John Talbott's Paris

Le Grand Bistrot de Breteuil in the 7th: Pretty grand I'd say.

6.0 Le Grand Bistrot de Breteuil in the 7th, 01.45.67.07.27 (Metro: Ummm Pasteur), open 7/7, is a place I have a special fondness for, since it's where Colette and I signed the power of attorney over to a dear French friend, some 22 years ago to buy our first Paris flat, some 22 years ago.  Then and now it had a "menu unique" with an apero, 3 courses, 1/2 bottle of wine and coffee for a reasonable price (today 42 E).  Why did I return?  Because every 10 years they get a face-lift and I'd read about the newest one and thought - every decade one should go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My dining partner and I have been sharing our courses 50-50 recently and it works pretty well - today we started with artichokes poivrade and rougets with chorizo - both of which had a hefty (good) kick to their sauces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we split the scallops and wild sole (which were not over-cooked and rubbery as too often happens in Paris) as well as sides of spinach and Joel Thiebault veggies (which frankly could have come from Monoprix we agreed).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 For finales we had the millefeuille and crepes, which were, rather standard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a bottle of blurry Bordeaux, incredibly bad rolls for a place that has products from celebrated sources - Thiebault/Desnoyers/Poujaran/Bordier/Cantin/etc., OK coffee and a soiled table cloth redeemed by a cool water pitcher for unbottled water, our bill ended up at 90 E.

Go?  Short answer, en famille and for good chow as reasonable prices, indeed.  My culinary-expert guest said that I must do essays on places with various price points (the 6 Paul Bert and the Bistrot de Breteuil being about the same (80-90 E) as yesterday's disaster at the Royal Turenne and places to take kids and old folks to (here) and I'll put it on my life list.

Le 122: Another pleasant albeit not blow-your-mind-out meal.

Our relatively new Paris eating friends had us pick the place today, the day after New Year's, and we went to Colette's third pick because the first two were too preoccupied with cleaning up from last night as to be up for lunch.  But le 122 is ideal place for a calm easy-to-talk at place despite the seemingly loud 80.5 dB decibel level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They have a nicely priced entree-plat for 35 and an entree-plat-dessert for 41 E and we went all whichways.  But we all started off with an amuse-bouche of pumpkin soup (what else?) and a bottle of the Henry Marionnet Les Cépages Oubliés Gamay de Bouze that the sommelier-type encouraged me to order since they were out of the Brouilly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

M. had a nice millefeuille of escargots with mushrooms of the moment and I a soup of raviolis stuffed with veal and mushrooms - equally nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then the ladies had the daurade served upon butternut squash, M. the confited pig's feet with foie gras and cepes and I had the confited pigeon on a bed of cabbage and chestnuts (very special) with a parmentier of another part of the pigeon as well as pigeon liver on toast - all forceful and good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For dessert, Colette enjoyed a moelleux of chocolate and M. had an assortment of sorbets.

Somwhere along the way, amidst very slow delivery of plates, we all decided to find a different wine for our second bottle, but when M. tried to order a beaujolais, they were out so we had a Corbieres - it was most strange that they were out of all four Beaujolais listed on the carte!  Thus, with two bottles of wine, a 6 E supplement for the pigeon, no bottled water and quite fine bread, our bill was 110 E per couple.

Garance 2012 in the 7th: A winner by any standard.

7.0 Garance 2012, 34, rue St-Dominique in the 7th, open weekdays, 01.45.55.27.56 (Metro: Invalides) is so cool outside with its gun metal sign with a splash of red, its open kitchen with a rough wood counter for about 6 customers, looking into the kitchen.  The grey stone staircase leads up to a lovely dining area with perhaps 24 covers at tables and 6 at the bar.

There is a  34 E for 3 course menu at lunch (50-60 E a la carte for dinner).  The Master of the Room, Guillaume Muller shook my hand like he truly remembered me from my last visit to L'Arpege 20 years ago and Guillaume Iskandar at the piano chatted up one of our company like he truly remembered her more recent visit, and ours, to Septime not so long ago.

 

 

 

 

They started us off with two amuse-gueules, slices of cured ham with marinated microtomed beets and tiny radishes, and a warm mini-brioche with a soft white cheese and basil-EVOO sauce.  We began with a wine that only a sommelier like Guillaume M. and I could love - named Syrah de Papa.  (Actually one of us had arrived an hour early and they plied her with a fresh tangerine juice, bottled water and white wine to keep her occupied.)

Two of us started out with the soup of mushrooms with petit roses and huge chunks of smoked farm pork and the other two had pink trout, crisp leeks and a horseraddish sauce - delicious both.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point we were inundated by what we ordered and what came with it including one dish intended for the table next to us (hey the staff has been at it only 2-3 weeks); in any case they included a lovely lotte with a "zambiglione" of beurre noisette, veal with potatoes and an anchovy paste (I didn't think they "played well together"), the pigeon special with its legs served separately and slightly later and two dishes of veggies of various fall-winter sorts and pied de porc raviolis which we treated as "family style" dishes.  Delectable.

