Some addresses to look out for in Paris

[fresh_a]

* Alain Dutournier will be opening a new restaurant October-time

* Troisgrois will be supervising the Hotel Lancaster's new restaurant (open to all, even non-residents)

* Rumors that Christian Constant will open an annex in the Aero Club de France on the Champs Elysees

* Marius et Janette will open another restaurant rue Paul Doumer, 16eme

* Yannick Aleno will head the kicthens at the Meurice

* Gerard Depardieu has purchased Pierre, place Gaillon

* Vigato (Apicius) will open a new establishment partnered with Luc Besson

More to come...

[Louisa Chu]

Paris food news with Gerard Deparidieu and Luc Besson?! It's funny GD shops at E. Dehillerin fairly often. Also want to add that while Chef Yannick Alleno moves from the two-star Les Muses to Le Meurice that Chef Jean Francois Rouquette of the one-star Cantine de la Bourdonnais will be taking over at Les Muses - bringing along nearly his entire team - a CB friend of mine who staged with them was invited along. Rouquette is a protege of Christian Constant - of the one-star Violon d'Ingres - and I'll ask him about the rumour next time I see him - which is almost every day at his new Cafe Constant.

[Bux]

I'd be interested in hearing more about Dutournier's new restaurant. Any idea of the opening date and the type of restaurant? I'd guess a bistro with more traditional southwestern cooking.

[fresh_a]

Speaking of Constant, I forgot to mention another annex he just opened in Neuilly called "Les Paillotes", at 26 rue du Chateau, tel: 01 55 24 90 40.

Haven't heard any reports about it yet...

Concerning Dutournier's new resto, it will be opened end-September, early October time. Or so they say..

Edited September 12, 2003 by fresh_a (log)

[fresh_a]

The Cafe Constant has been getting quite a few good reviews this week in the French press. Here are a few quotes from a Figaroscope article, as translated by yours truly:

"Christian Constant was right in investing in this annex...here you find pleasure in classics such as Salad Nicoise,Oeufs Mimosa, Escalope Cordon Bleu, Filet of Beef in Peppersauce...one can also eat light fare, such as Carpaccio of Tuna-fish, Rocket Salad, Cold Salmon, Macedoine of Vegetables...It's the talent of the chef to revive such classics, too long forgotten, and to prove to us, by the quality of the dish, that they are still valid today"

Think I'll pop by tomorrow after work for a drink!

[paulbrussel]

* Alain Dutournier will be opening a new restaurant October-time

* Marius et Janette will open another restaurant rue Paul Doumer, 16eme

* Vigato (Apicius) will open a new establishment partnered with Luc Besson

Dutournier I respect more than I could have presumed since my last meal (see other thread).

Marius and Janette is more of the normal bistrot like kitchen, I think. Will its new thing be interesting?

Apicius has (at the same tour when I visited Dutournier) disappointed me in a way. Si, I am not sure whether its new restaurant will be interesting as well?

Nevertheless, (Northern) Europe seems to find its way to cheaper formulas since it is really going down in restaurant business (they all blame the €, but that seems too easy to me), I think. And it seems to work too.

[fresh_a]

Marius et Jeanette seem to be going downhill lately. A lot of my (very discerning clients) prefer to go to other establishments like Goumard and La Maree, because they find M&J's food mediocre and the service unfriendly. can't say I blame them...

As for the Vigato/Luc Besson thing, i think it'll be more along the lines of a trendy restaurant, more than a gastronomic one.

[Louisa Chu]

"Christian Constant was right in investing in this annex...here you find pleasure in classics such as Salad Nicoise,Oeufs Mimosa, Escalope Cordon Bleu, Filet of Beef in Peppersauce...one can also eat light fare, such as Carpaccio of Tuna-fish, Rocket Salad, Cold Salmon, Macedoine of Vegetables...It's the talent of the chef to revive such classics, too long forgotten, and to prove to us, by the quality of the dish, that they are still valid today"

Think I'll pop by tomorrow after work for a drink!

Well, whaddya know - a translation by fresh_a - about time! Well, what did I tell you? It's only taken Figaroscope about three months after they open to catch on? What I think is strange though is their comment that the dishes are classic, too long forgotten, and still valid today. I don't get it. I see these dishes on little no-name cafe menus every day - well as plat du jours. What gives? Do they only think it's validated because it's Christian Constant? And they didn't notice the little hole-in-the-walls have been serving the same all along?

[fresh_a]

I think that they think some basic French classics have been put along the wayside, and that the dishes have been sort of "validated" again with the great produce and touch that Constant has in his other gastronomic pursuits...then again, they did like Kong in the same issue...

[Bux]

...then again, they did like Kong in the same issue...

The word I've had is "you can miss everything there but the view over Paris." This is the old Samarataine department store resto space? The guide books all said to go for the view, but I never went.

[Louisa Chu]

Nah, Cafe Constant's the real deal. Here's what I love about the place - the guy who delivers the foie gras in the morning - to both Violon and the Cafe - stops and has coffee - and a smoke - at the bar - with a bunch of other regulars from the neighborhood. It's got such a great vibe. And I love how chef hangs out there - like our local three-star godfather.

Kong, I don't know at all - but that view up on Samaritaine is amazing.

[tighe]

...then again, they did like Kong in the same issue...

The word I've had is "you can miss everything there but the view over Paris." This is the old Samarataine department store resto space? The guide books all said to go for the view, but I never went.

