5.0 Cafe Moderne, 40 rue Notre Dame des Victoires, 2nd,01 53 40 84 10, closed Saturday noon and Sunday, menu at 30 E, a la carte 35-45, has gone through yet another transition, this by the team at Astier, importing a chef from the Crillon from the Dominique Bouchet era. The interior, which always struck me as box-car modern, remains stunning:
This remains very much a businessman's place and was full, except for one table for six which I assume they were holding for a group.
The menu was not much different in price from the carte and features three starters (rougets, petit-gris, duck and pintade) and one plat (today a tendron of veal). I liked the sound of it.
The rougets were just about the best I've ever had, fresh and beautifully sauteed in olive oil and somewhat complemented with sweet peppers and guacamole [true]. I was all set for a great meal, especially when the glass of 7 E St Emilion was so nice.
But the tendron of veal, while most ample, somehow wasn't what I wanted/needed; I know that's unfair, it's like criticizing someone for not writing the book you wanted. But this was simply not like I like it - braised with a thick black red wine sauce - but instead sat atop chopped green and red cabbage with baby carrotson top of it. And it didn't really have any kind of knock-out flavor, no matter salt and which accompaniments one used.
BTW - the service was mezzo-mezzo; fantastically friendly, extremely eager but dismayingly disorganized. Oh, and the bread was not up to what their standards should be.
With another glass of that fine St Emilion (BTW they have about 50 wines selected by 5 folks, running from 25-80 E), a coffee, no bottled water or dessert, my bill was 47.50E.
Go again? It's a cursed space and I wish him/them well, but with all the other options, I suspect not.
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