John Talbott's Paris

L'Auberge du Sanglier Bleu in the 18th: Metro or not, it's a reasonable place in Clichy-Blanche, but very hard to rate.

So, let's get the rating/grade out of the way, that should be easy, right?, well not so:
9.0 Welcome (switching to English immediately after hearing our accents)
9.0 Setting, newness with old posters
8.0 Seating comfort
7.0 Wine
6.0 Clientele all French
1.0 Food, ahhh, read on

1.0 L'Auberge du Sanglier Bleu, 102 Blvd de Clichy in the 18th, 01.42.51.40.53, open 7/7 12-12 (Metro: Clichy or Blanche) was a place I read about somewhere that had been refurbished and was open Sundays - Yah Sundays, so I went with my old pal in the Food Biz.  The moment she entered and spoke the amiable guy answered in English - that's OK - everyone else was French, not locals I think but visitors staying near the Place de Clichy.

After perusing the carte here's how it went:
- she ordered haricots verts with sliced raw mushrooms (very good by me) with a dressing she said was "out of a bottle"
- she had linguine with seafood (really clams) which pasta she barely touched (me I avoid pasta unless at home or in Italy)
- I had 3 planch'd shrimp that I swear were not thawed, with avocado and startling slices of citruses that I loved and
- then we barely shared a platter of cheese which was not a bad selection for a place of this sort.  (They were good enough I took the remainder home for dinner.)

Our bill with a bottle of home-grown sparkling water, warmed bread and good butter and two coffees, was 83.30 E.

Go?  Despite all the positives and what my friend Randy de Paris calls "the total experience: the food is not worth a trip, even from the Mercure around the corner.

Balls in the 9th: "Balls, John....did you really eat balls?" "Wait, wait, there's an explanation."

4.0 Balls, 27, rue de Douai in the 9th, 09.52.83.33.04, (Metro: Blanche), closed Sundays and Mondays, deserves a bit of an explanation before plunging in.  A couple of years ago, when the original Balls opened on the rue St Maur, three of my female blogosphere friends egged me on to go and all write outrageously titled reviews.  Well, we never connected, but when the off-shoot opened I convinced one of them to come with her husband to see what's up.  The carte is pretty much balls and balls, with some sides and dessert thrown in.  When I looked at the place from the street all the lights were off - "Oh oh, a flood, electricity failure, etc.," but no just a late arrival of the serveuse.  The chef came out and I explained I was early and needed to sit - he said "I don't speak French" but coming from Finland spoke perfect English.  So I sat and read and sipped.

My friends arrived and we decided on three sets of balls: beef with tomato sauce, "spicy" and lamb with yogurt sauce; plus some lentils and then a chocolate tart.  The balls were, well, balls; the lentils so-so, but the chocolate superb.  The balls were so bland I asked for some spicy sauce but our Northern Californian waitlady apologized (in English of course) for having none.

Our bill, with a bottle of water, pathetic bread, no bottled water and two coffees, was 70.50 for three, thus 47 E a couple.  dB= 78.2

Go?  I think not, even if you're my back-packing grand-kids.

Botanique in the 11th: A welcoming oasis in the midst of Nov 13, Oberkampf, the Canal St Martin and the Marche Lenoir.

Prequel: I was walking obliviously up the Rue de la Folie-Mericourt when suddenly I saw all these flowers and flags around two cafes; then to my right was a tiny portrait on the wall, like a mass card but for a woman who was clearly Muslim.  Holy cow, I'd been thinking November 13th was all about the Bataclan and Stade de France, but here was evidence of the horror.  I bowed my head and walked on past the workmen trying to repair the damage of this horrendous massacre.

6.9 Botanique, 71, rue de la Folie-Mericourt in the 11th, 01.47.00.27.80, closed Sunday and Monday (Metro: Oberkampf) is a place that opened for gastronomic dinners a few months ago, which is a no-starter with me, but then a friend-blogger reported it also served tapas-portioned lunches on the ground floor, so I was off.  It is truly an oasis, a raw-wood façade two stories tall in the midst of repair shops and anonymous locations.  But it is lovely and welcoming.

My invitee, the Swiss-French youngest child of my oldest, now deceased, pal from Residency, was already installed with a glass of wine when I limped in.  She noted the items on the carte that were reputedly entrees and plats but as it turns out, everything is reasonably sized, and indeed, tapas-like, albeit often with sauces.  She ordered the carrots and poitrine de porc and I the fricassee of mushrooms with cabbage and an egg and croutons - all were really what the doctor ordered for a cold afternoon.  Then we shared a chocolate mousse dessert which was superb.

