John Talbott's Paris

Food criticism and your favorite chef.

Several years ago, when I was thinking of starting a blog, I consulted some folks already immersed in their respective blogs. I asked about the problems they encountered and how they handled them.

One issue that caught my eye was the number of nasty comments they received that prompted them to delete the comment and then bar the poster from access to their site. One even felt she had been “stalked” electronically and said the feeling was frightening.

I thought to myself, that’ll never happen to me.

Now, because of my involvement in a food website of some renown, I became aware that there was a phenomenon of disruptive, uncivil and at times psychotic-sounding posts. These are often posted late at night or early in the morning and could well be linked to sleep deprivation, alcohol and/or drugs.

When I consulted my IS/IT experts at the university and did some Google Scholar searching I discovered there was a whole literature out there unknown by me and printed far from the traditional psychological/psychiatric literature. What posters would post in the darkest hours of the night they apparently would never articulate in person or in a traditional snail mail.

Subsequently, I’ve discovered that chefs, their staffs and relatives Google themselves to see what the blogosphere is saying about them; I know this because:

First, on second or third visits to new places I’ve reviewed positively, one or the other approaches me to thank me.

Second, I know it because occasionally they will offer to treat me and colleagues to a repeat meal at their expense because they are so sure I’ll love it.

Third, I know it because I get critical (and sometimes off the wall) posts that take my criticism personally, in a way only a chef, staff or relative would.

And finally, I hear from loyal customers who are astonished, outraged or otherwise upset that I have dared critique “their” favorite chef or restaurant, impugning my palate, judgment or sanity.

I try to calibrate my critical senses by eating with folks of different stripes who write a lot about food and/or restaurants or who produce great meals themselves; to read all I can on others’ takes on new places; and to do what most critics insist is the only way to learn to critique – to eat a lot. And if I read or am told I’m all wet about a place, I revisit.

We all have an off meal; an off dish; pure consensus is rare but in general I think we’re all aiming for the same target - to steer folks to places they’d enjoy and away from places they’d be disappointed in.

Gregory Crewdson at Galerie Daniel Templon until April 25th.

I have no photo of this show having seen no posters or adverts, so one will either have to go to their website or his for an example.

At first one thinks one is in an alternate reality, stuck between Edward Hopper and Francis Bacon.

But as you look closely at the photos, they are fascinating and repelling; I was fascinated, Colette repelled.

Go!  Until April 25th.

Reviews of reviews: The Week of March 23rd, 2009

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand reviewed a pizzeria Pizza 104 access from 104, rue d'Aubervilliers, in the 19th, open every day.

Tuesday as well, in ANP, Philippe Toinard gave 2/5 dots to the Cartouche Café, coordinates given before, and commented on the oeuf mayo, rillettes, lamb terrine, grilled sausage, faux-filet and chocolate sable; meanwhile, Jerome Berger gave 4/5 to the 14 year old l’Epi Dupin, coordinates well known, still serving 100% bistronomique food for formulas 19 and 25 at lunch and 34 €.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave another of his rare ratings of 3/4 hearts to the Chinese Shan Gout, in the 12th and two two-hearts to the son of the Repaire de Cartouche the Café Cartouche, in the St Emilion Cour, running one 20 € for lunch (30-35 for dinner) for food such as a lamb terrine with figs, sausage with beans, and nougat ice and l’Antichambre, 4, rue de Port Mahon in the 2nd, 01.42.66.59.52, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, with a “diplomatic” lunch menu at 22 (but carte of 40 €), serving celery rabe soup, eggplant stuffed with culatello (Parma ham) and crepes with three chocolates. In addition, he rated two places as 1/4 hearts: Le P’tit Railleur, 3, rue Beaurepaire in the 10th, 01.42.45.11.70, open 7/7, with 20 and 24 € formulas of oeuf cocotte (too cooked), duck filet and tiramisu as well as Le Petit Curieux, coordinates given last week, with lunch menus of 15 and 19 (dinner 20 and 25 €) for Royan raviolis, andouillette parmentier and jarreton with honey.

