John Talbott's Paris

Blah Blah in the 10th: Kinda kicky in an Au Passage sort of way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.3 Blah Blah aka Le Blah Blah, 4, Cour des Petites Ecuries in the 10th (Metro: Chateau D'Eau), 09.82.26.13.02, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, is a place my Chinese agitator friend found in her quartier that lists itself as a tapas place.  It's on the street that's apparently become "hipster heaven" at cocktail hour, across the street from Lucky Luciano and Flo.  I entered at 12 noon, 30 minutes before our reservation, because my banker had finished my transactions in record-time and it was cold as the devil outside.  When I entered, the staff were busy smoking, cleaning and toting stuff from the cellar frigos.  It's a dump, but a planned dump, like Au Passage, and the carte looked promising.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was all set to order the ceviche of cod and paleron of Wagyu beef when our charming waitress announced that at lunch there would be the following:
burrata
veal with lentils
colin with celery puree
chocolate - and that's it.  OK, that's what we had. As you can see we followed the New England Journal of Medicine's recs about the Mediterranean diet and had lots of olive oil with our burrata; then deviated a bit for the veal with wonderful lentils (she loved it all); the colin with a crisp skin and moist interior and intense chocolate dessert - really dense, intense and good.

With a bottle of Bergerac that once it breathed was quite good, no bottled water and two coffees, or bill was 59.40 E.

Go?  You know, once we got over our disappointment at the lack of tapas, it was a surprisingly good meal in a neat place at terrific prices.

Le Floreal in the 10th: A pleasant, very pleasant surprise for a Sunday lunch.

6.0 Le Floreal, 73, rue du Faubourg du Temple in the 10th (Metro: Goncourt), 01.40.18.46.79 (ignore the other numbers given), open 7/7, is a place subtitled by Pudlo as "Mes bobos chez les branchés."  Well, that's pretty much accurate.  It's been open since the summer of 2011, but I only got around to eating at it now because of various reasons, which now seem petty.  My eating partner, a sophistocated Brit, well aren't they all?, who is fazed by nothing, well aren't they all?, was awaiting me on my arrival 8 minutes late, with a Bloody Mary in hand.  OK good start.  They sat us at these lounge chairs in the First-Class area, which would have put my back out in 10-13 minutes, so I requested a switch to Economy with straight-backed chairs - ahhh, good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The menu is quite horrifying; burgers, salads and huge platters of bivalves; hummm; how to find a way out?  OK, he ordered the foie gras, which was quite nice, and I had the fried calamari, which unlike the American/Italian preparations, came out all plump, tempura-style, with a sauce that was totally French, aioli noir.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then he had the giant crab with aioli and true to my great buddy Paga's claim, he spent more calories getting it out of the shell than he digested; me, I had 1/2 a roast chicken (fine) with frites (not disgraceful, just French) and a lovely salad.

With a bottle and glass of Pays D'Oc Syrah, no bottled water or dessert and two coffees, our bill was 84.20 E.  PS the noise was at times annoying but on my handy-dandy decibel meter never exceeded 80.9.

Go?  Sunday, with the grandkids, why not; not bad chow, good vibes, cool place, neat nabe.

Le Bistro Urbain in the 10th: Everybody loves it but.........................

4.2 81.6dB Le Bistro Urbain in the 10th, (whose card reads 103 rue Faubourg St Denis but whose bldg is marked #101 and is easily confused with Le Bistro Urbane also in the 10th, where two of our invitees went on my instructions) 01.42.46.32.49, closed Sundays, has gotten super reviews and is super-priced (14.50 E for 2 course and 19 for 3 at lunch, glasses of wine starting at 3.50 E)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The place is really nice looking, has an open kitchen, a nice if blurry menu but things got off to a rough start when i learned they were out of bottles of the three least expensive red wines listed - so I ordered a 50 cl carafe of St Emilion that was quite acceptable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All three, of the five invited, who showed up, had the crisp endives on cooked leek and while the ladies loved it, I thought it so-so.  Then they had the daurade which was OK, but my duck leg was barely OK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point I gave up but cruelly pushed the ladies to order the two desserts, insisting that I would help eat them.  The chocolate cake was alright but the apple tarte did not live up to its usual reputation.

