John Talbott's Paris

Le Depot Legal in the 2nd: A "flash of genius" = an eclair of supreme craft as well from Christophe Adam.

6.0 Le Depot Legal, 6, rue des Petits Champs in the 2nd (Metro: humm, Bourse, Pyramides?), affects to have no telephone, no reservations, open 7/7.  It's been open a very short time but when I strolled in at 12:40, it was full save one bar stool.  Bummer!  I pleaded, cried, waved my cane around - to no avail;  "but wait Madame, there's a table empty there?"  I got not an eclair de genie but a negative foudre essentially conveying the message "you'll wait til I tell you, you can sit, old guy."  

  

 

I looked around, I sure was the old guy, the only one in the room over 23, these kids were the ages of my grandkids, yikes, some were this year's version of hipsters, even.  And the food was as well, there was some protein but all that your mother would approve of.  Most of it is in two huge window cases behind where the work folks cook and put the dishes together.

The bread arrived, wait, this is bread from one of the best pastry chefs in the world? Unh uh.  Banette does better. Bad start.  Then I had the daurade ceviche with a ton of shaved cucumber spaghettinis, topped with citrus slices and accompanied by a different type sauce than I am used to, described as the leche de Tigre, a Peruvian specialty, that grew on me as I proceeded.  

 

To finish up I had to have Christophe Adams biggest sin, a caramel eclair, which was as it always is at the Eclairs de Genie, tops. 

My bill, with the equivalent of a half bottle of a red Loire, no bottled water but a coffee, was 36.50 E. 

Go back?  I guess I would not, it was not aggressive enough cuisine for me, but I'd send Colette and her friends for a salad and éclair.

Le Bel Ordinaire in the 10th: innovative dishes and unusual wines (disclosure: by a friend).

Disclosure: I do my best to not allow personal relationships with chefs, owners and journalists to influence my reviews, but I've got to break the guidelines today because this place is a find, what some would call putting ones "heart or soul" on the plate. To my knowledge there have only been two reviews of the Bel Ordinaire (remember, ordinaire does not always mean ordinary, the top professors are Professeurs Ordinaire) and both made it look like a top-notch Epicerie/wine shop. Which it is, PLUS. It has real cooked food.

7.4 Le Bel Ordinare, 54, rue de Paradis in the 9th, 01.46.27.46.67, closed Sundays and Mondays, (Metro: Cadet) but no reservations and no real tables for couples.   The co-owner-genius behind it is my old eating pal, Sebastien Demorand, ex-Zurban, ex-Master Chef and he rolled out dishes for us the likes of which my co-eater, a real food writer and I have never tasted.

 

The oeufs mayo may have been the best ever, but the spicy cubes of ceviche of mackerel, cherries and kakis, raviolis of olives and egg, onion and Parmesan, sliced boudin noir with tomatoes, bananas and passion fruit, and rhubarb and strawberries and fresh verbein, and chocolate marble cake with lemon confiture were as astonishing as what William Ledeuil does at Ze. And no wonder, Demorand, coming from a diplomatic family who lived all over the world, knows his spices, herbs, products and wines. We sat with one supplier of his Italian products and his Parmesan guy (we did get a morsel of which) and both were enjoying the meal as much as we were.

Our bill, with a bottle and two glasses of wine, a bottled water and 2 coffees, was 104 €, with nothing comp'd, except the morsels of parmesan.  NB the "B" on the glasses; classy eh?  dB's = 76.3

Go back?  You betcha'.

La Cave Drouot in the 9th: "How, exactly did you find this place, John?"

Answer: "Perdu ces dernières années, voilà repris, avec rythme et ressort, ce classique du quartier Drouot qui retrouve son public et recolle aux premières lignes de ces quelques «grands cafés» contemporains désormais vertueux à soutenir un chic frichti." Le Figaro 6/7/17

5.0 La Cave Drouot, 8, rue Drouot in the 9th, 01.47.70.83.38, closed Sundays (Metro: Richelieu Drouot), is across from the famous auction house where I once tried my hand at bidding and was quickly humbled.  It's new/old, with what must have been three places, now one, with ample seating on the terrace and a lot of seats inside.  The carte is not terribly adventuresome but I chose the place because my invitee is a wine expert and I thought he'd have plenty of room in which to roam. I entered a bit before he, and had plenty of time to regard the carte, not feeling terribly enthusiastic about anything.  But we got to talking and that really occupied us and the meal whizzed by.