Our bill, with a bottle of wine, good bread and one coffee (no bottled water) was 75.50 E and she pointed out that wine was a big deal here; indeed we were sitting on top of the wine cellar.

Go?  As I was sitting waiting for my Uber to show up, suddenly the handsome head guy places a cup of fresh tea in front of me - Wow, what hospitality; on top of the easy prices, fine food and great setting in this desert, a gesture like this gets a "go back."

Jacques Faussat (La Braisiere) in the 17th: A Michelin one star you've never heard of? There must be a reason.

6.5 Jacques Faussat aka La Braisiere, 54, rue Cardinet in the 17th, 01.47.63.40.37, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays (Metro: Malesherbes) has one star in the Michelin but when my blogger pal asked me if I know it, I drew a blank.  "Never heard of it" I said, "Me neither, but I got this prompt from a publicist" she said.  "Ok, it might be worth a try."  The place is understated in an understated part of Paris, has a voiturier and a 40 E lunch menu - nothing ventured, nothing gained think I.

The wine list was not oppressively expensive for a one-star (28 E for a Minervois) and while the cheese wafers were a bit pale, the rillettes of goose on toasts had some oompf.

My friend had a nice enough chestnut soup with chunks of poule faisan  in in the bottom and I craving oysters, had some jellied with a sauce that was almost like cream cheese with chives.

She then had a civet of sanglier which I have always found too dry and stringy but this was nice and moist and while my rognons were nothing to write home about, they sat on smashed potatoes that were fabulous, and I'm not a potato guy.

For enders she had a crusted apple tart with a nice offsetting confiture, I had a floating island and we shared the financiers that were above average.

Our bill with no bottled water but nice bread and 2 coffees, was 118 E a couple.  dB level so low I didn't test it.

Go?  To return to the question in my title: what is the reason it's so little known after 10 years, at least in my circles?  In November, Francois Aubel chief cultural editor of Figaro, termed the chef "injustement méconnu".  Maybe so, but he didn't put forth the razzle-dazzle that draws me back.  And my pal was concerned that he didn't even "Bonjour" her as she passed him.

 

Restaurant H in the 4th: perfectly sourced, perfectly cooked, perfectly presented, ah, but where's the "soul?"

7.1 Restaurant H, 13 rue Jean-Beausire in the 4th (Metro: Bastille), 01.43.48.80.96, closed Sundays and Mondays, has got to rank up there with the restaurants with the most minimalist façade and signage on the most minimalist unknown street in the 4th.  It just shouts out "Enter and you shall encounter perfection."  And you do.  Like Pierre on Gambey and Spring, etc, yah takes what yah gets, here 3, 5 or 7 (dinner) courses for 30, 50 and 70 E.

We started off with one of those Porte 12 type presentations of specialty chips stuck into a bed of dried beans or such-like with two wines; why you might ask: Because like Jack Spratt & Co., one will drink no red and one no white.

For a first, we had nice warm pieces of lieu jaune with boule d'or (it sure sounded like Bulldog to me) turnips that were superb, albeit not captured by my camera; then a beautiful piece of veal, truly well-sourced and cooked with whole baby carrots and a carrot puree with kumquats, also missed by me; and then one of us had cheese and the other two a divine chocolate-caramel dessert; finishing up with marshmallows.

Our bill was 177 E with one coffee, super bread and funny butter, thus 118 E a couple.

Go back?  I really think this ancient second of Akrame Benallal has got the makings of a great place on his hands but he needs to put his "soul on the plate" as someone puts it.  Everything is perfect and as I have said about other places like it - "too perfect."  How does one do it?  I don't honestly know, but he's got a great start.

Pierre Sang on Gambey: If you loved his pushing the envelope at PSB Oberkampf, you'll have fun here; if not, stay away.

7.5 Pierre Sang on Gambey, 6 rue Gambey in the 11th, 01.40.21.00.70, open 7/7, (Metro: Oberkampf), opened a year ago and I kept meaning to come, but.....well, other things came up.  But this week my longest running French friend said "You know, I'd like to go to one of his places."  I took no convincing.  The place is much like #1, with much counter space, stools and an open kitchen, but this has a huge portrait of himself and a wine-covered wall.  The "menu" choices are limited by the number and forced choices but my friend and I went with 3 dishes=25 E.