The highlight of the meal - the chalk inscriptions on the chalkboard bathroom walls and ceiling.  Our bill, with a liter and glass of wine, OK bread and three coffees was 80 E thus 53.33 E a couple - the cheapest meal of the year, but one of the ten most disappointing ones.

Go?  Maybe the big boys are right and we three little fish are dead wrong, but I'm not going back to see.

Vivant Cave in the 10th: Back to the future (i.e., La Crémerie with a hint of Racines.)

5.0 Vivant Cave, 43 Rue des Petites Ecuries in the 10th, 01.42.46.43.55, closed weekends (Metro: Poisonierre) opened September 15th and when I looked in the week before I couldn't imagine it would be up and running so soon.  But it was and is.

My friend Paga and I went today, his wife ailing, and it was probably just as well, there being much more for "boys" to eat than "girls."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since I am somewhat known to the house of Jancou, they asked what wine we wished to start off with:  Boy, no wine list, only bottles in glass cases, well; "a red eh?;" "strong or with finesse?;" "strong."  But by the way you've got one labelled "In Extremis, is it dead or just very sick?" say I, trying to be witty.  No response except "I'll bring you a taste" - PS it was actually not on its last legs or dead, it was quite alive.  Anyway, they also served the Corbieres La Sorga with a plate of incredibly fine coppa - just like Jancou did at the old long forgotten Crémerie near Metro Odeon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For firsts, Paga had an absolutely first-rate salad of tender pulpe and I the grilled artichoke quarters with carrot and raddish slices, and a fiery pepper sauce - whoa what a start.

Then we both had the stracotto, which my friend informed me, never having heard of it or at least retained a memory of such - was an italian pot roast.  Well that sounded good but I'd forgotten that the French love to cook the deuce out of beef, leaving the meat dry and tough and the sauce full of its flavor.  Yup.  But the root vegetables, which Jancou made famous at Racines, were superb with said rich juices.  To terminate we polished off a slice of what was supposed to be St Nectaire but I don't think was - it was excellant, whatever it was.

Our bill with a bottle of wine, no bottled water and two coffees was 91 E.

Plus anyone who has a not from Alain Passard in their bathroom gets extra points.

Abri in the 10th: Again a terrific meal at a terrific price despite the language barrier.

I ate a Abri in the 10th just 2-3 weeks ago and when I tried to reserve last week was told "complet, complet, complet" to the first three dates I proposed, so I said "so when do you have room for four?" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On their 22 E 4-course "menu" yah takes what yah gets which is just fine for me.  So we started with a beet and tomato salad with honey dressing and proceeded on to a soup (we think we heard and tasted) of potiron (orange) with a fluff of marron (brownish).  Delicious both.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then came the choice - fish or meat - and the three others chose the cod with yellow squash and I had an incredible piece of either cochon or sanglier (depending on what you heard the waiter say) that was incredible because the skin was almost burned, certainly blackened, with some spice or herb that made it the best skin of the decade, bar none.  Oh, and there were articoke heart slivers too.

 

 

Dessert was a round mini-clafoutis with (we think he said) vanilla ice cream.  Once again three of us enjoyed the Pompon Rouge at 15 E.

The bill, with 1.5 bottles of wine, 1 glass of rose and two espressi, was 118.40 E, thus 59.20 E a couple (sorry J. I cheated you out of 80¢).

Abri in the 10th: Yah Mick and Keith: Gimme shelter.

7.1 Abri, 92, rue du Faubourg Poissonniere in the 10th, 01.83.97.00.00, serving 22 E 4-course meals at lunch and 38.50 E 6-course ones at dinner with sandwiches and bio drinks Mondays and Saturdays, has been open 3 weeks, another one to one hand clapping, in this case Jerome Berger of A Nous Paris, who gave it a rare 4/5 dots.  This is yet one more place you can and could and do easily walk by without noticing - sign outside way up high says City Cafe Sandwich, window confusing, minimalist interior with 20 covers; oh Boy; quick retreat across the street to scope two menus in nearby places if this joint turns out to be a disaster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quick, before my two learned/sophistocated but luckily jetlagged friends show up - scan the menu and wine list: hummmm, not bad; sorriest for the blurs.  Let's see.  Already decide on my two entrees (mackerel and crab), main (veal) and dessert (chocolate) as well as red wine (Pompon Rouge from the Gard = 15 E, how bad can it be?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, no, that's not the way it works here, the only choice is the main, so be it, however, the marinated mackerel with fennil, kombu, cucumber and we three swear citronelle and the tomatoes with what we three swear we heard - pizza crust - were a marvel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then my two buddies had the lieu jaune and I the veal and I truly cannot tell you which was better they were both so good and good product and goodly undercooked and about as good as it gets.

