My Paris Favorites: David Lebovitz
Introduction by Linda Donahue, Editor-in-Chief
I have never been what one would typically consider a foodie. My palate is far too finicky for this, geared more toward the enjoyment of simple food rather than complicated cuisine. And while I’ll admit to picking up the occasional issue of Gourmet or Bon Appetite in the past, it was only to salivate over the photographs that, despite my selective tastebuds, always looked so darned delicious to me. (more…)
Le Pavillon du Lac
Parc des Buttes Chaumont
75019 Paris
Phone: 01.42.00.07.21
Metro Station: Laumière (Line 5)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon and Tues noon – 3:00 p.m. Thurs to Sat noon – 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sun noon – 3:15 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
Joggers, parents with their children, and people just going for a stroll love the Parc des Buttes Chaumont on Sunday—even on a cold Sunday. This is what we recently discovered when we showed up at the park’s Pavillon du Lac for lunch. I do not remember ever having seen so many active people in a park on a cold (yet sunny) day in Paris.
The Pavillon du Lac stands inside the park and to the right of the entry gate (as one enters the park) at place Armand Carrel. The handsome building was constructed in 1867 for use as a bistrot. It has recently been totally renovated and has been open for business since June 2010.
We were greeted warmly by the responsible de salle, who showed us to our table next to the window. From there we could observe the busy comings and goings of people running by or walking on the pathway in front of the building. Shortly after we were seated the restaurant filled with diners who came for the Sunday brunch. Many were families with young children.
We began with an apéritif, a glass of Henriot champagne, which we found to be quite dry with notes of green apple.
For the starter, I requested Saumon mariné maison, espuma de Wasabi and was presented with a rectangular plate displaying two slices of salmon and a goblet containing wasabi foam. The salmon was succulent and chewy and I dipped morsels of the fish into the foam. The spicy-hot wasabi (also known as Japanese horseradish) gave sharp contrast to the mild, tender salmon. I’m not too sure that the subtle flavor of salmon should be covered up with such a spicy preparation, but I enjoyed the dish nevertheless.
My partner ordered Velouté de courge musquée, chips de patate douce vitelottes. This was a nice presentation of pumpkin soup in a deep, oval-shaped bowl with chips of Vitelotte sweet potatoes floating on top. The soup was dense without being creamy and only needed a sprinkling of salt to bring out its flavor. Three crisped slices of warm, country baguette were served alongside.
After the waiter informed us that our first choice for the main course—wild deer in whisky sauce—was no longer available, we opted for the Magret de canard du sud-ouest sauce soja, écrasé de topinambour, choux Romanesco. We were treated with another beautiful presentation: a slice of breast of duck cut longitudinally resting on a swath of sweetened soy sauce next to a square mound of crushed Jerusalem artichoke. The duck breast had been pan seared and cooked rare and was tender and moist. The Jerusalem artichokes were savory and buttery.
For the wine accompaniment we each ordered a glass of Domaine du Coriancon 2010, a Côte du Rhône. With a deep, red-purple robe it was medium bodied and slightly tannic and had a note of licorice. However, it did not accompany the duck as well as we had hoped because of the sweetness of the soy sauce.
Thick-sliced, alveoli-riddled, fresh baguette was served alongside in a basket.
Dessert brought more of the chef’s masterful presentations to our table. My Poire pochée au vin rouge, sphère de chocolat, chantilly maison was a fluff of white whipped cream next to a dark-purple pear that had been poached in red wine. A finger of crispy puff-pastry and a dash of chocolate powder garnished the dish. The presentation of my partner’s Vacherin praliné, marron glacé, émulsion lait de coco was no less interesting. The waiter brought a squat canning jar containing a layer of milk chocolate crème topped with crumble and a scoop of chestnut ice cream. Two vanilla meringues protruded from the jar and a pitcher of frothy coconut milk was served alongside. The idea was to pour the coconut milk over the milk-chocolate-crumble-chestnut-ice-cream vacherin, dig in with a spoon, and enjoy—which she did!
The service was friendly and helpful and the restaurant, full of small kids, was rather noisy. In the end however, we enjoyed the meal and the experience of lunch in the handsome pavilion of this beautiful park.
The bill for two, including two glasses of champagne, two three-course menus, and two glasses of wine came to 103€.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Le P’tit Trouquet
28, rue de l’Exposition
75007 Paris
Phone: 01.47.05.80.39
Metro Station: Ecole Militaire (Line 8)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Tues to Friday noon – 2:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Sat 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
The plain, yellow façade of Le P’tit Trouquet belies the charm of its dining room that lies within. Enter into a time warp, where old-fashioned ceiling lamps are dressed with beaded fringes; where lace curtains grace the windows; dining tables are made of marble; a beautiful (non-functional) copper espresso machine sits on the pewter counter of a bar faced in ceramic; mustard pots, hand-cranked coffee grinders, and plates adorn knick-knack shelves; and a handsome red-and-white, checkerboard-tile floor gives a solid foundation to it all.
We began the evening with a glass of Nicolas Feuillatte champagne. At 7€/glass, it seemed like a good price. While we found it refreshing, we did not think that it had the complexity that one seeks in good champagne. We defined it negatively: it was not crisp, but not sweet either. It was cloudy, not brilliantly clear. My partner has tasted this champagne before, but never recalls having the sensation of unidimensionality that she experienced with it this time.
While we sipped the champagne, the waitress placed an amuse bouche on our table. Called Rillettes de deux saumons, it was a pâté of salmon served in ceramic spoons with slender fingers of puff pastry. A nice start!
For the starter, I ordered Aumônière de saumon fumé garnie aux crevettes. I learned later that an aumônière is a drawstring purse that is tied to the waist, and that most aumônières de saumon are salmon prepared in a purse-shaped brick pastry. This particular dish was a mound of prawns draped with strips of smoked salmon. It was dome-shaped, not purse-shaped, but that did not matter because both the prawns and salmon tasted fresh and had a moist and tender texture.
My partner selected ordered two starters instead of a starter and a main course. The first was a Tatin d’endives aux pommes et sa quenelle de chèvre frais aux herbes. This was prepared in a way similar to my starter: a mound of tender apple chunks was draped with wilted endive and topped with a half-sphere of cherry tomato. Alongside were a small salad of mixed greens and a ceramic spoon containing creamy, fresh goat cheese with flavored with herbs. She liked the contrast in flavors – the sharpness of the cheese and herbs against the sweetness of the apple – and found it to be both satisfying and not overly filling.
I do not believe that I have ever seen deboned thigh of rabbit on a restaurant menu before. It was called Désossé de cuisse de lapin à la moutarde violette, and I selected it for the main course. Served in a shallow bowl with a small mound of whipped potatoes and stewed vegetables, the deboned rabbit rested in a pond of gravy. The flesh was ultra-tender; the whipped potatoes were not overly creamy as some restaurants like to serve them; and the stewed red and green bell peppers and zucchini were savory. It was a satisfying dish!
My partner’s second starter was Crème de potimarron, croquants de ravioles du Dauphiné. Several crunchy, cheese-filled ravioli floated in the creamy pumpkin soup, which was dressed with a single sprig of coriander. The soup needed just a touch of salt, which she added from the container on the table. It tasted so good that she did not hesitate to use the wonderfully fresh bread served with our meal to collect the last drops of soup from her bowl.
For the wine accompaniment, we selected a pot (46cl) of Bordeaux – Graves – Château Le Bonnat 2008. It was spicy and peppery, not fruity, and did not go too well with the rabbit. A lighter wine might have done the trick, perhaps a Beaujolais.
Thick-cut, chewy, fresh, sour-dough country bread was served alongside in a basket.
For dessert, I opted for Crème brûlée à la vanille. What a delight it was to plunge my spoon through the brittle, freshly-caramelized, burnt-sugar crust and to withdraw it laden with luscious vanilla custard! Enough said.
My partner requested Financier aux pommes, sauce caramel au beurre salé. The thick, almond-flavored, cake-like pastry sat atop a generous drizzle of caramel sauce and a small pool of crème anglaise. Firm, cooked apples covered the cake. A sprig of mint dusted with powdered sugar and a kumquat served as garnish. The cake was tender and moist and the apples perfectly cooked. The caramel sauce was a welcome accompaniment. The addition of crème anglaise was not necessary to make this a delectable dessert.
During the meal, we were served by two waitresses. While both were friendly, one, who appeared to be the responsible de salle, expressed keen interest in our satisfaction with the meal.
The bill for two, including two glasses of champagne, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, a 46cl pot of wine, and an espresso, came to 102.00€.
Le P’tit Troquet is a great place to dine for travelers seeking delicious, traditional French food served in an old-fashioned bistro.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Nonna Inès
1, rue de l’Arbalète
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.43.37.23.72
Metro Station: Censier-Daubenton (Line 7)
Type of cuisine: Italian
Days & hours of operation: Tues to Sat noon – 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
A brown awning shelters six tables set out on the sidewalk terrace of Nonna Inès, a small restaurant serving traditional Italian food near rue Mouffetard. The watermelon-colored façade is cheery and upon entering, one steps into a small dining room whose walls are decorated in an antique-yellow wash. A small bar standing in the corner and photographs of family members on the walls impart an intimate feeling to this place.
The waiter expresses himself tersely, which can be off-putting for some, but during the meal we found him to be helpful when we asked questions about the wine and the food.
As an apéritif we each ordered Prosecco, a sparkling white wine from Italy. I requested that mine by flavored with violet and my partner requested peach for a variation on the traditional Bellini cocktail that she so fondly remembers from visits to Rome.
