John Talbott's Paris

Reviews of reviews: The Week of October 25th, 2010

Monday-Tuesday, A Nous Paris had a 4/5 dot review by Philippe Toinard of Konfidential, 64, rue de l’Arbre Sec in the 1st, 01.55.34.40.40, closed weekends with a 25 E lunch formula and forced choice menus for 30 to 65 E, mentioning the declinaison of mushrooms, duck filet, declinaison of carrots and crepes; meanwhile Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to Moustache, coordinates given before, where he had the bouillon galangal (Thai ginger), terrine of beef, filet of beef and good wines.

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Gregoire Maurel discussed the opening of Jean-Francois Piege’s new eponymous restaurant at 79, rue Saint-Dominique in the 7th, 01.47.05.79.79, open Mondays through Fridays, costing at least 51 € (their bill was 256 E for two with two wines and each having two dishes).

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin’s ranked his five new restaurants in Figaroscope’s C’est nouveau and gave one place 3/3 hearts: La Cuisine in the Hotel Royal Monceau, 24, ave Hoche in the 8th, 01.42.99.88.00 open 7/7, running about 100 E pp for a vol au vent of frogs’ legs, sot l’y laisse and wood mushrooms, porgy and a millefeuille. Three places merited 2/3 hearts and their coordinates have been given here before: Jeanne A. where he comments on chicken livers’ terrine, leg of lamb and Challans chicken, the dimsum place Yoom, and Le Verre Vole, where he mentions the Scottish razor clams, frogs’ legs and marinated anchovies. Finally he rated the new branch of the Italian chain the Romantica Café in Neuilly, 1/3 hearts.

Figaroscope devoted a lot of this week’s issue to chocolate in honor of the Salon Oct 28-Nov 1:
Alexandra Michot wrote of the top 20 chocolatiers (listed by arrondissement not ranking):
Jean Paul Hevin
Jacques Genin
Josephine Vannier
Francois Praslus
Philippe Pascpoet
Christian Constant
Richart
Jean Charles Rochoux
Christophe Roussel Chocolate Bar
Debauve & Gallais
Chapon
La Maison du Chocolat
Pierre Marcolini
Cho-room via Chocolat
A la Mere de Famille
Maison Maiffret
Monsieur Chocolat
Patrick Roger
Boissier
Arnaud Lahrer
In addition she gives the names and coordinates of three new “temples”:
Weiss
Hugo et Victor
Franck Kestener.
Finally, Colette Monsat and the ‘scope team tested places serving the best hot chocolate and rated them thus:
1. Jean Paul Hevin
2. Bar de l’Hotel Lancaster
3. Bar de l’Hotel Bristol
4. Chocolaterie Jacques Genin
4. Le Grand Colbert
6. Bar 228 de l’Hotel Meurice
7. Les Deux Magots
8. L’Heure Gourmande
9. Maison du Chocolat
10.Laduree Champs Elysees
11. La Patisserie Viennoise Christophe Roussel
13. Pavillion Elysees et Puerto Cacao
15. Cafe de Flore, Patisserie des Reves et Art Macaron
18. Angelina, Amorino, Raimo et Carette
22. Cafe de la Paix
23 Starbucks
And in his Hache Menu, Francois Simon went to the Café de la Paix for an 8 E chocolate.

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update reviewed the Café Artcurial,coordinates given before, where he thought the pluses were the “elegant surroundings, gorgeous art and antiques” and the minus that it got a “bit noisy when full.”

This week in l’Express, Francois-Regis Gaudry wrote a review of Le Bistral noting that henceforth a new Japanese chef, Yasuhioro Kanayama, exl’Astrance + le Bristol would be cooking after having gently “parachuted” in; in addition Pierrick Jegu reviewed Au Vietnam in the 5th and Marie-Amal Bizalion covered Chez Navarre in Toulouse. In the print version there was a mild rebuke of Mama Shelter in the 20th but on-line they called it a “resto-flop” and asked ”what’s happened to its esprit?”

Saturday, Jean-Clause Ribaut in Le Monde had an article about the 10th anniversary of Alain Ducasse’s going to the Plaza Athenee.

