John Talbott's Paris

Papillon in the 17th: Best "recovery" meal of the Year 2020.

Pre: So, here we are, toodling off to Jacques Faussat in the 17th for what I intended to be another great pintade and we get a phone call from my former co-moderator saying "They're closed, no delivery of food was made, where do we go?"  I enter panic mode, "ah, there's a bistro there on Wagram, and l'Escient, and Chez Fred, oie oie."  "Calm down," says Colette, I don't but when our guest enters the Kapten, the two women say "Papillon'".  Of course, Papillon.

Papillon in the 17th, right next to the Garde Manger, run by his partner Laura Portelli, ex-Vole Verre, now having spawned Pique Nique, was opened in 2016 by Christophe Saintagne, ex-Crillon, and was most welcoming to us despite our not having been in quite a while.  One glance at the "menu" in blue and carte in white and we were off and running.

Our friend had the 38E menu which began with a tasty lot of root vegetables with parmesan and greens.

Then she had the menu duck raviolis with mushrooms and an intense broth; Colette had barbue with an olive sauce and I had the meal of my dreams (Gold Standard = Chez Catherine), strips of wild Colvert duck with a sauce made of its innards - the best.

To wind up, Colette had a delicious pear and ice cream dessert, our codiner had various citrus fruits with sauce "like a vacherin" and I waited for the madeleines which I knew would be coming straight out of the oven.

Our bill, with a bottle and glass of fine Bordeaux and 3 coffees, was 174E or 116E a couple.

We began the New Year just fine.

 

La Lorraine in the 17th: Happy New Year with 7 Fish at least.

La Lorraine in the 8th was packed like a box of sardines, albeit 8 days after the Feast of the 7 Fishes and mostly with shellfish on display.  But fear not.

Two of us started off with 6 each of St Vaast's and Creuses, both #3; then our friend had scallops, Colette had daurade and I had fish n chips; ending with Colette kindly sharing a superb Paris-Brest.

Our bill, with a bottle and glass of wine and 3 coffees, special mention to their butter, was 180.10E or 120.06E a couple.

Kudos to the hard working staff.... everyone of them were hustling - thanks to the strike many people did not come to work.  This is the 28th day of the strike!

Botanique in the 11th: Hurry, the game is almost up.

Botanique in the 11th is not only open on Monday it’s right near our friends’ apartment and seemed ultimately appropriate for a repeat visit, this time in game season.  We were seated right over the glass floor/ceiling of the wine cellar and across from a beautiful art strip.  We took one look at the menu-carte and Colette said “I know what you want” and she was right.

After an amuse of gougeres on top of rich cheesy cream, we were off and running:

With firsts of root vegetables with anchovies, a bulot salad and a fricassee of snails in a spicy sauce.

Then the women had the tender farm chicken, my friend had wild boar and I had quail stuffed with its innards; both the latter with different thick, tasty sauces.

Colette, not having had a first course, feasted on the roasted pear with caramel dessert.

Our bill, with two bottles of Cotes du Rhône and 3 coffees was 232.50€ or 116.25€ a couple (but bring cash or checks because their credit card machine is busted at present.)

 

Coretta in the 17th: What a fabulous meal from such a friendly couple.

Coretta in the 17th has been our “to go” place on Sundays when Colette is in town and the welcome we got today from Matthieu Marcant and Beatriz Gonzalez, past the brightly painted windows, was as friendly as ever.

After starting us off with some celebratory champagne and their fabulous bread and butter, we had the amuse of courges, coconut and chips (from here on, photos are courtesy of Heidi Ellison of Paris update who rescued me after my camera pooped); then macaroni with foie gras and truffles!!!! and gravlax.

Two of us then chose pressed venison with an intense sauce and Colette had quail - all with appropriate vegetables and herbs.

We finished with a melange of mango sorbet, passion fruit and meringue bits and their classic brioche with caramel and ice cream.

Our bill with a bottle of Graves Merlot, 3 coffees and truffles, was 178€ or 118€ a couple. 

 

Anona in the 17th: elegance itself.

