John Talbott's Paris

Les Pantins in (natch) Pantin: Why does Le Fooding test my patience with these obscure places in weird locations serving farm to table food, bio-naturale wines in nice surroundings?

Ok. I understand their intent, but the places should at least deliver.

5.1 (the .1 is for the desserts) Les Pantins, (don't get spooked by the awning that says Le P'tit Classé ) 6, avenue Victor Hugo in Pantin, not the 16th,  closed Sundays (Tramway 3), 01.57.14.38.74, is located behind the enormous and famous flour mill and across from the Centre Nationale de Dance and by 1 PM was full of young ladies who if not star-quality dancers were close.  Nice eye-candy.

The "menu" is an extraordinary 18€ at lunch but nothing on it sang to us so we ordered off the carte which was still a great value.  Madame, the French friend I've known the longest, started with a quite nice salad with cauliflower 3 ways (in case you're puzzled, it was raw, grilled and puréed) and I had a nice fresh green salad with a horribly dry terrine de champagne (now I'm exaggerating a bit, they were touted as cauliflower and a terrine but they heard our mothers saying, "eat less meat and more salad.)"

Then my pal had a quite nice salad of fresh greens with diced raw veal and brebis and I had a salad with a very dry, overcooked sausage from l'Aveyron with a huge mound of smashed potatoes.

For dessert, Madame chose the soup of strawberries and I the chocolate with cream - both were extraordinary, thus the .1 pushing its rating above average.

Our bill, with a fine bottle and glass of wine (which the wine guy (it calls itself a bistro a vin after all), recommended quite correctly), no bottled water, so-so bread, and 2 ok coffees was 70.90€.  The dB's went from 0 to 85.1

Go back?  It's a schlep and even at the Philharmonie, 10 minutes away, I wouldn't push you to.  But if you're into dancing nearby and need some salads with a bit of protein for 18€, go for it.

Reviews of reviews – The week of May 15, 2017

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 3/5 to the previously mentioned Racines des Pres in the 7^th; and Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 to Arnaud Nicolas, (a MOF Charcutier in 2004) 46, ave de la Bourdonnais in the 7th, 01.45.55.59.59, closed Sundays where for a lunch menu of 32 E on weekdays or 35 E one dines on charier, tartare of daurade, cod and dark chocolate two ways.

In Le Fooding, Gilles Dupuis reviewed the bistrot-bar a vins Les Pantins, 6, rue Victor Hugo in Pantin, 01.57.14.38.74, closed Sundays, (and maybe Saturday and Monday for some meals), costing 21 E for a lunch formula or 16-35 E for items such as gravlax, tuna mi-cuit and ris de veau.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his 5 new places: giving 3/5 hearts to the previously mentioned Pirouette; then 2 hearts to the Italo-vegan pop up Boy; the previously mentioned Laverie; and the previously mentioned Etsi. One heart went to the previously mentioned Le Chien de la Lune.

In his Hache Menu, he reviewed the previously mentioned Rural in the 17th.

The Dossier this week, by Alice Bosio, Colette Monsat and Hugo de Saint Phalle dealt with Street food places: Ibrik, Yemma, Cot cot, Motto Burger, Nest, Aji Dulce, B. Bell, Street Bangkok, Tiffin Box and Guignette d’Angele.

Also on Wednesday, in Paris Update, Heidi Ellison reviewed the Bel Ordinaire, 54, rue de Paradis, in the 10th, closed Sundays and Mondays, 01.46.27.46.67 running one about 28 E for small plates such as asparagus, duck hearts and brioche.

Francois-Regis Gaudry in L’Express Styles reviewed the well-known l’Entredgeu, 83 rue Laugier in the 17th, 01.40.54.97.24, closed Sundays, where for 30 & 38 E at lunch or 40 & 45 E at dinner one dines under its new chef, on items such as perfect egg, beef cheeks and a baba au rhum.

Sunday, in the jdd, Aurelie Chaigneau wrote up her usual 3 places: Maison Maison (7/10) a riverside resto beneath 18, quai du Louvre in the 1st, no telephone, open 7/7 where lunch menus are 19 & 25, dinner about 25 E serving items such as a terrine de cochon, bulots and a supercream of lemon; also the Japanese noodle resto Udon Kisin in the 8th (7) and Japanese Ito Izakaya in the 9th (7.5). In its version femina, Emmanuelle Dreyfus wrote up the aforementioned Alan Geaam in the 16th.

 

Les Voiles in the 17th: Superb service, products and presention. Cooking less so.