Saturday-Sunday, Francois Simon’s Croque Notes in Figaro discussed Le Petit Verdot + la Marlotte, the latter where his reservation got screwed up but where he eventually had a good meal; alongside it was a long article on 71 year old Alain Senderens and his technophilia – in this case use of a Gastrovac, apparently in use at Au Bascou + l’Astrance [and El Bulli]; which sucks out oxygen, cooks things low and slow and maintains ingredients’ colors and tastes.

In Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp published articles about 39V and the 120th anniversary of Aux Lyonnais and John Talbott published an essay called “Chefs Working the Front Room: A Drastic 180° Change.”

Saturday in the IHT print version, Ed Alcock is attributed as the author of a review of Rino but in the print and online versions of its Mother House, the NYT, Alexander Lobrano is; in any case it’s a nice warm review.

 

Saturne in the 2nd: Still great for me, disappointing for Colette.

After Daniel Rose's Spring opened/reopened this summer, the highlight after the rentree for me was the opening of Saturne.  I had sold Colette on how great it was but after a comment on my blog about how I could be overenthusiatic about some places, I tried to turn down her expectations.

They are still warmly welcoming, still noisy as hell once the place fills up but have changed in that the previously unfinished bar/eating/wine rack area in the front room is now chock-a-block full of wait-staff, customers, tables and wines on the wall. It's very warm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As before, their 35 E "menu" has 2/2/2 choices and Colette (predictably) started with the raw sliced scallops that she deemed needed salt (PS on exiting, as I was thanking sommelier Ewan Lemoigne for another nice meal, chef Sven Chartier asked if there wasn't enough salt on them? - wow, what an eye).  The scallops came with a few greens and what seemed to be microscopic grains of frozen tomato. I had the champignons (cold) aux champignons (sauteed), such a simple dish and so good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then she (predictably) ordered the St Pierre, mange-touts and scallion - with no sauce, that I considered quite good.   I (predictably) had the veal, a large perfectly cooked wedge that may have been the best I've ever had, with two types of onions, greens and a baked-concoction of I don't know what - again with no sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, quite predictably, I ordered the mandolined aged conte and she the apple with ice cream and tuile - wonderful.

The bill?  With a bottle and glass of wine (for the cheese natch), no bottled water but two coffees with their fabulous crispcrusted madeleines - it was 105 E.

Go?  If the hottest chef in town says this is the cuisine of tomorrow, who am I to disagree?

Andre Kertesz at the Jeu de Paume

 
Andre Keresz, the Hungarian-French-American photographer who died 15 years ago has had many shows including ones I've seen at the MoMA, ICP, Met and National Gallery and I've always loved his photos.  But a lot of them at this show are thumbnail-sized and frustrating to view even with magnifying sheets.  In fact, if you want to see them adequately, go inside the JdeP and get the brochure which shows 10 of them in all their glory.  Running until February 6th 2011.

Spring or is it Fresh, whatever.

This was the first opportunity I've had to go to lunch with Colette to Spring since it has formally opened (we ate there as guinea pigs/a focus group a day or two before it opened officially).  A friend of mine wrote a while back that her meal at Fresh, meaning Spring, was one of the highlights of her recent 6 weeks in Paris - and I thought that was a cute confusion. We too felt that our"fresh" lunch today was a highlight. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First we were served coquettes of celery - huh?, never heard of that before, as well as some raw seabream with a fruit jelly.  Soon after came a generous slice of porcini, dressed with finely diced  apples, nuts, pomegranate seeds and smaller porcini and then the famous lunch "bouillon" which included a giant gamba, a slice of sole, potatoes, leeks and the bouillon.  Pretty good start eh, fresh too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, not quickly but with time to savor them, came poulet frite with sliced radishes, tiny shrimp with a "marmalade," a nutcake with pear and ice cream, a chestnut puree with a chocolate tuile and caramel sauce (it was incredible said Colette!) and finally butter with black salt from Hawaii topped with a fennel blossom.  Butter and salt; incredible.

With two bottles of Pinot Noir (from Alsace and Mercurey), 4 coffees and no bottled water, our bill for three came to 198.00 E (thus 132 E a couple).