Anona, in the 17th, is a place we’ve come to think of as the epitome of elegant cuisine and today was no different.

The celery water came in tasteful cups, the butter looked like it was made for the royal family, the amuse was in bowls that were clearly handcrafted and our friend's veal tongue was tender and again served on an elegant plate.

For mains, our friend had the lambs leg with many different carrots, Colette had scallops with other veggies and I had a slice of Colvert duck with an intense hazelnut sauce with tiny potatoes and squash.

For dessert our friend ordered the baba, which unfortunately seemed to be soaked in warm water before any rum was added but the tasty nut cakes served on a scooped out wood “canoe” made up for it.

Our bill, with their fizzy water, a bottle of Tire Bouchon and 3 coffees was 164€ or 109.32€ a couple.

Les Climats under new chef Emmanuel Kouri: Pas mal, pas mal du tout.

Pre: I have been several times to Les Climats since it opened 6 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it so when I learned a new chef Emmanuel Kouri had taken over I was eager to see what gave.  However, an article by star reporter Emmanuel Rubin 2 weeks ago scared the bejesus out of me; 693E for 4 diners and the fact that 60% of his review dwelt with the Art Nouveau decor.

7.5 Les Climats, 41 rue de Lille, in the 7th, 01.58.62.10.08, closed Sunday and Monday, (Metro: Rue du Bac), appears the same as before, from voiturier to 3000 bottle Burgundy wine list and they have a very nice choice of dishes on their 49E lunch menu.  Both of us wanted the same thing so we went for it:

They started us off with foccacia and amuses, one of which was a Japanesy ravioli like savoury of salmon eggs, tapioca and a cream of cauliflower; then terrific bread and butter, not housemade but seemingly so; followed by sauteed cepes tops with raw sliced mushrooms of Paris on a perfect egg with a rich bouillon; a civet of biche with another rich but peppery sauce; terminating with a chintzy portion of cheeses, a complex dessert of ice cream, mandarines and squash of all things, and mignardises.

Our bill with a perfectly fine bottle of Epineuil, was 40 some Euros, no where near Rubin's 218E; was 152E a couple.  I didn't measure the decibels,having commented on them before, bu it got pretty noisy, and that from, as far as I could tell, all French patrons.

Go back?  As my fellow blogger said "this goes on my list for a festive dining spot," to which I would add, "and I've loved eating in the garden on nice days" 

Anona in the 17th: “This is really good.......and up here.”

Anona, 80 Blvd des Batignolles in the 17th was the last of our eating experiences before we left in July for the holidays - today we returned with a hab of the 5th, bike helmet and wind cheater in hand, to see if it held up.  Spoiler: it did.

The very talented chef, Thibaut Spiwack, started us off with squares of duck sitting in a flavored mayonnaise and twists of smoked salmon and fennel and our guest had the “menu” starter, a beautifully creamy sauce over Parmesan-stuffed gnocchi.  Then he had the “menu” sausage while Colette and I both had pigeon in two parts with fall vegetables; the portion seemed small  but I found it  very filling.  We ended up sharing a lovely lemon tart and mignardises.

Our bill, with 1.5 bottles of fine Fitou and three coffees was 165€ or 110€ a couple.  NB. The bread and butter were again terrific; Colette appreciated the fact there was no audible music, but once again wished they would write out the day's "menu"/specials. 

Le Bistrot de Madeleine in the 9th: A neighborhood bistro: no more, no less for goodness sake!

Le Bistrot de Madeleine, 4 ave Trudaine in the 9th is a place a Saturday-open-for-lunch spotter pal pointed us to at the beginning of the year and we’ve been enjoying ever since.  Today I chanced upon one of those websites whose contributors seem to be either people who dropped down from Mars yesterday and found the food in this local bistro to be the best of their lives or grumpy tourists from Brooklyn who expect a 3* experience at a place serving 3 dishes for 22€.  Gimme a break.

I got there well before my dining companions and was captivated by two items, a chicken mousse and paleron of beef, and sipped at a glass of brisk Touraine while checking emails.  Wouldn’t'cha know, by the time we ordered, they were out of both.

