John Talbott's Paris

Mokko in the 18th: an innovative treasure hidden in full sight.

 

 

 

So, about a month ago, one of my dearest friends, resto spotters and food feng shui street finders emailed me about Mokko in the 18th, but a few blocks from our abode.  I went, I saw, they conquered (me).  So turn around is fair, no?  One look at the ardoise and we were stumped - a purée soufflé and pressa Iberique?  Huh?

Our charming waitguy cautioned us to share dishes and we did indeed starting off with shaved beets with seafood cream and salmon eggs and 2 portions of the puréed soufflé which was one of the most heavenly dishes I’ve ever had - made with buffalo milk, lemon oil, black olive chips and pine nuts.

 

Colette then had the rouget with a celery purée and avocado, our translator/standup comic friend had the choice piece of Spanish pork shoulder and we others had confited shoulder of spring lamb with a crispy skin to die for.

To finish up, we split an order of chocolate mousse and chestnut cream, meringue with sorbet.  Now, this sounds ordinary, but it was anything but, both were heavenly.

With two bottles of wine, a bottle of fizzy and three coffees, our bill was 168.50€ or 84.25€ a couple for a 3 heart meal according to Figaro.  Wow x3.

Reviews of reviews: The week of March 19th, 2018

On Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Alexis Chenu wrote up but did not rate the previously mentioned Jacopo in the 8th and Philippe Toinard awarded 3/5 dots to L’Elan 9, 113, rue du Faubourg Poissonniere in the 9th, 09.80.65.88.70 close Sundays and Mondays where on a 19 formula or 40-55 E a la carte one dines on items such as dried wagyu beef, merlu and chocolate.

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Paul-Henry Bizon reviewed Les Enfants du Marche, 39, rue de Bretagne in the 3rd, 01.40.24.01.43, closed Mondays, where for 38-64 E (no menu) a la carte one can dine on anchovy beignets, brain/squid tempura and a good assortment of cheese.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his traditional five new restaurants, giving 2/5 hearts to four places: the French Robert, 32, rue de la Fontaine-au-Roi in the 11th, 01.43.57.20.29, closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, where on the 25 E lunch menu or 40-50 E a la carte one dines on items such as mussels, braised lamb and rice pudding; the Italian La Canonniere in the 11th; the South American Margus, 1, rue des Prouvaires in the 1st, 09.87.10.42.03, closed weekends, where for 30-50 E one dines on items such as gambas and beef; and the previously mentioned seafood-oriented Reine Mer in the 11th.  Finally he gave 1 heart to the Asian noodle and soup restaurant Chez Toye, 39, rue Montmartre in the 2nd, 01.73.75.61.41, closed Sundays, costing 20-30 E.  His Hache Menu covered the Indian Papadoom Kitchen in the 2nd.

The Dossier was entirely devoted to Thierry Marx’s endeavors.

Also on Wednesday, Heidi Ellison in Paris Update reviewed the previously mentioned Massale.

Thursday in L’Express Styles, Francois-Regis Gaudry reviewed the international food court, Ground Control, 81, rue du Charolais, in the 12th (near the Gare de Lyon open Wednesday to Sundays.

Zebulon in the 1st: Chef Takashi Aoki sure dazzles with ingredients and spices/herbs etc.

 

 

Zebulon has kept getting better and better under Chef Aoki, and like William Ledeuil, he keeps introducing new exciting flavors that dazzle the senses.  Several times we had to ask or go back to the carte to figure out what they were.  When we entered at 12h30, the joint was jumping, I’ve never seen it so full of locals; I guess because it was Good Friday and all the offices would soon close for the 3.5 day holiday and everyone wanted a good feed before training off to Grandma’s.

We skipped starters and moved on to the mains: Colette choosing the maigre, my daughter the cod, my grandson the veal and I the lambs leg, all with intriguing items such as green mashed potatoes (parsley), spicy buckwheat, pistachios, leeks, asparagus, tamarind sauce and so forth.  We were all very happy campers.

For dessert, Colette ordered the lemon cake with mango and wouldn’t you know they sent out another with sorbet, pistachio cake and meringue, ahhhhright.

With a bottle and glass of wine, no bottled water but three coffees, our bill was 154€.

Le Lamarck in the 18th: good eats near Sacre Coeur? unheard of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today three generations of my family ate at this relatively new place in the shadow of Sacre Coeur.  After my meal here a month so I vowed to have the confit of duck and almost did, but I’m getting ahead of myself.  As we entered we saw their daily specials on the Artois even but they have many other regular items in the printed carte.