In Figaroscope’s Dossier this week by Colette Monsat listed the best places to buy flan as:
l’Autre Boulange
Poilane
Gosselin
Carette
Dalloyau being the top five.

In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed Bread & Roses, where it cost 77.90 € for banal food except for the scones and cheesecake.

Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed Miroir, coordinates given before, where he had “a very satisfying dining experience in the Camdeborde, Régalade tradition.”

Thursday, Pierrick Jégu wrote up as his restaurant in Paris for under 30 euros, the Cartouche Cafe, coordinates already given, Yves Nespoulous wrote up the Le Bistrot du Pollet in Dieppe and François-Régis Gaudry wrote up Isse in the 1st as his Resto of the week

Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Aida + Garnier were in good shape and he’s following Café mode 24, rue François-Ier in the 8th, 01.47.20.98.18 which costs about 35 E a la carte and the Chinese Le Lys d'or in the 12th.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Oth Sombath and the new Costes, La Societe and John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “The burden of Food Criticism.”

Sunday, Astrid T’Serclaes in JDD wrote a review of Derriere and Aurelie Chaigneau reviewed MBC + Alice Pizza, all of whose coordinates are given above.

The Drawing Show (Salon du Dessin) at the Palais de la Bourse until 30 March

 

 

The Bourse is currently hosting a gigantic exhibition by dozens of galeries of hundreds of drawings by everyone from Rembrandt to Warhol.  Of course not everything is to everyone's liking but it's wonderful to see such a range of work in a relatively manageable space.

Failure and success – a history example translated to food.

As I recently wended my way slowly from France, through Switzerland and Italy, to Rome, I was trying to get in the mood by reading.

My pal A. suggested Patrick Leigh Fermor’s “Between the Woods and the Water” but I couldn’t get it at a bookstore in Paris, only from Amazon in the UK.

One thing I did read, though, was Adam Begley’s superb Nov 30, 2008 NYT article, that said “…..Perhaps the best way to enjoy the capital of Tuscany [Florence] is to swap your guidebook for a copy of ‘A Room with a View,’” so I did. But I tired of it after Chapter 2: “In Santa Croce with No Baedeker.” And, after going through Santa Croce that day, I donated it to my hotel’s library.

Instead I took US Grant’s “Personal Memoirs” (a redundant title if ever there was one) and have been transfixed ever since. And, it has led me to contemplate several pressing existential issues.

Such as - what is success and what is failure?

And can you be a success in some areas and a failure in others?

Grant has gone down in history as a failed student, failed businessman, failed trust company CEO, failed President, etc. A real dud.

But he was a successful husband and father, maybe the best General since Alexander, Caesar or Napoleon, and surely the best writer about war until Winston Churchill came along (speaking of which, how do you explain the incredible memories of these “drunks?”)

So let’s move back/forward to food. What’s success and failure?

Paul Bocuse, credited with the Nouvelle revolution, led a double life and his daughter wrote (admittedly between the lines) of his inconsistencies. Was he a success or a failure?

Pierre Gagniere, admired by many (including myself) as the “top,” is rumored to have split with his first wife and friendly face to the public, and kept on trucking. Was he a success or a failure?

But Grant kept it all together, personal and professional, until he ventured into business or political terrains. Was he a success or a failure?

Freud defined normalcy in mental health as the ability work, love and play. All three. Not bad for a hide-bound, Victorian, Viennese guy, but a tough standard for both generals and top chefs.

It’s too bad they don’t award partial points like “My word” and “My music.”

La Table d'Eugene in the 18th: an update.

This would be boring if it weren't so wonderful; another meal at the Table d'Eugene with Colette today.

