John Talbott's Paris

Comme Chez Maman: Our new Sunday lunch "go-to" place since Atao stopped it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love this place; they initially started by serving only double dishes - Cotes de Boeuf, Cotes de veau, Giant fish, etc. - and had the dreaded brunch on Sundays - but now have asked themselves "What would JT do?" and come back with single portions and no brunch.   Bravo folks!

All three of the four of us from the 18th ordered one of the daily entrees - the morilles in cream - OMG GTH!

Then we went on to have veal kidneys, a pot-au-feu of sea-stuff, duck with orange sauce and a "piece" of veal with teeny-tiny, delicious enoki mushrooms, all served with a huge platter of mashies - Colette deemed her duck the weakest of the lot, but I disagree - All Were Winners!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The desserts we chose were a moelleux of chocolate, a vacherin mound and a baba for which our genial wait-man, Miguel, deposed a bottle of rum which he warned was only to be used by me (ah French humor.)  Needless to say, all were quite good, indeed very good, if the truth be known as exemplary as the rest of the meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With two bottles of a very good Sancerre red, no bottled water and four coffees, our bill was 123.50 E a couple - with mind you, four vielle prunes (and they didn't know who I or our food book/cooking class/tour leader friend was/were).

Go?  The new formula works; they've got it right; GO!

Le Petit Champerret: I did fine, but others........

I brought Colette and 4 friends today to Le Petit Champerret in the 17th, a place that, on February 20th, I famously boasted might be the "Best meal/dishes of 2013" and I'll tell you what all six of us  thought right now - the other 5 had problems with a lot of food and ambiance elements but again I ate very well - but I'm getting ahead of myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We started off well, with rillettes of sardines on toasts and a bottle of the Cotes be Bordeaux I'd had before.  However, soon the resto began to fill and by 13h41 was so full and loud no one could hear anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For firsts, Chef P. had the asparagus soup with an egg, her sculptor husband had the glass of crab, guacamole and a red pepper ball on top, M. Paga had the wolf (fish not quadriped) with unidentifiable and (he said) tasteless mini-balls of something and I had a mushroom looking composition of a bone with its marrow on top and besides it on slices of potato - I thought all was well.

Then we waited, it got louder, we waited, it got louder, we started shouting, and waited, too long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then M. Rodin-manque had superb scallops with asparagus; the ladies all had veal ordered rosé (we'll come back to that) and I thought it was just fine - with asparagus; M. Paga had the confited lamb aka mutton which I, a mutton-hater, thought quite crispy and tasty as did he, a mutton-lover; and I had goat with its various organs and I thought it was about as good as it gets even though some thought the "sauce" was straight out of the Maille can and veggies not much of a much.  But returning to the veal.  As I said the ladies ordered it rosé, indeed Chef P. said rosé-rosé, and while hers was to her taste, the others were most unhappy with their over-cooked versions and on their behalf, Chef P. remonstrated and M. Castellani took two off our bill.

Only Colette had room for dessert but all shared in the brioche perdu.

With 2 1/2 wines, a Coke and two coffees the bill should have been 96.53 E a couple.

Le Verre Moutarde: Please don't go: too far, too many locals, too reasonable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend M. of SF wrote elsewhere that we shouldn't write up our favorite local restos but hold them like the Pope, in pectore; moi, a blabbermouth, I spill out everything, but in this case, none of my readers will go to the far reaches of the 17th for great food at reasonable prices anyway because when the Dudes turn to the Dudesses and say "it's at the Rue de Saussure and the Blvd Berthier", I can see their faces and hear their voices "Where?"  Good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My cousin or something like that, ordered the lettuce soup with an egg - banal sounding, eh? - anything but, luscious; I had the rillettes of pork, banal sounding, eh? - anything but, delicious; foie gras and pressed chicken, banal sounding, eh? - anything but, voluptuous.  And clever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then Cuz had the leg of lamb with tiny roasted spring (almost Noirmoutier) potatoes and the rest of us had fresh (not frozen) gambas on a squid ink suffused risotto with parmesan, all "pas mal de tout!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For dessert two of us had the world's champion French toast with thyme-flavored caramel sauce and the losers had the moelleux which paled in comparison.  Tant pis!

