John Talbott's Paris

Le Grand 8 in the 18th: "Some guy named John Talbott, with a respected food blog gave it a terrible review." Ouch.

4.0 Le Grand 8, 8, rue Lamarck in the 18th, 01.42.55.04.55, (No Metro: use the Montmartrobus), closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday lunch is a place a dear friend from the nuclear-free zone of Cantabridgia insisted I go to in 2009 and dutifully I went and found it wanting, judging it a 1/10.  But today was the May 1st weekend and I'd read a nice review in Figaro and thought "Well, it must have a new chef, why not?"  My host said "Some guy named John Talbott, with a respected food blog gave it a terrible review," but I responded that because of my review the restaurant must have hired someone new.  Silly me.

The firsts, especially the yuge white asparagus stalks, but also the razor clams and veal tongue, were pretty good; no real complaints.

But when the mains arrived after a long wait and a bottle of wine, the parmentier of lamb, coquelet and sweetbreads were all overcooked or cooked and kept under warming lamps too long.

My friends tossed around which dessert to have back and forth and finally decided (for me) we'd have all three; a clafoutis of rhubarb, a brownie-like chocolate cake and ris au lait; for me only the chocolate was worth writing home about.

Our bill, with two bottles and a glass of wine and two digestifs (mine ok, his not so much) was 218 E or 142.66 E a couple; my gracious host paid, I trust that bill not the one I got for 274.50 E for the adjacent table of 5.  dB's = 90 = "Boeing 737 or DC-9 aircraft at one nautical mile (6080 ft) before landing (97 dB); power mower (96 dB); motorcycle at 25 ft (90 dB). Newspaper press (97 dB)."

Go back: Sorry, whatever was Rubin thinking?

Aux Deux Amis: What's the big deal here? Just another neighborhood bar-cafe, right? Wrong!

7.0 Aux Deux Amis, 45 Rue Oberkampf in the 11th, o1.58.30.38.13, closed Sunday and Monday (Metro: Parmentier) is a joint I've often heard spoken of but never been so when Emmanuel Rubin (I know, I know) said "Courez vite, venez tot," my ears perked up.  When I entered one of the three wait-staff was still writing the day's tapas down on the mirror, hardly readable by me, my dining partner or our cameras, but luckily on the waiter's note pad.

My friend said "This was always a great place, but why did you come?"  "Oh I said, "Emmanuel Rubin reviewed it because something was new, the owner, chef, something.  "And he said 'Courez vite, venez tot.'"  The carte consisted of tapas that appeared to be Spanish influenced (wait wait) and we chose 6 - tuna, miale tonnato, mushrooms al ajillo, coral lentils, pouce pied and a brie.  It's quibbling which was better; they all were terrific; even though we had to ask for help in eating the pouce pied (hint, detach it from the base, twist off the head almost halfway and pull.)

Our bill, with a bottle of very fine wine that the waitguy pointed us to, with OK bread and nice coffee, was 92 E.  The sound was deafening, 81.1 dB, largely North and American music.  At the end of the meal my partner asked the waiter of what origin was the chef - "Japanese."

Go?  "Run, quickly."

 

Cafe Jamin in the 16th: You can't go home again.

6.0 Café Jamin, 32, rue de Longchamp in the 16th, 01.45.53.00.07, open 7/7 (Metro: Boissiere), is in the same space Joel Robuchon's original Jamin was in his glory days and that a revered destination for many years.  The space has fallen on hard times, in one incarnation a kebab or couscous joint, but my hopes were up when I heard that Herve Rodriguez formerly at the great MaSa in B-B, had settled in here.  Spoiler alert - it's neither Robuchon 2.0 nor MaSa moved, but it's a lovely place with traditional bistro fare.

My former co-host at the long gone to rot food website decided to order off the carte rather than the lunch "menu" at 29 and 29 E of mushrooms and salmon, as I recall, but I started off with 6 escargots - the sauce was not classical, rather than butter and parsley, it was burned butter and burned something else - very strange tasting.  Then she had a very tough onglet of beef with soggy, heated under the heating lamp, fries and I had their self-described thick cut of veal liver (which was overcooked and miles different from the Chez Les Anges in the 1960's gold standard with nice string beans with garlic.  Then to terminate, we shared a Mason jar (which seems de rigueur these days) full of chocolate mousse which was the best part of the meal

Our bill, with a bottle and glass of Chinon, a bottle of Chateldon, mildly uninteresting bread and two coffees, was 111.50 E.  dB's = 80.4

Go back?  Nope, when Joel left, he took the touch of genius with him.

 

 

Pertinence in the 7th: the word is out to Japanese eaters.