The Antipasti del nonno (which translates as “Grandfather’s appetizer”) looked tempting, and I ordered it as a starter. It was a generously-portioned dish: two kinds of thinly-sliced ham (Parma and coppa) arranged to look like a rose resting on a bed of marinated eggplant and artichoke hearts along with a slice of Taleggio cheese. The dish was more filling than a simple appetizer, and when I finished I wondered if I would have room for the main course!
My partner selected the Fantasia della Nonna Inès. The waiter brought a squat glass containing warm eggplant layered with tomato, mascarpone cheese and Parmesan, all topped with a spray of fresh arugula. The dish was unctuous and quite tasty, without being overly filling.
I ordered the fish of the day for the main course: Dos de cabillaud rôti au speck, poëlée de poivrons et poireaux à l’huile d’olive. This was yet another copious dish! Three large, roasted chunks of cod formed a tripod on a bed of stewed tomatoes, green bell peppers, and leeks. The top of the tripod held an arrangement of thinly-sliced speck, a salt-cured ham from Italy. The fish was flaky, succulent, and tender, and the stewed vegetables were delicious. I could not finish the speck, as it was too salty for me.
My partner was pleased with her Osso buco mijoté aux cèpes, riz sauté au Parmesan. This dish had everything one could want in an Italian meal: a large portion of veal with its bone rested on a bed of medium-grain rice that had been nicely perfumed with Parmesan. Thinly-sliced cèpe mushrooms topped the veal, which was perfectly tender and flavorful. The entire presentation rested in a shallow bowl that contained delicious brown gravy.
The choice of the wine accompaniment was made difficult because the restaurant’s selection of half-bottles of wine is severely limited. Consequently, we settled on red and white wines by the glass. Both were called Anghelia Magnum 2010, and both were produced by Cantina Santadi in Sardinia. I found the white wine to be full bodied with a note of resin. It was too powerful for the fish, but it had an interesting flavor nonetheless. My partner’s red was richly complex, with notes of very ripe red fruits.
Fresh, thin-sliced bread with generous alveoli was served alongside in a basket.
For dessert, we went Italian all the way! I ordered a Cantucci toscans et Vin Santo, a serving of sweet, almond-flavored, dry biscuits that one dips into the accompanying dessert wine. A wonderful way to end the meal! My partner ordered the Tiramisù du moment, which happened to be a generous portion of mascarpone cheese layered with a biscuit, chopped pear, and crumbled Speculoos, all dusted with cocoa. Superb!
I finished the meal with an Italian espresso, a tiny cup of strong coffee displaying a magnificent crema, and my partner with a glass of Amaretto di Saronno.
The bill for two, including two apéritifs, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, two glasses of wine, one espresso, and one digestif, came to 97.10€. Not a bad price for a moment spent in Italy!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Anahuacalli
30, rue des Bernardins
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.43.26.10.20
Metro Station: Maubert-Mutualité (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: Mexican
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Sat 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sun 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Nestled near the corner of rue des Bernardins and boulevard Saint-Germain, the green façade of Anahuacalli shyly summons passersby to step inside for a Mexican meal. The dining room is decked in textured wallpaper the color of maize; exposed beams on the ceiling support two large ceiling fans; objects of Mexican folklore and images of artist Frida Kahlo decorate the walls…the décor is tasteful and reassuring.
The servers seem to be pressed for time in this busy restaurant and one might get the impression that they are not very convivial; however, when my partner lost her earring as she was removing her overcoat, the waitress expressed sympathy and helped her look for it. Not finding it, she gestured toward me and declared that I would buy her (my partner) another!
We began by each ordering a margarita. These drinks are expensive, but they are served nicely chilled in large, wide-brimmed glasses. They pack a punch! We drank them throughout the meal, rather than ordering wine.
While we studied the menu, thin corn chips were placed on our table with two kinds of sauce. Although the waitress explained that one sauce was hot, we found that we could tolerate it quite well.
For the starter, I ordered Nopalitos compuestos, a salad of cactus, tomato, coriander, and cheese. I found the crunchy, succulent cactus of this salad to be quite refreshing. Intermixed were slices of avocado and tomato; feta cheese was sprinkled on the top.
My partner chose Quesadilla de cuitlacoche, a flour tortilla topped with salsa and crumbly white cheese and stuffed with melted cheese, sweet corn kernels, and a paste made from corn smut (a plant fungus called cuitlacoche that is considered to be a delicacy in Mexico). Served on a bed of lettuce with a large dollop of guacamole alongside, this tasty appetizer was filling enough to be a main course.
The menu offered eleven different main courses from which to choose. I selected the last on the list, Tacos de la Merced. The waitress brought a basked of hot flour tortillas and a compartmentalized dish containing five different fillings. The idea was to take a tortilla, add a spoonful of filling from one of the serving dishes, roll the taco, and eat it with the fingers. The dishes contained pork, chicken, sliced beef, pinto beans, and hashed beef. Comparing them to Mexican dishes that I had tasted in California many years ago, I thought that most of the fillings lacked flavor. The shredded chicken was over-seasoned with lemon juice, and the sliced beef was not very tender. But then, the starter that I had just finished was quite large and by the time I got to the main course, my appetite was diminished.
My partner opted for Mole Poblano. This consisted of two sizeable portions of turkey breast covered with a deep brown, richly scented mole sauce that was sprinkled with sesame seeds. A serving of medium-grain white rice was served alongside. The turkey was tender and the sauce subtly spicy and chocolat-y.
Servings here are copious. As we were satiated after this huge meal, we forwent dessert.
The service was friendly and as rapid as it could be under the circumstances of a busy Saturday night. The waitress helped me with my coat as I was leaving the restaurant.
Saturday night dining has two services, the first at 7:30 p.m. and the second at 9:30 p.m.
The bill for two, including five margaritas, two starters, and two main courses, came to 114.30€.
We think that travelers to Paris seeking Mexican food will enjoy dining at Anahuacalli.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Paris Spotlight: Mouffetard’s Village Charms
Story edited by Sophie Delon
Paris’ 5th arrondissement, otherwise known as the Latin Quartier, is rich with charm and history. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Mouffetard district. Saunter down the gentle slope of the montagne Saint-Geneviève to the Église Saint-Médard, passing the pretty Place de la Contrescarpe, and you’ll find yourself amidst perfectly picturesque surroundings with a charmingly tranquil atmosphere. Old houses, narrow alleyways, small courtyards, old signs, and babbling fountains all evoke the timeless history of this area, bustling with food shops and friendly bistros. (more…)
16 Haussmann
16, boulevard Haussmann
75009 Paris
Phone: 01.48.00.06.38
Metro Station: Chaussée d’Antin La Fayette (Line 7), Richelieu-Drouout (Line 9)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Sat 12:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
A part of the Radisson Blu Ambassador Hotel in the 9th arrondissement, the restaurant 16 Haussmann is an ideal place for travelers who can afford the splurge to enjoy fine dining in elegant surroundings.
Tall ceilings; pewter-colored walls, benches, and chairs; heavy grey curtains; and tall, sparkling-clean windows create an atmosphere of breathtaking sophistication. It was a pleasure to sit down and relax in stylish comfort. While we dined, pop music and rhythm and blues played over the speaker system.
We forewent an apéritif, ordering a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water instead. While we were studying the menu, the waitress brought over an hors-d’œuvre consisting of purée of chick pea flavored with basal. We spread the purée on dried slices of baguette and enjoyed.
The restaurant offers a three-course menu for 50€. Supplements apply to some dishes.
For the starter, I ordered Ravioles de langoustines, velouté de crustacés au basilic. The waitress brought a wide, shallow bowl containing a frothy, peppery, orange-colored, crustacean-flavored broth upon which floated crisped basil leaves. Resting at the bottom of the bowl was a layer of flat ravioli stuffed with langoustine. The creamy broth and langoustine ravioli were neither too rich or too fishy. In other words, the dish was perfect!
For her part, my partner also selected a velouté: Velouté fin de potiron en capuccino, petits croûtons dorés. This preparation was thick and colorful – the server poured the pumpkin soup around three plump croutons made from breaded Comté cheese topped with thinly sliced basil. While the soup was fine, it was the croutons that “made” this dish. My partner declared that they were one of the most unusual taste sensations that she has ever experienced in a French restaurant.
The menu offered a choice of nine different main courses. I opted for Noix de Saint Jacques poêlées, écume d’orange et fondu d’endives. As before, the food arrived in a bowl, but a smaller one this time. It contained five tender, succulent, lightly-fried scallops swimming in a frothy orange-flavored broth, all resting on a bed of shredded, cooked endive. I very much enjoyed the delicious scallops, but did not quite care for the broth. To my taste, the flavor of orange does not go well with scallops. Nevertheless, I finished the dish entirely and felt quite satisfied.
My partner chose Suprême de volaille rôti, lait de coco et croustille d’abricot. Plump, moist slices of chicken breast rested in a very lightly-flavored, frothy coconut milk and a bed of sliced carrots and parsnips. The croustille d’abricot consisted of a roll of apricot paste wrapped in an ultra-thin layer of brick pastry and served on the broad rim of the bowl. My partner had hoped for a more pronounced coconut flavor in this dish, but she found it thoroughly satisfying none the less.
To accompany our meal we ordered a half-bottle of Pouilly Fumé Laporte — Domaine Les Duchesses — 2010, a dry, brilliant yellow wine with a rapidly-changing bouquet of aromas ranging flowers and apricot to spices. We were quite pleased with this choice.
