade: 15/20, Bristol: 14/20.]

The meal started with an 'amuse' of a large terrine of pork served with bread. Help yourself to all you can eat with the bread--no plates for this. I had a main course of breaded kidneys, simply done and served with garlic mashed potatoes. My wife had a parmentier of blood sausage which was a shepherd's pie sort of dish with the filling of blood sausage under a topping ot mashed potatoes. The dish was topped with bread crumbs and browned. A first course of smoked eel and spinach terrine served with vegetabes in a pesto vinaigrette was a bit more contemporary. I forgot about that one until I checked my notes. Beignets also seems like a rustic dessert, but I have to remember that mine were punes filled with an almond cream and then coated with batter. Of the three inexpensive restaurants that impressed us, la Régalade was my favorite. Just because I found the food rustic, does not mean I thought the cooking lacked finesse.

[paulbrussel]

Camdeborde's recipes here seem less like what I recall from eating in la Régalade.

In what way? I was at La Régalade last December and I liked it a lot; it is indeed pure, but modern. I liked it more then the Bristol, as you know. [My ratings: La Régalade: 15/20, Bristol: 14/20.]

Just because I found the food rustic, does not mean I thought the cooking lacked finesse.

That was wahat I found strange in a way about La Régalade - it seems simple and rustic, but after all, it isn't to me. It surprised me, more then Bristol did - but of course in quite another sense then Gagnaire or Adrià could do. Since you normally take a three course menu at La Régalade, there is no way of getting from high a to high e, so to speak...

[fresh_a]

The Bristol is hardly a "surprising" restaurant...

Edited September 3, 2003 by fresh_a (log)

[paulbrussel]

The Bristol is hardly a "surprising" restaurant...

Well, GaultMillau suggests quite otherwise. Anyway, I have given elsewhere a description of the meal at Bristol's, indicating why I was disappointed.

And of course, "surprising" is perhaps a difficult term to use and very personal. I must say that I am already quite satisfied when I have one "surprising" dish (no matter in what way: prepared excellently, dish that is full of harmony) in a meal.

Being surprised almost continuously, as can happen in some Spanish restaurants, or at Pierre Gagnaire, is very rare to me.

[fresh_a]

GM probably said this around the time they started hiring young, creative chefs to change their stodgy image. Don't get me wrong, the Bristol is a great luxury hotel, but their restaurant will never be remotely cutting edge...

[mdibiaso]

Here is a warning about Gagnaire. I have eaten there 3 time the past two years. One meal was totally sublime. One of my best three meals. Totally memorable. One was very good, the other just good. The difference came first from the style of cooking. It is cutting edge and very experimental. You eat a tasting menu here, and the sublime night about 14 of the 15 dishes worked perfectly, for both the heart, the soul, the mind and the gullet (4 cylanders firing). The very good night had about 10 extremely good dishes but was not firing on all 4 cylanders for more than 5 plates. The good night had maybe 5 extremely good, 5 good and 5 misses. On two occasions the service was good but not perfect. On one occasion the service was extremely good. So Gagnaire is risky but has great rewards when it is on. Also a warning, Gagnaire is no place to drink wine, with so many different plates and so many flavors on each plate, just get some simple, young, bold wines. Nothing fancy, it is waste of money here. Ducasse and Taillevent are more traditional but also no risk in my opinion. They are always on, and have great wine. L'Ambrosie has great food that is extremely consistant and is very romantic. Wine list is expensive and limited. Food is not experimental and you there are no tasting menues available. Guy Savoy could be the place, but again it is not very experimental but the whole experience is great, if you want to be in a modern, some what unromantic atmosphere. Lucas Carton has some great wines and great services and some dishes that are always perfect (langoustine to eat with hands, lobster with vanilla, foie gras with cabbage or foie gras with exotic fruit.) but it is not experimental. The atmosphere can be very fun and romantic in a 1920's manner, ie happy not low lit candlelight. Hope this gives you some ideas (even Tour d Argent can be an option, get the duck and an very expensive bottle of burgandy and look at Notre Dame, experimental, NO. Memorable and romantic. YES