Jake Dear's Profile
Where Paris' locals dine
Mangeur (and those who have contributed so far), thanks for this thread. We'll be near the 15th soon, speaking softly as usual, and much of this looks very useful. -- Jake
Dining in Barjac (Languedoc)
Mangeur, I suspected that we could count on you -- thanks much for this. -- Jake
Dining in Barjac (Languedoc)
We will stay a few days in a gite in Barjac at Maison Anila, www.maisonanila.com. The helpful proprietor (she's English; he's Dutch -- we've come across a lot of Dutch proprietors in the past three years!) has recommended two places for dinner -- "traditional style cooking; not fancy, but high quality":
La Petite Auberge, http://www.lapetiteaubergelabastide.com, about 8 km drive, in La Bastide de Virac.
And in Barjac, she recommends Les Délices De L'esplanade (which, which just now checking, I see is for sale).
Any comments on these or other places in or very near Barjac? To complicate matters, one of our nights will be a Tuesday, which seems to be the local version of Monday. -- Jake
Auprés du Clocher
This brings back recent good memories. At your (Jeremy's) recommendation we dined there (4 of us) last Sept; we sampled much of the carte, and loved it. My favorite was the escargot raviolis (pictured). We meandered home (five min walk) to our pleasant lodgings, Hotel Clos du Colombier (also pictured). -- Jake
Alsace
If you are willing to drive an hour south of Colmar to visit Antony (we recommend it too), then you may also want to drive 30 min north to Blienschwiller, to Le Pressoir de Bacchus, which I addressed here (http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/812683), along with some wine-related things. It was our favorite dining experinece of 4 days in Alsace in Sept 2011, and I recall a very good local wine list. Regional cooking with a touch of elegance. Here's a pic of Antony's small cheese plate (he also offers a four course extravaganza) , and also pics of two plats at Le Pressior, including a fine elegant choucroute garnie. -- Jake
Bofinger
I'm another fan of your posts -- and this makes us think to give Bofinger another try, it's been a few years. -- Jake
Iconic watering-hole dries up!
Sad, we have fond memories there, too. And of rooms upstairs. -- Jake
Reports on L'Auberge du 15, please
I echo mangeur's request. John Talbott liked it last year: http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/john_talbotts_paris/2011/05/lauberge-du-15-in-the-13th-ze-next-big-thing.html -- and so have others: http://parisbymouth.com/our-guide-to-paris-lauberge-du-15/ . But comparing the reatuarant's web site and last year's reviews, it looks like the prices have shot up since the opening? -- Jake
Restaurants for near Perpignan and in Northern Rhone
Re the suggestion of "5ème péché" -- we enjoyed dinner there in late Sept 2010. Reservations are needed. -- Jake
mapping out the Paris oysters
What a fine collaboration, thanks for this. And we will think of some of you at Spring B tonight! -- Jake
Nice lunch in Versailles?
In September of 2011, we enjoyed Le Valmont, 20 rue au Pain, at the Place du Marche Notre Dame (where a nice open air market is held on Friday, which is when we were there).
http://www.restaurant-traditionnel-versailles.com/
http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Restaurants#description@poi=6814_41102
For those driving: Parking is available under the Square (hope your magnetic exit card works better than ours did, but the attendants were helpful in light of my poor French). It seems to fit your description, and we would happily return. -- Jake
Paris & France
As someone who falls into the "Paris-plus" group, I agree with Crumbs -- well said all around.
And hopefully the existence of some non-Paris posts sparks interest and encourages a few "Paris only" folks to consider venturing out to the nearby and far reaches of the vast and varried country, which I think is a good thing. For us, Paris is more understandable and enjoyable in light of what we've come to know about the rest of the country. -- Jake
So many opinions...what restaurant do you like that desn't get raves on the board?
Parnassien's list looks excellent, and this thread is a great idea. I'll add one: Café Panique,
12, rue des Messageries (10eme, Métro: Poissenniere). Dinner only (a recent change). See http://www.cafepanique.com/ I've mentioned this place a year or so ago, but heard no response on this forum.
The cooking is contemporary and bright. The stylish room, previously a textile workshop, sits under a large skylight. The kitchen is open, behind windows atop a counter. A spiral staircase seems to offer seating above, but when we were there it was not in use, and in any event it seems preferable to be on the main floor where you can watch the kitchen and staff at work. There is an art-gallery feel about the place, and if I recall correctly, a gallery is located right next door.The restaurant itself is hidden down an interior hallway -- from the street, it's easy to walk by without noticing it.