6.2 Les Voiles, 35 rue Bayen aka 18 rue Pierre Demours (not to be confused with Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours, he of the napalm, agent orange et cetera, which I always do) in the 17h, 01.45.72.28.51, open 7/7, (Metro: Ternes) is a place I found about, hummmm, how?  Whatever.  As opposed to most places that have small windows on the street and big eating areas behind, they have a big window showing lots of miniature sailing vessels (for sale) with a most modest dining area behind.  I was eating alone, I mean at my table and for 30 minutes in the resto, having been greeted with "Bonjour, Mr Talbott, comment ca va?" which I thought was due to my res via La Fourchette but not entirely, because my great waitguy later said "I remember you from Restaurant x," and I'm always at a loss to respond to that, so I said nothing.

Anyway, they started me off with a most tasty cream with haddock and toasts amuse - excellent, then I had the coques in cream and chopped shallots, I guess, which lacked something, I realized nothing can equal my pal and Colette's version of such with pasta, garlic and white wine but these needed something. Then I had the special of the day, an entire turbotin with steamed cubed veggies and a sort of vinegar sauce, again, they were nothing specially great tasting until I put the grilled/burnt orange slices on top of the fish and then the "natural" turbot sang. Finally, I had a cafe gourmand which had a superb mini Paris-Brest and strawberry and cream thing plus a so-so moelleux of chocolate.

The bill, that I got 20% off from La Fourchette for showing up early, with no bottled water, fine toasts but only ok bread (on Sunday remember), a half bottle of wine and a coffee would be 53.60 E, which calculates to be around 107.20 E for a couple.  Does anyone here trust my math?, after all, I quit during calculus.  DB's not recorded because there were few folks around me to raise a din.

Return?  Hummm, good question. The service was great, the products very fresh but in their cooking they became, may I be sexist? "girly" as the French say.  The music was post Sinatra, preWoodstock American, thus ok by me.

L'Entredgeu in the 17th: A nice meal at a neighborhood bistro with rather elevated prices.

Memories:  15 years ago Philippe Tredgeu set off to his own place in the 17th, after cheffing at Chez Casimir after subcheffing at Chez Michel, at least that's my Trumpian memory.  It was a bit hit with the cybercrowd I hung around with at the time and while I went, I usually had a hard time finding it from where I live and at least once bailed out before reaching my quest.  3 months ago he turned over the piano Keeman Ballois and Enrico Bertazzo, ex respectively from l'Ambrosie and l'Arpege and  l'Affranchis.

6.0 L'Entredgeu, 83 rue Laugier in the 17^th, 01.40.54.97.24, closed Sundays, (Metro: Porte de Champerret).  Since my memory doesn't go back 15 years, I don't recall how different or similar the outside and inside are but the menu seems ambitious and for three dishes pricey (45 €), although recall it's the deadly Saturday lunch.

My great old friend from the once greatest food website in the world started with a perfect egg, (is there anyplace in town not doing it?) and I had nice big chunks of ceviche of bass/bar.

Then she went for the fish on a bed of fresh spinach with a side of cauliflower and I had a fine quail with a cabbage leaf stuffed with, (with what?, not forcemeat/foie gras/abats?) Ok but not shake outa your socks.

Finally she had a Pavlova with nice strawberries and I a wonderful soufflé Marnier that was perfect.

Our bill with a bottle of Languedoc, good bread, no bottled water but two coffees, was 124 €.  dB's varied but were mostly 82.9

Go again?  T'wer it round the corner and on a weekday for two dishes at 30 €, maybe.

Reviews of reviews – The week of May 8, 2017

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 4/5 to the previously mentioned Detour in the 9th and Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 to Le Saint Joseph, 100, bd de la République, La Garenne Colombes (92) which has a 32 E menu and is closed Saturday lunch, Sundays and Mondays, 01.42.42.64.49 and serves an ouef bio and poitrine de pork.

In Le Fooding, Agathe Pinchon reviewed the Mediterranean Le Chien de la Lune, 22, rue de Jessaint in the 18th, 01.42.62.40.60, closed Sundays and Mondays, where for 16-35 E one dines on items such as gnocci and panna cotta.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his 5 new places: giving 3/5 hearts to the previously mentioned Racines des Pres in the 7th and the well-known Café de la Paix, which has a new chef; then 2 hearts each to Street Bangkok Cantine & Bar and the previously mentioned Les Foodies in the 4th.  One heart went to Le Gramont in the 2nd.

In his Hache Menu, he reviewed the Caffe Caesar in the 17th. 

There was not so much a Dossier this week, as an interview and story on Guy Savoy.

Also on Wednesday, in Paris Update Heidi Ellison reviewed the previously mentioned Desnoyez in the 20th.