 
Go?  Well, at least one of my Blog readers was there as well as my polyglot friend who, as we were exiting, was heard to converse with a fellow diners and various staff members in their native languages: English, French, Spanish, German,and Russian (cuz he said his Ukrainian was rusty) and Arabic (well that was part of a tale he told).  A veritable "United Nations" of staff now populates Daniel and Marie's kitchen and we were the happy beneficiaries of their creative labors. 

An afternoon on the art quest: Miro, Palissy & de Amaral.

We started at the Louvre des Antiquaires at the Galerie Thomire which had several Miros and then went to a special exhibition of the ceramic work of Barnard Palissy - both of which are nicely illustrated by their two respective posters pictured.

 
After a bit of a trek, we wound up on the Isle St Louis at the Galerie Dutko for an exhibit of the textiles, some of which sure look metallic, of Olga de Amaral.  Colette really liked the exhibit.

Chez Georges in the 2nd: a repeat return.

Colette and I headed over to Chez Georges (Rue de Mail in the 2nd) where I'd had a successful meal a few months ago but hadn't been with her since the mid-1980's.  I took a look at the almost unreadable menu and headed back where I had been in July.

 
The salad frisee with lardons and eggs, was just as good as last time and just a good as those coming from the pre-Ducassian Aux Lyonnais 30 years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colette then had one of the four specials - a  delicious fricasee of rabbit with girolles and five small potatoes. She felt that the portion of potatoes was excessive - another case of too much food. I had a repeat of the sweetbreads in a creamy sauce with morels and a ton of noodles; both dishes were excellent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colette then finished with a thick-cut tarte tatin and some creme fraiche which she liberally added thinking it was ice cream - whoops!  The tarte was prepared in the classic, deep-dish style and it was fine. 

Our bill with a bottle of wine and four coffees (two "offered") was 110.50 E.

Fleurs Fraiches (Fresh Flowers) of David Hockney at the Fndn PB-YSL.

 
This show by one of the great contemporary artists of our time - David Hockney - has a twist that is so creative - all these works were created by the 73 year old genius on an iPad or iPhone and even after seeing him demonstrating how to do it I haven't a clue how he gets the color and shapes onto the screen.  As some critic pointed out, this is one of the few shows, which, like the film showing Picasso drawing from in back of a screen, reveals how the artist actually works.

Colette loved the show: I still like his pool, dessert, landscape and seascape paintings better.  Closes Jan 30.

Rech in the 17th: an old friend appreciated our hauling him there.

Colette and I have been to Rech several times since Alain Ducasse "saved" it and several times more since he brought up Jacques Maximin from the South to sheppard it.  Now, the cybersources say he returned 2 weeks ago to the Bistro de la Marine in Cros de Cagnes, just west of Nice.

We went with another demi-ex-pat who has tastes and proclivities (eating at new places) like we do.  He and I both had the "menu" which we noted had been marked down from 34 to 30 E; Wow!

 
They started us off with salmon wrappies instead of the usual salmon paste and were pleased by the change.

 

 

Colette passed on a first course recalling that two courses here fill her up but my friend ordered the salmon with beets and lemon and ginger - a most unusual and interesting preparation, and I had oysters in a creamy sauce with an emulsion of watercress and the interplay among all three intense ingredients was equally arresting.

 

 

 

 

Colette then had the scallops, our friend had black mullet with salsify strips that the waiter had said was more interesting than my "brilliant" merlan with a vinegar sauce and what seemed to me to be at least three types of turnips of different shapes, tastes and degrees of firmness.

 

 

To wind up, Colette had a fine pain perdu and my friend and I really enjoyed of meringue/ice/chocolate sauced "Mister Rech."

Our bill with two bottles of Muscadet, three coffees and no bottled water was 150.50 E, thus just over 100 E per couple.

Go?  Let my friend answer: "Thanks for inviting me John.  It was nice and good qualite/prix."

 

The best and worst of French food

A few weeks ago Emmanuel Rubin in Figaroscope rated the MiniPalais, Saturne and Arnaud Daguin Au Café Pleyel as his three top-rated places that week (with Philou coming close behind) each meriting 3/3 hearts; the following week he said four places got his most unenthusiastic rating (1/3): La Table de Botzaris, Le Square Marcadet, Vingt Heures Vin and Modjo. How can it be that in this fabulous city, owners, investors and chefs open 5 places every week that are so wildly different? (PS And, you should know that I trust Rubin and the merry crew at Figaro/Figaroscope too).