Warm rolls were served alongside on bread dishes.
Dessert brought some nice surprises. I ordered the suggestion du pâtissier, a Tarte fine au chocolat, crème pistache, granité de litchi. The tart was made from bittersweet-chocolate shortcrust filled with pistachio cream and topped with bits of crushed pistachio dipped in chocolate. A goblet of lychee sorbet was served alongside. It was a delicious dish that was not too filling.
My partner decided on the Poire fondante au vin, cannelle, sorbet pain d’épice. The red-tinted pear sat in a shallow bowl of thin, wine-based syrup, while the spice-bread sorbet was served on a separate dish alongside. This dessert was light and refreshing, and my partner observed that it would be a good selection for spring or summer.
The service was attentive and friendly.
The bill for two, including one bottle of mineral water, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, and a half-bottle of wine, came to 149.10€.
We think that travelers whose budget can support this splurge will enjoy dining at this fine restaurant.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Le Violon d’Ingres
135, rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris
Phone: 01.45.55.15.05
Metro Station: Ecole Militaire
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Sun noon – 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Christian Constant is the proprietor and head chef of four acclaimed restaurants on rue Saint-Dominique, including Le Violon d’Ingres. The restaurant has a modern olive-green façade with an awning that boldly displays its name. We stepped inside to a long and rather narrow space containing three dining rooms. The first room has a table d’hôte where one may dine in a family-style atmosphere on tall stools around a communal table.
Our table was in the next room, where our friends were already seated across from the bar. Here, wall benches and chairs are upholstered in ivory-colored vinyl. Cream-colored table runners on light-wood tables complement the setting. Brasserie-style coat racks are affixed to the walls so that one can stash one’s overcoat while dining. The narrowness of the restaurant and the presence of coat racks over the tables give the room the appearance of a comfortable railroad car.
While we were sipping kir royals, the waiter produced two different types of amuse-bouche for us to nibble on. One was a savory choux pastry called gougère, the other a tiny pizza. Both whetted our appetites, which was the point of it all.
For the starter, I selected Pithiviers de gibiers à plumes et à poils, sauce Grand Veneur. A Pithvier is a puff-pastry pie, and in this case it was a generous slice stuffed with boar, partridge, and doe. These game meats did not at all taste gamey—the meat had been ground and prepared with other ingredients to produce a moist and tender mixture. Sauce Grand Veneur is a huntsman’s sauce, and it added hearty flavor to the dish. I learned later that Grand Veneur is prepared with red-currant jelly, which accounts for its slightly sour taste.
My partner had the Bouillon d’herbes potagères, cuisses de grenouilles à l’aix doux. This was a light and frothy vegetable broth served atop three ravioli stuffed with small pieces of diced frog legs. Even tinier croutons gave the dish an interesting texture. My partner enjoyed this dish, as much because it was light as because it was flavorful.
Adhering to the theme of game, I ordered Palombe en crapaudine poêlée à l’os, pommes de terre en robe des champs, griffées au jus truffé for the main course. I was served a wood pigeon cooked rare that had been flattened and sautéed in a pan. It was accompanied with slices of small potatoes roasted in their skins, all served with a truffle-flavored sauce. The pigeon was succulent and flavorful. A finger bowl was placed alongside my plate in the event that I wanted to nibble at the bones.
My partner ordered the rôtisserie of the day, which the waiter announced in English was pork chop served with sucrine lettuce and stuffed cabbage. When she received her plate, she noted that the cut of meat was in fact not a chop, but rather, a lean cut of meat with no bone. Still, the copious portion was quite tasty, and she ate every bite!
Light and dark country breads were served as well as a plate of toasted country bread. Alongside, a serving dish containing a great slab of lightly-salted butter was an invitation to adorn our bread with liberal applications of the rich dairy product.
The choice for the wine accompaniment was difficult because everybody had selected different types of main courses. To try to accommodate the different dishes, I ordered a bottle of Sancerre – Lucien Crochet – La Croix du Roy, a fairly light-bodied wine with a raspberry bouquet. Although I enjoyed the wine, I found it too light for my wood-pigeon dish. The pigeon would have benefitted from a medium-bodied wine.
The dessert menu gave me opportunity to try something that I have never tried before: Mont-Blanc glacé aux marrons comme autrefois. The wide-brimmed, shallow dish that I was served contained a dessert consisting of a foundation of cooked meringue upon which rested a scoop of chestnut ice cream; a layer of squiggly chestnut spread; a layer of candied chestnut; all topped by spun sugar. Oh, did I forget to mention that the meringue had been drizzled with dark chocolate syrup? This dessert was not only delicious, but also fun to eat, because each layer revealed different texture and flavor.
My partner ordered Tarte des Demoiselles Tatin, crème crue fermière which is one of her favorite desserts. It too was topped by spun sugar, and was served with a large dollop of clotted cream. The apple chunks were generous and warm through and through, to the delight of my partner, who often finds that Tarte Tatin served in restaurants is hot on the outside but cold the in the middle, due to incomplete reheating of the pie.
For an after-dinner drink, we ordered Sauternes and Muscat, both sweet wines. We were surprised, though, that the wines were served in standard size wine glasses, rather than small ones. I could not finish mine because it was too generous a portion.
The service was attentive, friendly, and helpful. Our waiter brought over the label of the Sancerre wine that we had ordered when I mentioned to him that I wanted to note the name.
We did not see the final bill, because our friends paid for the dinner. However, to give an indication for the cost for two, we estimate that it came to 157€ for two starters, two main courses, two desserts, and a half-bottle of wine. We did not note the prices of the before and after-dinner wines.
Travelers whose budgets cannont accommodate these prices will find great fare served at lower rates at the nearby Les Cocottes and Café Constant, both run by Christian Constant.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Luc Dubanchet: On the Paris Food Scene
Interview conducted and provided by the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau
In an interview with the Paris Convention and Visitors Center, Luc Dubanchet, president of Omnivore, shares his views on the Parisian gastronomic scene and reveals some of his favorite restaurants. He also tells us about the upcoming publication of the Omnivore Guide, as well as the World Tour Food Festival, taking place in Paris for the first time in March of this year. (more…)
Le Vin du Soif
24, rue Pierre Leroux
75007 Paris
Phone: 01.43.06.79.85
Metro Station: Vaneau (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri noon – 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Sat 7:30 p.m. – 10 :30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
Le Vin du Soif is a soberly-decorated bistrot located not far from Le Bon Marché department store in the 7tharrondissement. It is a small restaurant with a bar at the entryway and a dining room displaying ivory- and plum-colored walls. At one end, tall, narrow mirrors give the appearance of spaciousness to the room. Tall windows contribute to the feeling of ample roominess, while chalkboards affixed to the opposite wall announce the dishes and the wine list. We sat down on light-brown wooden chairs with vinyl cushions at a sand-colored, composite table.
As if in counterpoint to the minimalist décor of the place, the server, Marylène, was cheery and upbeat. She advised us on the dishes that were being served that evening and left us to study the menu.
For the starter, I selected the soup of the day—a vegetable soup made with clear poultry broth. The soup had a delicious smoky flavor and contained diced carrot, turnip, and cauliflower. It was a satisfying dish for a cold, rainy day. My partner opted for Galette de pied de cochon, a dish of loosely packed, deboned pig’s feet cooked in a frying pan with a molded macédoine of carrot. Served with a small, mixed-green salad, it was delicate and flavorful.
Scanning the menu for a main course, we both opted for the Chartreuse de plumes et légumes anciens, a dish of four kinds of game bird (male pheasant [cock], female pheasant [hen], partridge, and wild duck [col vert]) combined with a small quantity of pork. The meat had been shaped and cooked in a round terrine and was served as a disk smothered in gravy on top of a bed of diced, sautéed vegetables—potato, carrot, beets, parsnips, and Brussels sprouts. The poultry was tender and succulent, and not overly gamey. It was a hearty, savory dish.
For the wine accompaniment, we asked Marylène what she would suggest in the way of a light red wine. She brought a carafe of Karim Vionnet – Beaujolais Village – 2009. A red-violet, light-bodied wine, it initially exuded an aroma of chocolate. As time passed, a red-fruit bouquet was predominant. It went well with our meal.
Fresh, thinly-sliced bread was served alongside in a basket. The first serving of bread was cut from a round loaf; the second from a large baguette. The bread was flavorful, soft, and chewy and exhibited large alveoli.
Although my partner forwent dessert, I ordered a Pot de crème de chocolat, a glass containing a serving of firm, bittersweet chocolate pudding. The pudding was thick, smooth, and delectable.
The bill for two, including a carafe of wine, two starters, two main courses, and one dessert came to 84€.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Le Janissaire
22 – 24, allée Vivaldi
75012 Paris
Phone: 01.43.40.37.37
Metro Station: Daumesnil (Line 6, 8), Montgallet (Line 8)
Type of cuisine: Turkish
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri noon – 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. Sat 7:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
We have long wondered whether Paris had a good Turkish restaurant. Our recent experience at Le Janissaire proved that it does.
The restaurant is located off the tourist circuit in the distant 12th arrondissement. For enthusiasts of Turkish cuisine, we believe that the trip out there is well worth the effort, even if only to have lunch or dinner there.
The multiple dining rooms of this establishment are variously decorated with Oriental carpets on bare-wood floors; large, wood-framed mirrors; small, framed drawings of Turks in traditional costume; and Turkish coffee pots on walls. While we dined, a variety of music—which we rightly or wrongly identified as Turkish—played softly over the sound system. There was a constant coming and going of waiters who moved quickly and efficiently to serve customers. We noted that some diners came with small children, none of whom caused a ruckus. Late in the evening, as tables filled, the sounds of conversation grew quite loud.
