John Talbott's Paris

The Salon International d'Agriculture - 2008 version

I hadn't been in years and was unprepared for how much it has grown. Since I was there last it seems its tripled or more in size. And, that means it takes forever to go from one to another pavilion.

My faulty memory tells me that there was a big pavilion for animals and another for food, but now the animals seem scattered all over and the regional food alone occupies two immense floors of Building #7.

I was really there, not to pat the cows like M. Chirac, but to sample some of a friend's food dishes at the Cheeses of the Auvergne stand. And they were terrific, both plain cut cheese and a "Crème de Saint-Nectaire fermier, royales à la fourme d’Ambert" with a sprig of Chinese seaweed she'd brought back from China.

Of course, once there and since the Agriculture Minister had yet shown up, I cruised around a bit sampling cheese and sausage and smelling the offerings at the restaurants and stands on the periphery. A wonderful pre-lunch set of appetizers. Go next year if not this weekend.

Chateau Poivre - The un-Passard approach to vegetables.

5.4 Chateau Poivre, 145, rue du Chateau in the 14th, 01.43.22.03.68, closed Sunday, has really crept under the radar screen, except for Philippe Toinarde’s blog and a friend of mine who lives across the square, whose wife told my wife about it in the gym where they are “partners.”

Backstory: I knew I’d probably eat (true) and drink (untrue) some at the Salon d’Agriculture, this morning because one of my writer friends was dishing up some mighty fine cheese delights at the Auvergne booth, so I made a rez at a place that if it failed to measure up, would not be a total loss for the day. Much has been made about the hot food areas in town these days (Rue Paul Bert, the Marche des Batignolles, the 15th, etc.) but in this forgotten part of town things keep moving (first, M. Lapin, then Guelfeli, then (I think) the Gallo Nero, now this place.)

Just as 7Up was advertised as the UnCola, the Chateau Poivre should claim it’s the un-Passard. I’ll tell you why in a minute.

I entered after a brief walk from the Metro and realized I was staring at a familial face; we established we knew each other from Le Troquet, where ironically, another friend, Colette and I had an over-salted meal at our last visit (but more on that in a second). I was seated (I was alone in the place, with only another party of five – hummm.)

The choices are ample: on a 19 € lunch menu 3 firsts, 4 mains and 3 desserts; on the all day 26 € menu, 9 firsts, 14 mains and 7 desserts; and the firsts were mostly hot not just the usual cold terrines, etc. They provided all with a light broth of winter veggies which you could taste every bit of because it wasn’t drowned in salt.

I then had a fricassee of calamari advertised as made with basil but if I hadn’t known that I would have guessed jalapeno, parsley and light vinegar – very spicy and good. At that point I should have recalled that the chef “Papa” Alioune Gako, was Senegalese/VietNamese because this was greatly influenced stuff.

My main was rabbit bits wrapped first in green cabbage, then in pastry with a huge half cabbage in the middle of the pot. Again one could taste everything because it was neither salted nor oversalted.

I ended with a fine tarteline of apples with a caramel and cream. With coffee, wine but no bottled water = 41.40 €.

Go? For sure, despite the schlep and 2 € error in addition (in the house’s favor of course), the genuine vegetable-tasting veggies alone are worth the price of admission.

Never a dull moment in Montmartre.

Just when I think I've seen it all, I realize I haven't.

I was sitting here typing and minding my own business when I heard drums out the window. I assumed it was our boy band, the Poulbots, who march occasionally up and down the street practicing.

But no, it was the "carnival pour tous," which meant everyone from scantily clad Brazilian types to veiled women pushing pousettes. What a hoot.

Le Cercle du 17e - This place is serious and affordable; a very pleasant surprise.

5.5 Le Cercle du 17e, 5, rue Labie in the 17th, 01.45.74.22.98, closed weekends, was mentioned to me by the RFC, after much prodding for him to come up with someplace for my last open slot this week. Wow am I grateful to him.

I entered and despite the host’s greeting me in English, I didn’t take offense as I usually do, he was so nice about it. Madame was equally warm in French and immediately brought (as she did to all tables) a cool bottle of Chat. Delanoye.

The chalkboard is limited but really affordable, 3 courses for 23 € and I quickly settled on a spinach, cheese and ham quiche that was quite, quite good with a small balsamic dressed salad alongside. Then I had the grilled squid with two spicy sauces coming from opposite sides of the plate - green (parsley) and red (sesame), sitting atop a ratatouille and smashed potatoes – also very good.

Finally I had a financiere with orange and orange peel inside that was a good conclusion. The Illy coffee was ristretto, the wine a drinkable Rhone from a classic barrel and the bill = 36 €.

The crowd were all locals despite its proximity to the Palais des Congres and several of the tables seating 32 folk turned over. BTW the mousse of beets, rocket, and sliced carrots etc looked great too.

Go? Indeed, there was not one misstep, this is more than a routine bistro of the quartier.

