5.0 Coinstot vino, 26 bis Passage des Panoramas in the 2nd, 01.44.82.08.54, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, has a lunch formula at 12.50 2 courses) and 16 (3 courses), a la carte 25 €; wines 3.80-5 a glass and bottles starting at 16 € is termed a cave a manger and I guess it it. It is run by the ex-Verre Vole guy and has wine bottles on the wall and in the vitrine.
To the critics: first, Yves Nespoulous of Le Fooding describes but doesn't judge the food, then Philippe Toinard of ANP says the dishes are well made and yet not new and finally Emmanuel Rubin of Figaroscope calls the lentils sad. So everyone is pulling his punches but wants to laud the wines and prices.
I went today with a new friend who's been living here for only two years but sure has his finger on the pulse of Paris restos. We both had our reservations too.
Instead of firsts of (what everybody agrees are) good products such as oysters, charcuterie and smoked andouille we stuck to the menu; he with a soup of pumpkin and parsnips and I with the herring with gravlax sauce - both acceptable, not great.
Then he had the canard parmentier that in the UK could have been called a pie; OK but the ratio of potato to duck was wrong; I had a pretty tasteless (before salt and pepper) joue de boeuf with an incredibly watery sauce mixed with pasta.
We finished with the chocolate and creme renversee and two glasses of wine from the ardoise; his not a good fit, mine OK.
With two (actually comp'd to three) coffees the bill was 69.50 E.
Go? For the wine and oysters, etc yes; for the plats, I'm not so sure.
Why is everyone judging so quick! Good, bad, average... Give it a chance!. They are young they are trying and it's the beginning. You re very french Monsieur! La critique facile as we say.
Posted by: mangeur masqué | February 24, 2010 at 09:47 AM
Stay tuned, if you didn't like that review you should hate my essay on Monday.
Also, recall that on my scale, 5/10 is average, not good but also not bad. Rubin afterall gave it 1/4.
Chacun à .....
Posted by: John Talbott | February 24, 2010 at 09:56 AM
I agree with “mangeur masqué”, it’s hard to judge a place that has only been open a little more than 2 weeks, they need time to get their grove going. I loved it but only tried the oysters, charcuterie and cheese plates (all great), which, of course, says nothing of the kitchen. I will go back soon to try more. The atmosphere of the passage alone is worth the trip. I would definitely recommend for what it is—a fun place to try great natural wines and simple good products. If you are looking for a great bistro, you might be disappointed.
Posted by: Parisnotebook.wordpress.com | February 25, 2010 at 12:06 PM
Hey guys, get a grip on it; lighten up. I'm just one of a zillion bloggeurs. I calls 'em as I sees 'em; I wrote what I tasted. And yes, I go soon after they open, even if it's like today at Le P'tit Caillou where they opened in Oct 09 and only hit the radar screen this month and to mix metaphores, hit the groud running. If your chef and team is/are on target are OK; we all gave no slack to Frenchie, Le Gaigne, Spring, Colliot, Afaria or Bigarrade - I could go on. Besides which, I gave them a 5/10, which is average and Paris ain't no Lake Woebegon.
Posted by: John Talbott | February 25, 2010 at 04:39 PM
And what is so good about most (not all, thankfully) so-called "natural" wines, unless you like sherry (when it is NOT sherry) vinegar (when it is NOT vinegar), horse manure (on far too many occasions) and bubbles in wines that should not have them? I sometimes have the impression that "natural" wines are made for people who do not actually like the taste of wine. Maybe they should stick to farm cider, which has most or all of the above caracteristics and costs less.
Posted by: David Cobbold | October 27, 2010 at 02:20 PM