2.7 Le Relais des Buttes, 86, rue Compans in the 19th, 01.42.08.24.70, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays. Another backstory here: I awoke this morning with a craving for beef and thought seriously about going to UNICO which I had scoped out several times, but then looked at my bank account and Pudlo’s estimate and Les Echos – et voila, a new chef and owner installed at a place I (and you) have passed many times negotiating around the Buttes Chaumont and Eric Frechon’s eponymous resto.
It’s sort of near the top of the real butte and looks big. But when you enter, it’s as if you’re going into a country auberge – fancy drapery, Villeroy & Boch plates, lotsa room, playing (too loudly) best hits from the Magic Flute, with tasteless art on the wall – cats, pelicans and flowers. According to Jean Louis Galesne, the new owneresse, Eléonore Descordes, brought in an unnamed chef with experience at Villaret + le Soleil {both of which I’ve had mixed experience at/in.}
OK. Madame is all alone in the salle and for all I know he is all alone in the cuisine, which for a place that serves 30 covers, is not enough. As you may surmise, I waited (as did others, including a French woman my age, who counted out the minutes to her more decrepit and deaf husband, between courses)
- to be ushered in
- to get a menu
- to order
- to get my food
- to get the check
- to leave.
OK. I took a look at the menu and was not impressed, lots of terrines and stuff and no wines by the glass or carafe. I ordered for a first an artichoke heart with spinach on top, then an egg, covered with hollandaise sauce touched with cheese – which, while not hot, was OK.
OK. Second, I had a confit of huge, Jimmy Carter sized, rabbit with huge long potatoes and rosemary; the rabbit was dry, the potatoes – so what.
OK. What to do now? Have cheese, sounds good. But, I saw the bizarrely dressed Mme Descordes go to what looked like a frigo and pull out cheese wrapped in foil and take it into the kitchen – oh oh. But it turned out not to be Craig Claiborne’s nightmare, but very fine camembert, Pont l’Eveque and Cantal with not totally bad bread.
However, after the long waits, I passed on the coffee and paid the check – a menu for 34 and half bottle of wine = 49 €.
Go? Sorry, but they are way over their heads. They need more help, better clothes and art and some more imaginative cooking. Oh, and as my friend said "It's been boring in Paris"
Love the photo/art reviews - cannot wait to get to Paris next month! Good food opportunities too - tho I'll skip the hamburger and the buttes. thanks for the news!
Suzanne
Posted by: Suzanne | February 26, 2008 at 07:42 PM