Gerard Besson

[PaulaJ]

Scheduled for dinner here in early June.....

never been........would appreciate any

feedback.

[pirate]

Haven't eaten there for years. But Besson and his original staff are alumni of a glorious reataurant of the 60's and early 70's in Paris, Chez Garin. They have in the past had special evenings devoted to  menus based on Garin's dishes.

[PaulaJ]

The lack of feedback is making me anxious re:

this choice. Have no gastropods dined here?

[robert brown]

I can extend it to circa 1975 when he was the chef at Jamin, the stop before he opened on his own. It was very good food. Anyone tried him after?

[PaulaJ]

I enjoyed a comfortable dinner in this reputed traditional

restaurant at 5 rue Coq Heron in the 1st arr. There is a

gracious reception into this pretty room. The table napery is

an underskirt of yellow & rouge print drapped w. a maize

top cloth. The china,silver and crystal sparkle and a pillar

vase containing several pink roses graces each table. Collections

of roosters appear in various nooks and showcases and you

will feel welcome here. If language is your worry, English is spoken

--- but the staff also gracefully cooperates with all attempts to

speak French.

Service was attentive but unobtrusive, my favorite combination.

However, the sommelier was stretched thin and even his quick

movement thoughout the room did not keep my wine glass

appropriately filled.

The menu 'autour' was 96 euros. It included the seafood salad, a cod preparation followed by duck, then cheese and dessert. I chose to

order a la carte. I did select the evening's special, a seafood salad,

but clearly should have questionned its contents before ordering. In

retrospect, I probably was imagining something similar to an Italian seafood salad. This one was actually a plate that contained several seafood selections [raw tuna/without discernible spices, crab salad, langoustines in a light mayo sauce w. caviar and grilled herring. It simply was not the 'right' starter for me but there was nothing wrong with it either.

My veal chop was perfectly grilled, served w a morel sauce and

green & white asparagus. I followed this with cheeses, all in their

prime and finished my meal w. a tray of petite fours.

A pleasant evening, enjoyed....but not exactly exciting.

[cabrales]

PaulaJ -- Did you review the restaurant's dessert menu, given that you had cheese? If you did, was there a vegetable-based dessert? Note I have never visited Besson, but read snippets about him in R Olenay's "Reflexions".

[PaulaJ]

Sorry, I didn't review the dessert menu.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Here's our six-yearly update! I just went for a very perfect lunch from another time. The 56 euros is great value, all the more since you can turn it into a "formule" (meaning no dessert or no first course -- see photos of the menu) and it gets even cheaper. It is by no mean a subpar menu. One thing that is very remarkable is that it takes some guts, methinks, to offer a simple omelette in a restaurant of that class. And it was indeed great omelette, with a great depth of tastes of the mushrooms and truffles, and a very onctuous texture inside the omelette, the outside a bit dry. Another great great thing is that this guy is one of the few in town that know how to get good truffle. The ones there were clearly the best this season. Next year, but Besson on the list next to Rostang, Pacaud or Savoy if you are a truffle lover. The style of cooking is close to Bocuse, I believe: it is anchored in the tradition, classic alliances, etc, but tastes are clear and ingredients are at the forefront. It is more modern than Rostang but that's about it. That such a restaurant still exists in Paris is a major and very good surprise. Also if my co-dinner wants to talk about it, her dish of quenelles that you'll see in the pics was really really nice. It's one of those foods that is delicious when you're hungry, less interesting once you're full (and that happens in the course of meal). I would not call that a flaw -- it's real great food.

Pics here and more detail later: http://picasaweb.google.fr/jultort/GRardBesson

I can't believe I have been wanting to try this place all these years and only did it now.

[Ptipois]

Enter the co-diner.

I have very little to add to what Julot just wrote. The existence of such a genuine classical French cuisine in Paris is, in our days, surprising; it is definitely not dans l'air du temps, and that certainly explains (but does not excuse) the Michelin retrogradation from two to one star. It is what used to be called "cuisine fine", my quenelles de volaille truffées in white asparagus cream would not have been anachronic on a Parisian or Versailles table around 1750. Quite a wonder. Personally I believe there should be a little of everything on Planet Earth and I am warmly of the opinion that places like Gérard Besson's should be appreciated, and cherished.

Actually we were not the only ones of this opinion: we were warned by the waiters that the large table behind us would be "a little noisy", and its sound level remained reasonable for half of the meal, as a group of six or seven, seemingly food and pleasure-loving, Frenchmen refilled their glasses from a vintage champagne magnum. At mid-meal, though, a famous novelist and even more famous food critic-writer entered the dining room and sat down. That was when the waiters brought to the table small covered casseroles which exhaled a heavenly, truly heavenly smell of black truffle and feathered game once opened. I will never forget that smell. We asked the chef what the little birds were (too large for ortolans, too small for regular quail) — "caille de la Dombes", he said, quail from the Dombes region. The menu had been setup in advance for this very cheery, very old-fashioned-French, mostly-male party. I took it as a happy reminder that some things in France never die. The scene could have taken place in the 50s or 60s, or even earlier.

[Fibilou]

I ate there about 13 years ago while on a culinary holiday with college. M. Besson cooked for us himself. We had a terrine of foie gras and rare beef with a xeres vinaigrette; zander in brioche and caramel ice cream

It says something for his cuisine that I can still remember every nuance of the meal today, from the caramel bubbling when he made the ice cream to the unctuousness of the foie gras. And his excitement telling us about his expeditions truffle buying, and his highly secure truffle store.

Absolutely spot on, classic cuisine. I would LOVE to go back

Edited April 29, 2008 by Fibilou (log)

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Yes we can.

[Fibilou]

Yes we can.

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[julot-les-pinceaux]

Go back. It is possible. You would love to go back and it is actually possible.