Two shows at the Monde Arabe - The Phoenicians and Contemporary art

Wow! I'm used to going to the Monde Arabe's big show upstairs and then feel obligated to see what they've got in the basement which ranges from (I must admit) interesting Magrebian photography to so-so fabrics to real crap. Not now.

Now, admittedly, the Phoenician show upstairs is a block-buster, in my memory even better than the one in Venice at the Palazzo Grassi almost two decades ago. The sheer beauty of the sculpture and jewelry and objects is stunning.

But in the basement is a show of contemporary Arab art that really snaps your head back. There's stuff like the picture above, that could, indeed should be on Madison Avenue. Please do go, you'll be astonished.

Le Temps au Temps - You were right in 1939 Thomas Wolfe.

3.5 Le Temps au Temps, coordinates in the guidebooks. As was reported in Figaroscope last week and on eGullet a few days ago, the young couple who used to run Le Temps au Temps, has sold it to another young guy from the Sofitel le Faubourg and I went today with the RFC.

First a confession. The Rue Paul Bert, featured in the same Figaroscope article, has temptations, like the book-etc-boutique La Cocotte that has fascinating aprons, books et cetera, so of course that merited a detour.

Then enticingly across and up the street a bit is the Ecailler du Bistrot where R.W. (Johnnie) Apple’s spirit was calling me – “John, a few oysters and a coup de vin at the zinc, perhaps?” “Mais, oui,” how could I resist. So I had six #2 Utah Beach’s with some Muscadet – what a way to start!

Then, I encountered my buddy and we entered Le Temps au Temps, which looked pretty much as it had before the change in equipe, except that the gigantic clock was no longer on the left wall entering and most of the customers spoke anglais, even as a second or common language and one was a familiar eG face. The new Madame is just as welcoming and warm as her predecessor bantering with my friend throughout the meal and the menu and prices (as advertised) do indeed look much the same.

I wish I could say that the meal was as good as I remember those under l’ancien regime though.

He and I split what looked like the best stuff on the 30 € menu (but - by the way, the American couple to our right had the 3-course set menu of grilled sardines with greens, rascasse with seaweed (I think) and a dessert of agrumes, that looked pretty good).

In any case, he started with what was called raviolis of veggies and tartare of veal, which was essentially one ravioli on the bottom, and one atop a pile of minced veal and vegetables, not bad but after he noted that my “cappuccino” of escargots merited a bit more salt, which he was spot-on about, I saw him add some to his pile too. OK.

Then he had the lamb shoulder with runny polenta; to me the lamb was over-the-hill mutton and the polenta not what a French chef should attempt. Me, I had a quite nice producty portion of paleron of beef a la mode de pot au feu, but again it lacked something – horseradish or mustard – the latter of which saved the day.

Finally he had the St Nectaire, cold, as if straight from the Craig Claiborne frigo, not bad, but not the way it should/could have been presented; I, the iconographic riz au lait caramel au beurre sale, which even I, a committed rice pudding doubter, thought was nickel but he thought was over-cooked.

Two 30 € menus + one supplement of 4 € + wine + coffee = 92 €. But of course, that hardly reflects all the dough we dropped on that street today.

Go? If nearby, not as a destination.

The Hotel de Ville Photog shows - Paris in Color and as a Melting Pot.

There are currently two photography shows running at the Hotel de Ville that are big, free, different and worth visiting - one until the beginning (Le Metisse) and the other until the end (En Couleurs) of March.

First, go to the “Paris En Couleurs (from the Lumiere Brothers to Martin Parr)” one, either at 10 AM or really late in the PM any day except Sundays, otherwise you'll be waiting forever. I chose a rainy but warm day and still waited 20 minutes at 10:08 AM.

But it was well worth the wait. Because it's so popular, they only let in 5-10 persons every 5-10 minutes, so one can truly see everything clearly. It's a combo show: backlit color photos, magazine spreads, videos and traditionally mounted photographs plus a film of rare shots of Paris under the German/Nazi occupation, with blood-curdling slogans, semi-realistic pix of people going about their business "normally" and only one of a woman wearing a conspicuous Star of David.

For me there was too much attention to the riots/manifs/demos of '68 (I was here and I truly feared the CRS too) but I think '68 changed France even more than it changed America, so maybe their fixation on it is OK. On the other hand, the photos of street scenes go from nostalgic to clichés, but not one is boring. I had thought I might skip the show because I'd seen a long TV show on the photos and thought I’d seen it all, but in the flesh - so to speak - they were awesome.

Leaving, I saw a sign for a show designated "PARIS: Le Metisse," which strictly translated means crossbreeding/crossbred, but really means Paris as a melting pot, that is, for other cultures/peoples who have moved here. There was no line, it's way inside the courtyard of the City Hall (a fascinating place) and it was empty.

But it too was well worth the visit, featuring photos of all sorts of folks who now call Paris home. It's ironic that the photo they chose as the poster/icon for the show is their small copy of the Statue of Liberty which we, of course, regard as France's contribution to our welcoming immigrants into the harbor of New York, entry to America – but here it's their acknowledgement of their role in welcoming others as well. It was strangely touching to me - a double immigrant.