We arrived without a reservation and were seated at the dark wood-paneled bar to wait for a table to clear. While there, I ordered an Efes, a blond Turkish beer with a slight flavor of anis. My partner inquired about the Yeni Raki, a Turkish apéritif, but declined when she learned that it was flavored with aniseed, She ordered a kir pêche (kir flavored with peach liqueur) instead.
Once seated at our table, we studied the menu and were pleased to see that the restaurant serves a wide variety of dishes. For the starter, I ordered Patlican Sarma, a generous portion of sheep’s cheese wrapped in strips of eggplant and served with garlic- and paprika-spiced yoghurt. This cold dish was filling and delicious.
My partner forwent the starter.
For the main course, we noted that on Friday and Saturday evenings, Tandir and Islim are served. I chose the Tandir—shoulder of lamb oven-cooked for eight hours. It arrived thinly sliced on a plate accompanied with a mound of crushed potato flavored with paprika and two endive halves. The savory lamb was fork-tender and succulent.
My partner ordered the Islim—lamb shank wrapped in sliced eggplant. It arrived so tender that the meat fell off the bone. Served atop a tomato-based coulis, it was accompanied by a thick, beefy slice of tomato, a wedge of green pepper, and a mound of paprika-spiced crushed potato. The portion of lamb was so copious that my partner could not finish it.
For our beverage accompaniment, we ordered a half-bottle of Yakut, a popular red wine from Turkey. Medium-bodied and slightly tannic, it had a pleasant red-fruit bouquet.
Round loaves of Turkish pide bread were continually served fresh from the oven. Just as we finished one loaf, another was placed on the table!
Kabak Tath was my choice for dessert. A seasonal treat, it was a large slice of pumpkin that had been preserved in sweet syrup. It was served with a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and crushed pistachio nuts. Wonderful!
My partner’s dessert was also unusual. Called Künefe, it was an angel-hair pastry with a soft-cheese filling. Served in a ramekin with sugar syrup and topped with crushed pistachio, it was sublime!
The service was fast, friendly, and helpful.
The bill for two, including two before-dinner drinks (a beer and a kir pêche), one starter, two main courses, two desserts, and a half-bottle of wine, came to 79€.
Afiyet olsun!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
My Paris Favorites: Eric Fraudeau of Cook’n With Class
Introduction by Linda Donahue
Eric Fraudeau should be Paris’ ambassador to the world. Not only does he immediately dispel any notion that the French are standoffish, but he also has a passion for the French capital that is quite contagious. He also has an encyclopedic knowledge of French cuisine, which shouldn’t come as any surprise given his 20 years of experience as a chef in the restaurant and hotel industry. Eric has worked around the world — Canada, Mexico, the U.S., and France — rubbing aprons with the likes of Robuchon and Ducasse.
After realizing he wanted to share his love for creating savory cuisine, Eric opened up Cook’n With Class, an authentic French cooking school located in the heart of a real Paris neighborhood. The gleaming, beautifully-designed facility in Montmartre offers state-of-the-art teaching kitchens, where students from around the world learn how to create everything from breads to sweets to full-course meals. I had the pleasure of taking one such class, and all I can say is that it was one of the most delicious experiences of my life.
Eric has taken the time to share some of his favorite places in and around Paris … but, fair warning: some may make your mouth water.
Paris Neighborhood
I really like the 12th when you are close to the 11th. You know, Aligre, Trousseau, Ledru Rollin, Paul Bert… I love the feeling when I walk in the streets of this area. It is like a village. Everybody knows each other, and it is a family oriented neighborhood, with the ‘’promenade verte’’ and a few nice little parks. Lots of the good, new trendy restaurants are in this area, Rino for instance. Even if it is becoming very BOBO, it is, still, in many ways a popular area. But I leave and work in Montmartre, and I love every part of that, too.
La Table d'Eugene.
La Table d’Eugene (rue Eugene Sue in the 18th, Metro Jules Joffrin). The restaurant is small and the kitchen ridiculously small. He deserves an award just to be able to get such awesome food out of that kitchen. The food is good, not pricey. What I like is that the Chef creates modern cuisine with a traditional twist. The seasonal menu changes all the time and is always made with the freshest ingredients. It’s a great price value for the food. This is a restaurant that deserves one Michelin star for the food but, because they choose such a small place and to have no tablecloth, the red book keeps ignoring them.
Restaurant (Ethnic)
Azabu on rue Mazet, Paris 6th. I have never been to Japan, but I love Japanese food. I learned in the US how to understand and enjoy Japanese food at places like Morimoto in Philadelphia and Nobu in New York. In Paris, good Japanese food is rare. Azabu has a very French approach to Japanese food, but the result is great. The food is expensive, and it has to be. You just cannot make great Japanese food with average quality ingredients. You need to reserve, and try to be on the ground floor facing the grill to enjoy watching the Chef playing with your food.
Cheap Eats
La Pizza De Loretta in the 9th. I love the pizza by the weight, it’s very tasty. It feels like Rome. A little bit pricey for pizza, but worth it. They also have a short but good Italian wine selection.
Food/Gourmet Shop
La Grande Epicerie at Bon Marche. There’s nothing original there, but the place is great. Lots of food from everywhere in the world. Lots of different pasta shapes and candies. I go there sometimes just to get some inspiration… they have more than 30 kinds of salt! If it was less expensive, I would buy all my food there.
Department Store
I am not sure I have one. After a few minutes in a department store, I start to yawn like crazy.
Chocolate Shop
Without hesitation, Pierre Marcolini , Rue de Seine Paris 6th. He is the best chocolatier in Paris. The quality is consistent and the flavors are the flavors I like. He uses very dark chocolate and makes small bites. The one I prefer is with the Yuzu filling, even if he is very famous for truffles, I prefer the chocolate with filling. I always like Belgium chocolate more than Swiss chocolate; I believe it is less sweet and maybe the flavor stays in the mouth longer.
Specialty Boutique
I am a cheese addict, I go for cheese almost every day. My favorite cheese shop is Marie Quatre-Hommes they have a store in the 18e, on the rue du Poteau. I’ve built a very good relationship with all the vendors, so I get all the tips about cheeses and they ask me to taste the new arrivals.
Boutique (women’s or men’s)
I am not really a shopper. When I need clothes I go to Printemps. They have it all: cheap, expensive, trendy, boring. If I can’t find what I’m looking for, I cross the street and try Galeries Lafayette. I usually end up buying some stuff at Zara. I like the style or the ‘’no style’’ they offer.
Photo from Mama Shelter
Place for Cocktails
Probably Mama Shelter. I like the mojitos and Martini list they have. They also always have a DJ or some live music, and it is a fun atmosphere. Lots of trendy people around. The last time I went was for brunch, and Vincent Cassel was there. A few months before, again for brunch, Alain Ducasse was there.
Music Spot
Les Trois mailletz, rue Gallande Paris 5th. I discovered this place a long time ago. It’s a cabaret, filled up with lost tourists and some habitués, but everybody is here to have fun. The Piano bar is on the ground floor, but the place to be is underground. It’s a show that you become part of, if you like dancing. The live music is happening in the back of the room and the dancers, singers, entertainers move, dance , and walk on the tables. Keep your glass in your hands and enjoy. I can spend hours there before I realize it’s 5 am…
Patisserie /Boulangerie
I recently discovered Café Pouchkine — I like it a lot. Conticini and Hermé make me happy, too, when I need some sugar in my blood. A great éclair au café from La Maison du Chocolat can also do the job. For bread, Le Grenier a Pain does a ‘’ pain de trois’’ that I think is very, very good. Au Pain d’Antan on rue Ramey in the 18th does also a great job — their pain au Noix for the cheese is to die for.
Quiet Spot
Parc Monceau is quiet enough to read a book and to have a picnic, if the weather permits it. I will also go to the Café Garden at the Petit Palais for a quiet tea in the afternoon.
Paris Indulgence
I am currently studying Histoire de l’art at l’Ecole du Louvre. I try to see every expo that comes to Paris, but just walking through a museum makes my day. Obviously, Paris is full of cultural experiences of all kinds.
Day Trip from Paris
Lets go to Versailles! The food market is really nice, probably the best one in and around Paris. After the market visit, stop for lunch at Zin’s (125 rue Yves Le Coz F – 78000 Versailles), and then go for a walk in the park. I also like to go to Provins, a small medieval village full of antique boutiques and small cafés.
L’Eclaireur
10, rue Boissy d’Anglas
75008 Paris
Phone: 01.53.43.09.99
Metro Station: Concorde (Lines 1, 8,12)
Type of cuisine: Modern French
Days & hours of operation: Tues to Sat noon – 3 :00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Located in the posh 8th arrondissement, just steps away from the Hôtel Crillon and the American Embassy, L’Eclaireur operates as a bar, a salon de thé, and a restaurant. Benefiting from a 50% promotional discount that the restaurant was offering, we had the occasion to dine here recently. Throwing caution to the wind, we ran up a bar tab (not discounted) by ordering expensive champagne as a before-dinner drink. Without champagne, the bill would have come to 86€, a nice price for a chic restaurant!
