John Talbott's Paris

Paris: Capital of Photography I: the MEP and Forney

 

This month is the traditional month of photography in Paris and I sought to indulge myself. I first went to the Bibliotheque Forney for a show called “Voyage en Couleur.”

This is largely stuff from 1888-1900 and is amazingly similar; whether the Parthenon or Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, every photo has a brilliant, unclouded, blue sky backdrop. Is this the way the photographers thought these monuments should look or was the curator giving us a subtle message that the times “they are a changin’?” The show is still, despite its sameness, quite wonderful.

 

Then because I needed to burn off all that foie gras, I went to the MEP: Maison Europeene de la Photographie, where there were six, count ‘em, six, shows. Now, this is one of my favorite places in Paris and I always find things here that I like and dislike.

Today was no exception. Since my Mother could be reading this from where she is in the hereafter, I’ll start with the good. Minot and Gormezano’s photos of (supposedly) gorges, streams and paths are mysterious and foggy and evocative, a solid 10.

And Robert Combis’s fantastic compositions are his own, despite echoes of Red Grooms and Keith Haring.

The “American Dream,” whose come-on poster of one of 250 antique American post cards is that of a charming old black guy, turns out to be so stereotypic of what French intellectuals think America was like in the 1900-1930 era that I was stunned (If it were contemporary, one would assume we’re all George Bush, Bernie Madoff or Fruit Loops). Luckily, besides that of the black guy, there’s also one of immigrant bakers that’s equally touching.

Francois Rousseau’s cliches, though, whether of nude pregnant white women or black or white or in-between, tattooed or not, men and men, men and women, etc, etc, etc, are like those from the National Geographic, circa 1950, run amok.

And finally, Giorgia Floria’s work (at least here) reciprocates the stereotypic views of Africa, Southeast Asia and South America.

(Miguel Angel Rios’s AQUI is forgettable; I’ve already erased the short and long term traces).

Le Gorge Rouge: “We call it a train wreck.” (4 for the food; 0 for its delivery.)

 

2.0 Le Gorge Rouge (neat name eh?), 8, Rue St Paul in the 4th, 01.48.04.75.89, open 7/7, was my “Plan B”, “fall-back” place when the Villa Pereire, whose pubs and website said was open Saturday lunch, was definitely not. So I made it from the extreme Northwest of Paris to the full Marais in 30 minutes (no cheating by running either.)

I entered to a mixed-age crowd – two octogenarians and five Gen X’ers – and the welcome was most welcoming. Nice place. Nice full menu (despite its advertising itself as a wine bar). Nice setting. Everything cool cool, calm calm, zen zen.

Despite my inclination to order the foie gras crème brulee, Choukroun’s signature dish that I missed yesterday, I decided that if my cardiologist ever found out that I’d had foie gras twice in one meal, he’d fire me, so I opted for the geezers. By this I mean the microtomed gizzards, cooked to a wonderful crisp and with a sauce deglazed with raspberry vinegar, along with a salad and chives and finished off with ground baies roses (pink peppercorns) – quite wonderful.

I was then sitting with my wonderful wine reading today’s Figaro and anticipating my “Perigord hamburger.” And I sat, and sat, and sat, and sat….well you get the idea, like the airlines that never tell you what’s wrong and how long it’ll take to fix it, I sat there, raising my eyebrows occasionally at the waitress, and sat.

Now, luckily, Le Figaro today was really chock-a-block full of information, and my wine already poured in a carafe was like that of Jesus serving loaves and fish to 5,000, it lasted forever. Then I started to compose an essay on “When do you walk out,” and ask for the check (no one else had been served for 20 minutes either, and we were a total of 14 in a place seating 26) – when the “hamburger” appeared.

The bun was actually pretty good, indeed, when I tried to eat the confit of duck, cepes and foie gras separately – it didn’t work and I went back to the “burger” approach, Dr. Barry Sears be damned! The potatoes and salad alongside went barely tasted but mainly untouched – I just wanted out.