He started out with raviolis of shrimp which were a turnoff for me because they were on the South side of lukewarm - hey they sell heat lamps now, guys! Then he had the safest bet - an entrecôte with butter and fries and I had the farm-raised pigeon, its breast roasted, its thighs made as pastillas - oh well, at least they made an attempt at innovation.  We ended up sharing a mi-cuit of chocolate which was edible.

Our bill, with a bottle of Chiroubles and two glasses of wine and no coffees, did they even ask us?, hummmm, was 94.30€.  dB's not bad enough to warrant reporting.

Go back?  Well, for just passable food, bread and slow service, it did not inspire me, but I loved the label on the water that said you could drink it at liberty and the salt shaker shaped like a light bulb.

Reviews of reviews – The week of June 12, 2017

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, they reviewed two places: Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to the Café Ineko, 13, rue des Gravilliers in the 3rd, closed Sundays, Mondays and evenings (except Thursdays and Fridays), 09.67.87.23.10, where one can dine a la carte for about 25 E on items such as fennel salad, a vegetarian plate and rice pudding; while Philippe Toinard gave the same to the reopened (after a fire) Crom’Exquis at the same address and phone, which continues to be cheffed by Pierre Menu who changes the 39 E menu weekly and features items such as pea soup, chicken breasts and a sublime Opera.

In Le Fooding, they reviewed A La Piscine in Lyon.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin awarded 2/5 hearts to the Yankee/burger place Two Stories in the 10th; the glorious bistro Les Fauves, 33, blvd Edgar Quintet in the 14th, 01.72.38.58.92, open 7/7, which has a 17 E lunch formula and is about 30-40 E a la carte for items such as a bio egg, pintade and chocolate dessert; and the Paris lady-food place Maison Sarah Lavoine, 6, place des Victoires in the 2nd, 01.40.13.75.75, open for lunch only, excepting weekends, where for 25-40 E one has cereals, soft eggs and vitello tonnato.  Garnering one heart only were the Depot Legal in the 2nd and El Vinedo in the 10th.

Rubin’s Hache Menu was devoted to the previously mentioned Anahi in the 3rd which is says there’s no urgency to go.

Alice Bosio, Colette Monsat and Huge de Saint Phalle wrote the Dossier this week on all the Mediterranean places which as far as I can tell included no French-French places.

Wednesday as well, Heidi Ellison of Paris Update went to Paris Polska.

Sunday in the jdd version femina they reviewed the previously mentioned Bel Ordinaire in the 10th; as well Aurelie Chaigneau reporting on the Pizza di Loretta in the 17th (7/10), Boutique jaune de Sasha Finkelsztajan in the 4th (6.5) and Le Pantruche (8) in the 9th,

Maison Maison (pun) in the 1st: A once in a summer, or lifetime, place on the bord of the Seine.

5.4 Maison Maison, opposite 16, quai du Louvre in the 1st, no telephone, no reservations, open 7/7, maybe extending into winter if they get around to building some structure more spacious than the cabine they have now. For the last few months I've tried to get several dear friends to join me at this sort-of pop-up place by the Pont Neuf.  So, after my date today pleaded work, I went myself, arriving about 12:10 and there was no greeter, but I spied a table in the shade of their two giant umbrellas, there are about 20 such, the other 20 are in full sunlight.  I put my cane and cool white hat down as markers and asked if it was ok.  Yes.

My server brought me a liquid menu, "harrumph, is there a real carte?"  "Sure."  It was all stuff that one could serve out of a beach hut in Corsica, no problemo.

So, I started with about a dozen bulots with abundant mayo and 5 toothpicks, no napkin or cutlery - oh, oh.  And no wipes.  Oh well.  The bulots and mayo were terrific though and I sipped a bit of Rhone Rose as well.  Then I had the plate of charcuterie, not bad, but nothing special, although the bread was surprisingly good, it being a Sunday, on the water, in the sun.

My bill with a half-bottle of wine, no bottled water but a coffee, was 37.20€, DB's =81.0.

Go?  It's not a Chowhound type destination, but I just could bring my grandkids here in a couple of weeks, it's that cool.

L'Alsace in the 8th: "John, why in the world would you possibly go to a chain brasserie?" "Well, hummm, let me explain."