The poitrine of pork starter on pureed green peas, carrots and carrots from the Jura (could I have heard right?) and lentils; the beef chats with celery two ways; scallops with mint and a side of whipped sweet potatoes and chocolate with passion fruit granite.

The place is all locals, many of whom were suit-type execs or tee-shirt techies.

With wine, two coffees and no Chateldon, the bill was 80 E.

Not a destination, and I'd raise my rating from 5.0, but definately worth a visit if nearby.

Eating with kids (at least 10 year olds) in Paris.

The past week Colette and I hosted our two 10 year old grandkids and while they’ve both been to France a couple of times before, it’s always been with their parents. So we learned something about: (1) their tastes and (2) finding places near destinations.

 

The Breizh Café was our choice the first day because I thought it would break them into the French resto scene easily. Unfortunately, they were really jet-lagged and sleepy, having watched movies all night on the plane, so one had just a green salad (which portion was most generous but whose dressing had no character) and the other a crepe with Valhrona cocolate, which was quite good. Colette didn’t rave about her galette with Forme d’Ambert, pine nuts, grapes, honey and salad but I loved mine with raclette and pork poitrine and an egg. We finished with a crepe with caramel sauce and ice cream that was yummy. The bill with wine and coffee = 70 €.

 

Day 2 we went to Bofinger at the recommendation of an American in Paris who was dazzled by it when she first came. We hadn’t been in 20 years but it looked unchanged. It had a children’s menu, priced at 12.50, and a formula at 18.50 €. They shared a salmon plate which was cooked en papillote while Colette had OK mackerel in a pallid mustard sauce and I an OK onion soup followed by a gigantic pig’s foot (little protein, however) with fries. The girls ended up with two balls of vanilla ice cream while Colette had the café gourmand and I plain coffee; both of which were perhaps the worst of the century. Our bill was 71.20 €.

 

The third day (a third brilliantly sunny, warm one) we trekked out to Versailles and while I’ve eaten at the Trois Marches under Gerard Vie, the Veranda with Gordon Ramsay, l’Angelique and several of the fungible places sprawling along the Avenue de St Cloud, Colette didn’t want to take the time required to leave the grounds once we’d seen the Petit Trianon, which had recently reopened in time for the Sarkozy/Bruni marriage. Looking at the options within the grounds, I chose La Flotille by the Grand Canal. It has a lot, a lot, of covers and a huge menu and the kids quickly settled on and devoured all their chicken nuggets and some of their fries and salad. Colette meanwhile had a tolerable salade Nicoise with rice and I a not-terribly-interesting saucisse d’Auvergne, ditto fries and salad. The bill with wine and coffee was 77.20 €. A footnote. While Colette and the girls toured the palace I went for a coffee: just opposite the toilets, near the group entrance to the Chateau, is a café/tea salon/resto called the Café d’Orleans, where I plotzed for an hour. It’s not at all bad, uncrowded, good service and very bright.

 

Not far from the museum strip along the Avenue President Wilson is Noura, where we often get take-out desserts but haven’t eaten a real meal at in a few decades. Lately it’s been written up quite negatively and now I see why. While the welcome was welcoming, the olives and pepper amuse-bouches good and menu appealing, the dishes were uneven. The ladies started with what were called pizzas in both French and English, but consisted of a piece of pita cut in 4, with finely chopped meat and spices on top. One ate a 1/4th, the other 3/4ths but I finished them all and thought that they were the hit of the meal. Colette had three brochettes; one of lamb was perfectly undercooked, good product and terrific, the chicken one was OK and scarfed up by the girls but the beef brochette was terribly tough and unappealing to all. Likewise my beef schwarma was similar – just awful product, badly prepared with not enough spice to make it at all edible. We had no dessert there but still took some home for dinner (and they were terrific). With wine, 2 starters, 2 mains and 2 coffees our bill was 94.25 €, easily the worst price-quality ratio yet.

