Thanks, all, for the suggestions! I'm so excited, as this will be my first time to the Champagne region!

Seems like the posters on this thread might like the cookies from Leckerlee (http://leckerlee.com), traditional German xmas cookies. They had a pop-up shop on the LES, but now I think you can only order them online and possible arrange a pick-up on the LES if you email the owner.

I can't tell you how delicious these cookies are! (And I love to bake, so I'm picky.) The owner doesn't skimp on the expensive ingredients. We bought tins for all our friends for the holidays.

Hi, there,

My husband and I will be traveling through the Champagne region in a couple of weeks, and I was hoping to get some recommendations. We'll be driving from Beaune up to Epernay on a Sunday and staying there overnight. I haven't found any recommendations on the board for restaurants within the town. (Most posts are about visiting wineries.) Worried, since it's a small town on a Sunday night in January. And we'd prefer not to drive.

Monday, we're eating at Assiette Champenoise thanks to ChefJune's hearty recommendation.

Tuesday, we'll be staying in Reims, and it would be nice, again, not to drive. One poster enjoyed Le Bocal, another L'Évêché in Reims. I guess we'll toss a coin between the two.

I don't have many criteria other than the prefer-not-to-drive, sorry. My husband was a chef, so we're adventurous eaters. Price is not a huge issue, though we're choosing not to try the other 2* (Le Parc) in the area.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Hmmm, I read your blog but somehow I missed that post. I hope you didn't think I was expecting people to mind read - I just wanted some clarification on opinions. I read some comments that seemed to allude that this was a debated topic. And not of the type, 'Which is your favorite of these great places we all love,' but more like, 'I don't get why everyone thinks this place is great.'

Nevertheless, I do have to say that CHers do seem good at 'divining' and reading minds! I've enjoyed all the recommendations I've ever gotten! =)

Thanks for the recommendation. And, yes, now that you say that, I recall it was the wine person leaving. I see from their website that they sell wine. Just curious - did Mr. Adler run that side of the business before he left?

Hi, all,
I was looking for recommendations for restaurants that start with the letter 'S'..... ;)

I'm having a hard time deciding where to book for dinner in Paris two weeks from now. We're there for only two nights, and we'll be going to CAJ for one of those. It's tough deciding between going back to a place that one has enjoyed many times and trying something new, but I am thinking that since we have one base covered, we should try something new the other night.

I'm unclear about Spring and Septime - they seem slightly controversial, and I'm not sure why. Or am I just reading into the normal mix of reviews of any restaurant? Also, I read here that the chef from Spring left - is that a reason not to go there?

Sola sounded intriguing. But it sounds like Paris doesn't have great Japanese food, so, coming from a city that does, will I likely find Sola disappointing, versus a more French place?

One last question: I remember eating at Paul Bert years ago and thoroughly enjoying it. Sounds like the chef has a new place, 6 Paul Bert. Would folks recommend that?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Funny, I recently asked a similar question. My husband and I do often BYO in NY. It's not necessarily about saving money; most restaurants here don't have older vintages. I was curious about the same in Paris, as I would prefer to eat at more casual, small places that, though might have some very enjoyable wines, may not have some 'fancier' or older wines. But the responses indicates, as here, not a good idea!

On the Italian note, my husband and I used to eat at Babbo almost weekly. We don't eat out as often now, in general, and we had a couple of lukewarm experiences at Babbo, so we haven't been over a year. But their famous pasta dishes are still terrific. (And I would choose this over Del Posto, taking cost into consideration.)

I was so underwhelmed by Torrisi brothers, I've never been back. Some of the dishes were good, and others were eh. None knocked my socks off, and given the hassle (I consider waiting a hassle) I wasn't interested in going back. Plus I didn't like the wine list - all American. I love Italian wine but have found few American producers that I really enjoy. Being from SF, perhaps your taste differs.

I've only had the seafood (crudo) and pasta dishes at Marea, and they have always been amazingly good. And amazingly expensive! If someone else were paying, this would be my choice ;)

Not sure why no one has mentioned Esca. I guess it's not high on the cool factor, but I've always had great food there.

And L'Artusi (and related restaurants). Not sure if it's still true, but at one point, they had ex-babbo people on the pasta line, and it showed. Not sure if they would appreciate this comparison or not, but the style of the food reminds me of Babbo: Italian in origin with - hard to describe - an American-sized 'pop.' Not exactly fine dining, though, compared to Marea, Babbo, Esca, etc.

Hard for me to comment on Maiolino - I haven't been in a while. I liked it, but enjoyed all the above places more.

As for sweets, since you'll be on the lower east side, try Beurre & Sel in the Essex market for sable cookies (cookbook author who has worked with many of the most famous french pastry chefs). There's a place in there that has excellent baklava, too.

SF has so much great Asian food, but actually not that much Korean food. Maybe you'd want to check out Ktown as well, i.e. not the hip restaurants run by chefs of Korean decent but the restaurants where you have to be careful what you wear, as it will all smell like barbecue when you leave!

-k

I remember eating at Chez L'Ami Louis: I ordered the quail, thinking it'd be the smallest dish. The quail was the largest I had ever seen. I finished most of it was was feeling pretty good about my progress, when... (and you probably already know the punch line)... they brought out a second one.

That place reminded me of Peter Luger, an old time steakhouse in NY. At both places, the waiters are grumpy and all have clearly been there as long as the decor. It's part of the charm or price of eating there, depending on your point of view.

Enthusiastic we may be, but my husband and I can't come close to polishing off a lobe of foie gras between the two of us. Last time we were at CAJ, we shared all our courses with our neighbors, which made for great fun. Seems like we avoided a scolding from the chef as well.

