John Talbott's Paris

Zebulon in the 1st: Killing two beautifully cooked birds with one superb stone.

Zebulon in the 1st has already become a legend in the month+ since it opened; at least the Asian blogs/guides have found it big time.  We received a very warm welcome as is usual for the places run by the brothers Frechet and Thomas Chaput.  And, it is clear that chef Yannick Lahopgnou, originally from Cameroon is every bit as talented as Tomy Gousset, originally from Cambodia, who cooks up a storm at Big Sister Pirouette, a few hundred meters East.

We started off with (1) an order of the entree du jour - a gratin of winter veggies with lovely chicken bits and (2) about the best roast quail I've ever had, with crosnes and about the best beurre-blanc sauce I've ever had, but I said that before, didn't I?  Wow, what a start with pretty good bread to boot.

Then the ladies had the filet of veal, cooked to perfection and tender as can be, with linguine and pomegranate seeds and I had about the best pigeon with 11 spices, a pomme Anna and a celery puree, I've ever had - it was tender, luscious and tasty, My oh my.

Now, our two desserts, which we shared, sound simple but were anything but - a grapefruit and meringue with cardamon and pear with honey, almonds and lemon glace - Superb again.

Our bill with two bottles of wine and no bottled water but 3 coffees, was 191 E; thus 127.32 E a couple.

Le Bouillon in the 9th: We came for and left with the Coq au Vin

I was here twas but 2 weeks ago, primarily for the coq au vin, but it, not being a Friday, was not available.  So, my agitator friend and I ate the blanquette de veau, which sauce was so great that said friend schlepped it home for homebound-hubby to preciously partake.

We started off with the same wine as 2 weeks ago (which Colette found too weak) and one of us had a pissaladiere in which the onions were rubbery - bad rubbery - yuck and the rest had their famous bouillon which today needed much salt and pepper, as opposed to last time.

 

At this point we diverged paths: JJ having the cod with chickpeas, Colette and I having the OK but not Julia Child made by Colette coq au vin with the best mashed potatoes of the year, and JJ's love the poitrine de veau, also OK but not over the moon.

Our bill, with another bottle of wine Colette deemed more worthy and hefty and 2 glasses of white for our white-wine only guy, no bottled water but two coffees and a green tea - our bill was 84 E a couple.  Again, there was so much of the main dish we left with two pieces of chicken for Colette's next chicken salad.

Paris Pix: OK

Paris Pix: Whoa.

Paris Pix: Cool postcard rack.

Reviews of reviews: The week of February 16th 2015

Monday-Tuesday, in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to the Viet namese An Di An Di in the 20th and also smaller mentions of the aforementioned Le Mordant in the 10th and the Japanese dinette Ito Chan in the 9th.

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Yves Nespoulous reviewed the Viet namese An Di An Di in the 20th.

Wednesday in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin, in his Hache Menu, celebrated the Chinese New Year by going to the previously mentioned Tricotin.  Then he followed with his usual five reviews : giving 3/5 hearts to the Bistrot Augustin, 79 Rue Daguerre in the 14th, closed Sundays, 01.84.15.02.02, where for 19 E one has the daily special and 38 E the menu-carte with items such as filet de loup, pork with lentils and a cheesecake.  Garnering 2 hearts were the Bistrot Bleriot, 9, quai Louis-Bleriot in the 16th, closed only for Sunday dinners, 01.42.88.42.42, with menus at 19 and 24 and a la carte 30-45 E for items such as an egg mayo, chili con carne and a baba au rhum ; as well as the Latino/tapas La Portena in the 18th.  Getting one heart each were the tapas-bar Death by Burrito in the 11th and the upscale epicerie Myrthe in the 10th.

Figaroscope’s Dossier this week was written by Colette Monsat, Alice Bosio and Hugo de Saint Phalle and discussed “monomaniacal” places :
Les Pinces (lobster)
Okomusu (Japanese pizza)
Bagnard (Mediterranean sandwich)
Pancake Sisters (US pancakes)
Jambon Buerre (evident)
La Maison du Croque-Monsieur (ditto)
Profiterole Cherie (same)
And Leoni’s Deli, Boulettes, La Gauferie & We Are Tiramisu.

Wednesday, also, Heidi Ellison in Paris Update reviewed the aforementioned Les Pinces in the 4th.

Thursdays in L’Express, the places they’ve reviewed recently have all been mentioned previously : Dersou, An Di An Di, Ledoyen, Bouillon & Hexagone.

Paris Pix: A bit much?

Paris Pix: Evil avoided.

Paris Pix: It's curtains for Paris.

Paris Pix: Paint ball fight?