Francois-Regis Gaudry in L’Express Styles reviewed the previously mentioned Aux Plumes in the 14th and Charles Patin O’Coohoon covered the Mediterranean Little Mana in the 10th.

John's Top Ten of 2017 so far

As usual, the rules are, only in Paris and surrounds, only meals eaten at new places this year, only at lunch and only supplying total bill, usually with wine and coffee but not bottled water.

8.2 Desnoyez

8.1 Accents, Tous, Fulgurances

8.0 L'Escudella, Chez Jean (9th, reportedly closed)

7.8 Pirouette, Polissons, Detour

7.7 Le Bistro d'Yves

next

7.6 Racines des Pres

7.5 Parigots, Pertinence, Grand Bain

7.4 Savarin

7.2 Alan Geaan

7 Aux Deux Amis, Tresor

8.1 Accents, Tous, Fulgurances

8.0 L'Escudella, Chez Jean (9th, reportedly closed)

7.8 Pirouette, Polissons, Detour

7.7 Le Bistro d'Yves

next

7.6 Racines des Pres

7.5 Parigots, Pertinence, Grand Bain

7.4 Savarin

7.2 Alan Geaan

7 Aux Deux Amis, Tresor

Nomos in the 18th: the quarter is really heating up, perfect eggs and spelt, next thing you know there'll be heirloom kale and raw cabrito.

5.8 Nomos, 15, rue Andre Del Sarte (or as we knew him from Robert Browning's poem, Andrea Del Sarto) in the 18th, 06.95.84.75.97, closed Sundays and Mondays (Metro: Barbes-Rochechouart) came to me highly recommended by a critic my guest's husband works for and I often eat with. It's in the space the awful Cheri Bibi used to occupy before Anike Aizpitarte left the Famille for points south and east and a street that my guest informed me is being quickly hipsterized.  I entered on crutches at 12:20 for a 12:30 reservation and the greet guy said, "0h we cannot serve you for 20 minutes."  Ok I understand that. Can I sit down? But 8 minutes later 4 friends of the house arrived and were immediately waited on.  Hummm.  It's a no choice menu for 35 € which for this forgotten region of the 18th, think Tati, is stretching it.

The first was a very interesting warm corn soup with a freezing cold perfect egg on top of warm spelt.  Interesting, as I said.  Then came a "lamb Lancaster" hey that's what I heard, I assumed it was a variation on "beef Wellington" because of the pasty surrounding, until my multilingual companion said "John, he said that's lamb 24 hours."  It worked moderately ok.  Next we had an ice semifreddo type ball with a slice of yummy desiccated apple into which our foodguide told us, the chef had put every spice and herb in the pantry.  Actually it was rather good.

With very good coffee, a bottle of ok wine, no bottled water and soso bread, our bill was 121€. DB = 81.3 plus and minus depending on the jazz music and shouts of our neighbors.

Go back.  I fear not, too much better and better price-quality stuff in the nabe now.

Savarin la Table in the 7th: Another keeper, this guy really knows his stuff.

 

 

7.4 Savarin la Table, 34, rue de Bourgogne in the 7th, 09.86.59.19.67, closed Saturdays and Sundays (Metro: Varenne) was described to me last month as a place I must go to that was about to open under the baton of Mehdi Kebboul.  It's up the street from the Assemblee Nationale and new enough that everyone passing by looked in, including a lorry driver. The lunch menu was 28 € for 2 courses 35 € for three and it was a 2-2-2 one except in addition to the merlu and aged beef, the chef said to us that the pigeon was rather good.

The amuse bouche's were a wafer with beets and salmon eggs, very very tasty.  Then Madame had the stracciatella with a large new zucchini stalk in a tempura batter and I had a wonderful mound of eel with sliced Granny's and flavored lentils hiding a perfect egg.

We both had the pigeon wrapped around red cabbage and foie gras that was out of this world.

Finally we shared a dessert of nugat ice cream, strawberries and their sweet sauce, beautifully offset by shaved citrus peels on top.

Our bill with a bottle of red Sancerre, no bottled water but two coffees was 114 €.  dB's were a bit much at times - 79.9.

Go back?  As soon as Colette shows up.

Marc Veyrat's Rural in the 17th: kinda kicky, kinda cute, but underneath, there's some serious stuff.

Marc Veyrat and I go back a long way; to the days Colette and I preferred the mountains and lakes to the big cities, none more alluring than Annecy, with both.  Then we lost touch, I no longer ski and he no longer cooked at affordable prices, but I kept seeing articles implying he wanted to set up an outpost in Paris.  So it was with mixed feelings that I went to his 2 week old yuge combo cantine-resto-serve yourself places in of all unlikely but sensible spots - the Palais des Congres.  

