Michelin 2006 results for France

[pim]

Auguste High ambitions, poor execution in my experience.

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Had a small dinner at Auguste the other day. It was lovely. I had a wood pigeon that was appropriately gamy, well seasoned, and cooked perfectly rare, served with a good puree of topinambour. The wine list is really, really small for a restaurant with that kind of ambition.

It's the first meal so I don't really have a strong opinion yet. I'm going back there soon I'm sure.

[pierre45]

Auguste High ambitions, poor execution in my experience.

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Had a small dinner at Auguste the other day. It was lovely. I had a wood pigeon that was appropriately gamy, well seasoned, and cooked perfectly rare, served with a good puree of topinambour. The wine list is really, really small for a restaurant with that kind of ambition.

It's the first meal so I don't really have a strong opinion yet. I'm going back there soon I'm sure.

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As usual i seem to agree with john. There is an attempt at august to be creative.

THe chef is almost successful at some dishes, so its hit and miss. However you're not breaking the bank and the hostess was nice,so its worth a visit.

[fresh_a]

In "La Libération"'s article on the new Michelin guide rouge 2006, "La Rouge est grillé" (The red is cooked) it seems that not much has been learned from this year's intense criticism of the venerable guide. The results are as follows:

Olivier Roellinger received his long-merited third star

Joel Robuchon apparently receives four stars in total for his three restaurants in Paris and Monaco, aparently bringing a total of two for La Table, and one each for his two other Ateliers

Pierre Gagnaire gets a star for Gaya

Stella Maris gets one star

Alain Ducasse keeps Benoit's star

Alain Senderens gets two stars for his (admittedly anti-star) Senderens

Surprise comes at not awarding a third star to the Meurice's Yannick Alleno, and the Bristol's Eric Frechon. They also express surprise at Frederic Anton's (last years two to three star "espoir"), not getting another.

Edited February 6, 2006 by fresh_a (log)

[John Talbott]

Tonight on Fr 2, the news was made official 17 days after Fresh_a's report of the dailies reporting the leak.

[cigalechanta]

I read tonight that Tour Dárgent was demoted by Michelin.

[Busboy]

Th curious -- Francophonic -- can go here for the winners and losers. Click on "Télécharger le dossier de presse (pdf)" at the bottom of the screen.

Included is the list of all the starred establishments and all the changes -- it's a long release, so if you don't see what you're looking for, keep going. Glad to see some improvements in the direction of my summer vacation: two new one-stars in Nice and one in Nimes

One interesting change for those of us soon to travel there, is the inclusion of a new category of hotel, the "Maison d'hote" which appear to me to translate roughly as B&B's: owner-occupied, largely rural, 3-5 rooms and dinner around a grand table d'hote, featuring local dishes, produce from the garden and so on.

[Gifted Gourmet]

More details on this item:from the Independent UK

An unseemly food fight has broken out after France's most prestigious restaurant guide demoted one of the country's oldest, best-known and most exclusive eating places. The Michelin Guide Rouge for 2006, the annual bible of French gourmets, reduced the 424-year-old Tour d'Argent restaurant in Paris from two stars to one. The Tour d'Argent reacted furiously yesterday to the indignity of losing a second star. The restaurant, founded in 1582 on the Quai de La Tournelle, opposite Notre Dame, is celebrated for its "bloody duck", which has been on the menu since 1890. Each duck - caramelised outside and bloody inside -has been numbered. The millionth was cooked three years ago.

Have you eaten at the Tour d'Argent?

[Judith Gebhart]

Although I am disappointed that Roellinger, this mighty, most talented chef, failed to recieve three stars years ago, I am thrilled that he finally received the recognition that he so well deserves, even if belatedly. He is onle of our favorite chefs in France. Judith Gebhart

[John Talbott]

Have you eaten at the Tour d'Argent?

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Yes, in 1953, I had duck #40,986 (just kidding, I don't remember what number it was, I remember the view and the scene.)

[Gary Marshall]

Not a suprise about tour d'argent, did they wait until claude terrail died before downgrading? I can't remember when he died?

[Carlsbad]

M. Terrail was very much still alive when we went there in 2004. We also had the duck. The view was magnificent. It was an experience I don't regret, but I don't think I'd ever go back with so many more interestig choices available.

[John Talbott]

M. Terrail was very much still alive when we went there in 2004.  We also had the duck.  The view was magnificent.  It was an experience I don't regret, but I don't think I'd ever go back with so many more interestig choices available.

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Jean-Claude Ribaut, in Thursday-Friday’s Le Monde had two articles on the 2006 Michelin Red Guide. One dealt with (among other things) his surprise that the Tour d’Argent was demoted because while it is admittedly a museum, its quality, service and prices didn't merit such a "descent into hell." Apropos the discussion of M. Terrail, Ribaut says the place is still sparkling with his presence, even while the transition to his son, Andre, is underway.

However, what I consider the real news (for the budget-conscious set) is the addition of a new category; the “maisons d’hote” (eg B&B’s) noted by a red icon, of which 400 were chosen this year (see Charles' post above) in addition to the 276 reasonably-priced “Bib Hotels” and 481 “Bib Goumands,” the smiley-faced Bibendum notations for a good price-quality meal, of which 65 were new. FYI - one is in Paris - l’Ami Jean and one in Puteaux – La Table d’Alexandre.

Edited February 24, 2006 by John Talbott (log)

[Laidback]

Some Parisian things of interest to me in the new Mich. Rouge are that Chez Jean in the 9th received a star after only being a 2 forker last year, quite a feat for Bordier; also I was gratified to see 2 of my favorite bistros, l'Ami Jean and Le Mellifère get Bib Gourmand ratings.

[fresh_a]

Chez Jean has a star - wow.

Edited February 24, 2006 by fresh_a (log)

[Laidback]

Chez Jean doesn't have a star.

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I was merely reading from the "dossier de presse" that Busboy kindly linked a few posts ago in this thread. Is this inaccurate information?

Edited February 24, 2006 by Laidback (log)

[Busboy]

Chez Jean doesn't have a star.

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I was merely reading from the "dossier de presse" that Busboy kindly linked a few posts ago in this thread. Is this inaccurate information?

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Chez Jean has now had a star for about two days, it's on the "Nouvelles Etoiles" list.

***

You know, you've got to love France. In the U.S., for a chef to make the front page of a newspaper, he'd probably have to bump off his sous and the Maitre d', or poison the whole dining room. But I logged onto Midi Libre yesterday (I'm "reading" it, if you will, for practice and in advance of a trip this summer to their circulation area) and there, just below the story about the Wine-growers Convention, was a front-page story about two local chefs who'd just picked up their first Michelin stars: Olivier Douet of Le Lisita, in Nîmes, end Jérôme Nutile, chef of Le Castellas in Collias. I think I want to live in places where this stuff is front page news, from now on. Shows a nice sense of priorities, if you ask me. And now I know where to have lunch after I visit the Pont du Gard.

[fresh_a]

Then again, they did give Jamin the stars, and now it has palm trees and serves island cuisine...