Dessert was the chocolate heaven on earth with thick caramel sauce - perfect.

With a bottle of the red and a glass of Rose, no bottled water and only one coffee, our bill was 86.70 E for three, thus 57.80 E a couple.

Go?  My goodness Yes!  The 5 Japanese young-folks who cook and serve here have grabbed a tiger by the tail; today they turned away at least 10 people at lunch who didn't have reservations and it's only going to get worse, so book early.

Vivant in the 10th under Chef Sota: Better than ever.

7.5 Vivant, 43 Rue des Petites Ecuries in the 10th, 01.42.46.43.55, (but now taking reservations by email) has had a new chef since the rentree; one M. Sota who has passed through Troisgros, Stella Maris and Toyo on his way here and is still only 26 years old.

Vivant's vivacious host is still Pierre Jancou, he of La Cremerie, Racines (1) and soon (September 15, 2012) the new Vivant wine bar etc where he will do the more simple cooking, wine tasting and wine-selling next door.  The carte of what he calls the gastronomic original resto is now (as I recall) a bit pricier (70-100 E for three courses) but they also have a "menu" with three items off it for 45 E and 2 for 39 E.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The amuse gueule was  an amusing mixture of a raddish, tuna, I think mozzarella and a fourth item.  I chose the Talmar wine, this, a Regnie that Jancou says is his favorite drink-at-home wine.

For her first course on the "menu" she had a boudin noir wrapped in pepper with some octopus/seche type stuff and anise - very tasty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madame then had the lamb chop which looked superbly undercooked but I found a bit too chewy while the "burned" quail with microtomed fresh raw vegetables was the best quail dish I've ever had and maybe the best dish of the rentree.

Madame then finished (BTW she shared he 1st & dessert generously with me so don't feel I lost out - I just thought we should test the kitchen by having both a "menu" and a featured plat) with a chocolate x3 (a chocolate mousse, with a chocolate glaze and chocolate sauce) - first rate.

Our bill, with two of the world's best coffees (Giovanni Erbisti,) the wine, no bottled water and charming converations with Jancou thrown in, was 119E.

Go? 

Le Chaland in the 10th: Well it was a beautiful day along the Canal St Martin, why not?

4.9 (and that's being charitable) Le Chaland, 163 Quai de Valmy in the 10th, 01.40.05.18.88, open 7/7 except Monday night is a place my pal N. noticed a few months ago when flanneuring and said "It's on the Canal, it's full, not everyone there was a hipster and on a nice day it could be nice."  So me, I'm game, right?

Well, you cannot complain about the prices - 6 E for starters, 11-17 E mains and 5.50 E for desserts.  But the choices did look rather banal excepting the special main - gambas, so we ordered them - out at 12h45!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The waitlady immediately asked if we wanted some wine (it apparently being primarily a wine place) and I ordered the Talmar, a Pays d'Oc that my companion thought was if not the cat's meow, at least the cat's yelp.  And we both had a salad of terrific gesiers which were cooked perfectly, then sliced and mixed in and atop a salad of green beans, lettuce and hot-house (in August?, ah no!) tomatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then she had the tartare of salmon with frites she simply adored and I had an entrecote which was OK/standard/etc., cooked to my liking, with the fries and those dang hot-house tomatoes again.

With 2 coffees and no desserts, our bill was 46.80 E.

Go?  Nah, even on a nice day, with a nice lady, eating nice fries and drinking nice wine.

Pan in the 10th: Good products, good press, "la plus buzz."

