“Best Of” - Paris 2005 - Members and

[John Talbott]

“Best Of” - Paris 2005

Chapter 1 – le Figaroscope

In the Figaroscope supplement “Restaurants: Best of 2005” graciously remassed by Felice, there was this list of good places:

Alain Senderens - Restaurant of the Year, followed by:

Le Comptoir du Relais

Benoit

Gaya

Le Refectoire

La Grange-Bateliere

Cinq Mars

Ante Prima

Liza

Kai

Le XVe Cuisine Attitude

Carte Blanche

Sens par La Compagnie des Comptoirs

Aida

Samiin

Culture Biere

Hotel du Nord

Le Cou de la Girafe

Le Transversal

Yvan au Montecristo

Fogon in a special Hache Menu by Francois Simon; and also:

Auguste, Vin de Soif, Vino’s, Meating, Regis, Cave est Restaurant, le nouveau Pub St-Germain, Les Anges, Chez Isse.

Then there were interviews/reports of famous food personalities on several questions, including your favorite restaurant, your disappointment and your three favorite places – the experts were Alexandre Cammus (co-founder of “le Fooding”), Claude Lebey (of the Lebey guides), Vincent Ferniot (ex-Telematin food guy), Isabelle Giordano (writer/cineophile), Sophie Dudemaine (coauthor of “La Cuisine de Ducasse”), Julie Andrieu (food critic) and Jean-Luc Petitrenaud (l’Express.)

In order:

their favorites were l’Ami Jean, Senderens, Helene Darroze, le Bistral, l’Assiette Champignoise (in Tinqueux), Auguste, Fogon + Apicius, Mon Vieil Ami;

their disappointments were: Benoit, Savoy, Poele d’Or’s closing, Comptoir, Roellinger (in Cancale), none, none;

and their three favorites: Petit Café, Lao Lang Xang, Kai + Table de Lauriston, Josephine, Comptoir + Osteria, Au Bonheur de Chine, Pere Claude + Café Toscano, Pere Claude, Baratin + Spicy, Casa Bini, Quatre Chats + Café Armani, Massimo, Caves Miard + Café Mode, Café Constant and his home.

Edited January 12, 2006 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

Chapter 2 - Bonjour Paris

Margaret Kemp does a review of “Best Of” places for 2005 in an article in Bonjour Paris entitled: “Best of Buzz, Who is next?” She asks whether they’ll last and proposes we run to them. They include:

Senderens

O Sens

Chiberta

Dans le Noir

Les Fables de la Fontaine

l’Entredgeu

Pasco

Apicius

Dominique Bouchet

Hotel du Petit Moulin

La Table de Robuchon

Citrus Etoile.

[Felice]

Chapter 3: A Nous Paris

Here is A Nous Paris’s “Best of “ list for 2005

Mum Sabai

Le Comptoir

Maxan

Le Bistral

Louis Vins

Le Casier à Vin

La Cave est Restaurant

And what they liked from each place:

Best “plat”

« Bouillon de volaille, perles du Japon et Mousserons », Le Comptoir

« Emiette de tourteau et gaspacho au lait d’amande », Maxan

Best dessert

Camembert au lait cru, Louis Vin

Gateau chocolat, Maxam

Best wine

Anjou blanc de Jo Pithon, Louis Vin

Best « formule »

The 40 € menu at Le Comptoir

And the menus of 12€-27€ at Le Bistral

Best table

Le Comptoir (because they change the décor for breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Mum Sabai, (a table in the basement where you sit on cushions)

An element of Décor

The fresco painted on the radiator at La Cave est restaurant

The faucets in the bathroom at Mum Sabai

Clientel

The clients at Louis Vin and Le Bistral

Best Waitress

La Cave est restaurant

Mum Sabai

And finally under “a regret”

The grumpy welcome at La Cave est restaurant and the slightly rigid service at Maxan.

[John Talbott]

Chapter 4 - Nick Lauder

Nick Lauder listed among his “Best of” in 2005 in the FT, the following in France:

La Table de Mareyeur in Port Grimaud,

Le Bistro des Saveurs in Obernai and

Le Cinq.

[John Talbott]

Since no member has put his/her 10 Best Of for 2005, here are mine to start the ball rolling (not rank-ordered):

Dominique Bouchet

Goupil le Bistro

Le Comptoir evening

Casaluna

Gaya

Guifeli

Senderens

Carte Blanche

Maxan

Thierry Burlot's new menu and prices

Edited by John Talbott to refer to the correct Thierry (Burlot not Breton).

Edited January 20, 2006 by John Talbott (log)

[raisab]

1. Le Comptoir

2. Le Cerisaie

3. Le Troquet (They don't have to be new, right?)

4. Louis Vins

5. Carte Blanche

John, what is Thierry Bretons new menu and pricing? Did I miss something? I have been out of the loop a bit this past year.

[John Talbott]

1. Le Comptoir

2. Le Cerisaie

3. Le Troquet (They don't have to be new, right?)

4. Louis Vins

5. Carte Blanche

John, what is Thierry Bretons new menu and pricing? Did I miss something? I have been out of the loop a bit this past year.

←

Oh boy did I conflate the two Thierry B's. Sorry.

I meant Thierry Burlot of Thierry Burlot not Thierry Breton of Chez Michel.

I was referring to his eliminating

the forced choices (2 starters, 2 mains and 2 desserts) for 42 E......and now has a 26 E lunch formula and 32 E menu-carte

[raisab]

Oh, Thierry Burlot.

I just had a thought...You know you are a foodie when you know the names (and actually are friendly with some) chefs from half way across the world. I should start a thread on EG about this and how non-food people think I am nuts.

[John Talbott]

This weekend, Lebey's (smaller) bistrot guide named La Ferrandaise as the best bistrot of the year {my opinion; not bad, not bad at all.}