The restaurant has two main rooms: a bar and dining room in the back, and a dining room in the front that lies under an enclosed canopy that extends into a vast and elegant hallway. We were seated in the front room (under the canopy) at a dark-wood table dressed with a crisp, white runner. The upholstered, cushioned chairs in blue-violet and cranberry fabric are particularly comfortable. Overhead, the fabric ceiling of the canopy displays images of newspaper print, flowers, and butterflies. Subdued lighting and soft lounge music complement the scene.
After we were seated, we each ordered a glass of Roederer champagne as an apéritif. We later realized that we would pay 15€ a glass for this, but we also learned that expensive champagne does taste better than its less expensive cousins. The champagne was delightfully crisp with fine bubbles. It was kind of beverage that one would want to drink all evening if the dining budget would permit it. A small goblet of plump, black olives was served alongside.
Examining the menu, we spotted foie gras prepared two different ways—au torchon and mi-cuit. Au torchon indicates that the foie gras has been wrapped tightly in a dishtowel and poached in water for the appropriate cooking time. Mi-cuit is foie gras that has been semi-cooked in a terrine. I ordered the first, while my partner ordered the second, for our starter. I was served a disk of foie gras on a plate with toasted country bread and morsels of dried and roasted fig. The liver had a pink interior and tasted slightly bitter, not at all an unpleasant sensation. My partner declared that her serving of mi-cuit was dense and buttery.
For the main course, a choice of four different types of sea food and four different types of meat were listed. I selected Saint Jacques rôties, choux fleur et romanesco, beurre noisette citronné. I received a narrow rectangular dish containing four perfectly-cooked, sautéed scallops, each separated on the plate by a dollop of puréed cauliflower. Aligning the top and bottom portions of the dish were morsels of romanesco broccoli cooked firm to the bite. The scallops were wonderfully delicate and succulent, the puréed cauliflower light and smooth, and the broccoli crunchy and tasty.
My partner was not entirely pleased with her Brochette d’aigueillettes de poulet, citron & gingembre, wok de légumes au soja. While she found the chicken breast tender and flavorful, she did not detect lemon and ginger that supposedly seasoned the dish. The wok-fried vegetable accompaniment was carrot, parsnip, cabbage, and green onion, all seasoned with soy sauce.
As a wine accompaniment, my partner ordered a glass of Pouilly Fuissé with her foie gras. She found this wine to be round and assertive – an excellent match for the fatty liver. For the main course, we each ordered a glass of Château Ferran – a dry, medium-bodied red wine from the Bordeaux region. While I enjoyed the wine, it did not harmonize with the scallops as the restaurant’s electronic “wine advisor” had promised. The “wine advisor” was a novelty for us: it was an iPad that the waiter handed to us to consult the wines offered by the restaurant. When the screen was touched at the appropriate spot, it listed the suggested dishes that each wine would supposedly accompany. I touched the screen and was zipped off to cyberspace where I had to find my way back to the wine list and start over. I found this heavy, cumbersome gadget to be more of an annoyance than a helpful innovation. I would have preferred consulting a printed wine list on a standard menu card and asking for suggestions from the server. Human, not electronic, interface please!
Two kinds of sliced bread were served alongside in a metal bowl: poppy- and sesame-seed baguette and standard baguette. Both had soft and chewy crumb. The standard baguette had a crispy crust and its crumb was riddled with large alveoli. Delicious!
For dessert, I ordered a Poire Dame Blanche déstructurée. I had no idea what this was, but wanted to see what novelty the chef would come up with. I was served a small bowl and goblet. The bowl contained a perfect sphere of whipped cream enveloping a vanilla ice cream center, all resting on a warm bed of cooked, diced apple. The goblet contained warm chocolate syrup. It was a delectable, well-presented dessert and I was left wondering how the ball of whipped cream could be made so perfectly spherical.
My partner requested the Tarte Tatin maison. The waiter presented a small portion of Tarte Tatin (caramelized apple pie) in the shape of a half-sphere. A scoop of vanilla ice cream was served alongside in a ceramic cup. While she enjoyed the flavor of the pie, she noted that it was served at room temperature. She prefers her Tarte Tatin served piping hot from the oven.
The service, by multiple servers, was friendly and helpful.
The bill for two, including two glasses of champagne, three glasses of wine, one bottle of mineral water, two starters, two main courses, and two desserts, came to 116€.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Joe Allen
30, rue Pierre Lescot
75001 Paris
Phone: 01.42.36.70.13
Metro Station: Etienne Marcel (Line 4)
Type of cuisine: American
Days & hours of operation: Sun to Wed noon – 12:30 a.m. Thurs to Sat noon – 1:00 a.m.
Credit card: Visa, American Express, MasterCard
Joe Allen’s restaurant is a distinctive American brand, having opened first in New York and Miami before making its way across the pond to London and Paris. It seemed the perfect place to spend Thanksgiving, and the 45€ menu included an apéritif cocktail, ½ bottle of wine, a selection of seven starters, three main courses, seven desserts, and coffee or tea to finish. It was a wide and varied banquet from which to choose.
The interior of the restaurant is in brick facing with framed posters of program covers for theatrical and dance performances. Round tables with red-and-white checkerboard tablecloths and low lighting complete the scene for intimate New York style bistro dining. In the dining room in the back, a jukebox spins out American songs over the sound system.
We were seated in the back room and, because our party was large, we were split between two large tables. The seating around the tables was rather confined, but most of the diners seemed to enjoy the evening in spite of the constraint.
We were offered a choice of three apéritifs. My partner and I chose the Cranberry Kir Royal made from cranberry juice and sparkling white wine. It was a fitting beginning to a Thanksgiving feast!
For the starter, the Joe Allen foie gras with five peppers, Maker’s Mark bourbon and sautéed apples was particularly tempting. I found the foie gras to be not only smooth and silky, but tangy due to the infusion of bourbon. It was served sliced from a terrine and was topped with crunchy bits of pepper. Baked cubes of apple were served alongside in a small, square goblet. Lightly flavored with cinnamon, they accompanied the foie gras well, although I found their texture to be spongy. I like cooked fruits and vegetables to have some resistance to the bite.
My partner ordered the Creamy wild mushroom and parsnip soup with white truffle oil croutons. It was a thick, creamy, perfumed soup with a round of toasted bread topped with morsels of cooked mushroom and parsnip. Flavored with white truffle oil, the soup was sublime!
For the main course, I selected the Roast Thanksgiving turkey with quince, apple and walnut stuffing, candied yams, green beans and cranberry sauce with orange and juniper. The serving of turkey included slices of both white and dark meats. Tender and succulent, they were accompanied with crushed, baked, sweet yam and sautéed green beans cooked slightly firm to the bite. This was an entirely satisfying dish.
My partner ordered the Baked ham with wine-soused pear, ice wine and sweet mustard sauce, maple-glazed butternut squash and Thanksgiving mashed potatoes with crème frâiche and chives. She found the fruit and vegetables to be sublime, but said that the ham fell short of her expectations as it had the texture of charcuterie used in French sandwiches. She had hoped for more robust texture and flavor.
We served ourselves from the bottles of Wente Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Livermore Valley, California that had been placed on the table. It was a round, medium-bodied wine with a hint of vanilla. I later learned that it had been aged in oak, which would account for the note of vanilla. No one on our side of the table was enamored of this wine – we wished for something more complex with the meal.
The waitress placed a basket of small cornbread muffins and sliced bread on the table at the start of the meal. The muffins were warm, tender, and light – not dense as some cornbread is made. They were delectable!
I opted for Apple cranberry crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Although I found the slightly-sweet dessert satisfactory, I was disappointed that the apples had the texture of apple sauce—they had not been sliced and baked slightly firm as I had imagined that they would be.
My partner’s dessert, the Pecan pie infused with Maker’s Mark bourbon and crème anglaise, was dense with pecans and had firm texture. She was quite pleased with this traditional Thanksgiving treat, though she noted that the crème anglaise that was served with it did not add to its appeal.
Overall, we were satisfied with the food and service and left the restaurant in good spirits. It was a hearty Thanksgiving feast to remember!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
My Paris Favorites: Terrance Gelenter
Introduction by Linda Donahue
I had, like most of the Paris expat community, known of Terrance Gelenter long before I actually met him, on a beautiful spring day at a (now defunct) café in St. Germain. It was a chance meeting. I was having lunch with my dear friend John, and Terrance was sitting a table by himself. Because he and John were friendly (bien sûr), we sat down at the table next to his, and spent the next hour or so chatting away. Terrance was holding court, for both us and the café staff who knew him well. (more…)
Le Télégraphe
41, rue de Lille
75007 Paris
Phone: 01.58.62.10.08
Metro Station: Rue du Bac (Line 12)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Tues to Sat noon – 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – midnight Sun to Tues noon – 3:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
On the outside, arched windows with Art Nouveau fanlights give a hint of the elegance within this building that was once the Maison des Dames des Postes, Télégraphes et.Téléphones. Step inside to view tall ceilings, slender columns, and more Art Nouveau archways. It would appear that the female workers of the former PTT dined in sumptuous surroundings! The architecture of the dining room is reminiscent of the types of stylish salons that one finds in Venice. It is a pleasure to eat in a place like this in Paris.
We were at Le Télégraphe to dine on a specially-priced, four-course menu that we had reserved through lafourchette.com, an on-line reservation service. For this meal, there was no choice to be made—after we were seated, the waiter simply announced what we would be served.
For the apéritif, the waitress brought us a kir, a refreshing, sweet beverage consisting of white wine flavored with currant liqueur.
An amuse bouche of two tiny, lightly-toasted salmon sandwiches came next. Amuse bouches are not meant to be filling—they are served to whet the appetite. These sandwiches fulfilled this role admirably—the salmon was moist and flavorsome.
