Patricia Wells reviews La Cagouille

[menton1]

In her newspaper column today, Patricia Wells has given us a stunning review of a fabulous seafood restaurant in the 14th, La Cagouille. My mouth was watering incessantly at her descriptions of baby scallops, (pétoncles), steamed baby clams, grilled sea bass (bar) skate (raie) with a sauce gribiche, and some great salads for appetizers. I don't recall this place ever being mentioned here, has any Eg-er been there?

La Cagouille

10, place Constantin Bragusi

Paris 14.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

It's far from new. It has been mentioned several times, but, as I remember, most posts suggested that it had hit the slippery slopes of decline. Does it have new a new chef or management?

[MiguelCardoso]

Here's the review. Most of the time, I find Patricia Wells altogether too easy to please. The list of all her all-time absolute favourites seems to change every week - and get longer and longer.

My cynical bet is she'll only go back to La Cagouille in 2010 and then write another column about how she hasn't been for 6 years and what a mistake it was because the food is so tremendous. ;)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Thanks for the link, Miguel. I read her review; I reread your comments. I think you nailed it!

[John Talbott]

Yes I have been many times and, for once, did the same thing Wells did; I stopped going about six years ago when the prices got "too steep, the decor got me down," etc. One of its features was and is that it was open for Sunday lunch, but with the appearance of the Bistrot du Dome, which Wells wrote up in the IHT in the summer of 1991, and then the Bistrot Cote Mer and Vin et Maree, now practically a chain, etc. there were less expensive Sunday seafood lunch opportunities. I still remember, though, the "moules that burn your fingers."

Miguel - you're spot on; she'll be back in 2010.

[SteveW]

Thanks for the link, Miguel.  I read her review; I reread your comments.  I think you nailed it!

Maybe that's because she's friends with many of the chefs, & doesn't dine anonymously.

-Steve