Here are some thoughts.

Let’s take the best first – and I’ve taken the liberty of dropping Arnaud Daguin’s spin on the Café Pleyel for the restaurant named Philou because I think, for a rare instance, Rubin conflated their grades.

First, the best is clearly Saturne, where the wining combo from Les Racines has opened an edgy-looking but traditional tasting and exciting place in the 2nd a few weeks ago. While a semi-forced choice “menu” at lunch (I haven’t had dinner where supposedly it’s rigidly forced,) the choices were not only very different but all appealing-sounding. For starters the day we went, they consisted of a browned outside/raw inside white tuna with a thin leek and a subtle mushroom sauce and calamari with nicely coriander-dressed, incredible heirloom tomatoes and subtle eggplant sauce with a kick that the grilled skin added. For mains, we had the choice of cod with clams; a chunk of nicely cooked pintade or a wonderful, properly undercooked (without asking) thick lamb chop - the latter two accompanied by various greatly sourced and perfectly cooked veggies (the carrots and beets striking me the most forcefully); and for dessert we had three aged cheeses: a nutty gouda, tasty comte and thinly-shaved hard Normand one and a mound of chocolate, caramel and milk mousse concoction that was very, very good. With a bottle of bio/natural/etc wine and coffees, our bill was 96 E.

Then the Mini Palais, where the influence of Eric Frechon on the kitchen is clear. Again the setting was great but the cooking greater. For firsts here another food-knowledgeable person and I started with a clafoutis of cepes and what were called snails with tomatoes (and roasted garlic) both of which were the stuff of three star kitchens, which Frechon is from of course; our seconds consisted of a tempura of gambas and a friture of merlan with a lovely tartare sauce and (herbed) chips, that were the only disappointing things this meal; and the finishers waincluded one of the best desserts of the year which was called a sabayon (semi-freddo/mousse/ice sort of) with chocolate and beurre sale caramel - heaven. Again with a bottle of wine and coffees, our bill came to 92 E.

Finally, passing over Arnaud Daguin Au Café Pleyel, we come to Philou, which, while it doesn’t come with the pedigree of the first two mentioned, very much holds its own. Here for instance, the firsts ordered were a pumpkin soup and cepes sauteed in fine olive oil on a bed of lovely greens, green beans and nuts; seconds were a leg of lamb which I, a leg of lamb expert, thought was the best I'd had in years (albeit not raw and dripping blood as I prefer) and the perdreaux rouge with cabbage and other veggies that were sublime; finals here included a classic baba, which I loved. How about 76.00 E with good bread, no bottled water, two coffees and two supplements.

Now to the worst? La Table de Botzaris, Le Square Marcadet, Vingt Heures Vin and Modjo? I dunno. You think I’d go to restos Rubin says are stinkers?

But I did go to another of his top places (before he’d written Arnaud Daguin Au Café Pleyel up). I’d had  it on my list since summer and took two trusted-palated friends and we bombed, or I guess they did. It again comes with a fine pedigree - Arnaud Dauguin (son of Andre of the Hotel de France in Auch and brother of Ariane of D'Artagnan fame in NYC/New Jersey is someone we’ve followed since the 1970’s. But his team’s firsts were simply not great and the mains way too dry and over-cooked. Here, I have no idea what the bill was because my friends were probably too horrified by my choice to share the addition.

The restos discussed here are :

Saturne
17 rue Notre Dame des Victoires in the 2nd, (Metro: Bourse)
T: 01.42.60.31.90
Closed weekends
Lunch menu 35 €, dinner, 37 € for 4 courses, 59 € for 6 courses

Le MiniPalais
Grand Palais (SE crnr), ave Winston Churchill in the 8th, (Metro: Champs-Elysees Clemenceau
T: 01.42.56.42.42
Open 7/7
Lunch formula 28 €, a la carte 40 €

Reviews of reviews: The week of October 18th, 2010

Monday-Tuesday, A Nous Paris had much about food: with the cover and articles about TV shows, the International Festival of culinary photography next week and a book on culinary design as well as their usual two reviews: Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to the Le Bistrot des Jumeaux, 129, rue du Chateau in the 14th, 01.43.27.32.56, closed Mondays and brunch on Sundays, running one 16 E for a lunch formula or about 30 E a la carte, serving ox tail with lentils, chicken breast and a nectarine crumble; and Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 to the Italian L’Oenosteria, in the 6th – with a brief note as well about another Italian place - Ciasa Mia in the 5th.

