French Food Guides 2007 - Chapters 1-11 - Pudlos

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides 2007 – Chapter 1

Today I had a chance to look over the first two guides to appear – the Pudlo Paris and the “big” Lebey. Here are some highlights:

From the Pudlo Paris:

Chef of the Year – Helene Darroze {I’ve already said enough about her PR abilities/spending)

Strange tables of the year – Mori Venice Bar + Aida {I know, I know}

Young chef of the year – Romain Corbière of Le Relais du Parc

Bistrot of the year – Geraud Rongier {Whaaa? Who?}

Best price/quality ratio – Hier et Aujourd’hui {Ah, at last I can agree.}

Hostest with the mostest – Catherine Delaunay at La Luna

Butcher of the year – Regalez-vous who supplies Gagnaire, Passard, Pacaud + Barbot

Baker of the year – Veronique Mauclerc in the 19th

Pastry-makers of the year – Le Pain de Sucre in the 3rd.

From M. Lebey, the following Coups de Coeur {there is no translation}:

Great places

Le Meurice

Senderens

Astrance

Le Pre Catalan

Traditional cooking

Ribouldingue

Le Cameleon

Le Comptoir

Josephine Chez Dumonet

Le Violin d’Ingres

Le Repaire de Cartouche

Le Cerisaie

La Table Lauriston

Caves Petrissans

Le Baratin

Le Chambord

Modern cooking

Ze Kitchen Galerie

Spoon

Le Chateaubriand

Avant Gout

World food

Fogon

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Interesting that Le Baratin garnered praise in the Traditional category. Can there have been that much progression in the cuisine between the last visit, writing and publication?

[pierre45]

I can't respect a guidebook that selects Helene Darroze as chef of the year.

(Pudlo)

However i have great regards for Lebey bistrot guide book as reliable and objective .

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides 2007 – Chapter 2

Saturday in Le Figaro Alexandra Michot and Francois Simon vastly simplified my job by summarizing what the food guides say this year. They asked the editors at each one, three questions:

1. What are your favorites?

2. Do you pay?

3. How often do you visit the places listed?

And the answers:

Michelin the ancestor

1. Une cuisine en ville in Dax.

2. Yes.

3. For starred places two visits a year; for others every 2-3 years.

Lebey the Dean

1. Le Chateaubriand, Violin d’Ingres + Pres d’Eugenie in Eugenie les Bains.

2. Yes {although I have it on good authority that this is not 100% accurate.}

3. Every year and the date appears in the guide.

Pudlo the notable

1. Hier & Aujourd’hui, Gorille Blanc + Sizin

2. He says he does {but implies others don’t}.

3. Every place is visited but not every year {again I have inside info that there may be long pauses between visits.)

Champerard the rascal

1. Le Crillon, Auberge des Glazicks in Plomodiern and Pic in Valence.

2. Yes.

3. Every year.

Gault Millau the {? Raymond} Poulidor

1. Caius, Christophe, l’Epuisette in Marseille and Magali & Martin in Lyon.

2. Yes, but if she (Patricia le Naour) is recognized and comp’d, she asks another staffer to revisit.

3. No, we visit a third a year.

Bottin Gourmand the peaceful

1. In Meudon l’Escarbille, le Griffonier, + Le Petit Comptoir in Angers.

2. Yes we pay the check and tip.

3. About every three years {if my math holds.}

Carnet de Route the pioneer

1. l’Atelier de Jean Luc Rabanel in Arles, l’Hostellerie Le Prieure in Lavoute Chilhac and Les Glazicks in Plomodiern.

2. We always pay but tip only 1/3rd of the time.

3. Only 42 of our listings weren’t revisited and we print the date of the visit.

Le Fooding the restless one

1. In Bermicourt la Cour de Remi, Chateaubriand + Sa Qua Na in Honfleur

2. Yes, but impossible to do.

3. {No answer because someone divided the answer to #2 into two parts and omitted that to #3}.

Moral of the story: The times they are a changin’. Gourmets have their feet on the ground and no longer want or use the old “bibles” (read the Michelin) but search the Web {That’s us folks!} and its blogs, etc., because they want what’s hot and fresh (for exemplified by Omnivore’s Carnet de Route + Le Fooding.)

Edited November 18, 2006 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

I’ve had some additional thoughts on the Figaro article after re-reading it at lunch.

First, it featured a photo of the Youpala Bisto in Saint Brieuc which was never referred to in the article.