7.5 Pertinence, 29, rue de l'Exposition in the 7th, 0145.55.20.96, closed Sundays and Mondays (Metro: Ecole Militaire) was described by two French reviewers as franco-japonaise which it most certainly is not, despite its Japanese chef and clientele and its wall drapes and wood baffling.

We chose the 38 E for 3 course lunch menu (there's also a 29 E two course one, 60-80 E a la carte and 85 E tasting one) and the dishes rolled out with numerous ingredients and sauces, as follows:
- an amuse bouche of cream of cauliflower
- green asparagus with a spicy guacamole base and parmesan chips
- duck breast with slightly burned (nicely burned) endives and
- agrumes with a lemon ice and meringue, all excellently sourced. cooked and presented.

Our bill with a bottle and two glasses of wine; nice bread roll and coffees too, was 136 E.  dB's varied between 75.3 and 83.3.

Go?  Don't be put off (as I originally was) by the franco-nippone description (I don't think these Big Boys have ever eaten Japanese food); its solid, refined French cooking done by the Japanese chef, plain and simple, no touch of "fusion."  Go?  Yes if you can get into it before too many others learn about it.

Cafe Pimpin in the 18th: Good Coffee & Easy Food: A fun neighborhood place.

6.0 Café Pimpin (pimpin = a small sea-fish much Iike a common herring according to French-English dictionaries), 64 Rue Ramey in the 18th, open 7/7, 01.46.06.97.25, Metro: Jules Joffrin is a funny place to be written up so well by the big boys because it's just a neighborhood joint serving toasts (like tartines), pastries, coffees and desserts; on the outside everything is in English, on the inside everyone is French between 25-35 and it's full to bursting by 1 PM.  As you can see it's right near our little city center with the church and mairie within sight.

When my kids were growing up on the Upper west Side of Manhattan, their favorite Sunday breakfast came from H&H Bagels, Murray's, Zabar's or Barney Greengrass and consisted of what they called "fox and lox."  I got a revised version of this today, although it was called toast with smoked trout and tzatzaki with fresh dill.  And it was wonderful.

My bill, a record-setting 17 E, paid for a half bottle of fine Gamay Beaujolais Villages, the fox and lox open sandwich and a double espresso.

Go?  Not a destination for sure, but if you're young enough to carry a guitar or skateboard and tablet for their wifi and live or are visiting nearby, it's fresh stuff served by terrific wait-people, albeit there's not a pimpin in sight, although they do serve oysters on Sundays, drop by to see where their real Montmartre kids hang out.

Reviews of reviews – The week of April 17, 2017

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3.5 dots to the previously mentioned Alan Geaam in the 16th.

In Le Fooding, they reviewed a wine bar in Nice.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his 5 new places: giving 2/5 hearts to 4 of them: the Mexican Bocamexa in the 10th; and three French places: the tea salon Senoble Famille Gourmande, 11, rue des Petits-Champs in the 2nd, 01.42.21.94.19, open 8-8, costing 12-18 E for breakfast, 24 E for brunch and 30-45 a la carte for items such as toast with chevre, mushroom omelette and white cheese cake; the previously mentioned Café Jamin in the 16th; and a tapas and bio wine place – Food, where for 25-30 E one has three plates of items such as sweet potato soup, tataki of beef and parmesan macaroon.  Getting one heart only was the Italian Atelier Fratelli in the 20th.

In his Hache Menu, he reviewed the Italian trattoria Noto in the 8th to which he says you should Allegro presissimo.

The Dossier by Alice Bosio, Colette Monsat and Hugo de Saint-Phalle at Figaroscope, covered the new Italian restaurants in Paris.

Also on Wednesday, in Paris Update, Heidi Ellison reviewed Nomos, 15, rue Andre-del-Sarte, in the 18th, 01.42.57.29.27, closed Sundays and Mondays, menus at lunch 3 courses for 35 E and 5 courses for 45 E as well as dinner with 6 courses at 65 E, serving items such as roasted onion, lamb and cream and ice cream.

Reviews of reviews – The week of April 10, 2017

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard reviewed and gave 2/5 dots to the revived Cafe Jamin, 32 Rue de Longchamp in the 16th, 01.45.53.00.07, open 7/7 with a 29 E menu at lunch (a la carte 50-60 E) serving items such as leeks, quenelle de brochet and merlan and Jerome Berger reviewed but gave to rating to Le Desnoyez, 3, rue Denoyez in the 20th, 06.61.19.18.31 closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, a la carte about 25 E for items such as goat cheese and asparagus, merlu and clafoutis.