To start they gave us a huge portion fresh Paris ham from a provider I’d never heard of but I should since it was terrific, then my daughter had Greek mushrooms which she couldn’t stop raving about and I had a quite adequate portion of shrimp tempura.  After I thought I’d finished, our genial bilingual waitguy said I’d left the best part,  swirls of avocado and balsamic vinegar which everyone at the table promptly lapped up with their terrific crusty bread.

As mains, Colette had the shrimp, my daughter the seiche, my grandson a bavette of Black Angus and big potato slices which disappeared in a flash and I had the confit of chicken which was ok but not the duck of my dreams.

We finished up with the rice pudding with a caramel beurre sale and the chocolate three ways, called “sensation.”

Our bill, with a bottle and glass of Chalency and three coffees was €140.60 or €70.30 a couple.

Reviews of reviews: The week of March 12, 2018

On Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, they featured previously mentioned here: another New York-Paris PNY Voyager in the 9th and the Argentinian Anahi in the 3rd.

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Goulven Le Pollès reviewed Deviant, 39 rue des Petites Ecuries in the 10th, no telephone nor tables/chairs just a counter serving “finger licking good” food and wine such as chicken wings, haddock accras and mussels for 16-35 E, evenings only, closed Sundays and Mondays.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his traditional five new restaurants, giving 2/5 hearts to four places: the second version of the world food/burger Depanneur Panorama, 1, rue St Marc in the 2nd, 01.40.39.94.27, open 7/7 where for 25-35E one can have salmon tartare, a veggie burger and cocktails; l’Oseille, 3, rue St Augustin in the 2nd, 01.45.08.13.76, closed weekends, where on lunch menus of 23 and 29 and 36 and 43 E at night, one dines on items such as tripes and leeks, a blanquette of veal and a mango tart; Les Residents, 78, rue de Levis in the 17th, 01.43.80.40.36 closed Saturday lunch, Sundays and Mondays, where lunch menus are 25 and 28E for items such as chinchard, barbue and carrot cake; and Bete Noir, 58, rue Henri Barbusse in the 5th, 06.15.22.73.61, closed Saturday dinner, Sunday dinner, Mondays and Tuesday dinners, where on a carte-menu of 27 or 34E (brunch 25 E weekends) one has items such as poached haddock, braised bulots and floating island.  Garnering one heart was A l’Angle in the 2nd.  Rubin’s Hache Menu covered the previously mentioned Hugo et Co.

The Dossier this week was devoted to the well known literary cafes: Le Procope, Café de la Paix, Café de Flore, Closerie de Lilas and Les Deux Magots.

Also on Wednesday, Heidi Ellison in Paris Update reviewed the previously mentioned Massale.

Thursday in L’Express Styles, Francois-Regis Gaudry reviewed the international food court, Ground Control, 81, rue du Charolais, in the 12th (near the Gare de Lyon open Wednesday to Sundays. 

Reviews of reviews: The week of March 5, 2018

On Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 dots the previously mentioned GAG in the 2rd and Jerome Berger gave 3/5 dots to the previously mentioned Le Mermoz in the 8th.

Tuesday in Le Fooding, Goulven Le Pollès reviewed Deviant, 39 rue des Petites Ecuries in the 10th, no telephone nor tables/chairs just a counter serving “finger licking good” food and wine such as chicken wings, haddock accras and mussels for 16-35 E, evenings only, closed Sundays and Mondays.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his traditional five new restaurants, giving 3/5 hearts to the previously mentioned and reviewed Mermoz in the 8th.  He also awarded 2 hearts each to Chez Prout, 14, rue Muller in the 18th, 09.83.69.95.03. closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays, where for 16.50 and 20.50 E at lunch and 35-40 E at dinner one dines on items such as pork raviolis, sweetbreads and pear tatin; the Argentinian Bar di Biondi, 116, rue Amelot in the 11th, 01.47.00.90.18, open every evening except Sundays and Mondays, costing 20-30 E for tapas (with cocktails) such as croquetas, sardines and roast pork; and the Japanese/world food place Echizen Soba Togo in the 2nd.  Garnering 1 heart only was la P’tite Vadrouille in the 20th.  Rubin’s Hache Menu covered the Auberge Etchegorry in the 13th.

The Dossier this week was by Colette Monsat, Alice Bosio and Hugo de Saint Phalle and concerned testing for the best boeuf bourguignon, deemed to be that at the Café des Musees.