Second, regarding paying the bill, on closer inspection, almost all the respondents made one statement about themselves (ranging from - I always pay except when I’m recognized, to - well, one time I didn’t, well, actually it only amounts to 5-10% of the time anyway) and another about their staff (ranging from - they always pay, we have it budgeted - to they pay 1/3rd of the time.) Pudlo imperially declares that it’s OK to take freebies from “les grands” but not “les petits.”

Finally, since all these guys and one woman know they’re going to be quoted in Figaro, I think one must take all the answers with a grain of salt.

PS I’d remind everyone that one restaurateur commented a few years ago to either Simon or Pudlo or Morteau that the people calling up expecting a free lunch, were invariably Anglophonic types writing for obscure (to be generous) Anglosaxon publications/websites.

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides Chapter 3 - Le Fooding

The Le Fooding Guide 2007 appeared Thursday the 23rd of November as a supplement to Liberation and had a few surprises. They grouped the 240 restos, bars, etc. in a number of categories and have nine symbols (for eating late, Sundays, expensively, etc) but give no numbers, hearts, etc. Therefore, I'll give only the ones they list as the best; that are:

Cibus

Le Pre Verre

Le Comptoir du Relais

Fogon

Ze Kitchen Galerie

l'Ami Jean

Le Chamarre

Gaya

Le Violin d'Ingres

Les Saveurs de Flora

Senderens

La Table du Lancaster

Jean

Dell'Orto

Chez Michel

Chateaubriand

Sardegna a Tavola

l'Avant Gout

Chez Lulu/l'Assiette

La Cerisaie

La Regalade

Le Beurre Noisette

Le Troquet

Astrance

Cristal Room Baccarat

Caius

l'Orenoc

Les Magnolias

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides Chapter 4 - Le Petit Lebey

The Le Petit Lebey 2007 des Bistrots Parisiens has appeared. It boasts 347 places, of which 48 are new. Their prizes went to:

Le Cameleon for best classic bistrot

Le Violin d'Ingres best modern bostrot

Le Chateaubriand best creative bistrot and

Special mention: Au Bascou + Chez Christophe

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides Chapter 5 - Pudlo Paris Bistrots & Brasseries

Yesterday I went to FNAC and there are even more new guides out. Two I did not buy were Paris bars et restaurants insolites et secrets also published in English as Secret bars and restaurants in Paris and one entitled something like Bars, Cafes and Restaurants for under 12 E. But I did get the Pudlo Paris Bistrots & Brasseries book. It features 500 places.

Their best list includes:

Le Cameleon for event of the year

La Cantine de Quentin best quality-price ratio

Le Vaudeville best welcome

Geraud best quality gastro

Au coin wine bar of the year

A l'Abordage most convivial

Aux Lyonnais best regional cuisine

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides Chapter 6 - Michelin Paris 2007

Yesterday I went to FNAC.......

Ah, full disclosure: what I didn't say was that I looked at the Michelin Paris 2007 guide and rejected it as not worth the 14.50 €. But today, in the cool light of dawn, and after reading the blurb in Metro that talked about their listing of about 50 Bib Gourmands (under 35 €) that included: Bon Accueil, Beurre Noisette, Carte Blanche, Chez Cecile, Cerisaie, Chez les Anges, Fish, Spring, Temps au Temps + Thierry Burlot and lord knows how many at 33 € (lunch AND dinner) that listed: Astier, l'Atelier des Comperes, Bastide Odeon, Bath's, Bouquinistes, Cafe Constant, Dome du Marais, l'Equitable, Et dans mon coeur...., Fables...., Ferme St Simon, Gazzetta, Louis Vins, Mediterranee, l'Oriental, Papilles, Pinxo, Terminus Nord + Villaret, I repented.

Sure it now has photos, maps and advertising that makes my 2004 edition look like parchment, but it ain't bad.

PS Anyone who wants to know what reasonably-priced places, open at least a year, I really like, can consult the above.

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides 2007 - Chapter 7 - the Guide Gantie Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur

For those wishing a book specifically focused on restaurants in Provence/Cote d'Azur, the new Guide Gantie is just out, ed. Michel Laffon, 22 E - featuring 601 restos in 193 towns. But the interesting news is that this year there is a web-version that's every bit as informative, if not more so, than that of the viaMichelin site.

[John Whiting]

My copy, on order from Amazon, has just arrived. A search doesn't bring up any mention of it, which rather surprises me, inasmuch as three of the four translators are among the luminaries of eGullet.