With two bottles of a Cotes du Rhone, no bottled water and four coffees our bill was a tad over 82 E a couple.  Go?  I implore you, no.  Stay down in the 5th or 6th or wherever.

Le Verre Moutarde in the 17th: Another interesting find off the beaten track.

 

 

 

 

 

6.6 Le Verre Moutarde, 145, rue de Saussure in the 17th, 01.42.27.35.55, closed weekends (Metro: hummm, Wagram) is hidden behind the cleaning structures that Haussmann called for every decade to cleanse Paris' face, a law that wasn't implemented until the 1960's.  However, one enters to a full salle, turning tables over as businessmen come in, have the two-course, wine and coffee formula at 13.90 E and exit.  The tables are set with mustard pots and glasses for kids circa 1940 that they either picked up for 10 cents or 10 euros apiece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We looked at both the 13.90 and 29.50 E menus and decided to try almost everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our resident sculptor had the ceviche of crevettes marinated in lime with a guacamole of avocado and mango (the chef is Columbian but has spent time under the banner of Gordon Ramsay and Joel Robuchon); and Madame, the chefesse in our party, "had" to test the formula and was very taken by the "salad" of crevettes in an artistic mound, which once warmed up a bit, were splendid; and I got a most unusual presentation of escargots with garlic cream and pepper coulis - at this point we all three knew we were in the hands of someone with vision and daring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then Madame had the very rosé duck (which they apologized for giving her a magret rather than the advertised cutlet) and was she and weren't we happy; Monsieur had a Thai Bo Bun that had enough shaved vegetables and rice noodles for a week; and I had the only clunker of the meal (because I can tell when lamb is not milk-fed but trending towards mutton) a slice of gigot with 24-hour sauce - it's my fault, I should have asked - "Pascal or not?"  But I didn't.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our desserts (shared three ways) were just as inventive and interesting as the other dishes - what was called a pain perdu with caramel but was really a new sort of innovation of the chefs and a cool young grenadine/strawberry jelly with pineapple ice cream - equally new to me and us.

We had the equivalent of almost 2 bottles of a Gamay and a Breton Cola (the sculptor had to sculpt afterwards I guess), OK bread and three coffees and our bill was 107 E or 73.34 E a couple.

Go?  My glory be, you need to ask? - between the inventive chef and our two really pleasant, almost manic owner-hosts Christophe and Mathieu, who from the cards scattered about seemed to have passed through the doors of L'Avant Gout, L'Ecole Buissonniere and L'Escargot in Puteau (two of my top meals in 2012), we had the most unexpectedly interesting meal of the year.

Le Petit Champerret in the 17th: Best meal/dishes of 2013?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.5 Le Petit Champerret, 30, rue Vernier in the 17th, (Metro: Porte de Champerret) 01.43.80.01.39, closed weekends, is a place I ate at 3-4 times in 2009 and really liked; so when I read that Gerard Castellani had brought in a new chef, Nicolas Gaulandeau, who has passed through the kitchens of Apicius, Laurent and Robuchon, my reaction was "Whoa, can it get better?"  You'll see my answer in a minute.  I entered and M. Castelllani warmly greeted me and shook my hand.  "Oh oh, he remembers me, but no, he shook everyone's hand. (But wait.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The French friend I've known the longest, coming off a broken shoulder, asked if we could eat along her subway line and it worked perfectly for us both.  The regular menu is impressive and she immediately said "I can't choose between the chicken and the scallops, which do you want?"  "Neither" said I, "I want the ruinously expensive sweetbreads and the ruinously expensive foie gras entier, I'll pay and share."  "But what shall I have?"  "Why not order both?"  I thought that was a dandy idea but she demurred.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the delicious fluffy frothy fishy amuse bouche on toast, she had a croustillant egg (perfectly round) on leeks with herring eggs on top which I loved but she thought lacked some zip and I had a lobe of foie gras sauteed and served in a fabulous "soupe" full of toasted bacon bits.  Oh my.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then she had the dish that sound most interesting, scallops with lime on a bed of veal's feet with pureed parsnip aside and I had the sweetbreads on a bed of macaroni (really overkill) with a Corsican tomato somewhere.   We were both happy folks.