Pre.  From the time we started coming to France for extended periods and then buying pieds a terre, my recently deceased buddy Paga and I would get a craving for choucroute and we went to all the usual suspects.  In those distant days, we could pile on the fat and calories, because we ran them off the next day.  Then we bought it from Schmid, near the Gare de L'est and then made it at home.  But this weekend I decided to go to the recently renovated, backward in time, L'Alsace, on of all places, the Champs-Elysees.

5.6 L'Alsace, 39 ave des Champs-Elysees in the 8th: 01.53.93.97.00, open 24/24 7/7 (Metro: FDR) is one of those red awning fungible brasserie-bistros you've passed thousands of times without ever looking at the carte or entering but I'd read it had been redone and was now part of the Bertrand Group which runs everything from Burger King to Lipp.  It's a pleasant enough looking place with an attentive staff, despite the fact that I'll wager folks, French and otherwise, only eat there once a lifetime, so there's little need to make a good impression, but they did, on me anyway.  The carte is one of those huge brasserie ones, with a card on the table with specials of the day and a "menu" at 30.50€ for three courses with what I came here for.

I started with the classic onion soup gratinee which was as it always is, gloppy cheese, chunky bread, slightly burned onions (for flavor), and pleasant bouillon.  Then I had what they called the choucroute Elysee, which I inquired about because the carte had listed about 6 different choucroutes.  PS, It sounded like a normal version with no frills or twists, and it was.  Finally I had the moulleux of chocolate, which was pretty much what you'd expect in a place like this.

My bill, with nice crusty bread and ok coffee plus a half-flask of white Alsatian wine but no bottled water, was 46.79€.  DB's= 84.5 

Go?  Well, it's like a Holiday Inn, providing consistent average food where you'll never be either pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised.  For me, it was what I sought today. "Mission accomplished."

La Bonace in the 19th: A perfect rendering of the "Food Biz" formula.

A number of years ago, 3 food writers published a book anonymously (supposedly) called “Food Business: La face cachée de la gastronomie françoise” that dissected the culinary problems in France and suggested solutions for Paris restaurants.  In brief, they suggested you find a food desert, a talented chef and have reasonably priced farm to table food.  Well, somebody at La Bonace was listening.  It's located in an area where mingle davening kids with yarmulkes and ripped jeans, adolescents in burkas and women with red dots on their foreheads.

6.6 La Bonace, 7 rue de Nantes in the 19th, 09.80.66.43.20 (but they don't answer or return messages nor use a reservation service), closed Mondays, (Metro: Ourcq, but the 60 bus is better) has been open 3 months to wall to wall local customers but scarcely one reviewer.  It's on a street I've never been on, which faces the canal and a restaurant on the Eastern side I liked somewhat last year.  The menu changes every day and is a 2-4-2 deal at 18 €.  All the wines are bio and the beers, artisanal.

 

I settled on the rilettes of fish, more like a tartare, with anise that when corrected with salt was stunning.  Then I had the lingue blanche which I misread as tongue until clarified by my charming waitperson.  It was sort of soso cod until I ate it with the chive butter and then the whole thing came alive.  My dessert was a small pot of warm-hot strawberry "salad" with a crumbled sable that was a perfect closer to the meal.

 

My bill, with a 1/2 flask of Loire red, no bottled water, decent bread and coffee, was 34€, you read that right, 34 €.  DB's = 86.1. Btw, despite its being able to fit 38 covers, it didn't seem crowded at all. 

Go?  I will, but how many of you will schlep up to Ourcq?

Le Drugstore Publicis by Eric Frechon: it is what it is, no less, no more.

Now a prequel.  Readers may wonder why I went to this expensive tourist trap serving as its principal dish - a "classic" hamburger?  Easy answer.  1.  I've followed Eric Frechon since the days of his 190 FF menu at the old Restaurant in the 19th, and 2. I was so surprised at what Marc Veyrat did at Rural, and before him, what Frechon did at Lazare, and 3. despite the pretentious "classic" hamburger name, hey how about the MacDonald Brothers in 1953 and Ray Kroc?, figured what do I have to lose?

5.9 Le Brasserie by Eric Frechon in the Publicis Drugstore (every reporter/critic lists it differently), 133 ave des Champs-Elysees in the 8th, open 7/7, (Metro: Etoile) 01.44.43.77.64 (caution: they put you into this endless loop of "if you know the extension of your.....press.....etc.) so best to walk in, as I did.