We passed on the cheese (+11 E) and one of us had a dessert which was included but the other three could not manage shoving it down the gullet.

On the way out we all utilized the bathroom which is an astronaut's dream; the toilet seat raises on entry, there's a control panel worthy of the Mars Lander and the toilet flushes automatically.

The sound level (which Colette insists I take out of my title line) was deafening (85.5dB) at the start with the room full, but after everyone had cleared out about 3PM, we could actually talk among ourselvers.

Our bill, let's just play it safe without the hour delay and supplements and say that for a couple with two lunches, two coffees and a bottle of "Papa" one gets out only 94 E lighter.

Go?  Oh ho, you think I'm not going back soon?

Philippe Excoffier in the 7th: an interesting return visit.

As Philippe Excoffier's eponymous resto in the 7th was one of the places I tested while Colette was out of town, we returned there with another dear friend from the Bay Area today.

 

 

From the menu-carte and menu du jour we all found items that called to us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colette and our friend went with the fricasee of girolles with an egg atop while I chose the foie gras with chopped pineapple in honor of California's loss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then our friend had the confited souris of lamb (really mutton), I had what was called a gigot but turned out not to be our familiar leg of undercooked lamb but a more cooked and tightly wrapped rondelle and Colette had a canette filet - all on board were happy but not ecstatic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For finales, our friend chose the incredible cherries with vanilla ice cream while colette had the chocolate dome.

With two bottles of quite acceptable 3 Domaines Merlot, no bottled water but two coffees our bill was 165 E, thus 110 E a couple.

La Table d'Aki in the 7th: a wonderful light meal.

The Table d'Aki's chef - Akihiro Horikoshi certainly has a way with fish that was realized in all its finesse today.  The 16 places were quickly filled with a combination of American, Japanese and French customers in just about equal proportions and they had no room for two walk-ins - so one must reserve, which is easier now than several weeks ago when he was a one-man band.

The carte today at lunch was much the same as my last meal - a 1-2-1 type - with one exception.  The entry of the day was a slightly warm langoustine on the bed of slightly warmed gaspacho which was divinity itself (12 E).  (It was so good that it looked like someone in back of me had one portion for a starter and a second for her main.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last time he offered a meat and a fish plat but today it was two kinds of fish - he'll get no argument from me on that decision.  Colette and I split 50/50 the cod on a bed on smashed potatoes and chives with superb Hollandaise sauce (18 E) and a piece of turbot with caramelized big shallots (30 E) - both light but filling and most tasty.

Their dessert today consisted of 14 thin crepe slices (Colette counted them) with some whole strawberries that had been warmed in a pan with some strawberry juice. (8 E); very darn good.

With quite acceptable bread, no bottled water but a bottle of Viognier and two coffees, our bill came to 102 E.

Philippe Excoffier (not Escoffier) in the 7th: A (relatively) undiscovered find.

7.0 Philippe Excoffier, 18, rue de l'Exposition in the 7th, (Buses: #80 and 90), 01.45.51.78.08, closed Saturday noon and Sundays, opened almost a year ago but really didn't create much of a buzz then.  This is a little surprising since he trained with Guy Martin & Alain Senderens, did 10 years time at the American Embassy, and wrote a book on his recipes there.  No matter; a glowing review in the Le Monde woke me up and I went today with my longest-going French-French friend in town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While there is a 25 for 2, 29 E for 3-course "menu, the 37 E menu-carte appealed to both of us much more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She chose a "salad" of artichoke quarters, beets, limas and white truffle slices which was outstanding and my sauteed foie gras was incredibly and perfectly offset by what was called a minestrone of pineapple slices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My good old friend, pondering the fine alternatives, chose to go with the daurade with vegetables and a potato puree, a good choice, and I took the duck filets which were underdone as I like them, with my favorite tiny, slightly salted potatoes from Noirmoutier; again all exellent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We both hankered after the Dome of Chocolate and enjoyed that as well as the nummies and coffee that followed.

With a bottle and glass of red Loire, splendid crusty warm bread and no bottled water, our bill was 117 E.

Go?  Escoffier/Excoffier/whatever, the guy can cook.

The restaurant of the Orsay Museum: Always wondered what it was like, didn't you? (Pix under construction)

5.7 Restaurant Eliance Orsay, 1 Rue de la Legion d'Honneur in the 7th, (Metro: Orsay or Solferino) 01.45.49.42.33 (but don't bother, they don't take reservations), open for lunch except Monday, for dinner only on Thursday) has been here since 1900.  So what's new?   Ahhh, nothing.

Except that Figaroscope listed it as one of the most beautiful dining settings in Paris last September and featured its sister place (the Cafe Campana) pictured directly above, when it opened in November, and I thought then that one or both might merit a visit, since so many of us go to the Orsay regularly.