Since my French is, to be generous, rather on the primitive side, I'm very grateful for a pony. From what I've looked at thus far, it seems to be a translation rather than a revision. But someone in editorial should be hung, drawn, quartered and sous-vided. Who on earth made the decision to include French articles (le, la, l', les) in the alphabetization of the index? Also the prepositions a, au, aux, chez--in fact every every single word or letter that precedes the normal point of reference for alphabetization. I can't think of a single good reason for not following the logical format of the French edition. Any Anglophone who doesn't know what the French articles are will be incapable of relating the English translations of all the dishes to the French originals in the restaurant cartes.

EDIT: Since the Paris restaurant cartes change so often, I can imagine an army of long-suffering waiters having to explain over and over to non-French speakers that neither roasted sea bream from Brittany with fresh fennel and anise sauce nor grandmother-style sautéed veal kidneys happens to be on the menu today. This, of course, is not a criticism of the translators, who do not customarily make such decisions.

Further note: I see that there has already been a response while I was editing.

Edited June 13, 2007 by John Whiting (log)

[Ptipois]

None of us luminaries had anything to do with the index.

Actually in French the articles (le, la les, l') are left out of the index (and thus placed after the name, which is indexed according to the initial of its first word (for instance: Ami Jean, l' - Cagouille, La) but with Aux, À la and Chez and the like, the prepositions tend to be included in the whole name (so Chez Géraud and Aux Fins Gourmets would be indexed just like that).

However, for an English edition of that index, I am of the same mind as yours and I think the indexing should go by the first main word.

[John Whiting]

with Aux, À la and Chez and the like, the prepositions tend to be included in the whole name (so Chez Géraud and Aux Fins Gourmets would be indexed just like that).

I've noted in the past that the French edition is not always consistent. But a foolish consistency, wrote Emerson, is the hobgoblin of little minds.

P.S. Congratulations to Ptipois on reaching her epistolatory millennium! [applause]

Edited June 13, 2007 by John Whiting (log)

[Felice]

My copy, on order from Amazon, has just arrived. A search doesn't bring up any mention of it, which rather surprises me, inasmuch as three of the four translators are among the luminaries of eGullet.

Since my French is, to be generous, rather on the primitive side, I'm very grateful for a pony. From what I've looked at thus far, it seems to be a translation rather than a revision. But someone in editorial should be hung, drawn, quartered and sous-vided. Who on earth made the decision to include French articles (le, la, l', les) in the alphabetization of the index?

←

I have just received my copy as well and very much agree that restaurants should not have been indexed by le, la and l'. Thank you John for pointing this out, as I had not looked at the index yet. We will definitely let the editor know for the next edition.

And yes, it was just a translation and not a revision in any way.

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides 2007 - Chapters 8 & 9 - Le Fooding and l'Express

Courtesy of Phyllis, I have a copy of Le Fooding's 2007 Vacation Guide that lists 370 places outside Paris. It uses the same goofy ratings/designations as the November 2005 Paris Guide but is published with Nouvel Observateur, 5,95 E. A quick appraisal; it looks promising and we'll roadtest it Sunday and Monday on a quick trip to Crotoy.

l'Express has also published a guide of 200 good restos in Paris & environs by arrondissement (an interesting twist, listing say, l'Escarbille under the 16th rather than in Meudon). A look at it shows that it is quite (intelligently) selective, noting some oldies but most that are new, reasonable and popular among the locals. Another feature is their spotlighting one important food person (eg Jean Paul Hevin, Pierre Herme) in each Arr. and listing his or her favorite shops and restos. It's available from your friendly newsagent along with l'Express, l'Express styles and a map of the velo rental stations for 6,90 E (or, if one saved the coupon from A Nous Paris this week, for 4,90E).

Edited July 10, 2007 by John Talbott (log)

[John Talbott]

Courtesy of Phyllis, I have a copy of Le Fooding's 2007 Vacation Guide that lists 370 places outside Paris.  It uses the same goofy ratings/designations as the November 2005 Paris Guide but is published with Nouvel Observateur, 5,95 E.  A quick appraisal; it looks promising and we'll roadtest it Sunday and Monday on a quick trip to Crotoy.

←

Well, based on our meal at Les Tourelles in Le Crotoy, the guide was unhelpful; they need a new symbol for "avoid like the plague." I'll be posting my report ASAP.

