Chiberta - Scoop!

[fresh_a]

I did a private visit of Chiberta today. Very modern, purist Wilmotte interior. Nice square-bar are on the right, two dining rooms on the left, with interesting, optic-lit wine storage areas in the wall-space. Private dining room in the back. The walls are all white, table furniture black. The menu is simple, and sligtly creative. Tasting menu at a very correct 60 Euros. They open tomorrow, will report when I've tried it.

[Felice]

Where is it located Fresh_A?

[John Talbott]

As I noted May 10th in the Digest:

"Savoy has just bought Chiberta on rue Arsène-Houssaye in the 8th."

[fresh_a]

When I said "scoop", I didn't mean that I had the scoop that Savoy bought Chiberta-everyone in the business has known that since April-time. I meant that I actually was the first outsider, to my knowledge, to visit, meet all the players,and get a menu, etc. I'll keep you all posted when I try it out.

Edited August 25, 2004 by fresh_a (log)

[John Talbott]

Sorry fresh_a, I didn't mean you didn't scoop; I was answering Felice. Again, apologies.

[fresh_a]

No offense taken! No need to apologize!!

[Bux]

Is it unusual for a chef to buy a restaurant that already has a star and then renovate it? Has Savoy restaffed Chiberta? I would assume not on the whole. A 60 euro tasting menu seems very gentle and lower than the old prices posted on the Michelin site. Is that for lunch, or is it the dinner menu price?

We ate in a place designed by Wilmotte is the Aveyron a few years ago. It was a slick, but comfortable space. The food was excellent too. It seems as if the young chef and his wife who had the place, no longer have control. I don't think they owned the place, I wasn't sure if they rented the hotel/restaurant or were hired to run it. It's a great pity they are no longer there. I was looking forward to returning. Of course a nice interior design is not enough for me, but it very much makes good food all that much more enjoyable.

[fresh_a]

A little update to my August 24th post.

After work that same day, after having been invited to drink a glass of champagne at Chiberta after-hours by Franck Savoy, I happily obliged. I briefly met Guy Savoy, who had been entertaining opening-day guests, and looked exhausted. I had a good talk with Franck about lots of things, and met Jean-Paul the restaurant manager, and Laurent, the chef (Guy Savoy's second at his gastro) as well as the former Chiberta chef, Eric Coiseuil (sic?). I also briefly met the other top chef, having come from Les Bouquinistes. I had a great time, a good chat with a friend I hadn't seen for awhile (Franck), and left, after having promised to come for lunch the next day.

When I arrived the next day, the decor had been considerably updated, especially with the addition of a large red canvas from Savoy's private collection, as well as paintings in the other rooms, and wine bottles filling the "daily cellar" filling both wall-spaces leading to the back dining room. Everything looked much less minimalist than I previously posted. Jean-Paul greeted me and asked where I would like to dine, at a table, or in the bar area. My decision was made much easier by the fact that Guy Savoy himself was at the bar having lunch with friends (later I discovered is one of France's most well-known gourmet critics). At this moment Franck showed up, and escorted me to a seat just across from his father, and next to the gourmet critic. I'd love to go into all of the conversation we had, on the future of gastronomy, the new Savoy gastro at Caeser's Palace, produce, truffles, cigars, Hester Blumenthal, how Thomas Keller was when he staged in his kitchen, as well as El Bulli's pastry chef, etc etc, and maybe I will in a future post.

The food, simple and creative, with not a few Savoy classics was excellent. I started with Foie Gras with Asparagus and Supreme de Volaille with a Truffled Butter Sauce, then proceded with an almost grandmotherly like cocotte of Lemon Confit Lamb Shoulder and assorted vegetables. I finished with the Fondant au Chocolat. I really enjoyed everything and would highly reccomend this establishment. It has a great atmosphere, friendly service, and a family-run attention, and pedigree. Look for a lot of buzz soon.

[Felice]

Fresh_a--could you give me an idea the price? My brother is visiting this weekend and I am trying to think of a place for Friday night which would be near his hotel and maybe this would be a good choice. It's the first night he's here though, so he'll probably be pretty exhausted. I guess it might be difficult to get a table though.

[fresh_a]

It's not cheap, but then again, top quality never is. The tasting menu is 60 Euros, drinks not included. It's more expensive than a Savoy bistro, but less expensive than the gastro. I'd probably guess 100 Euros per head, eating very well, and drinking a good wine.

[Bux]

Michelin shows a 45€ menu at lunch only and menus at 80-125€ with à la carte meals running from 100-155€. This would make the reopened Chiberta less expensive than the pre-Savoy Chiberta. Possibly these are first season prices that may prove to be a bargain by next year. I can't imagine Savoy is down grading the food and 60€ for a dinner tasting menu at a one star in Paris is inexpensive these days.