5.5 Pan, 12, rue Martel in the 10th (Metro: Gare de l'Est), 09.52.51.63.70, closed Saturday lunch, Sundays and Mondays, was featured in today's special end-of-the-semester section of Figaroscope as the place with "la plus buzz."  It is the second restaurant of Ludivine Billaud who runs Le Look sandwicherie (pictured) across the street, where customers were lined up on the sidewalk to get in, so many that I took one took at the crystal and bronze light place across the street and marched on - but wait - that was it;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

understated, Caillebotte-like flooring, Bobo-black tables and cool pastel chairs of mixed colors.  Wow, this is it; the hot place of the month.

I had a coupage of electricite this AM d/t boosting the amperage of the power in my flat so it didn't blow whenever we turned on the toaster-oven or micro with anything else (PS there goes one semester of one grand-kids' tuition - we'll pick the loser by lot) so I had no way to reserve when the 09 number didn't answer - undaunted and driven over/down by my newly-rich electrician in his Beemer, I blundered in.

I took one look at the carte - almost all cold stuff and went with what seemed appealing and unfuckupable:

A generous portion of "gravlax", which was exquisitely fine salmon but not gravlax by the standards that I got to expect living in Denmark, but very good, mind you; just don't call it gravlax without any dill within miles;

A super-Mario-size portion of beef tartare that one mixed oneself which is probably smart down here in the deepest 10th where the local customers are unaccustomed to Worchester and spice (PPS there was so much that I spirited away my leavings for an "amburger" tonight);

A wonderful serving of super-delicious lemon ice and a not so super scoop of another iced thing; finishing with -

The best coffee I've ever had in Paris, I kid you not, made from Brazilian beans that the wait-lady told me were personally selected by some Dude, who gets the tip of my hat/cap.

With 1/2 bottle of Rose, no bottled water, great bread that'll make a nice "amburger" roll, my bill was 51.50 or 102 E a couple.

Go?  Well, it's certainly pricy for a carte of largely cold food, but since you will get to see what I really look like without a beret in the Fall version femina, if the photog's pix turn out, I'll say "why not?"

Youpi et Voila: No Yippee-ki-yay and no here there either, despite what the big boys and treasured girls say.

4.0 Youpi et Voila, 8, rue Vicq-d'Azir in the 10th, is a place that "swear to God and hope I die" was at the top of my famous "list"; raved about by the big boys and my trustworthy former co-host at a website whose name cannot be spoken, so it was a natural choice for a couple who admire her (that is, my trustworthy former co-host at a website whose name cannot be spoken) as I do.  I wandered by the place twice without seeing any identifactory markings but finally decided that like Joseph Smith said when arriving at Salt Lake City (according to one source) "This is the place."  ([Phew - talk about run-on sentences.)]

As the male part of my friendly host/couple said on perusing the carte "Well, we're not going to go broke here."  Indeed, 3 courses are 25 E, 2 = 20 and el cheapo wine is 20 E as well.  But, it's a moderately forced choice "menu," at least at lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three of us were going to order the white asparagus with a 65⁰ egg and piggy belly and Kalamata olives (sounds scrumptious no?) but I decided that was a silly waste of three tosses of the dice and went for the ceviche of black mullet with avocado cubes which was pretty good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, Madame had the line-caught (ha!) hake and M. and I the pigeoneau with (the dreaded) polenta and a ginger (could'a fooled me) sauce.  The poor pigeon I had was tough, tasteless and overcooked, oh my; Madame's fish was not 1/2-bad, however; indeed they both loved their dishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

M. for dessert had the apple crumble and Mme and I the goat cheese with crushed early strawberries and crumbled speccullos (this year's "in" dessert ingredient which I always thought was spelled speculos but can be speculoos or whatever you want apparently.)  In any case, despite the pilpul, no big deal.

With two bottles of a fine (and cheap, because I thought I was sharing payment, although in fact, even if Bill Gates were treating me, I'd order it again) Gaillac, their own bottled/filtered water and two coffees and to celebrate St Marc's Day, three marcs-of-a-sort, the bill was 156 E; however, a couple could easily have a meal plus wine and coffees here for 75 E.  Disclosure: M. picked up the check, insisting that in September, when Colette returns, we'd share.

Go?  Ah, dear Reader, against the opinions of all the other rapporteurs and my co-diners today, I cannot in good conscience (and mine is in bad shape) recommend it.  Sorry.