Anyway, entering the Drugstore, itself a pretension, there's much visible extra security and one goes left to an unmarked area around which are stations above which are signs saying BAR, DESSERTS, etc. The chairs are eclectic, the tables as well, I sat in a knockoff Egg Chair with a marble table that was 6 inches too low, prompting an interesting game of knees-eys with folks on both sides.  The carte is huge, with items available all day, ice creams, breakfast, lunch and dinner stuff and beverages.

I've never had a hamburger in France that blew me away that my butcher and I haven't crafted and I've never had fries that matched those I had in Belgium 50 years ago, but I was drawn to the "classic" hamburger with fries.  I ordered the burger "bleu" which the wait-person fully understood but of course it came out overcooked but with pretty good beef, onions, pickle and a terrific tomato for this time of year.  Plus their own rather good catsup. The fries were average for Paris, which means pathetic.  Adjacent tables got nicely warm mini baguettes.

My bill with no bottled water or other courses, but a half-flask of Madrigal red wine and good coffee, was 47€.  DB's= an astonishing 75.7.

Any advice for M. Frechon, John?  Yes, have fewer greeters and managerial-types and more servers.  Granted at the height of service the suits finally bestirred themselves to help.

Go?  I was looking forward to whether this would be a good place for my pre-teen grandkids who arrive soon and decided that unless they were exhausted after touring all morning, we could do better.  Oh, and surprising to me was that I only heard French spoken.

Le Chien de la Lune in the 18th: the cheapest meal of the year, but then......

1.0 Le chien de la Lune, 22, rue Jessaint in the 18th (betcha never heard of that street?  me neither), closed Sundays and Mondays, (Metro;Barbes), 01.42.62.40.60, is in the heart of the Goutte d'Or, thus replete with hipsters, Bobo's and burkas.  I looked at the chalkboard - humm, 3 courses for 16 E, how could I go wrong?

Ah, let me count the ways.  I didn't like sound of either the beef balls or vegetable salad so I choose 2 starters, the shrimp beignets and the terrine de campagne (house-made).  The shrimp were wound with what looked like a crisp string of thin spaghetti and tasted weird and the terrine was moderately interesting but was nothing like one gets at Regalade for instance, which you can eat all day.  At this point, both dishes half-eaten, I declined the desserts which I saw came from the frigo, prepared how long in advance?

My bill with a 1/2 pichet of a red Auvergne which was the highlight of the meal, decent bread and no bottled water or coffee, was 23 E.

Go? Cannot think of a reason why.

 

Reviews of reviews – The week of June 5, 2017

Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, they reviewed two places: Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to the Café Ineko, 13, rue des Gravilliers in the 3rd, closed Sundays, Mondays and evenings (except Thursdays and Fridays), 09.67.87.23.10, where one can dine a la carte for about 25 E on items such as fennel salad, a vegetarian plate and rice pudding; while Philippe Toinard gave the same to the reopened (after a fire) Crom’Exquis at the same address and phone, which continues to be cheffed by Pierre Meneau who changes the 39 E menu weekly and features items such as pea soup, chicken breasts and a sublime Opera.

In Le Fooding, they reviewed A La Piscine in Lyon.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin awarded the well-known Table du 11, 3 hearts, on its move to the Cour des Senteurs in Versailles.  He also awarded 2 hearts to the Chinese Dicoeur and La Cave Drouot, 8, rue Drouot in the 9th, 01.47.70.83.38, closed Sundays, costing 23 & 28 E (30-40 E a la carte) for items such as daurade carpaccio, croquet-monsieur and fish n chips.  One heart went to Le Camondo, 61 bis, rue de Monceau in the 17th, 01.45.63.40.40, closed Sundays and Mondays, costing 30 & 38 E for menus and 40-50 E a la carte for items such as pate, haddock and gnocchi and vanilla cake.

Rubin’s Hache Menu was devoted to the previously mentioned Le Drugstore Publicis’ reopening.

Colette Monsat, Alice Boston and Huge de Saint Phalle wrote the Dossier this week on the best salad Nicoise which they judged Bagnard to be.

Wednesday as well, Heidi Ellison of Paris Update went to the previously mentioned Petit Champarret in the 17th.

Francois-Regis Gaudry in L’Express Styles reviewed the aforementioned Drugstore Publicis; and Charles Patin O’Coohoon reviewed the previously mentioned Detour and a neo-bistrot Les Fauves, 33, blvd Edgar-Quintet in the 14th, 01.72.38.58.92, open 7/7, menus at 13.90-17, a la carte 40 E for items such as cod, pintade and Limousin beef.