Neither of us were hungry but couldn't pass up sharing a fabulous brioche perdu with cinnamon ice cream and apples which were caramelized-crispy and the extra caramel beurre sale dashed about.

With a bottle of fine Cotes de Bordeaux, no bottled water and two coffees, the bill was 121 E (but without the two priciest items could easily come in at 100 E or under.)  After we'd settled the bill M. Castellani said "You've been here before?"  "Yes, 18 months ago or so."  "I'll look forward to your review."  So despite the thousands of people who have passed through since 2009, he did recall.  Amazing.

Go?  To answer my questions about whether this was the best meal/dishes of 2013 and whether it's better now than in 2009, a resounding - Yes x2 or 3.  Only problem, which I'm sure they'll resolve before Colette comes to town, the dishes were a long time in arriving.

Les Fougeres in the 17th: This is creepy; 2013 and 2008 with different teams have similar results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.9 Les Fougeres, 10, rue Villebois-Mareuil in the 17th, 01.40.68.78.66 (Metro: Ternes), closed weekends, has just been taken over by a new chef/front-room team and I had to go since my last (3.5) meal under the old equipe in 2008 was so inconsistent (despite their fine lineage).  The prices have been bumped up sizeably (there's a 26 E 2-course almost-forced choice menu but two courses a la carte puts you in the 53-77 E stratosphere - redeeming feature, four wines of the moment at 20 E each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went with two very old friends who as best I can calculate it live more than halftime here, a quartertime in their Italian villa and the rest in Martha's Vineyard and DC.  Madame chose off the carte, starting with foie gras, langoustines and coleslaw and the men went with the "menu's" entree - a sot l'y laisse, nuts and smoked duck salad with a lobster vinaigarette which to my taste-buds was undetectable; both however, were quite good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then Madame had the sweetbreads with a nice sauce and salsifis; Monsieur the parmentier of lamb; and I the other choice on the "menu" -  the cotriade Breton with bar, salmon, cuttlefish and a really tasteless sauce.  Neither of the men's choices blew me away.

None of us had space for the 12 E desserts and so we passed straight to the coffee.  Now the bill; with 1.5 bottles of wine, no botted water, exceptional bread, good amuse-bouches and mignardises and one coffee, our bill was was 154.50 E for 3 or 103 E a couple.  Not bad for this classy a place - but wait.

Go?  Here's the tough one.  Last time I was here; granted under different management, I concluded that "there was no ‘wow moment’“.  And for me today, I felt the same way.  The foie gras, langoustines, sweetbreads and bread were good and the wine fairly priced but the acid test is "Would I bring Colette?" And I think not.

Le Petit Verdot in the 17th: Now, this is a bistrot!

 

 

 

 

 5.6 Le Petit Verdot, 9, rue Fourcroy in the 17th, 01.42.27.47.42, was and still is a bar a vins but elevated itself to a bistrot in July, even though reviews are only now trickling in.  I entered (with a reservation for 2, but my "date"'s 90+ yo Mother had been hospitalized and same age Dad required help as well; so there I was at a table for two.  Why is this important?  Because as each of about 5 couples  entered without reservations and were told it's "sit at stools at the bar or return in 1.5 hours," they looked at me with a mixture of hatred and envy.  Lesson: Reserve!

It is neat looking place, lots of hustle and bustle, table of 6 old guys telling stories, just like in a Woody Allen movie, with a blackboard menu you'll need new glasses to read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's a wine bar - right? so they ask what wine right off the bat.  OK?  A Faugares, quite nice.  Then I had the shredded beef in a ravioli with a kinda strange tasting sauce and pintade wrapped in its own skin (I used to do that with chicken 40 years ago) and chestnut puree.  Were they the best dishes I've ever had? - no; would I tell people to come here? - yes.  I'll tell you why in a minute.

With 1/2 bottle of wine, way above average bread, nice salami amuse-bouches and good coffee my bill was 41.50 E.

Go?  Yes.  How can I say that when I rated it only slightly above average (5.6)?  Because it has the bistrot feel, is packed with young and aged Parisians, has the energy of an Apple Store and the nostalgia of a place like the Bistrot d'Hubert in 1968.  And Colette will be happy with items such as the veloute Dubarry, scallops and rice pudding.