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Gregoire Maurel discussed two actor-related events: the first the opening of Gerard Depardieu’s latest venture – a cave à manger Le Bien Décidé, 117, rue du Cherche-midi in the 6th, 01 45 48 39 28, open only from 12 noon to 7 PM and closed weekends serving such fare as foie gras with sweet spices, magret, quail and a tatin or cheese which are a bit pricey (about 40 E a la carte) while the wines are not – and run one 3.50-4 E a glass. The second event is an ephemeral visit by Nobu Matsuhisa at the Ritz on the rue Cambron where the addition is described as murderous.

Wednesday, Emmanuel Rubin’s tested five restos in Figaroscope’s C’est nouveau and judged two places 2/3 hearts: Grandes Tables du 104 coordinates given before, where he mentions a mussels and cabbage salad, veal breast and brioche as well as 37 M2, coordinates given before, where for 15-30 E one has prk with sticky rice, sweet-sour chicken and a chocolate fondant. Two other places merited 1/3 hearts: another Cantine des Tontons this on Mouton-Duuvernet in the 15th and the wine bar Wine by one, 9 rue des Capucines in the 1st, 01.42.60.05.76, closed Sundays and Mondays, serving microwaved tartines and wines. A busted heart went to Ethnic Angel, coordinates given before.

‘Scope’s Dossier this week by Monsat et al, discussed where to eat on the run, have a good bistrot meal, eat a gastronomic meal or have a glass of wine in tourist zones:
The Champs Elysees
Aubrac Corner
Cave Beauveau
39V
Bar Anglais du Raphael
Opera
Petit Vendome
Bistro Volnay
Bizan
Duke’s Bar
Montmartre
Alice Pizza
Caves des Abbesses
Mon Oncle
Chamarre Montmartre
L’Hotel Particulier
Saint Andre des Arts

l’Avant Comptoir
Roger la Grenouille
KGB
Chai de l’Abbaye
Notre Dame
La Charlotte de l’Isle
Mon Viel Ami
Isami
Zyriab
Mouffetard
les Pipos
Christophe
Delices d’Aphrodite
Café de la Mosquee
And Francois Simon went to the Laperouse in the Saint Andre des Arts/Buci area which he says one must go to once.
There was also an article by Elvira Masson on places that serve bio/equitable/durable food: Mini-Palais, Auguste, Mosca libre, Puerto Cacao + Quinoe.

Wednesday as well, Richard Hesse of Paris Update reviewed Moustache,coordinates given before, where he deemed it to have “Good ingredients, original fusion of traditions, pleasant décor,” but “Not in my neighborhood, a bit pricey.”

Last week, in l’Express, Anne-Laure Pham discussed four ephemeral restaurants in Paris: Chez l’Ami Tripier, La Table du Pelican, Aberlour Hunting Club & Nomiya and Pierrick Jegu discussed four Corsican places A Loghja, Terra Corsa, L'Alta Rocca + A Casaluna.

Thursday, in the throw-away 20 Minutes, Ingrid Gallou talked about the flavors of tomorrow mentioning wasabi cheese, pine syrup and banana wine among 985 innovations.

Saturday-Sunday Francois Simon’s Croque Notes in Figaro discussed Le Petit Cedre, in Vulaines-sur-Seine and in other articles Gerard Besson and Les Bezards in Bolsmorand as places to go for game.

Sunday, Astrid T’Serclaes in the JDD reviewed Veramente, and Marie Nicot published one on chefs who use strong/foreign flavoring mentioning – Olivier Roellinger, Adeline Grattard & Pascal Barbot.

In Bonjour Paris, Margaret Kemp published an article that includes her thoughts on Lasserre and John Talbott published an essay called “Is French Food Dead or Dying?”