5.9 Racines (2), 39 de l'Arbre Sec in the 1st (Metro: Louvre-Rivoli), 01.42.60.77.34, closed weekends, opened last October and my intelligence and instincts warned me off going. I passed it a lot on my way to & fro Spring and the Boutique and liked the exterior and open kitchen. But then I kept seeing nice reviews appearing every few months, a distinct reversal of everybody going the first week. So I figured, what have I got to lose?
Nothing it turns out. The "menu" is a very reasonable 29 E for 3 courses, but a la carte we're dealing with double that, and that's before liquids. But I rather liked the "menu" and so in the absence of my planned eating pal, I plunged in.
My first was a tete de cochon with a ravigote sauce which had salt added to it, overpowering the cornichons and capers which (of course) were already salty, but with a deft swipe of the knife I resolved that problem; the main consisted of 4 slices of a perfectly cooked duck breast with a ton of vegetables which I knew from my first visit to the original Racines was its hallmark; and my finale was a chocolate mousse with grilled nuts. All were much above average and looking at my rating from February 2008 of Racines the First of 5.7, an improvement.
With a 1/2 bottle of a cleverly named bottle - the Poil de la Bete which I chose over Sun of a Beach (I'm not kidding), great bread, good coffee and no bottled water, the bill totals 44.50 E.
Any issues here? Well, when they turn the vacuum/extractor on - it sounds like you're stuck in a Boing test lab; I don't like the huge high common table (which I was not at luckily); and the clientele is weird, featuring everyone from TV-stars to what shall I call them, rich-looking administrators of chest-enhanced young ladies, parked illegally outside without a whisper of trouble.
Go? On the odd chance Spring has a power failure, you could do worse.
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