Sunday was our day for Lao Lane Xang 2 (which we’ve been frequenting lately). Like Ze Kitchen Galerie and Spring, I’m sure I’m getting a bit boring bragging about it. We reserved for 12h15 but were unexpectedly delayed and showed up at 13h50. There was a line inside and outside and I had a list of ten other “fall-backs” in the area and the Leon of Brussels nearby if I failed to plead my case successfully before the court. We entered; I pulled on my sparse forelock; “I’m a bit late, due to unforeseen circumstances” (in French; “Ahhh, je suis desolé…..ahhhh”), he “A bit late, I’d say very late” with a big smile, but here’s your table – past the legions of locals spilling out the door. Who says the French are rude, don’t stand up for old folk on the Metro, push in front in lines, and shove in front of you in watching videos?; not me. We ordered two brochettes of chicken for the kids (which we would never have ordered save for Christopher Haatuft, the Norwegian Chef, in January, who raved about them – he was right!) Also wonderful were: the pork caramel (not a true descriptor) with lemon grass; mussels with hot (not really by our standards) sauce, and lacquered duck with bok choy (also supposedly “hot”.) Colette liked her tapioca called coco and banana, the kids were fine with ices, but I thought my assortment of four Thai desserts was splendid. Bill (with wine and 2 coffees) 103.20 €.

 

Monday, now a cruel day for lunch restos in Paris, Le Soufflé was on our route in the 1st and a suggestion by two real Parisian critics for an ideal kids’ place. We entered to a bursting-full place and were treated like royalty. The kids and Colette had the Express Menu (25 €) that included wine or water and a starter and dessert soufflé as well as a very big, good salad. I ordered the Tout Soufflé menu for 31 €. All in all, we tried the salmon, Henri IV, forest, boar, apples with calva, chocolate, pistachio and raspberry ones. With two awful coffees, wine and a full bottle of Evian, our bill was 124 €. An extra point goes for the Beethoven Piano Concerto playing in the bathroom.

The last time we had the brood here, just before Colette and I arrived in Paris, they went to a Leon de Bruxelles and all loved it, so the Les Halles location was smack in the middle of our itinerary today and I took the two girls while Colette dealt with plumbing problems (as in tuyaux not urologie). We all three had the lunch menu with a nice mixed salad to begin. Then they had the mussels and penne and I had the fish (nice crisp cod I believe) and frites; we thus sampled pretty much the core of their offerings. The kids then had ice cream and sorbets and I the crème caramel, all of which were finished with pleasure. The bill with wine, soft-drinks and one coffee was 61.60 €.

The Primative Italiens: From Siena to Florence at the Jacquemart-Andre

 

There will be three exhibitions that concentrate on Tuscan art in Paris this spring; the one at the Jacquemart-André from the Altenbourg Museum (in Germany, East Germany in fact) being the first to open. Since most of us have never been to Altenbourg aka Altenburg, it’s a nice opportunity to see the fine collection of the German baron Bernard von Lindenau with works by Giotto, Gaddi, Lippi, etc. Until June 21st.

Paris and its universal expositions at the Conciergierie

 

At the Conciergerie these days until April 26th, there’s a special exhibition of photos showing the international exhibitions held in Paris from 1855-1937. It’s very nice and educational, revealing all the temporary and permanent monuments (i.e, the Eiffel Tower, Big and Small Palaces, etc.) in town and leaves you sad that the world has given up world fairs.

The Week of March 16th, 2009

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Sebastien Demorand wrote up Rodolphe Paquin’s new annex, the Café Cartouche, in the ex-Bihan Café space, 4, rue de Bercy in the 12th, 01 40 19 09 95, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, is managed by Paquin’s former front-man Benoit and serves great old-school charcuterie (pate and sausage) with beans and a tarte sablée au chocolat at reasonable prices.

