Les tables éphémères

[VivreManger]

I have been intrigued by the temporary resto phenomenon in Paris. The Arpege-veggie light in Printemps was perhaps the most praised example. I have not noticed much recent discussion. Is the ephemeral merely a summer-time fling or does it occur in other seasons? Will Printemps do their name justice and open another temporesto in the spring? Whatever happens how much of an advanced word is disseminated?

[Louisa Chu]

They're not just in Spring/Summer - nor only at Printemps. Printemps hosted a Fall restaurant ephemere with Pierre Gagnaire in 04. And Le Fooding created their first one in Winter 04 with Yves Camdeborde - post La Regalade/pre-Le Comptoir - it was a weeklong nocturnal temporary restaurant in a butcher shop. They're usually announced to the public about a month in advance.

[Felice]

There was also the Nutella café sometime last year that Louisa posted about and for the Fooding event this past December they had another restaurant éphemere with a different chef each night—Frechon, Alleno, Camdeborde, Piege, Roth. The one night I went they had open tables for Alleno, but the next night which was Camdeborde, they were completely booked.

It seems like this is a fairly new phenomena, but I could be wrong since I’ve only lived in Paris for a little more than 4 years.

[Felice]

Went to Transversal’s Restaurant Ephémère in the Grand Palais yesterday with guest chef Jean-Francois Piège of les Ambassadeurs in the Crillon hotel. When I arrived Piège and his team could be seen busily plating the cafeteria-like platters. We were given 5 dishes, four of which were based on a salade niçoise. First, an intensely flavored and refreshing niçoise sorbet, with notes of balsamic vinegar. Then a test-tube with a cool green liquid—a liquid salad of sorts. Next was a stuffed tomato, blanched, hollowed, and filled with a sliver of hard boiled egg, a black olive, a bit of roquette, and incredibly good tuna; this dish was as good as it was beautiful. After that a mason jar filled with perfectly seared tuna, chorizo sausage, roquette, shavings of parmesan. Dessert was a simple, yet delicious, fromage blanc with wild strawberries.

For the rest of the schedule, see this month’s events.

Some photos

Looking up at the restaurant

The Chef

Nicoise Sorbet

Stuffed tomato

Tuna

Dessert

Edited May 21, 2006 by Felice (log)

[fresh_a]

I'll try it later on this week..

[Daddy-A]

They're usually announced to the public about a month in advance.

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Any place one should look in particular ... or is eG as good as any? We're in Paris mid-September and are always looking for unusual experiences.

A.

[fresh_a]

Cool concepts, big chefs, but pretty pedetrian-looking dishes... were they special?

[Felice]

They're usually announced to the public about a month in advance.

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Any place one should look in particular ... or is eG as good as any? We're in Paris mid-September and are always looking for unusual experiences.

A.

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I’m not so sure there would be a better place than eGullet in the English speaking press. There wasn't much in the French press in advance either actually.

I found out about this last event after reading a blurb in A Nous Paris, which listed when the event was starting and gave a few of the chefs, but didn’t give much in the way of details. I then went to the Grand Palais a few days later for lunch and got more details.

Cool concepts, big chefs, but pretty pedetrian-looking dishes... were they special?

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I think just the fact that you have a two-star chef cooking for only 35€ is what makes it special. It's fun and accessible to all. The food was sort of picnic fare de luxe, but I wouldn’t categorize any of it as ordinary and the Nicoise sorbet, was pretty amazing.

Edited May 25, 2006 by Felice (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

...the Nicoise sorbet, was pretty amazing.

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Can you provide a little quantitative analysis for us? Taste autopsy? I'm thinking perhaps of tossing a salad nicoise in a blender and freezing the puree?

[Felice]

...the Nicoise sorbet, was pretty amazing.

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Can you provide a little quantitative analysis for us? Taste autopsy? I'm thinking perhaps of tossing a salad nicoise in a blender and freezing the puree?

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The waiter said they used something called a "Pacojet" which can be used to turn just about anything into sorbet. I didn't take any notes, but it had a balsamic vinegar taste and had fleur de sel which melted in your mouth. There may have been bacon as well, but I could be very wrong about that.

[John Talbott]

The waiter said they used something called a "Pacojet" which can be used to turn just about anything into sorbet.

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FYI there are at least two threads elsewhere on the Pacojet - here and here.

[Felice]

Bonne Maman, the French jam company, has created a ‘boutique éphémère’ in an art gallery in Montmartre which will be open until March 21. You will find their latest jams along with demonstrations by guest chefs.

Village des Abesses à Montmartre

Autour du Pot - Bonne Maman - Espace Ephémère

44, rue Lepic - 75018 PARIS

Open Wednesday- Sunday

www.autourdupot.com

[pierre45]

Bonne Maman, the French jam company, has created a ‘boutique éphémère’ in an art gallery in Montmartre which will be open until March 21.  You will find their latest jams along with demonstrations by guest chefs.

Village des Abesses à Montmartre

Autour du Pot - Bonne Maman - Espace Ephémère

44, rue Lepic - 75018 PARIS

Open Wednesday- Sunday

www.autourdupot.com

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This should be quite interesting .I love jams and Bonne maman jams have excellent rapport qualte /prix.

[Louisa Chu]

Bonne Maman, the French jam company, has created a ‘boutique éphémère’ in an art gallery in Montmartre which will be open until March 21.  You will find their latest jams along with demonstrations by guest chefs.

Village des Abesses à Montmartre

Autour du Pot - Bonne Maman - Espace Ephémère

44, rue Lepic - 75018 PARIS

Open Wednesday- Sunday

www.autourdupot.com

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Gilles Choukroun was there today.

http://www.gilleschoukroun.com/pages/articles/articles.php

Flora Mikula will be there 15 March at 13h.