Le Cap in the 17th: But you never eat ethnic food in France John!

5.8 Le Cap, 42 blvd Periere in the 17th, 01.44.40.04.15, closed Saturday lunch, Sundays and Monday nights, Bus #53, is located where the great Clocher de Periere used to be before the brothers-in-law took off for other ventures.  So the feng shui or karma, depending on your frame of reference, was auspicious and I kinda liked the idea of eating French food prepared by a South African chef (the Cap in its name refering to the Cape of Good Horn or maybe Cape Agulhas).

In any case, the carte looks like an average French one except for a South African vinegar, wines and the special of today - the national dish - bobotjie or bobotie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I started with a spectacular dish of "risotto-type" orzo made with creamy chicken broth, coriander, curry and horseraddish with strips of dried beef and cheese on top.  What was amazing was that the flavors were intermingled and the whole was 100 times better than the parts.  Then I had the national dish, a sort of quiche/meatloaf/baked egg and hamburger casserole with bland yellow rice and warmed apricots and sliced almonds.  Quite frankly, if this was what the Boer Wars or apartheid or jailing Nelson Mandela was all about, I'd just as soon eat mush, which this sort of was, firmed-up.  In any case, dessert moved us back to French soil with a fine baba au rhum with pineapple slices and ice cream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a 1/2 bottle of Beyerskloof Pinotage wine, nice bread, good coffee and terrific little chocolate strips, my bill was 50.50 E.

Go?   Ah.  Hem.  Well.  I dunno.  Maybe, if living or working out here, have never had South African food (I have not been south of Nairobi) maybe, but it's not the destination resto that the Clocher was.

La Cuisiniere Lyonnaise in the 17th; A breath of Lyon in a cloud of French snow.

5.5 La Cuisiniere Lyonaise, 37, rue St-Ferdinand in the 17th, 01.45.74.69.20 (Metro: Argentine), closed weekends brings a breath of Lyonnaise cooking to this weird part of the 17th where there's little competition except for MBC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has the bouchon "look," the Lyon specialties and a "formule" of 2 courses for 18.50 and three for 25 E that's hard to beat.  I was tempted by the quenelles but horrified by the chunks of white chicken that went by me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It turned out that I and 50 other customers (the place was bursting at the seams) ordered it too because by 1:18 they were out.  It started with a terrine of heavily jellied veal parts which you don't want to know about, that was not much of a much until you put a little nice dressed greens on it and then it sang.  (However, I bet it would be even better if they'd served us all the promised sauce gribiche.) The boeuf bourgignon was unlike that one usually gets here, where they throw in the worst gristle and sinew of bad cuts of beef - this was high end and beautifully cooked.  (Not up to Colette's version of Julia's but OK on a dreadful afternoon weather-wise).  Finally the crepes Suzettes were quite acceptable. 

With a pot of Cotes du Rhone, coffee, fine brown but weak white bread and no bottled water - in a bouchon? - My Lord - my bill was 36.50 E.

Go?  Well, if at the Convention Center and as an alt to MBC, sure, but not worth a trip acoss town.  Noise - 83.3 dB.

Atao in the 17th: Still crazy (good) after all these years.

Atao (which means always or forever in Breton as in "Breiz Atao") not the name of its Japanese staffer is a place in the 17th that has been a reliable Sunday lunch standby for us for a long time.  From the Gavrines oyster box-top to the truck parked outside you know where the oysters are coming from and their other product sources are proudly spelled out in the menu which presents a dazzling number of options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our guests shared the platter of five whole langoustines while Colette had six decorticated ones wrapped in shaved radish with menthe poivree (as we figured out = peppermint) and I enjoyed nine of the Belles creuses No 1; none of complained!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then our male friend had a super piece of daurade royale with crisp fingerling potatoes, Madame had two generous chunks of lieu jaune with the most impressive half-circle of variously colored beets, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and squash I've ever seen and Colette and I had the shrimp sauteed in ginger and coriander - Yum to all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To terminate, we all shared crepes with butter and sugar and lemon and roasted figs with Chantilly; needless to say very, very nice.

With 2.5 bottles of Natural Muscadet, no bottled water but three coffees, our bill was 239 E or 119.50 E a couple.

Q: Go?  A: Brittany forever!