4 New/Changed Restaurants

[John Talbott]

Here’s the ideal example of a secret place that illustrates that it’s OK to tell others, because no one will schlep up to the 18th to eat there. 2 pièces cuisine, 65 rue Ruisseau, 01.42.23.31.23 opened last Wednesday in a place I thought was cursed, that is, it’s seen 5 restaurants in as many years come and go, each worse than the next, and as my downstairs’ friend says, the next should have been a Karaoke bar. But it’s not, it’s an innovative French restaurant with a great young chef, a friendly attentive staff and appealing décor and art (in the 18th, I stress!) Anyway, Colette and I went Saturday night; I had a wonderful cabillaud tartare with tomato ice cream (don’t snort), a good laquered duck with agrumes and a fine nougat glacé; Colette had only an entrée of scallops in a crispy envelope, followed by a chocolate fondant. The bill was 59 E and we will be back.

And here’s a second, La Cerisaie, 70, bvd Edgar-Quintet in the 14th, 01.43.20.98.98, although it’s no secret, having been written up in Les Echos November 2003, Le Figaro in February and March of 2004 and Zurban last week in the article comparing it with the best bistros in town. And I concur; it’s terrific, it’s southwestern food at its best and it’s a gem. My wife Colette had no starter but a main of a wood pigeon with foie gras and girolles with a very dark rich sauce and intense herb flavors. Her dessert was a fondant of chocolate. The crust was a rich, crisp chocolate base for a fantastic ‘filling’. It was firm but soft enough so we could taste the sweet grains of sugar together with the intense dark chocolate; unusual and very very good. I had a warm rabbit “paté” in crust with cherries soaked in vinegar, followed by a thin lobe of sautéed foie gras with a cake of corn and ended with warm mirabelles and nougat glacé. All this plus a great Langedoc and coffee for 84.40 E, wonderful charming service by Madam (Maryse) and cooking that is as good as I’ve had for a long time. Chef Cyril Lalanne is happy here with fewer than 20 covers (which leads them to have a no smoking policy), saying that his last experience at Au Bascou convinced him small was good .

Unfortunately, our #3 special find (to at least one friend), L’Ami Marcel, 33, rue Georges-Pitard in the 15th, 01.48,56.62.06, turned out to be standard, OK food but not great. It had also been written up by both Zurban + Figaroscope by the time we showed up. We wanted so much to like it; because its chef came from Lucas-Carton, because the hosts were so welcoming, because the price was right (70 E) and because it’s so far off the beaten path. But while my terrine of canard and foie gras and Colette’s escargots were good, our mains of venison “grand veneur” had no dazzle and our desserts of chocolate fondant and warm fig were what most places turn out. We tried.

At Au Vieux Chêne, 7 rue Dahomey in the 11th, 01.43.71.67.69, however, we succeeded again, wonderfully! Colette had “cigars” of langoustines fried in Philo dough, red mullet on a bed of spinach and tomatoes and a chocolate sable and I had a plate of house charcuterie, pigeon with cabbage and a rhubarb dessert – all great and costing 97 E. I’m hardly giving the meal the space it deserves – it was a great send-off as we headed to the Gare de Lyon and Dijon.

[pierre45]

Thank you for saving me from L'ami Marcel.I was planning to go there for the same reasons you have indicated.I think i'll try la cerisaie.merci bien john