[Felice]

Many thanks for this info, I'm might try for a reservation for Saturday and will let you know.

[Le Zouave]

I was there last week, and saw the 60€ tasting menu plus the carte, of course. But I don't know where Michelin found a 100-155€ à la carte meal: the place is expensive, for sure, but not that expensive. And btw, eating at the bar is much nicer: you can even book a table, not like at l'Atelier de Robuchon! Amazing, isn't it?

[Bux]

Le Zouave, it may be that, as I suggested, Savoy has lowered the prices since he's taken over the place. It may also prove to be a move to entice new diners and we may see a rise in prices next season. It could be a good time to check the place out.

[Felice]

Okay, I have my reservation for Saturday night at Chiberta

My brother is coming for the weekend and for the other two nights I have booked the following:

Friday night we are going to Aux Lyonnaise because I wanted something somewhat traditional.

Saturday night Chiberta

Sunday night Mon Vieil Ami

I hope these are good choices as I always agonise over restaurant choices when I have visitors.

[picaman]

Sunday night Mon Vieil Ami

For what it's worth, Louisa Chu, my partner, and I (and of course Karli her dog!) ate there in early April and all, including Karli, really liked it. Details here.

Jamie

[Bux]

The menu last month was simple and slightly creative as fresh_a noted in his opening post. The large bar on the right seemed set up for dining. This seems to be the fashion in Paris following l'Atelier de Joël Robuchon. I'm not sure if it has to do with an interest in spending less time at the table, or in reducing the cost of eating great food and focusing on the product and the cooking, with less emphasis on the attendant service that usualy accompanies fine food.

As someone who comes to Paris with all the time to spend at a dining table, hastening the pace of a meal has little appeal, but as someone who loves great food and whose budget is not so great, there is some appeal in keeping cost under control. Unfortunately our meal proceeded at too fast a pace for our pleasure. At those prices and with no plans for the rest of the evening we would have rather had a more liesurely dinner. Not to say that it is super expensive. It wasn't much more expensive that the overpriced Benoit, and we found the food superior.

The butterflied and mostly boned pigeon (en crapudine) was spiced lightly with piment d'Espelette. They--we both ordered pigeon--were not only precisely cooked rosé as we requested, but were wonderful specimens with rich flavor. I'm inclined to make yet another comparison between products in Paris and those in NY, but it may not be fair as I paid 34€ for that dish and only $25 for a bird with less flavor in a NY restaurant soon after returning to NY. I enjoyed my carrot soup with langoustines very much, but Mrs. B was less fond of her oeuf mollet. A wonderful egg sat on a mushroom puree which itself had a larger base of rich dark brown meat jelly. Raw and cooked vegetables were scattered on the plate. I found a small taste of the egg, puree and jelly to be quite tasty, but I think it might work better in a small portion as a rich amuse with a quail egg.

For about 200€ for a couple of three course meal, 2 half bottles of wine, a bottle of water and 2 coffees--there was even a glass of dessert wine--we should have brought a little bit of liesurely dining with the meal, but it took off two quckly and we never got a chance to slow the pace until the main courses arrived.

I tend to examine computerized bills less closely and check only to see that the right dishes and wines were listed. When we got home, I discovered that I had missed the left column and two half bottles of the pouilly fumé were charged rather then the one I had ordered. I suspect the second one was the one requested late in the meal by the table next to us. I believe the overcharge was the result of sloppiness and base it on the rush to get diners in and out rather than intent to kite my check, but it's sloppy service either way. There was a time when a restaurant of this kind at this price wouldn't have been rushing to turn tables. It was an accident and one I could have prevented, but it also seems a sign of the lack of attention to the individual diner.

[robert brown]

There's nothing more reassuring than hearing that a famous chef is chatting it up with a famous gastronomy critic.

[victornet]

We ate at Chiberta last week. My experience was similar to Bux, though the pigeon paled in comparison to the heavenly version I had at Astrance the day before. We liked the same soup, and my terrine of Bresse hen, foie gras and artichoke was of interest, but not really intense enough even to stand up to eating with bread. The food overall was good, but not terribly imaginative. I had a tasty Jarret de Veau that was reminiscent of good bistro food (tasty, but not refined, and probably twice as much protein as desired). The place was full, and the energy was good, but the pace was not especially leisurely. The wine list was good and they were helpful with a fairly priced recommendation.

A high point was a dessert of Clementines 3 ways. Our meal was 186 euro - fairly reasonable. But still the meal did not rank with those at Astrance, Table du Robuchon (at essentially the same price), or Table du Lancaster.