Our waiter, ever the jokester, brought each plate and made us guess before telling us the ingredients; first we had a lovely cooked in its skin fish (we both guessed mackerel, nope - daurade) with cubes of par-cooked butternut;  then incredible beef (I said no way it's Wagyu, too moist and fatty; wrong, it was but marinated two days) with chestnuts and Jerusalem artichokes, salsify and mustard leaves; and finally carrot cake (we guessed made with crumble, but no, pistachios), orange sorbet and a lemon emulsion.

Our bill, with a nice bottle of Gaillac, great bread and butter and two coffees, was 104 E. dB=81.9

Go?  How can you not when their top wine case is a Talbot.

Disclosure: although reserving in my friend's name, he figured me out and brought us glasses of terrific Korean plum wine and as I'm getting into my Uber, handed me a copy of his new book "Best of......."

 

Review of reviews: the week of January 18th, 2015

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, there were no restaurant reviews.

Tuesday, Le Fooding had a review by Raphaele Marchal of the Restaurant H, 13 rue Jean-Beausire in the 4th, 01.43.48.80.96 (Metro: Bastille) where the former second of Akrame Benallal serves on a 30 E lunch or 50 and 70 E dinner, items such as chicken breast, lieu jaune and rice dessert.

Wednesday, in Le Figaroscope, Alice Bosio, Colette Monsat and Hugo de Saint Phalle wrote about neo-classical dishes served in bistrots that included: a blanquette at the Petit Retro, a gigot at L’Amarante, veal cheeks at Les Affranchis, pot-au-feu at La Bourse et la Vie, lamb souris at Bon Vivant, joue de boeuf at Grand Coeur, civet de sanglier at Vitis and pork joues at Pottoka.

And Emmanuel Rubin’s Hache Menu covered the reopening with a new team (Bistrot de Paris, Chez Rene, Chez Georges, Chez Fred) of Savy.

In his reviews of 5 new places this week he gave 3 hearts to La Gentiane, 4, rue Stanislas in the 6th (Metro: ND des Champs), 01.45.48.11.39, closed weekends where for 40-50 E one can dine on items such as pork belly carpaccio, pot-au-feu and a waffle with Chantilly sauce; he then awarded 2 stars to three places – Boeuf Maillot, 99, ave des Ternes in the 17th, 01.45.74.10.57, open 7/7 (Metro: Porte Maillot) where for 28 and 35 E obeef salad, beef quarters and chocolate mousse; the “Yankee” Marlon in the 7th; Uptown, 18, rue Francoeur in the 18th, 01.84.05.62.79 (Metro: Lamarck-Caulincourt) closed Mondays but brunch on Sundays, which runs one 30-35 E for items such as braised cabbage, confited boar and apples with basil.  He gave a single heart to the well-known Pharamond, no under new management.

Also Wednesday, Heidi Ellison in Paris Update reviewed Botanique, coordinates already reported, which was only open for a gasto dinner upstairs in the evening but now is also open for tapas at lunch downstairs.

And Sunday, Aurelie Chaigneau reviewed the pizzas at Scalpello in the 6th (6.5); Homies, 26, rue Beautreillis in the 4th (7), 09.80.41.05.40, open 7/7 serving for 25-40 E items such as brochettes of chicken, gyozas and a chocolate-caramel dessert; she then returned to Juveniles which she deemed worthy of 7.5/10.

La Gentiane in the 6th: Old school, Old boy, Oh boy!

7.0 La Gentiane (yes as in the ancient eau de vie), 4, rue Stanislas in the 6th, 01.45.48.11.39, (Metro: ND des Champs), closed weekends, is a little sister of the bistrot Marcel, a few steps away.  It has a carte that is totally retro; their reputation is for the pot-au-feu,......thus.....but first......

Madame ordered the Montgolfiere of onions - "do you know what that means?  a blimp of onions."  But no it was actually onion soup in a croute, not bad although they'd added some strange spices.  I had two starters, which I meant to be sequenced but they arrived almost simultaneously: chicken liver salad and carpaccio of pork belly with what they called pisto, but it was deconstructed.  But both were quite good but definitely old school.

Then Madame, who had ordered their famous pot-au-feu, got it - Wow!, enough for her for the rest of the week: "No," he said, "my frig is full, it's yours."  Yikes.  Quite good though, that which I tasted.

We both had quite pleasant coffee which came with 2 liquored cherries (very old boy).  dB=68.8

Our bill with a bottle of water and very decent bread, was 90 E for 2.

Go?  If you're into the bistro cooking when your parents came to France yes, if you're into Astrance and Gagniare, forgeddabouddit!