We've not been since late 2009, but it seems to be getting good reviews still. And: Open Monday. -- Jake
Thanks for the Moustache recommendation, JTalbot
We too enjoyed Moustache in September at JT's rec, but were a bit worried that it was very unpopulated at lunch. -- Jake
Searching for food in St. Jean de luz
We second Kaiku in SJdL. And re Parigi's advice concerning "the enchanting Olhabidea," outside Sare: We had no reservations and decided to take a chance and stop by anyway. It took us a while to find the place and we had a nice look around and tour by the friendly hosts. Sadly, dining was booked for the two days we are nearby. We vowed to return, but Parigi is correct when she says you need to reserve in advance. -- Jake
La Régalade (original location) - Rio Yeti report
Nice. This is one of the reasons I enjoy this forum.
Ideas for Languedoc-Roussillon and around?
Theresa, thanks for this, we will put it to good use. I especially like the look of Bouzigues, and hope to check out Les Jardins de la Mer and /or Le Grand Bleu. --Jake
Ideas for Languedoc-Roussillon and around?
Theresa, Thanks. Re your comment, "somewhere less busy than Sete, you could try the villages on the lagoon, like Bouzigues and Meze" -- both places look like good alternatives to me, and are in line with what we are looking for for this area. (Sete looks great to visit for lunch, and I see that L'Entonnoir is recommended not only by parigi but also by ptipois -- see http://www.ptipois.com/archives/2009/08/19/14790830.html.) My question: Does anyone have a nice small family-run hotel/restaurant combo recommendation for either place (Bouzigues or Meze) or similar places nearby on the "Bassin de Thau"? We have not yet found a nice place to stay in this area. -- Jake
Alsace in mid-Sept 2011: Le Pressoir de Bacchus, Le Chambard, Aux Armes de France, and more -- including Bernard Antony along the way
Hello Sue, what a fine contribution to this thread, this will be very useful for our next visit to Alsace. And I like your web sites. -- Jake
Ideas for Languedoc-Roussillon and around?
OK, we gladly give up. Inspired by this thread and especially mangeur's recs (including Patrick Moon's beautifully written book that she mentions -- as well as his follow-up book, "Arrazat's Aubergines, Inside a Languedoc Kitchen" -- we will fill about two weeks in Sept in this general area, two and three night stands. Now the fun part, to plan the route. In addition to the excellent sounding places to stay and dine, we'd be particularly interested in recs concerning local prehistory caves for visiting. -- Jake
Ribouldingue closed?
Thanks Souphie, we are very glad to hear this, we really like this place. Still thinking of the great roasted bone marrow, followed by lamb's brains. --Jake
Any "not fancy" suggestions?
Not fancy, in the 7th, and we've not been for years, but I think it's still there and may be a good fit:
Restaurant Chez Germaine. This is a tiny and very simple neighborhood restaurant. There are seven tables, and you may have to/get to share yours with others (who, in this area, seem to include a fair number of Americans residing nearby). We remenber roast beef, salmon, kidneys in cream, celery rémoulade, eggs with house-made mayonnaise, salt pork with carrots or lentils, beef tongue in tomato sauce, and a great chocolate cake. 30 rue Pierre-Leroux. Closed Sat. & Sun, as many such neighborhood places are. -- Jake
Best way to store my delicious cheese for another 5 days? [moved from France]
We forgot to take our most recent chunks out of their indiividual vacuum packs for about five days, and if it hurt our 4-Comte or 5-yr Guryere from Dubois, we have not noticed. Maybe DCM could tell the difference, but we are happily in ignorant bliss. That reminds me shave off a few more tastes tonight. -- Jake
it's easy to spend $$$$$ where do the common folk of Paris eat?????
"What mangeur says." I've said the same, but less elegantly, to friends in similar circumstances.
Last Week in Paris
Rino -- re the "high table across from the kitchen" -- when we were, at mangeur's good rec, they originally seated the three of us at that four top -- and then realized a mistake, and moved us to a very cramped and too warm table -- for two -- toward the back. Oh well, we don't recall any back suport at the high top at all (this was in mid-Sept), and so maybe it was for the best. In any event, the food was well worth the super-cramped space, and service was friendly and good. -- Jake
Please help with Paris dining choices.