Also on Wednesday, Heidi Ellison in Paris Update reviewed the established Petit Canard in the 9th, liking it very much.

Clotilde Dusouliers new book Tasting Paris is a delight

Clotilde Dusoulier new book is entitled Tasting Paris, Clarkson Potter Publishers NY 2018 and follows her first of 4 books, the smashing Chocolate and Zucchini which had the winning combination of products, recipes, tidbits about Paris and so forth.

Tasting Paris is but 256 pages long but packs an enormous amount of information, both practical (products, 100 recipes, and addresses) and ethereal (luscious photos of both food and sights).  I should disclose that we’re friends, having broken bread before she found more interesting co-diners in her kids.

For me what makes her books different from either recipe books or guide books is that she sets the recipes in their geographical and time contexts (from coffee at breakfast to onion soup late in the Halles day.)   I have not tested any of the recipes but from prior ones, know she is meticulous and “gets it right.”

While good for the citizen, ex-pat or frequent visitor, I suspect the book will most hit the spot for the lover of Paris and French cooking forced to sit home and conjure up memories, remembering that  they’ll “always have Paris”.

A P.S. from Clotilde notes that " there is a bonus for people who pre-order the book: it’s an audio walking tour that I recorded around the market streets of Montmartre, and they can claim it here with their pre-order receipt: https://app.snapapp.com/TastingParis".

John's Top Ten or so in 2018

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

 

7.5 Grive

7.1 Capitaine

7 Automne

6.9 Monsieur

6.7 Fulgurances

6.5 Le Lemarck

6.4 Mokko

6.2 daRock

6 GAG

5.7 Buffet

5.6 Le Mermoz

5.5 Pied Au Cochon, 14 Paradis

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

 

7.5 Grive

7.1 Capitaine

7 Automne

6.9 Monsieur

6.7 Fulgurances

6.5 Le Lemarck

6.4 Mokko

6.2 daRock

6 GAG

5.7 Buffet

5.6 Le Mermoz

5.5 Pied Au Cochon, 14 Paradis

 

7.5 Grive

7.1 Capitaine

7 Automne

6.9 Monsieur

6.7 Fulgurances

6.5 Le Lemarck

6.4 Mokko

6.2 daRock

6 GAG

5.7 Buffet

5.6 Le Mermoz

5.5 Pied Au Cochon, 14 Paradis

Reviews of reviews: The week of February 26th, 2018

On Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger gave a rare 4/5 dots to the Restaurant Massale, 5, rue Guillaume Bertrand in the 11th, 01.73.79.87.90, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays, where on lunch menus costing 17 and 22 or a la carte at dinner for 45€ one dines on items such as butternut soup, lieu jaune or pintade and meringue (the chef is from Frenchie); while Alexis Chenu reviewed but did not rate EP7, 133, ave de France in the 13th, serving classics at lunch and snacks/tapas at night 7/7.

Tuesday in Le Fooding, they reviewed La Mercerie in Marseille.

Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his traditional five new restaurants, giving 3/5 hearts to the previously mentioned and reviewed Mokko in the 18th.  He also awarded 2 hearts each to Jacopo, 5bis, rue Vernet in the 8th, 01.42.89.20.22, open 7/7, running one 25-30€ for items such as herring, quasi de veal and floating island; and Monsieur Culbuto, 294, rue des Pyrenees in the 20th, open 7/7, 01.47.97.32.02, where for 20-35€ one dines on items such as Thai beef tartare, sausage with purée and chocolate mousse.  Garnering one heart each were the pizzeria Dalmatia in the 2nd and the already mentioned and reviewed 14 Paradis in the 10th.  In his Hache Menu he covered the French-American-Taiwanese couple’s Rigmarole in the 11th.

The Dossier by Alice Bosio, Colette Monsat and Hugo de Saint Phalle summarized places with inexpensive lunch formulas that included: 975, Cadoret, Automne, Buffet, Papillon, Café du Coin, Les Arlots, Bel Café Otto.

Also on Wednesday, Heidi Ellison in Paris Update discovered and appreciated Reine Mer, 1, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud in the 11th, 01.43.55.29.06, closed Sunday and Monday, costing 23€ for items such as a fish terrine, “brilliant” seafood risotto and crumble.

Thursday in L’Express Styles, Francois-Regis Gaudry reviewed the above mentioned Massale in the 11th.