Uptown in the 18th: This is a surprising little find on Montmartre, except for....

6.5 Uptown, 18, rue Francoeur in the 18th, (Metro: Lamarck-Caulincourt) 01.84.05.62.79, closed Mondays is an absolutely charming place with mismatched furniture and the look of your grand-aunt's country breakfast room (or at least mine in Ontario).  After spending 48 hours fleeing Snowmaggeden in Washington, Boston and places inbetween I was ready for Parisien cooking and Uptown looked like it on a dank, dark, rainy Sunday afternoon.  I called and the guy answering says "All tables booked up til 4:30 but we have bars" (it goes without saying with stools) - "OK, I'm on my way."

 

I get the menu - "BRUNCH" it says it big letters: "Talbott you dope, you forgot to ask."  Here I am on a 4 inch stool, jammed at a bar, staring at Brunch.  Then I look around: croissants, pains au chocolat, butter - "Talbott you idiot, you didn't even look."  I call the terribly nice wait guy over and he asks what hot drink or cold drink I want, "None" I say rather sullenly, "Bring me a glass of Malbec" thinking I'm stuck.  He explains the Brunch menu, clearly my face shows I wish I were back in 3 feet of snow in the Middle Atlantic.  "Ahhhh, that's all," crying, say I?"  "Just a minute"  I see him go back to the rear and consult with a more senior guy who looks like a consigliere; who nods; he returns with the "regular small plate menu."  "Because you're a local and may become a potential customer, we're breaking our rules and letting you see the real thing" I can see him thinking; he says though "Here, please, exceptionally we're offering the "menu"".

I get the nice Malbec, some house-bottled water (free) and tuck into the spicy veal tartare: it's chunky, which I like, spicy, which I like, but comes with some farm-to-table root veggie, which I don't, mainly on principal.  Then I had three of the most well-sourced, well(under)-cooked and well-tenderized pieces of beef ever - boy are they good, with a nice assortment of winter veggies - but, and it's a huge but - it's slathered with a soya sauce that I find so offputting I just cannot enjoy this fabulous dish.

My bill with two glasses of wine and decent coffee and bread, comes to 40 E.

Come back?  I will, but next time I'll insist no sauces with soya.

Reviews of Reviews: The week of January 11th 2016

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to the previously mentioned Biondi and Philippe Toinard awarded the same to Anicia, 97, rue du Cherche-Midi in the 6th, 0143.35.41.50, closed Sundays and Mondays, where for a 29 E lunch formula and menus at 35 and 55 E one can sample items such as trout tartare, roast duck and wines from the Auvergne.

Tuesday, Le Fooding Dante Noileau reviewed Bertrand Auboyneau’s latest venture La Cave du Paul Bert, 16 rue Paul Bert in the 11th, no telephone, open 7/7 where from 16-35 E one can eat tapas/etc such as oeuf may with truffles, sweetbreads with coques and shoulder of deer.

Wednesday, in Le Figaroscope, Alice Bosio, Colette Monsat and Hugo de Saint Phalle wrote about restaurants that have doubled themselves, that included:
La Cantine du Troquet Cherche-Midi
Trois Fois Plus de Piment
AG Les Halles
Balls Pigalle
La Regalade Saint-Honore
Le Ruisseau Burger Joint
Les Cocottes Arc de Triomphe
Le Daily Syrien II

And Emmanuel Rubin’s Hache Menu covered the reopening of the Moulin de la Galette which he says to go to.

In his reviews of 5 new places this week he gave 3 hearts to two places: Sybaris, 88, rue des Archives in the 3rd, open nights only except for Sunday and Monday, 06.47.87.96.98, where on 45 E (6 plates) and 90 E (with wine) one has items such as beet tartare, mackerel ceviche and apples and chocolate; and the previously mentioned Italian Biondi in the 11the.  Then he awarded two hearts each to Pickled, 54, rue de Basfroi in the 11th, 09.72.50.04.55, open weekdays 10-16 h where for 20 E (formulas 13.50 & 16.50 E) the plat du jour comes on a plate or as a sandwich and they have items such as parsnip soup, tandoori chicken and raita; the Italian Secondo Il Buco in the 2nd; and the franco-nippone Biotiful Batignolles, 18, rue Biot in the 17th, 09.80.87.32.75, closed Sundays and Mondays, with a menu-carte at 23 and 27 at lunch and 32 and 36 E at dinner with items such as oysters, echine de porc and a green tea mousse.