Ze Kitchen Galerie in the 6th has been a trusted source of food comfort since we first chanced on it in 2001. Actually my first meal there was puzzling; I didn't "get it." But when Colette and our best friends went back, suddenly the combination of a Savoy-trained chef using all sorts of Asian herbs and spices on top of traditional French cuts of meat and types of fish made a lot of sense. Even though labelled as "fusion food" it has never been on the foreign visitors' food routes, its clientele consisting largely of French and some Anglo folks.
Friends always ask us if Paris has suffered touristically since Charlie Hebdo and November 13th and I say "Not that I can tell." But ex-pat pals, especially those in the food and hospitality biz, say things are slower, emptier, quieter. To change he subject which we'll get back to later, upon entering, we were warmly greeted and informed that William Ledeuil, the innovative chef, was on vacation this week and sent his best which included two coupes.
The amuses were spicy beet soups; followed by firsts of octopus, watermelon, pineapple and tomato gazpacho and red tuna with Nepalese pepper, strawberries and I swear some zippy fresh ginger - all bearing Ledeuil and his multi-cultural kitchen crew's signature.
Our mains were mackerel with sweet onion and saffron and lots else and lieu jaune with green curry and anchovy sauce and lots else.
Our desserts were suitable endings to the meal: chocolate with caramel ice cream and nuts and rhubarb and strawberries and ice cream - heavenly.
Our bill, with no bottled water but one bottle of Reuilly and two coffees was 139 E.
If you're worried about the lack of hipster visitors from abroad, worry no more - they're back with hats on, shirts out, shorts up and cellphones in use!
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