Afraid I would be there forever, I ordered a coffee serre (Illy) and the check - and my wonderful waitress said (for the third time) how was it? Now, my wife, friends and puzzlingly loyal readers know I’m a coward and always say, ”OK,” “excellent,” “thank you” or some such, but never the truth.

However, today was a life-changing moment and I said – “Well, the food was quite good, when it came, but the time I waited was not.” Did I get struck with a thunder bolt? No. Did she spit in my soup? No. Did she tell the chef? Certainly not. But she did offer me a digestif. Did the “Prune” repair all? No. But I was at least a bit mellower.

My bill = 61 € (in fairness, they do have a three-course forced choice menu for an astounding 13.50 E and a plate of charcuterie with a glass of wine for 15 E and the foie gras etc., I had, did cost more than the average dish.)

Ah, the “train wreck” reference. I once asked my buddy, the cellist in a major symphony orchestra, what the deuce had happened in the second movement of a symphony the night before and he said – oh, you mean the “train wreck?”

Go? To the worst price-quality place of the calendar year?

de Chiraco, Durham and Heroes at the Musee d'Art Moderne.......

 

The Giorgio de Chirico exhibition at the Musee d'Art Moderne etc., is "the" show to see this season in Paris.  One (read I) thinks one has seen it all but this show contains early portraits, his middle "classic" figures and architectural paintings, later fantastic stuff and final works that are Silicon Valleyesque.  A lot of paintings come from private collections all over and there are a series of self portraits, as he ages, that give added dimension to the art.  His directness, fantasy-world and bizarre juxtapositions rival those of Magritte and Dali and I suspect drive "classic' art historians nuts by his gentle mockery of proportion, political correctness and perspective.  I also have a hunch people either love or loathe him and I love him all the more after this show.

American Jimmie Durham is another matter.  Born when de Chiraco was hitting his stride, Durham's work, as displayed here, starts and ends with a crashed airplane and in between is the sort of stuff the Whitney Biennale loves (wood blocks standing and Total oil cans piled up - it's just missing felt on the walls and slate on the floor).

As for the third show, We Could Be Heroes Just For One Day.  Have you noticed the newspapers rarely review a second billed show and never the third?  Why?  I'm sure the answer will come to you if you think hard.  Anyway, since I'll never be a hero, it doesn't even apply to me.

MBC: Gilles is back and I hope for good.

 

7.0 MBC, 4, rue du Debarcadere in the 17th, 01.45.72.22.55, closed Saturday noon and Sundays. Well, where to start? At the end, of course – Gilles Choukroun is back to his old level achieved at the Café des Delices and before that the La Truie Qui File in Chartres and come in from the cold of “consulting/overseeing” at the Angl’Opera, Café Very + MiniPalais, plus other ephemeral gigs.

He’s at the piano, at least in the evening, and the results are the old standard (for him). My charming eGullet co-host and I went for lunch today and did very well.

I was first struck by the stark new décor and the badly placed column that blocks easy entry into the door but that was soon forgotten. The amuse bouche was classic Choukroun, heavy on flavors, spice, baie/peppercorns, etc. although containing dried tomatoes and olives.

My first was a divine creamy lentil soup with chunks of dry sausage and Madame had his divine signature MBC (here mint, basil and coriander rather than mango, basil and coriander as it was at the Café Very) wrapped up in foie gras.

Then she had 3 divine scallops (simply perfect product) with the most unexpected contrast – boudin noir and mashed potatoes while I had a divine dish of sliced grilled eggplant covered with a mixture of spices, sardines, nuts, chickpeas and herbs, topped off with a pork filet. (PS It was so much I couldn't finish it.)

For dessert my partner had a citrus “soup”, was it on ice cream or cold yogurt?, anyway, divine. The bread rolls were excellent, the wine reasonable, the coffee good and the bathroom the best of the year.

Our bill = 108 €.

Go? Finally a place I can take Colette to.

Bonus to my loyl readers; what would Paris be without the CGT in heat?

 

Le Bistrot de l'Entrecote in the 17th: I thought I "gotta have it."

 

Is this a cool looking place or what?