So to continue this thread, I entered and looked around and there by Buddha, was himself, pasty-faced, sun-glassed, black hatted sitting with a woman with a computer, either interviewing him or getting this evenings meal set.  I'm not bold enough to interrupt but a few minutes later he walked over and touched my shoulder and asked how I was.  "You gotta be kidding," I thought, "he cannot possible remember me from 3 meals eons ago."  And he worked the room, and consulted the senior staff and when the line formed for the terrine distribution, helped do it.  This was really impressive, when had he last worked a line?  But this is not one man's history, it's a report.  So

 

6.6 Rural, technically 2 place de la Porte de Maillot in the 17th for chauffeurs privees, etc., but really the Palais des Congres, open 7/7 (Metro: Porte de Maillot), no reservations but they have a phone 01.72.69.03.03.

I was forewarned that firsts and desserts were help yourself but that mains and cheese would be delivered, which suited me and my crutches very well.  I started out with the two terrines; campagne really good, and seafood really surprising with an astonishing sauce.  Those with hearty Rural bread got me off to a good start.  Next, I wanted to see what he would do with the quenelles de brochet, a mountain specialty.  It arrived with a green not cream sauce - yuck, what was that taste?  Sorrel, no vervein.  I think he's gotta go back to the classic recipe.  The purée, however, was very tasty.  

I'd been staring at the cheese table all this time and couldn't resist so I got one of my very amiable, competent waitfolks to bring some over - but when I asked what they were, except for the Reblochon and chèvre that I knew, he had to go and ask the senior guy.  A minor blip I'm sure soon to be fixed by an informed, dedicated cheese guy posted at the station.

My bill, with their filtered water, 1/2 bottle of Savoie Pinot and a coffee, was 49€.  DB=80.4

Go?  Not a destination but if at the Congres, where I'm invited to meetings, I would return.

The Racines des Pres in the 7th: if it wasn't a star yesterday, it will be tomorrow. 100 chefs: great results.

Ok, let me dispense with these prequels, backnotes, backstories and foreshadowing of future events and go right to the point, this place is a winner, a keeper and will soon be identified as so by the big boys and the rag known to print all the news that fits that description.

7.6 The Racines des Pres, 1, rue de Gribeauval (the street between the Rue de Bac and Robuchon's joint that you've passed a million times, right opposite Deyrolle, right?) in the 7th, 01.45.48.14.16, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays (Metro: Rue de Bac) is on a charming square I don't think I've ever been in, clearly in the high rent neighborhood.  I walked by, looked in the window at the ardoise, walked by, couldn't find the door - "oh shiite, they've adopted Robuchon's pretension!"  I go into the fancy-schmancy hotel next door, thinking maybe the entrance is through there, "no, Monsieur, its right besides us."  Duh.  I know that, but how do I get in?  So I stumble along and pull on something that looks like sort of handle albeit so same color as to make it invisible, eh voila, the nice waitguy helps me in, get seated and delivers a carte.  I twist and turn trying to get the fractured vertebra in an unpainful spot.  Yessss!  I look around me, I know when I'm among food critics, they look a lot like me except younger, scruffier and smarter.  I regard the very open kitchen - there are an enormous number of chefs and of course the requisite one, Somali, plongeur.  I regard the 33 € 3-course menu, wow, pretty interesting.  Now I did know these dudes have been at la Cremerie, Le Bon Saint Pourcain, Racines 2 and that the guy behind the Oz curtain is David Lanher.  Nevertheless, show me your stuff!

My first is/are the daily special raviolis of chopped mushrooms and nuts with small Japanese mushrooms and the requisite fluff, pretty damn good even for a supplement of 3€; my neighbors had the cuttlefish and veggies, etc. and the oeuf mollet/etc. and looked very satisfied as well.  Then I had the other daily special, a guaranteed milk fed lamb shoulder, which was by my taste buds, now turning towards mutton, and this is May mind you, but was moist and beautiful with carrots 4 ways, cooked whole, braised slices and raw slices and puréed - now the planning, thinking and doing of this dish alone demonstrates great finesse and future.  My fellow scribblers seemed quite happy with their fish and veal dishes as well. For dessert I chose a chocolate one, which I find hard to describe - it was a cross between Adria and Danny Meyers - sure, there were creams, chocolate and coffee bits - but who came up with this imaginative creation?  He/she alone gets a star.

So even with a 3€ supplement, their bottled water, ok bread, coffee and a half-bottle of wine one person comes to 56 and a couple to 112€.

Go?  Silly of me to ask, eh?, but try to get in in a year, so go early, go often.