8.3 MaSa, 112 ave Victor Hugo in Boulogne-Billancourt (Metro: Marcel Sembat), 01.48.25.49.20, closed weekends is just one Metro stop outside the city but it is truly in another world. If you think you've seen the name associated with a MaSa in the 17th, you're right, because Herve Rodriquez, ex-Lameloise, was at the Hotel Edmond for what seemed to be just a few heartbeats.
The interior is dazzling (as I recall the old Ducote Cuisine was when I ate a dazzling meal there in May 2008 suggesting that it could be "The next Big Thing"; it garnered and then lost a star and folded in May 2012 - there's a story there somewhere; the garden is beautiful but today a bit chilly and windy; and the carte is replete with complicated and intriguing sounding dishes which could easily drive the a la carte bill to more than 80 Euros a person, but luckily at lunch they have a 2-choice one course for 25, two for 35 and three for 42 E.
The amuse gueule was a sort of soup in which there was a luscious piece of beef, a perfectly cooked coque and another ingredient which with the tapenade looking but not tasting paste was never identified. The bread to soak it all up with was splendid. My poly-math dining partner, who'd walked 7 klicks from his flat near Sevres-Babylone ("there's a reason they call it the rue de Sevres," says he on arriving fresh as a daisy) and I both ordered the raviolis (really microtomed slices of giant ginger or gingerized beet, around decorticated crab, with asparagus, pomegranate seeds, grapefruit and dollops of avocado/yogurt yop) was exquisite and put behind me any second-wishes that I'd not ordered the heirloom tomatoes instead.
Then he, a reformed vegetarian, had the tenderist, best cooked bavette of Black Angus beef imaginable, served with a scallion, potatoes and two sauces and I (damn, lost that pix) had a wonderful perfectly cooked filet of rouget with a small hierloom tomato slice and divine eggplant puree. Wow!
My pal had a chocolate mousse with brownie like bits and a bar looking piece with a red pepper fluff; all were beyond tasty; and we both got sesame marshmallows and rum fluff with our coffees.
With a bottle of Cote Roannaise rosé, no bottled water and annoyingly inattentive service our bill was 109 E.
Go? When have you seen me give a place a 7.0, far less over an 8.0, oh right - to the Auberge des Saints Peres, Spring, Violin d'ingres, Ze and a few others. It's on Collette's "To Do" list.
From the website, "rapide et spontanée le midi,
détendue et raffinée le soir."
Do you have any idea how much "detendue et raffinée" cost at dinner? I know, I know. You're a lunch guy, but perhaps you might have had a peek at dinner format and pricing.
Posted by: Margaret Pilgrim | June 22, 2012 at 10:08 PM
Rubin said the have two menus at 48 and 68 E; I suspect the offerings are the same but they must have different menus depending.
Posted by: John Talbott | June 23, 2012 at 08:49 AM