5.0 Le Bistrot de l'Entrecote, 10 pl du Marechal Juin in the 17th, 01.46.22.01.22, open 7/7 is the 10th such like named (according to the Pages Blanches) not counting Miami and Geneva, rivaling the number of Original Ray's Pizza joints in Manhattan.  But, but, but, it's different. 

The standard formula is a red awning with "gold" lettering, a rigidly fixed "menu" where one is asked "How do you want it," thas it.  I know, I've eaten in three, in as many months.

Why did I go?  Well, after leaving Paris three weeks ago (in the slush and bone-chilling cold) on my Grand Tour of Switzerland, Northern Italy and the Mid-Atlantic, I arrived this morning (in bone-chilling cold) thinking only of Spike Lee - I "Gotta Have It" - it being French beef.  Now why French beef is different is the subject of another essay, but it's definitely different from Colorado beef or Kobe beef, etc.

So I'd read of this place opening a coupla weeks ago and while the esteemed Emmanuel Rubin gave it only 1/5 hearts, it sounded like his rating was due to his having ordered a "pathetic" squid fricassee and "sad" pot au feu, which was not what I craved, nor what they "do."

The place is really newish looking and the walls are covered with faux-bookshelves, reminding me of a place on the Upper West Side in the 1970's called the Library, most memorable for the waiter who asked Colette, not me, to taste the wine.  This location, though, is really trendy and while tables are jammed and full (economic crisis?), it's not cramped.

They do have the famous 25 E formula, but not of a salad and an entrecote (a downer for me, that's what I wanna'd), but a salad with nuts on top (yuck) and steak tartare with frites.  So to the carte.

I started with a most excellent salmon mousse and even better bread crisps.  Then I had the entrecote (ordered blue, delivered rare) with a gelatinous looking bowl of Bearnaise which despite its appearance was spectacular and frites that were, well, Paris frites - somehow the frites god jumped from Belgium to the US of A, bypassing France.

Then, since I had a lot of Ronan wine (it's a Bordeaux, I didn't recall its origin, either) left, I had a plate of Ossau-Iraty which was (gasp) room-temperature with an incredible cherry confiture.  My, oh my.

My bill, without bottled water (nor did many others, that's a sign of the times!) but with coffee, my bill was 45.50 E.

Go?  It scratched the itch, what more does one want?

 

You can’t eat badly in (fill in the blank).

I’m one of those anti-“glass half-full half-empty” folks who can never decide: is the world full of great food joints or disappointing places? Am I an optimist or a pessimist?

I hear and read of people, who, exhausted after “doing” a morning at the Louvre “fall upon” a fabulous place nearby: not me, I plot and plan meals and Plan B’s far in advance, nothing is left to chance.

Or I hear from folks who in Italy “chance” upon this unknown place that was astounding; not me, well, seldom me.

Tonight, or at least the night that this was written, I went to a place in Italy, recommended to me by a guy (who lives part-time here,) that I’ve eaten with maybe 20 times and with whom I think I almost always agree. And it was horrid.

The tempura of scampi’s batter was not burned but had a burned-taste. An accompanying salad’s dressing was tart and after one taste, unapproachable.

Risotto – OK, I wasn’t in Risotto-land – but with seafood that was expensive, it should have been great. Nope! Rice so undercooked it wasn’t al dente but al raw-way. Seafood one had to pick out of the risotto, like a Coney Island grabber claw.

Wine OK, water OK; but are wine and water why we come?

So, henceforth, when my numerous advisors tell me – “you can’t eat badly here” – I’ll beware.

John's Top Ten or so - February 2009

Golden Oldies:
Les Magnolias
Ze Kitchen Galerie
Spring last days
Le Repaire de Cartouche
Christian Constant x3

Relative Newbies:
Afaria
l'Agassin
Le Clocher Pereire
l'Ecallier du Bistrot
L’Entêtée
La Cantine du Troquet
Le Jeu de Quilles

For Sunday lunch:
Lao Lane Xang 2

Reviews of reviews - The Week of February 16th, 2009

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed the pizza/etc Alice Pizza, in the 18th.

Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard as well gave 3/5 to Alice Pizza while Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to Barbezingue coordinates given before, serving Eric Ospital’s ham, lobster soup, veal breast and chocolate quenelles in a table d’hote type setting.

Tuesday in l’Express, Francois Regis Gaudry picked as his resto of the week, the refreshed La Maree, coordinates in the guidebooks, where the menus are 29 and 35 € and a la carte is about 50 € for shellfish stew, pollack and a dessert “minestrone”; Pierrick Jégu picked as his resto of under 30 € Le Clou de Fourchette, coordinates given before, serving tuina, rilettes, lamb shoulder and mascarpone. Also Yves Nespoulous reviewed as under 30 E, the Berliner in Lille.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope rated five (thus all) places as 1/5: MBC, coordinates given before, which has Gilles Choukroun’s foie gras crème brulee, rumsteak/bulots and tapioca; Alice Pizza, coordinates also given before, costing between 20 and 60 €; the Lebanese Bistrot Beyrouth in the 11th; Le Darling’s, 43, rue Beaubourg in the 3rd, 01.40.29.40.47, closed Saturday, with a well-priced lunch formula at 18, a menu whose price is discussable at 32 € for over-cooked egg and over-cooked magret and too dry fruit tart; and the Japanese Jin Sushi in the 4th.

Figaroscope’s Dossier this week by Colette Monsat listed the best galettes completes in Paris. In the text it mentions the Breizh Café, Yves Camdeborde/Creperie du Comptoir + Le Jardin des Cynes/Hotel Price des Galles but in the ratings ranks as the first six:
Breizh Café
Ty Breizh
Creperie des Canettes
Creperie Bretonne Fleurie de l’Epouse du Marin
Creperie Suzette
Creperie du Comptoir.

In addition, in his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed one of these, the Creperie Josselin, where it cost 9.10 € for a double and the maximum wait is 20 minutes. Go? “Je vous en prie, après vous… “

Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update wrote about two rip-off meals at Le Petit Marché, in Paris where there was deafening music, an indifferent staff and food and wine already opened and plunked down, and La Cigale in Nantes.

Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Chen + Brasserie Flo are in good shape and he’s following Le Boudoir + Michi.

Friday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote about Bobo and bio fast food at everything from McDo’s + Flunch to Cojean, Rose Bakery, Naked, Lina's, Giraudet, + Exki, the latter a Belgian chain on the boulevard du Montparnasse, 14e, avenue de France, 13e, and boulevard des Italiens, 2e.

Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro and blog, Francois Simon wrote about a meal at La Ruelle, in Angouleme. Alexandra Michot also had an article about the multiplication of food festivals worldwide.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote two reviews and a book notice entitled “Do You Glou? Zen Garden & Pudlo Bistro” and John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “Strategies for Survival.”

Salt and La Famiglia in Baltimore - One now-seasoned and one relocated/revised place.

Well, it took me a couple of years but I finally made it to Salt and am glad I did. I went with three academic associates who, when I pushed my duck fat fries towards them, gobbled them up shamelessly (after they'd all had arugula salads, seemingly putting me to shame with their health food vs my lack of same.) I had the crispy duck breast that was not crispy enough for me but was tasty and they were enthralled by their tuna (sushi quality, rare), monkfish ("oh boy," said he) and strip steak. The bill was $250 (incl wine and tip) for 4.

I liked Boccacio in Little Italy. So when I heard they had closed and most of the kitchen and front staff were going to move into the exBrasserie Tatin space, renamed La Famiglia, near Hopkins, gave it 2 weeks and then went. Friday night it was bursting at the seams and hasn't been reviewed or advertised yet. We thus had a wait (15 min) despite Colette's having made the reservation in person beause Comcast had screwed up their phone service. They've moved the seating back quite a bit and it's an impressively large space and maybe too much. Both Dino Zeytinoglu, the host and owner and our waiter couldn't have been nicer. I started with wonderful roasted peppers of various colors which with some salt and pepper did the trick. The mains, however, were another matter. Colette's veal piccata had a sauce that was visably gelatinous and while the veal was tender, was barely acceptable (the accompanying steamed green beans were standard). I probably shouldn't have ordered the pasta Bolognese since none will ever equal that prepared in a cooking class with Luigi Buitoni at the Locanda della Rocca in Paciano (Umbria); but even mine two weeks ago at the cavernous jazz emporium, the Cantina Bentivoglio, in Bologna, was better. In any case, both our mains were too generous and I wish they'd pay more attention to quality than quantity. With a bottle of Chianti Classico and no dessert or coffee, before tip, our bill was $76.85. Since this could be our "cook's night out" place, I do hope Dino succeeds in whipping up the kitchen and he eliminates the garish neon sign outside that just does not fit into this residential neighborhood (both the Brasserie Tatin and Jeannier’s presence was so much more subtle.)

