7.0 Rech, 62, ave des Ternes in the 17th, 01.45.72.29.47, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, only got 2 hearts from Rubin and no review/rating to date from the boys at ANP, but I knew that Simon hated and Galesne loved it.
A bunch of Franco-Americans I trust ate there and gave me a mixed report, but their leader said: ‘you’ll go, you’ve got to.” I made a couple of stabs at finding someone to go with me, Colette after hearing the wine prices, forbad me to spend the family fortune on it and my friend, the real 18th Arr. blogger/writer, declined to go to “yet one more Ducasse” resuscitation.
But I figured out the perfect guest, my downstairs neighbor who’ll eat anything I suggest, drinks about a thimbleful of wine, and is critical, pleasant and occupies the airspace while I take notes.
We entered to a not much different looking place than, undoubtedly, it has always been. The downstairs room is smaller with a low ceiling but is no smoking, whereas upstairs it’s double the size, has big sunny windows and a great view overlooking the Avenue des Ternes.
A la carte is easily 60-90 € without beverages but the menu is 34 and despite the ominous warnings, I found Waldo (the wine with a reasonable price) hidden amidst 60-100 € ones.
The menu has only two starters and two mains but includes the famous Rech/Marie Cantin camembert or their regular 8 desserts, all of which are huge and run 12 € a la carte. The amuse bouche was a typical Ducasse type Ball jar filled with fish cheeks and eggs – a good start.
Then I had the tuna mi-cuit-cru that F. Simon found too cold, mine was perfect; my friend had the lobster soup with tiny grey shrimp in the bottom that was divine.
I followed with chipirons in Balsamic vinegar topped with a generous slice of sautéed foie gras, quite the pairing; my partner had the daurade with ratatouille, the dorade having crisp, almost toasty skin, the ratatouille, for this early in the season, full of flavor.
Then we finished by sharing the famous Rech XL café éclair which we could finish only ½ of and the most amazing cake-like pain perdu with caramel and ice cream, which we did finish.
With two coffees our bill was 98 €. Not nearly as bad as I feared or as the critics had advertised!
Should one go? Before the other Ducasse places, for sure.
*Originally published in April 2007.
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