Vélouté de potirmaron, a pumpkin soup served in a shallow, stylish bowl with a swirl of olive oil and light cream, was served as the first course. While mine was hot, my partner was dismayed that her soup was only warm. Nevertheless, we were both satisfied with the flavor of the savory dish. It was not heavy with cream as some véloutés are.
Declaring antipathy to seafood, my partner forewent the second course, a serving of two succulent prawns on a bed of sautéed green beans. I neglected to ask the waiter what kind of sauce the prawns were served in, but it had a slight lemon flavor that went well with the crustaceans.
The third course was a serving of a tender lamb chop (having foregone the seafood course, my partner received two), thinly cut and cooked medium-rare. They were accompanied with tender, diced, sautéed potatoes and served in delicious gravy. It was a simple, yet excellent main course.
Bread rolls similar to sour-dough bread were served alongside in a dish.
We selected a carafe of red Hubert Veneau Côteaux du Giennois 2008 to accompany the meal. When we first tasted it we detected animal notes, but these mellowed over the course of the meal.
Dessert was a serving of four sweets: a scoop of red-current sorbet, a small vanilla macaron filled with chocolate cream, a small crème brulée, and a petite gâteau tout-citron. We were pleased with these desserts except the latter, which was lacking the assertive, tart flavor of lemon that we had anticipated.
I ordered an espresso to end the meal. Along with the coffee, we were served two mignardises, each consisting of a madeleine topped with pistachio cream and a large, fresh raspberry. It was a nice finish to a mostly satisfying dinner in a beautiful restaurant.
The service was friendly and helpful.
The bill for two, including two four-course menus, a carafe of wine, and an espresso, came to 79.30€.
We think that travelers to Paris seeking to dine in elegant surroundings without having to pay upper-end prices will enjoy this restaurant. Brunch is served on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Le Pearl
46, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud
75011 Paris
Phone: 01.48.07.48.98
Metro Station: Parmantier (Line 3)
Type of cuisine: Modern French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Sat 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
A grey façade with white trim; curtainless, wide, tall windows; and a tall entry door give this restaurant a rather austere appearance. Inside, the décor is also austere—the walls of the room are dressed in light-grey and the tiles of the floor are black slate. Chairs with crimson backs and cushions add color. A bar and a semi-open kitchen stand at the far end of the room, and one can see Thomas, the chef, working there. In the front of the room, a curious mechanism stands to the right of the entryway. It is a hand-operated monte-charge (service elevator) that once served to raise and lower material when this space was a print shop.
If the ambiance is industrial, the food is far from that. The night that we dined there we were served copious portions of delicious, modern French cuisine.
A list of Chef Thomas’ imaginatively-prepared dishes are displayed on chalkboards affixed to the wall. The restaurant does not offer a fixed-priced menu.
To begin the service, the waitress, Mélanie, presented us each an amuse bouche—a small goblet containing morsels of carrot confit, apple, pineapple, and red pepper. The warm, spicy delicacy piqued our appetites.
For the starter, I decided to order the Aubergines parmesan, mozzarella dish. In trying to imagine what this dish might look like, I thought that it might be a cold salad of roasted eggplant served with grated Parmesan and slices of mozzarella cheeses. I was surprised when it turned out to be a hot dish: a ramekin containing baked, thinly-sliced eggplant topped with these melted cheeses. It was rich and delicious.
My partner’s starter was also satisfying. Her soup, a Velouté potimarron, radi noir, was served in a wide-brimmed, shallow bowl. The smooth, thick purée of pumpkin was garnished with a mound of shredded black radish and bits of parsley, and dotted with olive oil.
The menu offered seven choices of main dishes from which I selected Filet de bar cuit à l’unilatéral et fenouil parfumé au romarin. The pan-seared filet of bass had been cooked on the skin side only. The succulent, flaky fish was served on a bed of moist, tender fennel that had been flavored with rosemary.
My partner chose Cuisse de poulet farcie en robe de larde, gratin dauphinois, but requested that the stuffed chicken be served with vegetables other than potatoes (gratin dauphinois). The plate contained sliced chicken thigh stuffed with pistachios and ground pork and wrapped in bacon. Served with firm-to-the-bite cooked carrots, parsnips, celery, and turnips, the chicken was tender, the bacon wrap crisp, and the stuffing not overly salty. A copious and nicely presented dish!
To accompany the meal, we ordered wine by the glass. My Sauvignon Blanc, dry with notes of citrus, went well with the fish, and my partner’s red Côte du Rhône was smooth and silky.
Fresh, thick-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket.
Dessert was a reminder that life can indeed have its pleasant moments. My La poire, vanille, crème, chocolat tested the limits of self-indulgence. Served in a tall sundae glass, it consisted of morsels of poached pear drizzled in chocolate and topped with a generous dollop of heavy whipped cream. Calorific to the extreme, the sweet dessert was a treat that I will not soon forget!
My partner equally enjoyed her Douceur de speculoos. Eight strawberry halves were arranged around the inside perimeter of a goblet that contained a layer of crumbled Speculoos cookies. The strawberries were held into place by a dollop of dense, whipped cream. A single large strawberry topped the dessert. The strawberries were sweet, the cream unctuous, and the Speculoos delightfully crunchy.
While we dined, New Orleans jazz, old-time jazz (Billie Holiday) and more recent music (Frank Sinatra) played over the speaker system.
The service was friendly.
The bill for two, including four glasses of wine, two starters, two main courses, and two desserts, came to 72€.
We think that travelers will enjoy dining at this restaurant where the portions are generous and the food imaginatively prepared!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
La Maison Géorgienne
3, rue du Sabot
75006 Paris
Phone: 01.45.48.48.08
Metro Station: Saint-Germain-des-Prés or Saint-Sulpice (Line 4), Mabillon (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: Georgian
Days & hours of operation: Open every day from 11:00 a.m. until midnight
Credit card: American Express, Visa, MasterCard
La Maison Géorgienne is a gorgeous theme restaurant located in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter. We entered here unsuspecting, and soon found ourselves dining like aristocrats!
The restaurant is spacious with four floors for dining. We were ushered to the top floor by elevator and found ourselves in a large room exuding old-world ambiance: large, cloth-covered tables—each set with a candelabrum; glass chandeliers; gilded-trim chairs with padded, beige cushions; and an inlaid wood floor. Save for the modern art on the walls, the room looked like a parlor where an old aristocrat might receive his guests.
Although the restaurant offers a number of fixed-price menus, we ordered à la carte.
For the apéritif, we each ordered a glass of Bagrationi, a Georgian sparkling wine. Priced at three euros less than French champagne, it was refreshingly dry and had a slight toasty flavor. We were so pleased with this wine that we ordered a second glass to accompany the meal.
For the starter, I selected the Stumari, a plate of finely-sliced salmon that had been marinated in tchatcha, an eau-de-vie distilled from grape pomace. Served with crushed avocado and red caviar, the moist, delicious salmon had a fresh, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
My partner selected the Soupe Tchikhirtma, a large bowl of hot soup containing bits of egg and parsley, and generous morsels of chicken breast. It was an appropriate dish for a chilly day. She was so pleased with the soup that she dared to tip her bowl to drain the last few drops into her spoon so that she could consume every bit.
For the main course, I thought that the Chakhokhbili au Lapin would be appropriate for the Bagrationi that I determined to continue drinking. The waiter produced a shallow, square bowl containing three morsels of tender rabbit that had been stewed with herbs in Georgian white wine. A molded, steaming-hot, carrot purée was served on the side. The rabbit and carrot purée were delicate, as I had anticipated. It was a dish fit for an aristocrat!
My partner’s dish, Tchakapouli d’Agneau à l’Estragon, was a stew of lamb that had been marinated in white wine and flavored with fresh tarragon. It was served in a clear broth in a glazed terra cotta bowl. A small serving of medium-grained rice with bits of yellow and red pepper was served on the side. The surprise for her was that the lamb had been prepared in white wine, not red. She found the dish to be quite flavorful, and was intrigued by the quantity of tarragon used to prepare it. The herb reminded her of the greens (mustard, collard, kale…) that she used to eat in the southern U.S.
Long loaves of warm, spongy bread topped with sesame seed were served alongside in a basket. This was a type of bread that we had never seen before—each loaf looked like a large, flattened sausage and vaguely resembled the shape of a boomerang. We had to restrain ourselves from eating too much!
Normally, I like to have a very sweet ending to my meal, but when I spotted Matsoni, a traditional Georgian yoghurt, on the menu, I thought that I would try that. A generous portion of the yoghurt was served in a yoghurt cup and topped with a spoonful of honey. The yoghurt was not consistently smooth as one finds in commercially prepared yoghurts. It was clotted and quite sour, but not unpleasantly so. Hooray for artisanal yoghurt!
My partner ordered Medogui, a four-layered torte flavored with caramelized sweet milk and praline. A layer of frosting separated each thin layer of cake, making this a delicate-looking dessert similar to the kinds that one is served at high tea in London
While we dined, we listened to a live performance by Elga Porchkhidze, who sang in Georgian, as well as in French and Italian.
The service was friendly and helpful.
The bill for two, including four glasses of sparkling wine, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, and one espresso came to 151.50€. Our lafourchette.com discount brought the price down to 90.90€.