Le Bistrot de Robert - The RFC said it was a boring month....

4.9 Le Bistrot de Robert, 81, ave Bosquet in the 7th, 01.47.05.36.15, closed Sundays and Mondays but open Tuesdays (as opposed to what Figaroscope said/says). The RFC said it was a boring month, and it’s true, I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel, but while Rubin gave it only two hearts a month ago, that was what he gave l’Idee too, where we had a great meal yesterday - so, one hopes.

The place is the old Italian place Carmine and still bears its name on their credit card receipts, and Zagat lists it in the 07/08 edition, so…..how new can it be? In any case, it’s new-looking, the awning says wine bar/restaurant exactly as the one across the street says, and it’s huge and welcoming – to the extent that everyone yells/greats you like sushi chefs in an Aspen resto – BONJOUR!

They have a great deal; 3 courses are 24 €, 2 courses = 19 - plus there are plates of charcuterie and 2 specials (today they were a daurade royale and a filet of duck). I went for the three course “menu.”

First, I had the terrine of Robert himself, a la Camdeborde at La Regalade, which was not half bad, with standard cornichons and pickled onions but over-the-top caramelized confited onions with a taste of - could it have been figs? – terrific and with Camdeborde-type bread.

Next I had the rognons of veal with a so-so wine sauce and awful horrible mac-n-cheese, when will the French chefs give up the notion they can “do” Italian?

To top it off, I had a petit pot de chocolat with orange zests (it was actually almost a moelleux) and a side ramekin of baby orange slices in real orange juice. Delicious! This brought the meal back up into the “return” range.

The wines, right - the selection is formidable, one chooses from a double-sided rack and pays from 6 € up plus 7 € corkage, carefully explained in French and English on a card on each table (it’s two blocks from the American University – OK?).

The bill, oh yah, 39.50 € with coffee but no bottled water, not bad, eh?

Go? Hummmmhh....but it was better than expected.

Garance, Back to Boboville.

Eons ago, or at least it seems that way, the Winter Olympics were in Albertville and I went to the nearest point where I could watch the Olympic torch pass by. It was a thrilling, eye-wetting experience to watch other runners carrying what must be the most globally recognizable symbol there is and I had all I could do to keep from joining them.

And where they came by or down, was the Canal St Martin, then (in 1992) a somewhat shabby area, gone to seed since the glory days of the Hotel du Nord and the film of the same name (1938) that featured Arletty, who also played the character - Garance in Marcel Carne’s Enfants de Paradis. Now, what a difference fifteen years has made.

This last fall I went to eat at a restaurant called Garance (which I assume was named after Garance, Arletty’s role) on a weekend and was startled by the difference. Instead of grey buildings huddled over the canal, there were brightly colored boutiques lining it; instead of drab Hotels du Nord-lookalikes, there were freshly sandblasted facades; and instead of unwelcoming industrial blocks, there were welcoming paths and plants. (I’ve already written about that day in another essay called “The new hot quarter – the 10th – update,” but it deserves yet another update.)

But most changed were the citizens. Whereas along that Olympic torch route, thousands of flabby spectators watched a small bunch of fit runners go by, the afternoon a while back, there were tons of runners, skaters, bikers and poussette-pushing joggers – all fit and raring to go (Yes We Can!)

Granted it was a sunny, warm fall afternoon, not a cold, drizzly evening, but it was as thrilling as the torch parade; except that these were young mothers and fathers and their kids.

More recently*, Colette and I went, sharing equally good dishes – a tempura of squid and scallops, veal liver again, mesclun and fresh winter veggies, followed by a new digestif (for me) - Manzana Verde (green apple). I’m not sure how much more highly rated I judged Garance because of the street scene, but it certainly was by itself, very, very good grub.

The moral of the story is that today’s grubby area may be tomorrow’s hot new quartier.

*My last meal at Garance was 29 December, 2007, fully paid for.

Garance
96, quai de Jemmapes,10th, (Metro : Republique, Gare de l’Est)
T: 01.42.02.87.95

A Day at the Louvre with Van Dyck and Saint-Aubin

There are two terrific shows currently on at the Louvre, both of which deal mostly with works on paper, both of which are open until May and both of which are uncrowded.

Let's start with the older, Anthony Van Dyck, certainly known best for his individual and family portraits in full gorgeous color. Here, the Louvre is showing him as an engraver, and one sees the glory of his drawing ability in both the final black and white works and the engraved plates, a dozen or so of which are positioned below the engravings. The Louvre's collection, I learned, was acquired by Louis XIV and added to through the beneficence of the Rothschilds, bless them.

Then there's a small show of Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (1724-1780), that shows the incredible range of interest of this 18th century artist; from designer of watches to plates and vases; from painter of landscapes to harbor views; and from artist using full color to what I call the white-washed bleached-out coloration that is best shown in one of a room at the Louvre, on display during this show's run earlier this year at the Frick - which you can see on the website of the New York Observer - http://www.observer.com/2008/mus-e-du-louvre-paris-d-partement-des-arts-graphiques.