Les Arlots in the 10th is a place I ate at only a few weeks ago and when I walked in, I was greeted extra-warmly by the front-room guy Tristan Renoux, ex-Au Siffleur de Ballons, and soon asked if I wished to talk to the chef, Thomas Brachet (ex-Maison Blanche and Beef Club) and new (woman) sous-chef; he, whose excellent English was acquired by listening to American folk-songs and honed in a London discotheque. He is most proud of his ample-sized kitchen, which is glisteningly new, having replaced a not so great couscous joint. Man, I was ready for lunch.
The chef sent us all out a nifty amuse of liver mousse, not your grandmother or bar mitzvah's chopped liver; followed by a cucumber salad that was also not your usual one and a lovely veloute of petit pois and asparagus soup with crème fraiche.
We more or less went our separate ways with: the tasty entrecote, cod with a carrot puree and a terrific confited duck leg with potatoes - all represented old yet new food at its best.
The desserts were also special: chocolate, caramel and whiskey between 500 (not mille mind you) feuilles and a fruit with honey mixture.
The master of the wines, one Tristan Renoux, is every ready to describe and provide what one wants and his choices of a Chinin white and Tuscan red went perfectly with our choices. They, with the offered amuses and an Armagnac offered as well, plus two coffees and nice bread came to 151.80 E or 75.90 E a couple.
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