We were pleased that our evening at this restaurant brought us into contact with the culture of Georgia, a distant country that we may never have the opportunity to visit.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
My Paris Favorites: Kasia Dietz
Introduction by Linda Donahue
Kasia Dietz has exquisite taste — evidenced in her own personal style and the fabulous bags she designs. She also has a thirst for exploration and adventure — she spent 13 months traveling through 32 countries. This, after spending 10 years in New York City as an art buyer in the ad agency biz.
But after returning from her extended voyage abroad, Kasia literally bumped into the Italian who was to become the love of her life and would, five months later, follow him to Paris. That was nearly three years ago, and in the time since, Kasia has gotten to know the French capital inside and out, delighting in new discoveries and familiar haunts alike.
And, it should be noted, Paris has fallen in love with Kasia. Her collection of bags is sold in the oh-so-prestigious Le Bon Marché … but for those who cannot make it to Paris to, they’ll find the Kasia Dietz collection online at Shop.ParisienSalon.
In the meantime, pour yourself a glass of wine or tea, sit back and let Kasia share her favorite places in the City of Lights.
Kasia in the Marais.
Paris Neighborhood
Le Marais. It’s cobbled streets, hidden courtyards and endless charm always felt like home, even before it was.
Restaurant (French)
I adore everything about Le Petit Marché. It’s exceptionally good French fare with a touch of Asian influence and just the right ambiance, steps away from Place des Vosges. (The mille feuille au thon is a must!)
Restaurant (Ethnic)
I have yet to discover a favorite ethnic eatery (where’s the Chinese takeaway in Paris?) but often find myself table hopping at Le Marché des Enfants Rouges with plenty an ethnic option including Japanese, Italian, Moroccan, Caribbean and Lebanese.
Cheap Eats
There’s a single crêpe stand at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés metro stop that I frequent when I’m craving a local taste followed by a stroll in the rive gauche. (Yes, I do cross the river on occasion.)
Food/gourmet Shop
Aside from occasional morning marketing, my weekly trips include Marché Saint-Martin, a covered market in the 10eme, filled with a wide array of fresh produce, regional wines, foreign delicacies and most importantly, many a smiling merchant.
Patisserie /Boulangerie
I have great loyalty for my little neighborhood boulangerie and always feel privileged when I happen upon a fresh, warm baguette. As for patisserie’s, I cannot easily walk past a Ladurée without tasting at least one macaron, preferably rose-flavored.
Breakfast Spot
My latest favorite breakfast or rather, brunch spot is Coutume Café. (And not merely for its breakfast burrito, in accordance with all the rave reviews the coffee is one of the best in Paris!)
Chocolate Shop
I recently discovered a little gem called Meert in the Marais. It’s a quaint 18th century chocolatier which truly feels like stepping into ‘old Paris’, filled with divine handmade chocolates and various other confections. And, it’s close!
Department Store
I enjoy strolling through Le Bon Marché, as it’s never too crowded and has the appeal of a gallery, each carefully selected piece waiting to be admired.
A hidden garden.
Specialty Boutique
One of my secret passions is interior design with an affinity towards Danish modern. Conveniently close to home sits the Nordik Market, with a selection of Scandinavian furniture and housewares that I dream to furnish a Paris apartment with.
Boutique (Women’s or Men’s)
A boutique combining my three loves of fashion, literature and art is Ofr., located in the ‘Haute Marais’. There is always a book or two to peruse, often followed by an exhibition in the back gallery.
Place for Cocktails
Since moving to Paris I rarely indulge in cocktails, but do love a well mixed drink at neighborhood haunt Candelaria as well as La Conserverie.
Music Spot
The streets of Paris prove the most fitting spots for music to be heard, particularly on one of Paris’ most enchanting nights, La Fête de la Musique, when musicians take to the streets, and out of every hidden corner is heard song. As for a proper venue, La Cigale is a classic.
Quiet Spot
Where I most love to lose time is in Village Saint-Paul, a hidden world of inter-connected courtyards in the Marais, revealing antique shops and one particular cafe that I am very fond of as it does indeed taste like home, Comme à la Maison.
Paris Indulgence
Tea at Mariage Frères is a luxury. I feel quite like being on the set of Casablanca. (Tastings at the various chocolatiers doesn’t count, does it?)
Day Trip from Paris
For a day lost within a magical setting, Monet’s gardens at Giverny. For a day of regal hedonism, a tour of the champagne houses at Epernay. And for a proper mix of the two, the Loire Valley.
All photos provided by Kasia Dietz. You can follow Kasia’s adventures in Paris and beyond at her blog, Love in the City of Lights.
Le Preum’s
70, rue du Mont Cenis
75018 Paris
Phone: 01.42.55.01.03
Metro Station: Jules Joffrin (Line 12)
Type of cuisine: Trendy French
Days & hours of operation: Tues to Sat 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
Le Preum’s is located on the north side of Butte Montmartre, an off-the-beaten-track location where most tourists do not venture. Opened in November 2009, it is operated by two young women: Julie as chef in the kitchen and Sabina, who welcomes diners, takes their orders, and serves the food.
The restaurant is narrow and long and has two dining rooms, one in the front and the other in the back. Textured chocolate-colored wallpaper; dark, wooden chairs with cream-colored vinyl cushions, terra cotta floor tiles, and an avocado-colored green archway dividing the two rooms give this restaurant a reposing feeling. I was disappointed to note, however, that the windows were not sparkling clean. In my mind, this is one of the first things that distinguishes a good restaurant from a mediocre one.
After being seated, we ordered before-dinner drinks. My partner chose a white port and I a Leffe beer. Sabina took care to explain that the Leffe that she was serving was a Ruby, flavored with red fruit. I found the beer to be slightly sweet and very refreshing.
The restaurant offers a three-course 15€ menu, but we chose to order à la carte.
To begin the meal, I chose the Verrine de feta et tomates cerise au pistou de poireaux. It arrived in a clear glass serving dish, which permitted the tomatoes, the cubes of feta cheese, and pesto to radiate their splendid colors. The feta was moist, the tomatoes juicy, and the pesto strong with garlic. An appetizing salad!
My partner was pleased with her decision to order Ravioles de Royans gratinées aux Parmesan. These are not Italian ravioli as the name would imply, but rather are ravioles, a specialty from Dauphiné, an area in the southeastern part of France. Stuffed with ricotta cheese, placed in a ramekin with light cream and Parmesan cheese, and passed under a broiler, they were simply delicious!
I was intrigued by the Pavé de saumon en croûte de Satay et wok de légumes, and ordered that for the main course. The narrow, thick cut of salmon that I received was tender and moist. It had been prepared in peanut sauce and then cooked in such a way that the sauce formed a crisp coating around the succulent, flavorful flesh.
My partner was not as pleased with her Croustillant de poulet, sauce vin rouge et galette de polenta. The chicken breast was served in a brick pastry garnished with a reduction of red wine sauce. Two sautéed polenta cakes were served alongside, also garnished with the sauce. The disappointment came with the temperature of the chicken and polenta: they were served tepid, not hot, as a hearty dish like this should be served.
As a beverage accompaniment, I ordered another Leffe Ruby, while my partner ordered a 25cl pitcher of Savignon blanc — La Cave des 9 Clés. Balanced between sweet and dry, the white wine had a passing licorice flavor.
Fresh, warm, thick-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket. The crust was wonderfully dark and crispy.
Dessert returned the meal to a high point on the pleasure meter for my partner. We both ordered Cheesecake, a New-York style cheesecake that Chef Julie told us was prepared with Philadelphia cream cheese. It was served with strawberry sauce and garnished with a fresh, half strawberry. The sauce was an unusual and welcome treat, as most red fruit sauces in Paris are made from raspberries, a fruit that my partner does not care for. Complete with a thick sablé crust, the cheesecake was dense and moist and revealed a hint of lemon.
The bill for two persons, including two 25cl bottles of beer, one 25cl pitcher of wine, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, and an espresso, came to 79.50€. Our lafourchette.com discount reduced the bill to 55.90€.
Although the service was friendly and helpful and the meals appetizing, I would not return to this restaurant because of its unwashed windows, which, in my mind, give the establishment a “greasy spoon” feel. Getting to the restaurant requires a long metro ride from the center of town, and we can find lots of good restaurants with windows that sparkle closer to the center of Paris!
le Quincampe
78, rue Quincampoix
75003 Paris
Phone: 01.40.27.01.45
Metro Station: Les Halles or Etienne Marcel (Line 4), Rambuteau (Line 11), Châtelet – Les Halles (RER A, B, and D)
Type of cuisine: French and Asian
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri Noon – 11:00 p.m. Sat 3:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. From November to April, open for Asian brunch on Sundays from Noon until 4:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
We learned of le Quincampe when we interviewed Simon Thillou at La Cave à Bulles, a beer shop located at number 45 on the same street. Simon told us that le Quincampe stocks some of the artisanal beers that he sells. Shortly after our meeting with Simon, we dined at the restaurant.
The front room of the restaurant is somewhat narrow, but the back room is spacious. In it stands a large fireplace that will keep diners toasty in the winter. The bare-stone walls of the room are painted ivory, and the floor is rust-colored terra cotta. Cranberry-colored velour benches, old-fashioned restaurant tables, ceiling fans, exposed beams, and eclectic décor give the space a comfortable feeling. Even better, after we settled in, we ordered a champagne apéritif (produced by Constant Lemaire) at only 6€ a glass!
The menu offers a wide variety of dishes from which to choose, and, as we were to find out, the portions are quite copious.