So, then our friend ordered the celery soup, which I had a taste of - it was superb; then he and Colette had salmon with a nice sauce and I had pork mignon, equally good; and we terminated with a lemon meringue desert.

Our bill with a bottle and glass of wine and 2 coffees, was 86€ or 57.34€ a couple.  And it was packed with locals.  Take that aliens!

Substance in the 16th: Very pricey off the "menu" but very good.

Substance in the 16th is a place dear friends "found" a few months back while the paint was still wet.  The "menu" is a very reasonable 3-course no choice 39E one while a single bass course is the same.  But I wanted what I wanted; the hell with the prices.

So after the totally blah papadum-like wafer and great smoked potato puree topped with salmon eggs, my ex-co-host at a  food website had the "menu" perfect egg with grilled artichoke and Colette and I shared a very generous portion of foie gras with sauteed girolles and lime vinegar drops (20E; see what I mean!) but well worth it.

Then Colette had the 39E bass, our friend had the "menu" lieu and I had the 40E filet of beef with BBQ corn and spinach.  Worth it?  You bet.

For dessert, the "menu" carried a chou with cream of course and we made do very well, indeed, with the mignardises.

Our bill, with a bottle and glass of Collines Rhodadienne and 3 espressos, was 192.60E or 128.40E a couple.  Btw, the bread was terrific.

Substance in the 16th is a place dear friends "found" a few months back while the paint was still wet.  The "menu" is a very reasonable 3-course no choice 39E one while a single bass course is the same.  But I wanted what I wanted; the hell with the prices.

So after the totally blah papadum-like wafer and great smoked potato puree topped with salmon eggs, my ex-co-host at a  food website had the "menu" perfect egg with grilled artichoke and Colette and I shared a very generous portion of foie gras with sauteed girolles and lime vinegar drops (20E; see what I mean!) but well worth it.

Then Colette had the 39E bass, our friend had the "menu" lieu and I had the 40E filet of beef with BBQ corn and spinach.  Worth it?  You bet.

For dessert, the "menu" carried a chou with cream of course and we made do very well, indeed, with the mignardises.

Our bill, with a bottle and glass of Collines Rhodadienne and 3 espressos, was 192.60E or 128.40E a couple.  Btw, the bread was terrific.

Substance in the 16th is a place dear friends "found" a few months back while the paint was still wet.  The "menu" is a very reasonable 3-course no choice 39E one while a single bass course is the same.  But I wanted what I wanted; the hell with the prices.

So after the totally blah papadum-like wafer and great smoked potato puree topped with salmon eggs, my ex-co-host at a  food website had the "menu" perfect egg with grilled artichoke and Colette and I shared a very generous portion of foie gras with sauteed girolles and lime vinegar drops (20E; see what I mean!) but well worth it.

Then Colette had the 39E bass, our friend had the "menu" lieu and I had the 40E filet of beef with BBQ corn and spinach.  Worth it?  You bet.

For dessert, the "menu" carried a chou with cream of course and we made do very well, indeed, with the mignardises.

Our bill, with a bottle and glass of Collines Rhodadienne and 3 espressos, was 192.60E or 128.40E a couple.  Btw, the bread was terrific.

Le Bistrot du Maquis in the 18th: The perfect autumnal afternoon affair.

Le Bistro du Maquis, 69, rue Caulincourt in the 18th is not only in the neighborhood but serves surprisingly good food on Sunday afternoons in Montmartre.  We entered when it was rainy and almost empty and exited in the sunlight with an almost full house.

Looking over the carte, Colette came up with a brilliant idea - share the sauteed girolles before going any farther - and to our surprise Chef André Le Letty sent out two portions, which were simply superb.  Then my dining companions both had the bar with a shellfish sauce flavored with saffron and I had the merlu with more delicious girolles and a peppery shrimp-based sauce - both with fall vegetables.  We ended up with a baked apple and roasted figs - both with off-setting ice cream.

Our bill, with a bottle of fine Bergerac and 3 coffees, was 160E or 106.66E a couple.