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides 2007 - Chapter 10 - Les Meilleurs Restos a Petits Prix

“Les Meilleurs restos a petits prix,” Catherine Jarrige, Parigramme, 6 €, covers everything from unknown places (Le Bar des Amis) serving dirt-cheap full meals (10 € for example) to well-known places featuring reasonably priced specials or mains (Chartier, Pre Verre, Comptoir, Café Constant, Temps au Temps, Beurre Noisette for 12-15 €) as well as tea salons, wine bars and foreign food places.

[John Talbott]

French Food Guides 2007 - Chapter 11 - Newzy

There is a free monthly magazine, Newzy that has just published it’s first-ever not-free (3 €) Guide to 530 restaurants in (by Arrondissement) and outside Paris. So, courtesy of member paga, here are some of the highlights as tested by Jean Pleumartin, Bruno Verjus and Ingrid Astier:

For 12 treats

Seafood Bar Caviar House & Prunier for crustaceans

La Cremerie for buratta cheese

Ribouldingue for offal

Sukhothai for spicy food

La Ferrandaise for blanquette

Ebis for raviolis

l’Huiterie Regis for oysters

l’Ecallier du Bistrot for lobster/frites

Alcazar for fish & chips

Martine Lambert for “succulent” dessert

Le Timbre for Stilton

Takeo for sushi

Desserts

Le Pain du Sucre

Gerard Mulot

Pierre Herme

Sadaharu Aoki

Jean-Paul Hevin

Ble Sucre

Laurent Duchene

Arnaud Larher

L’Ecureuil

Sucre Cacao

Shopping

Joel Thibault/Marche de l’Alma vegetables

Dominique Maury for fish

Hugo Desnoyer meat

Pietrement-Lambret et Cie Foie gras and fowl

Chevres de St-Vrain/Marche de l’Alma

Bernard Antony

La Mere Richard

La Cremerie for cheese

Boutique O&CO for oil

Christophe Vasseur

Bread & Roses for bread

Gilles Manzoni for wine

Jean-Marie Theircelin for spices

Maitre Yu Hui Tseng

Kilali for teas

Francois Pralus for chocolate

Terraces and gardens

Le Moulin de la Galette

Le Diane

Laurent

L’Espadon

Georges

La Table du Lancaster

La Maison blanche

Les Ombres

Le Saut de Loup

Flora Danica

Top business places

Le Meurice

Michel Rostang

Apicius

Les saveurs de Flora

La Cuisine

Les Elysees

Le Chamarre {beware; it’s closed}

La Mediterranee

Gerard Besson

Le Chiberta

Trendy

Senderens

L’Astrance

La Pizzetta

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon

Le Chateaubriand

Unico

Le Costes

Ferdi

La Cremerie

Hotel Amour

Yummy ethnic

Mavrommatis

Fogon

Sukhothai

Mori Venice Bar

Sizin

Ebis

La Mer de Chine

Le Jasmin de Sousse

Rimal

La Petite Sirene

To eat and drink

l’Ami Jean

Le Temps au Temps

Le Bistrot Paul Bert

Beurre Noisette

Ribouldingue

La Ferrandaise

Le Comptoir du Relais

La Cerisaie

Les Papilles

Le Pre Verre

Hotel restos

Le Meurice

Le Bristol

Les Ambassadeurs

La Table du Lancaster

Le Danie

Le Cinq

Le Coster

L’Orenoc

L’Espadon

Les Elysees

”Paris by Night”

La Maison de l’Aubrac

Bofinger

Le Music Hall

Alcazar

L’Enfance de Lard

Chez Denise/La Tour Montlhery

La Poule au Pot

Feyrouz

Le Vaudeville

Wine

Le Baratin

L’Estiminet du Marche

La Cremerie

Le Verre Vole

Juveniles

Legrand Filles & Fils

Bacchus & Ariane

Le Garde Robe

Autour d’un Verre

Chapeau Melon

Best private rooms

Senderens

Apicius

Les Saveurs de Flora

Maceo

Laurent

Lasserre

La Fontaine Gaillon

Drouant

Ledoyen

Guy Savoy

Pierre Gagnaire

Au Petite Riche

Taillevent

La Chinoiserie

Tante Marguerite

Le Fouquet’s

1728

La Table du Lancaster

Michel Rostang

Le Chiberta

{P.S. Just to see what I thought of their reviews Arrondissement by Arrondissement, I looked at mine and found one trendy with a relatively new chef, one rather solid but pricey and one inexpensive, unknown and pretty new (9 months). I intend to try all three}