Tuesday as well, in ANP, Jerome Berger gave 3/5 to the Bistrot d’a cote, coordinates given before, commenting on its XXL portions and wine; and Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots to the Petit Curieux, 16, rue des Filles du Calvaire in the 3rd, 01.42.74.65.79, closed weekends, with lunch menus at 15 and 19 and dinner ones for 20 and 25 € and well chosen wines, serving a cream of sardines amuse-bouche, filets of sardines, porcelet with maple syrup, and tiramisu with foie gras.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope gave his rare rating of 3/5 hearts to two restos: the Costes at their best 4, Place Saint-Germain-des-Pres, coordinates given in the name, in the 6th, 01.53.63.60.60, open 7/7, costing 40-70 € for (in addition to “snacking” food), Thai-style shrimp soup, Mandarin duck and sea bass as well as the Japanese cantine Momoka (le retour), 5, rue Jean Baptiste Pigalle in the 9th, 01.40.16.19.09, closed Sundays and Mondays. He also gave 2/5 hearts to the Italian Samesa, 13, rue Brey in the 17th and 1/5 heart each to the Thai A La Table de Nouk in the 2nd and 93 Montmartre,coordinates in the name, in the 2nd, 01.40.28.02.23, closed Sundays, serving for 40-50 € mozzarella, chicken and Saint Marcelin.

Figaroscope’s Dossier this week by Colette Monsat et al listed the Bio markets of Paris:
The Marche Raspail
The Marche des Batignolles
The Marche Brancusi and outside Paris
St Clou, Boulogne-Billancourt, Joinville lr pont, Sceaux and Malmaison.

In his “Hache Menu,” Francois Simon reviewed Meating, where it cost 159 € for two (with a 64 € St Loup) and two Nangus menus with cheese and a good apple tart. Go? Yes, if you live there.

Wednesday, as well, Richard Hesse in Paris Update reviewed very positively Le Grand Pan, coordinates given before, where except for a lackadaisical waitress, he had a fine meal.

Thursday, Pierrick Jégu wrote up as his restaurant for under 30 euros, the Bistrot F 4 aka Fabrique 4 in the 17th and Jacques Brunel wrote up the Italian Primo Piano on the first floor of Mon Marche.Thursday in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said Aida + Garnier were in good shape and he’s following Café mode 24, rue François-Ier in the 8th, 01.47.20.98.18 which costs about 35 E a la carte and the Chinese Le Lys d'or in the 12th.

Thursday, in Le Point, Gilles Pudlowski said that Dalloyau + Goupil are in good shape and he'll follow La Pulcinella + Arthur.

Friday, Jean Claude Ribaut wrote about violet Pontoise cauliflower, used by chefs such as Yannick Alleno at Le Meurice, coming into the markets as well as both healthy and weight-losing diets.

Saturday in his “Croque Notes” in Le Figaro, Francois Simon wrote about two new places with out of the ordinary décor: Costes + La Fidelite, in the 6th and 10th respectively as well as a long piece on Gordon Ramsay’s fading empire (closing his Prague and Hollywood places) amidst fine personal earnings (7 million ₤; 250 € meals at the Trianon Palace) and contradictory life-style (voted “celebrity father of the year” while carrying on a 7-year affair). He (FS) also wrote an accompanying piece on other Brit outposts here:
Rose Bakery
Bar Hemingway
Le Timbre
Willi’s
Cupcake & Co +
Mister Brian in Monte Carlo. NB The Bar Hemingway is included because of its British bartender not Hemingway’s origin.

Saturday/Sunday, in Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp wrote about Eating Sarah, 6 New York & Samesa Buzz , and John Talbott wrote an essay entitled “FAQ: Why do you spend so much time in Paris?”

Sunday, Astrid T’Serclaes in JDD wrote a review of l’Assiette and gve Yannick Alleno’s three scret addresses that included the Café Moderne + astier.

In this month’s T&L, Luke Barr, in article on Aix-en-Provence, mentions Chez Thome, Les Deux Garcons + l’Hostellerie de l’Abbaye de la Celle.