In Le Fooding, Gilles Dupuis reviewed the previously mentioned Detour.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his 5 new places: giving 4/5 hearts to the Japanese-French Pertinence in the 7th and 2 hearts to the steakhouse L’Etable Saint-Germain, 17, rue Clement in the 6th, 01.42.39.89.27, closed Mondays, where for 45-60 E one dines on items such as pate, queue de boeuf and entrecote.  Garnering 1 heart were the tea salon Madame Croque Monsieur in the 2nd, the Maison de Savoie in the 2nd and the trattoria-pizzeria the above mentioned Pratolina.

In his Hache Menu, he reviewed Kristin Frederick’s Greenhouse.

The Dossier by Alice Bosio covered the new pop-ups, in Paris including: Celine Pham at Fulgurances, Grandcoeur, Hotel Grand Amour, L’Office, Anicia & Taste of Paris.

Heidi Ellison in Paris Updates went to the previously mentioned Dilia.

Thursday, in L’Express Styles, Francois-Regis Gaudry reviewed the previously mentioned Table du 11 in Versailles which has moved to the recently opened La Cour des Senteurs.

Ze Kitchen Galerie in the 6th: Another flawless meal with Ledeuil.

Ze Kitchen Galerie in the 6th remains one of our steadfast places where we and our friends can always count on tasty, innovative and talk-about-able food.  We went todays with one of our dearest friends just back from school holidays in Deauville.

Our dishes were so complex that it would be tough to list all their ingredients so I'll just hit the mains one in each: a Thai bouillon with carrots and ginger; escargots; foie gras, artichoke and peas; seiche and eel; rabbit with asparagus; wagyu beef; quail with foie gras and vegetables; daurade and vegtables (unpictured); and a pepper ice cream with chocolate and caramel.

 

Our bill, with 3 glasses of champagne (offered with M. Ledeuil's apologies for not being there today), their filtered water, bread, coffees and a bottle of wine, was 175 E or 116.66 E a couple.

Reviews of reviews – The week of April 3, 2017

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 dots to the previously mentioned Accents in the 2nd and Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 to Lahaut, 70, ave Franklin-Roosevelt is Suresnes, 01.45.06.22.66, closed weekends where for 50-65 E one can dine on pate en croute, merlu and a marquise of chocolate.

In Le Fooding, Goulven Le Pollès reviewed Margo, 9, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud in the 11th, 01.43.38.52.19, closed Mondays and open only for dinner, serving mackerel, beet carpaccio, and brioche with caramel for 35-50 E.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his 5 new places: giving 3/5 hearts to Detour, 15, rue de la Tour-des-Dames in the 9th, 01.45.26.21.48, closed Sundays and Mondays, serving veal carpaccio, pork belly and floating island for 32 (4 plates) or 45 (6 plates). Then he awarded 2 hearts to 3 places: the Japanese Yoko Bourse and Motto Berger as well as the previously mentioned Tomette in the 12th. Garnering one heart was the Bistrot Regent in the 9th.

In his Hache Menu, he reviewed the pizza place, Popolare, in the 2nd which because of my self-imposed rule about non-French food I’ll he suggests you go.

The Dossier by Alice Bosio, Colette Monsat and Hugo de Saint-Phalle covered the best places to eat blanquettes de veau, from top to bottom: Bistrot Paul Bert, Champeaux, Ferrandaise, Villaret, La Vieille, Chez Monsieur, Petit Retro, Grand Colbert, Fontaine de Mars, Lipp, Cinq Mars, Mesturet, Deux Magots & Aux Marches.

Heidi Ellison in Paris Updates went to the previously mentioned Tous.

Thursday, in L’Express Styles, Francois-Regis Gaudry reviewed the previously mention Bar des Pres in the 6th.

Finally, on Sunday, in the jdd, Aurelie Chaigneau covered La Laverie, 122 rue Caulincourt in the 18th, 01.44.85.73.15, closed Mondays and Tuesdays (7/10) which for 35-40 E serves items such mozzarella, cod and a brownie; and the previously mentioned Japanese burger place Motto in the 8th (7) and Thoumieux in the 7th (7).

L'Arcane in the 18th: Still running on all cylinders. "The best meal of her trip" said Colette.

L'Arcane in the 18th had its front window wide open in this splendid weather and Koon's dogs on the tables.  Our welcome was so warm, it matched the weather outside.  Once again, we went with the 3 dish "menu" at 32 E.

We started off with a clever amuse bouche with tiny pieces of shrimp on top of a wafer above a three partitioned soup-sauce, then for mains chose between fish and meat: Colette thought her dish was the best but we others who had the lamb three ways thought ours was terrific; then a parade of desserts covering everything from avocado with espelette to kiwi fruit and crème brulee.

Our bill, with a bottle and 2 glasses of wine and 3 coffees (offered because we were bumped from last week), was 160 E or 80 E a couple.