For the starter, I selected Chèvre fraîs de M. Lethielleux à l’huile d’olive et ciboulette. The portion of fresh goat cheese (produced by Yves Lethielleux at Fougeré in Maine-et-Loire, an administrative département western France) that the waitress placed in front of me was huge. It had been drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with chopped chives. A mixed-green salad was served alongside. The delicious, dense, mild cheese was moist and slightly crumbly. My partner forewent the starter—wisely, in turned out, because her main course was big enough for two persons.
She ordered Pastilla au confit de canard accompagnée de mesclun (sucre/salé composé d’une au canard confit, amandes grillées, raisins secs, feuille de brick). The very large pastilla contained moist, shredded confit of duck, white raisins, and grilled almonds and was dusted with cinnamon; sliced, toasted almonds; and powdered sugar. The accompanying green salad was dressed in balsamic vinegar and dusted with sesame seeds. It was a very tasty dish!
My main course was a generous portion of filet of marlin, poached in white wine and served in a light cream sauce. It was accompanied with steamed broccoli and roasted pear. The fish was succulent and flaky; the broccoli tender; and the roasted pear sweet and delectable.
Fresh, wide-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket. The soft interior of the bread was riddled with alveoli and the crust was crispy.
To accompany the meal, I ordered a bottle of La Noiraude, a dry, slightly bitter, cloudy white beer brewed in the Lorraine from malted barley and malted wheat. I found that the beer went well with the fish, as proclaimed on the beverage menu. My partner ordered a glass of Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil produced in the Loire Valley by Nathalie and David Drussé.
Because of the copious portions, we forewent dessert.
The bill for two persons, including two champagne apéritifs, one bottle of beer, one glass of wine, one starter, and two main courses, came to 60€.
This is a great spot to stop in for tea (as well as a restaurant, it operates as a salon de thé), or to take friends to who are seeking a comfortable place for informal dining in the vicinity of the Centre Pompidou.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Africasa
59, rue du Cardinal Lemoine
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.43.26.47.73
Metro Station: Cardinal Lemoine (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: World Food
Days & hours of operation: Open every day from noon to midnight.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Africasa is located on the slope of rue du Cardinal Lemoine that lies between rue Monge and place de la Contrescarpe. A trendy-looking restaurant, it has a handsome wooden terrace sheltered by two great umbrellas. Within, shades of taupe and huge dome-shaped and spherical lamp shades create an atmosphere of modernity, while bare-stone walls lend an air of rusticity. It is a fusion, of sorts, of opposing décors. Interestingly, the theme of fusion is also reflected in the cuisine, which balances between traditional African and modern French cooking.
Though the restaurant offers a fixed-price menu for 21€, we chose to order à la carte on the evening that we dined there.
Shortly after we were seated, we were served an amuse bouche of fried plantain and fruit juice. The plantain tasted sweet, like a fried banana, and the blend of pulpy orange and pineapple juice was refreshing.
I ordered a starter with a curious-sounding name: Entre Picadilly et Dakar (Fish and Chips à l’africaine). The fish consisted of deep-fried fingers of sole and the chips were deep-fried sticks of yam. Accompanied by a small cup of mayonnaise, they were served each in its own goblet and wrapped in parchment paper. This was a satisfying, filling dish—perhaps too filling, because I began to wonder if I would have an appetite for the main course!
My partner chose a starter intriguingly named La Panafricaine et sa quenelle de glace au basilic. The Panafricaine turned out to be a molded salad of diced red, yellow, and green tomatoes and chopped parsley served with an oval-shaped scoop of basil ice cream. The plate upon which these were served had been drizzled with balsamic vinegar. She found the dish to be light, tangy, and delicious.
L’Africasa offers two traditional African dishes: Mafé de Bœuf, Riz et Bananes Plantain and Poulet Yassa, Riz et Bananes Plantain. I selected the first, and my partner, the second. Mafé de Bœuf is a popular West African dish of chunks of stewed beef served in peanut sauce. The morsels of meat were tender, and the peanut sauce in which they were served was thick and flavorful.
Yassa, also from West Africa, is a spicy, marinated dish of poultry or fish. My partner received a mound of morsels of chicken breast covered with cooked onions and topped with three black olives. She declared the chicken to be perfectly cooked, but the onion topping to be lacking in seasoning compared to Yassa preparations that she has eaten elsewhere in Paris.
Both main dishes were accompanied by a large bowl of rice dressed with a small portion of chopped green and red pepper and red onions.
Fresh, chewy, diagonally-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket.
For the beverage accompaniment, I ordered a Corona beer while my partner ordered a glass of Leopard Leap red wine (a blend of Shiraz and Pinotage grapes) from South Africa. She was pleased that the wine married well with her dish.
For dessert, I ordered a fusion dish: Dèguè en entremets, sauce caramel, beurre salé. Dèguè, another West African dish, is made out of fermented pearl millet. In this restaurant, dèguè is unfermented semolina of manioc blended with panna cotta (Italian cooked cream). I was served a generous-sized goblet of this pudding-like product, topped with a layer of caramel sauce. Although the creamy, grainy pudding itself was not very sweet, the caramel sauce provided the necessary sugar to permit it to be called a dessert.
My partner ordered two scoops of ginger-flavored ice cream. They were served along with a crunchy ice cream cone.
The service was friendly and helpful.
The bill for two, including one beer, two glasses of wine, two starters, two main courses, and two desserts came to 82€.
Diners who want to try African food transformed to suit western tastes and served in a trendy setting will enjoy this restaurant!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Cuisine L’E7
39, avenue de l’Opéra
75002 Paris
Phone: 01.42.61.56.90
Metro Station: Pyramides (Lines 7 and 14) and Opéra (Lines 3, 7, and 8)
Type of cuisine: Trendy French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, American Express, MasterCard
Cuisine L’E7 is a restaurant operated by the Hotel Edouard 7, located not far from the Palais Garnier. The dining room is quite attractive, with burgundy and bronze fabric on the backs of the chairs and burgundy and rose fabric on the backs of the benches. Textured brown wallpaper and dark wood tones throughout, cherry-wood floors, and tables with aluminized tops with dark-wood trim, all combine to lend a reposing atmosphere to this place. While we dined, lounge music, and then jazz, played over the sound system.
The name Lepers 6° on the drink menu sparked my interest to order this beverage as an apéritif. Served on tap at the bar, it is an artisanal beer brewed in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, one of the twenty-seven regions of France. Unfortunately, the keg was empty so I settled for a 1664 Blanc, a beer brewed from wheat by Kronenbourg. 1664 Blanc is a white beer and was, as the menu described it, fresh with a fruity bouquet. My partner ordered a Kir à la crème de pêche and remarked about how she enjoyed the assertive flavor of the peach.
For the starter (which the restaurant calls préludes), I ordered Chaire et minces de tourteau, gelée de pamplemousse et avocat, mayonnaise ponzu. The waiter brought a wide goblet containing crab meat prepared with ponzu, a citrus-based sauce used in Japanese cuisine. The dish was quite tempting, and the jellied morsels of grapefruit added special appeal. My partner opted for Velouté de potimarron en capuccino de noisette, paysanne de légumes au lard. Served in a wide-brimmed, deep bowl, it was pumpkin soup cradled in a hazelnut-flavored froth and flavored with finely sliced bacon and bits of cooked vegetables.
Continuing the gourmet adventure, I requested Noix de Saint Jacques grillée, purée de courge butternut, émulsion mandarine à la moutarde, a flavorful dish of five plump, succulent grilled scallops resting on a bed of coarsely-puréed butternut squash. The scallops were mouthwatering and the butternut squash added an autumnal touch to the dish. My partner selected Suprême de volaille au romarin, tartine d’aubergine, courgettes grillées, tomates cerises et concombre. It was an unusual and colorful dish. The chicken breast was rolled around a sprig of rosemary and served in the shape of a log. Next to it lay an elongated slice of eggplant topped with baked cherry tomatoes, grilled sticks of zucchini, and rolled slices of cucumber. The chicken was tender and nicely perfumed with the rosemary.
Bread rolls were served alongside in small dishes.
To accompany her meal, my partner ordered a glass of Château Chanteloiseau 2010, a medium-bodied red wine with an assertive finish from Graves—a subregion of the Bordeaux wine region.
Out of the eight desserts from which to choose, I selected Crêpe Suzette et sorbet à l’orange, comme l’aimait Edouard 7. This little bit of information (comme l’aimait Edouard 7) that King Edward VII of England loved crêpes Suzette influenced my choice, and I was served a plate of three folded crêpes topped with a scoop of orange sorbet. The sorbet supplied most of the orange flavor—the pancakes were not doused with Grand Marnier as I had anticipated. My partner decided upon the Mousse de marron en feuilles de brick croustillantes, glace noisette-caramel. Two layers of chestnut mousse sandwiched between three layers of brick pastry made a light, satisfying combination. A scoop of chestnut ice cream provided an additional treat!
The service was friendly and helpful.
The bill for two persons, including two apéritifs, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, and one glass of wine, came to 87.70€. (As we had reserved through lafourchette.com, a 30% discount was applied to the food items. The original total would have been 115.00€).
This restaurant should please diners who seek modern French cuisine presented with stylish panache.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
A Taste of Paris with the Hotel Lutetia’s Philippe Renard
Story provided by the Paris Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Edited by Sophie Delon.
Philippe Renard has been the chef of the Hotel Lutetia kitchens for 20 years. Under his leadership, the reputation of the starred restaurant, brasserie and all the restaurant areas of the mythical Left Bank hotel have spread beyond Saint-Germain-des-Prés. A lively discussion with a chef passionate and dedicated to his “house.” (more…)