It's hard and maybe unnecessary to add to mangeur's fine response, but I'll echo best wishes and mention one more litte place that's quite near your apartment, in a very homey style (but the tables are pretty close together): Au Bon Saint- Pourçain. It's a place for comfort food: marinated leeks, rabbit with tarragon in aspic, chicken in a tarragon cream sauce, blanquette de veau, and a pretty good tarte tatin (tho it leaned too much toward applesauce). 10 bis, rue Servandoni, tel. 01.43.54.93.63. (Note: Cash only.) In any event, here's another wish for "a joyous stay and a week full of cheerful memories." -- Jake
Andouillette in Paris or Tours?
Update: Last month, I tried it yet again -- with great success! We were near Troyes, in Sezanne, at Le Relais Champenois, 57 rue Notre-Dame, http://www.relaischampenois.com/ , and it was andouillette de Troyes. -- Jake
Alsace in mid-Sept 2011: Le Pressoir de Bacchus, Le Chambard, Aux Armes de France, and more -- including Bernard Antony along the way
Julien Teoh, thanks for your comments, which make me think of a few more things: We did not get to Domaine Weinbach, but we had one of its aged Rieslings at Antony, very nice. (We did have a great terroirist tasting at Marcel Deiss in Bergheim — http://www.marceldeiss.com/, highly recommended.) Yes, Chambard had a nice wine list, we had a very good Riesling (“Schlossberg Grand Cru Cuvee Ste Catherine Colette Faller et ses filles,” 80E), and quite decent local pinot (A. Boxler, but expensive for what it was at 60E).
We have nothing against the local tap water, here or elsewhere in France, and we always get it along with a bottled water (or in this case, two bottled waters, we had a table for 4 and it was warm in the room). We enjoy sampling the various sparkling waters in France — and in this area, we like the local product, Carola, bottled at Ribeauvillé. The tap water at Chambard was just fine, and usually, it came with ice. And the carafe was elegant. What was not elegant, I think, is being charged 10 Euros, twice, for Badoit. (Admittedly, it was in the sleek tapered fancy Badoit bottle, not the normal one, but still.) It just strikes me as piling on when we are already spending big euros.
Bigos, glad you know and like Restaurant des Cascades, too, it’s a neat place, and next time we will do some hiking beyond the restaurant where the road ends in the forest on the slopes of the mountain.
Finally: I’m still thinking of our lunch at Le Pressoir de Bacchus, and will mention our plats there (we split the great “mushroom bouillabaisse” dish as a mini entrée for the four of us): Ravioli of carp — very nice; pork cheeks — dandy!; the local fish of the day (forgot its name) was super; and one of us got choucroute garni that was so much better than other versions we’ve had (including two days prior at Schwendi) — the choucroute itself was light, thin, and delicate; the meats were high quality, altogether yum.
French Menu Reader
Yes, that's the key: Once you have the doc in dropbox and brought up on your screen -- on a smartphone, ipad, home computer etc -- you then need to designate it as "favorite" (by clicking on the star in the upper right corner) in order to have acess on that particular device without the internet. (I can't believe I'm giving semi-technical advice, my son would be astonished.)
Alsace in mid-Sept 2011: Le Pressoir de Bacchus, Le Chambard, Aux Armes de France, and more -- including Bernard Antony along the way
DCM, I'd like to take you up on that, but I can't; Antony wrapped it mostly outside my view, and after we handed it over at the restaurant, they did not open it in front of me, but came to our table later to comment about it and say they did not know what it was and would call him.
Nancy S., he added a Comte to the middle of our tasting plates -- in part, I think, because I'd mentioned to him that I love the Comte at L. Dubois in Paris -- but I must say that although it was very good, I prefer the Dubois (we most recently got some 4-yr there 3 weeks ago, and are still enjoying it, along with an incredible 5-year Gruyere). I'm not sure that Antony gave us his 4-year tho; it looked and tasted a bit younger.
Mangeur, I just had more reason to be critical at this part of our trip than, for example, our recent stay in Burgundy or Nancy, and I figure that candor is best on this forum. I will be very intersted to hear if others venture to and enjoy "Le Pressoir de Bacchus" in Blienschwiller, as we did for lunch.