On my recent trip I had pain au chocolat and coffee at the roof-top cafe at the Samaritaine. I thought it was a definitive Paris moment, not that the pastry was anything to write home about, but the view was great. A more human scale and perspective compared to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

[fresh_a]

Bux- Kong is brand new on top of the old Samaritaine building that straddles the rue du Pont Neuf, it's been renovated for the last couple of years, it is not the "Toupary" which is Samaritaines restaurant overlooking the Seine, which has been there for years. Kong is designed by Philippe Starck, and owned by Laurent Taieb of "Lo Sushi" fame. There's a "Lo Sushi II" in the basement as well. I've heard good and bad, but it is a trendy restaurant, so the food is not up to our level!

[fresh_a]

More news on the new Dutournier restaurant. Pinxo, as it is called, is a new concept restaurant located in the new Plaza paris Vendome hotel, decoration by Rochon and Bali, with an open-view kitchen and a new culinary concept called "pinxer" , which means apparently in slang, to catch something rapidly with a pinching motion.

They open this week!

9, rue d’Alger (1e), M° Tuileries. Tél. : 01.40.20.72.00

As for the Vigato/Besson vehicle, it will be located on the rue d'Artois, a couple streets behind the Champs Elysees, and apparently Luc will no longer be involved in the project. Work on the restaurant is apparently taking much longer than expected, as well.

Edited September 30, 2003 by fresh_a (log)

[Bux]

I've eaten well from Dutournier's kitchen, so Pinxo interests me. I would have guessed it was a tapas bar from the name. Apparently I would have guessed wrong, although maybe not. Any word on the type of food? Pintxo, (pincho in Spanish) is the Basque word for tapas, which in the Basque area is often a small open faced sandwich. Your expanation would describe the act of getting and eating one to a "T." The open kitchen sound so very "Atelier de Joël Robuchon" or perhaps so very American and Japanese. Let's see now, I have about 17 places a day to check for lunch.

[Bux]

Here's a comment I recently received from a friend in Paris with a significant food interest.

Funny, there seem to be a lot of "tapas"-like meals around Paris these days.

My mail went on to describe a number of places including a few I knew that are not so new, and a few that have already been mentioned here including, Darroze, Robuchon, Legrand, (the wine bar) and Kong. There was even a place that sold Spanish products, all from tins and jars with the exception of the ham. Cuisine de Bar on rue du Cherche-Midi was not mentioned, but a favorite of ours for a quick light lunch. It is positively more American or Scandinavian than Spanish, but really quite nice.

[fresh_a]

All I've heard is that the cuisine is described as being "open", which probably means that our Atelier-like ideas may be well-founded. When I get more news, I'll let you know.

[fresh_a]

Christian Constant has taken over the Auberge Papinou, in the Paris suburb of Neuilly.The decoration is French pre-war, and serves classic dishes such as escargots and giant-size steaks with homemade pomme-frites.

Auberge Papinou

6 R. du Château, Neuilly sur Seine tel: 01-55-24-90-40

[Louisa Chu]

There was even a place that sold Spanish products, all from tins and jars with the exception of the ham. Cuisine de Bar on rue du Cherche-Midi was not mentioned, but a favorite of ours for a quick light lunch. It is positively more American or Scandinavian than Spanish, but really quite nice.

Bux, the Spanish place - actually owned by a Frenchman - is Bellotta-Bellotta - in my neighborhood in the 7th - I love it. He has one more location - a little more upscale - in the 8th - and will be opening a third here in Bastille - designed by Agatha Ruiz de la Prada - the Spanish designer. He has a fourth location in Boulogne. At B-B, they start you off with a shot glass of very good gaspacho - and some bread from Poujauran next door. They serve more bread - I begrudgingly admit is very good - with a fresh salsa to spoon on. We had an assortment of the jambon - all impeccable - manchego with quince paste, and marinated squid - tender and salty.

And I meant to mention this to you before but I think the Cuisine du Bar is positively French - a slight extension of bar baguette sandwiches, washed down by a glass of house wine, finished with a slug of cafe - French fast food.

[Bux]

And I meant to mention this to you before but I think the Cuisine du Bar is positively French - a slight extension of bar baguette sandwiches, washed down by a glass of house wine, finished with a slug of cafe - French fast food.

In a way, it's a perfect amalgam of French, American (or at least NY) and Danish attitudes toward food. The one thing that struck me as "wrong" was a decidedly sweet dressing on the salad the last time we were there, which was at least a couple of years ago. Then again almost everything out of cocina nueva, Adria, Blumenthal et al seems sweet to me, so my tastebuds are falling behind the times. Come ot think of it, I never really got canard à l'orange when it was current and preferred duck braised with peas or olives.

Poujauran has some incredible bread and stuff, but the salesclerk really rubbed me the wrong way once when I tried to take a photograph in the shop. It wasn't as if she could stop me from photographing everything I bought, but she reacted as if I was an industrial spy.

[Louisa Chu]

I don't know Danish attitude about food! I can't wait to learn more now. There is that gorgeous place on the Champs-Elysees I always want to try. Salad dressing - not sweet the last few times I've been there - just a basic vinaigrette - nice little salads - last time it was laitue, frisee, radicchio, lentils, sultanas, and walnuts - and free!

You're getting me started on Poujauran! Yes, you've been initiated then! That's how they treat everyone who tries to take pictures. I first had that happen when I went with a cousin - and la vendeuse nearly came flying over across the counter. I told her very evenly that perhaps they should have a sign in the shop then - and that she should be more polite. I always warn unsuspecting people with cameras in hand on line. M. Poujauran himself is a nice guy - and again, great bread - but those vendeuses, unbelievably rude - and no, it's not normal for Paris.

[Bux]

I associate Denmark with open faced sandwiches--lunch on a slice of buttered bread. See you tomorrow.