Reviews of reviews - The Week of February 9th, 2009

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed the Italian Caffe dei Cioppi, in the 11th.

Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard dined at the 3/5 Villa Pereire, 116, blvd Pereire in the 17th, 01.43.80.88.68, closed Sundays, menus at 24.50 and 29.50 €, serving dorade, scallops, risotto and vacherin. In addition there was a short note about the return of Gilles Choukroun at MBC, 4, rue du Debarcadere in the 17th, 01.45.72.22.55, lunch menu 20, dinner 45, 65 and 80 € serving light herbs and condiments at lunch and otherwise at dinner.

Tuesday in l’Express, Pierrick Jégu picked as his resto under 30 € Barbezingue, coordinates given before, mentioning the pumpkin soup, sauteed foie gras and chocolate quenelle.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope rated as 2/5 hearts, Mets Gusto, coordinates given before, where the ex-Ducasse chef prepares Mediterranean small plates, each under 10 € (thus total 30-40) for chicken-like porchetta, potatoes Roseval and a pigs feet cake. Then he awarded one heart only to the Bistrot d’a Cote, 18, rue Lalande in the 14th, 01.43.20.00.29, closed Sundays, which has wines under 20 €, soaked eggs, over-generous and tasteless choucroute garnie and prunes in wine; Le Numero 7, 81, ave Bosquet in the 7th, 01.47.53.01.52, open 7/7, formaulas at 22 and 27, a la carte 35-40 € for beef tartare (not bad), entrecote (passionless) and pineapple (boring); Le Mezieres, 16, rue de Mezieres in the 6th, 01.45.48.44.23, closed Sundays, costing 20-25 € for veggie tart, sautéed veal and plum clafoutis. A broken heart went to the Korean Jantchi in the 1st.

Figaroscope’s Dossier this week concerned questioning if you are a bobovore, that is, a dining Bobo, listing the following bobo areas and their restos:
Marais Temple
Glou
Breizh Café
Rose Bakery II
Café des Musees
Martyrs Trudaine
Rose Bakery
Cul de Poule
Hotel Amour
La Pizzetta
La Salumeria
Cesar
Montmartre Abbesses Pigalle
Bar des Roses
Café Burq
Cheribibi
La Famille
Floors
Miroir
Mon Oncle
Valmy St Martin
Prune
Sesame
Soya
La Cantine de Quentin
Hotel du Nord
Cambodge
Mme Shawn

In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon wrote glowingly about La Gazzetta which he advises one to go to fast.

Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed Goumard, coordinates given before, which he says is a “safe bet” for a first date if you have the wherewithal. However he uses phrases like “nothing….soaring” and “nothing to write home about.”

Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said le Bristol + Joy are in good shape and he’s following Le Bistrot 121 + La Strasbourgeoise.

Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro and blog, Francois Simon wrote about Le Villaret, where the wine (say a 1989 Haut Brion) can be 6,500 €. On the same page was an article by him on the 2009 Michelin Red, due out March 2nd, commenting on a new “essay” by Sebastien Demorand and Benedict Beauge entitled “Les cuisines de la critique gastronomique” as well as one “interviewing” them.

Saturday in the IHT, Maia de la Baume in Globespotters recommended as “high-end cuisine, low-end prices" Gerard Vie.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “French, Fusion, Fluenced, Foreign.”