And indeed it was.  The "menu" is quite reasonable (16.50 E) and even a la carte is about 25-40 E.  Before coming I had cruised the Cafe Campana and while it's a nice cantine with a "Hugo"-type clock, it didn't have the 1900 look.  You know, eating with Marie Antoinette in Versailles and all that.

My dining partner and I both started with the 9 E Vichyssoise which was really different and good, and not only because I have had any in an eon.  It had a hint of some spice or herb, sorrel maybe, and morsels of savory strips at the bottom.

Then he had another starter, a terrine of foie gras and poultry and I two very adequate pieces of quite drab rouget which came alive with the bitter orange rind accompaniment.  Both dishes were served with a load of fresh spring vegetables - microtomed beets and carrots on a pumpkin puree for him and peas and pasta nuggets in broth for me.  Both were super.

He ended with a creme caramel with mango and Szechwan pepper on top that I thought was incredible.

With a bottle of Cotes du Rhone, no bottled water but two coffees, or bill was 97.10 E.

Go?  Yah, why not, especially with the Degas Nude show on til July 1st.

La Table d'Aki in the 7th: Great culinary finesse and most pleasant.

7.0 La Table d'Aki, 49, rue Vaneau in the 7th, 01.45.44.43.48, is a place set up by Akihiro Horikoshi, ex- of L'Ambrosie, where he is a one-man show; telephone-reserver, greeter, cook, waiter, sommelier, plongeur, addition-adder-upper, etc., for 16 covers. 

The place is cool, really cool, the front so minimalist that it takes X-ray vision to realize there's really a restaurant inside.  And, as the culinary tour and cooking expert of my co-dining couple said, the stark white interior is offset by purple highlights that matched my shirt, so we fit right in.

The carte is minimalist as well, one entree of the day, two mains and one dessert but a nice wine list starting at a comfortable 17 E a bottle, 5 E a glass.

The starter was an outstanding combo of St Pierre, white asparagus and a delicious citrusy/salty white sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madame had the cod with a wonderful Hollandaise sauce while the two guys had what was called the chicken in his style, a sliced breast with the same sauce as was served with the first course; but we weren't complaining, all dishes and sauces and veggies were magnificent.

He and I then finished with the apple tart which was right up to the standard set by all the other dishes that came before.

The bill after the requisite three coffees, no bottled water but two bottles of wine was 185 E; thus about 130 E a couple. 

Go?  My goodness YES! 

Le 122 in the 7th: One more warm welcome and "best dish I've ever had."

Le 122 in the 7th is another place I've scouted out for Colette and my pals downstairs between their visits and on calling for a reservation was greeted most warmly once again as we were as well at the door - no, not the door pictured, that's the Institute of Horticulture where Colette thought she might find some kindred spirits.

For amuse gueules we had a wonderful soup of intense tomato with a basil drizzle and a cupful of bread/nummies with salami slices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For entrees, Paga had the special terrine of the day, which our gracious host Farid Saidi informed us had about 4 ingredients in it including foie gras; Elan had the artichoke barigoule of artichokes (for the 2nd day in a row) which she grinned over while eating and Colette and I had the cream of watercress with lukewarm langoustines and teeny tiny clams - a superb dish if ever I had one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For mains, M. had the pigs' feet which (I think it was for the 3rd or 4th time during his current visit) he declared was the "best in his life;" Colette had the bar atop potiron cubes on a bed of Jerusalem artichoke puree; and Madame and I each had the pigeon with cabbage which was very succulent and almost as good as it/they comes/come.

For wine, I asked the assembled what region they wanted and today they voted to go Bordeaux but our host indicated we would be much happier with what actually was my original choice, a Languedoc-Rousillion, slightly chilled, for the same price, and indeed it was a perfect match.

With two bottles of that, no bottled water, great bread, no desserts (we were all too full), a double portion of Jacques Genin chocolates (two Bas Armagnacs offered as well), and 4 coffees, our bill was slightly under 112 E a couple.

Alain Milliat in the 7th: It's nice to be forced into a "forced choice" menu like this.

6.5 Alain Milliat, 159, rue de Grenelle in the 7th, 01.45.55.63.86 (Metro: Latour-Maubourg), closed Sundays and Mondays, is so understated (my S.F. eating friend said "minimalist") that one must peer at the small-font-sized lettering to ascertain that "this is the place."

At lunch it's three dishes, take it or leave it but at dinner one chooses from 2/2/2 and they will "do" vegetarian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "forced choices" today were (1) a risotto with Lardo di Colonnata and smoked eel; divine even if the rice didn't appear to be rice - (2) a bavette (not pictured), cooked almost raw enough for me (we forgot to say, they forgot to ask) with moundlets of celery puree and bean jelly; delicious - and (3) a dessert combo of coffee mousse, licorice ice, citrus wedges and deconstructed crumbles; simply first-rate.

Our bill with a bottle of Sirius Bordeaux, their filtered water (Included), pretty good bread and two coffees, was 79.40 E.

Go?  In a Jumping Jack Flash.  Especially if only to see the wall of juices and jams which it was impossible for me not to purchase one of, so beautiful were they.