As for what to do with leftovers, most hotels we've stayed in do have a mini-fridge. But, yes, there is no way of heating, though I have tried a sort of sous vide method of heating, in desperate times, if a coffee maker is available. Usually I don't bother. But if we're going to be in a car on a highway or airplane the next day, room temp food is still typically better than what is available. Just depends on the item. (i.e. pate, yes, foie gras, unfortunately, no.)

Thanks for the tips! And do let me know if you have favorite dishes there.

mangeur, your reply made me laugh - I will have to try that in situations I feel uncomfortable to ask to take away.

LOL. I imagined that reaction. Maybe I should add that I can speak some basic French, and that we travel to Europe quite often (my husband's in the wine biz). But it just doesn't make sense to me to waste such delicious food. I guess I was wondering that even though it's not typically done, would it really put people off to ask? I suppose you're saying, well, yes.

Hi, all,

I am so excited to be going back to CAJ soon! Thanks again to the CH community for that recommendation.

I had a few questions about eating there:

(1) Every time we've been there, we've gotten the whole lobe of foie gras, though it's been prepared different ways each time. And then the cote du beouf, and then the rice pudding. For those of you who are regulars there, what are your favorite dishes? I feel like I should branch out!

(2) Is it possible to bring a bottle of wine? I'm not sure I want to (I think their list was good), but we'll be traveling through Burgundy and Champagne, and if we see something that is just too hard to find back home, it would be fun to buy it and drink it while in France. Would be happy to pay corkage, but not sure if that is even a typical concept in Paris.

(3) And what about taking away leftovers? I know it's not typical. But the servings at CAJ are big. Plus we are flying out the next day, and I usually like to bring my own food onto airplanes. Face it, leftovers would be a million times better than anything on an airplane! My sister-in-law is in the habit of bringing her own containers to restaurants when there's a chance there will be leftovers to be more 'green,' and I've started traveling with some. So I could bring containers. My husband used to work in a restaurant, and he hates asking for anything that would flag us as that difficult table, but I wasn't sure if this really is such a big deal.

Thanks for any advice you have to offer,

-k

Hi, there,

I'll be in Paris shortly, two weekends in a row. I'm having a tough time deciding what to do for the two Sundays. I think we'll spring for something more expensive one Sunday, like Gagnaire. But for the other Sunday, I did some research, and found Yam'Tcha but didn't see many reviews on CH.

I love all sorts of food (never met a cuisine I didn't like!), but I've generally not been thrilled by fusion restaurants. At least the ones in the US, I've often felt like I could have gone to an Asian restaurant that would have been just as good for half the price. But a fusion restaurant in Paris could be a different experience.

Any thoughts?

Hi, there,

It's too late to help you, but I thought I'd write anyway. Just got back from a trip to Vail, where we stayed at the Sebastian. We enjoyed Block 16 so much, we ate there twice! Truthfully, both my husband and I are usually disappointed by the fare around ski areas, as they cost as much as any high-end restaurant in NYC but aren't as good.

We met the chef the second time, and it sounds like he was recently brought in (along with the wine director) to shape things up, so take that into account if you read older reviews. (Though, as with you, I couldn't find much.) For starters, the uni with potato foam and black truffle was as delicious as it sounds - it reminded me of dishes from the avant garde in the San Sebastian area. The cobia with lentils, pig ears (brunoised), and bacon. The pig ears were such a great addition - an idea I plan on trying at home.

I think most of the mains would satisfy conservative eaters. The portions aren't huge: I'm a small eater and typically eat only half my main (especially in ski areas, even the 'high end' restaurants), but here, I finished almost all my food.

Overall, the best food I've had in a ski area. (For a reference point, Cache Cache in Aspen is #2 for me.)

-k

A belated thanks for your reply. Actually, based on some of your other posts, I think I might go a different direction and try Gagnaire! (Unless you have a revised opinion....)

A question to CHers on the flaming foie gras at Chez L'Ami Jean: does anyone know what liquor is used? That dish was so amazing. As for the original post, I am surprised that someone would not find that dish huge, along with all the other dishes! We ended up sharing with the table next to us!

Hi, Souphie,

This thread is a little old, but I had a similar question and didn't totally understand your reply. What do you mean by precise, and which of the two are you saying is more 'precise'? Unlike the original poster, casual isn't a priority for me, but I am looking for some great food on a Sunday. My husband and I will be in town just Sat and Sun night (we're spending the week in Beaune). I was planning on going back to L'Ami Jean, which I enjoyed immensely, thanks to CHers such as yourself and am researching what the best option is for our Sunday dinner.

Thanks!

Wow, interesting that both these recipes call mostly for chocolate and milk/cream. (And the MdC version doesn't seem too concerned with the fat content of the milk.) I'm surprised that results in the thickness of the hot chocolate I had, but perhaps the answer lies in the quantities, that so much chocolate is used, it results in that thick texture.....?

So I had so much incredible hot chocolate in Paris. I am especially appreciative to CHers directing me to Génin.

I'm very curious: how do these places make the hot chocolate, in general terms? I'm sure every place has their 'secret recipe,' but overall, do most places use milk chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, add cocoa, etc..? I've seen recipes directing to put the hot chocolate in a blender, but what really gives it that thick-as-pudding-can-stand-up-a-spoon consistency? And do they steam the milk?

I'm dying to know - I would like to try to make some, though I know it won't be as good....

Thanks!

Hi, all,

Thanks again for your suggestions. I definitely got so many great suggestions from CH. Especially the tip about hot chocolate and millefeuille at Génin! And it was good to be prepared for the size of dishes at some of these places. Based on recommendations from people my husband worked with, we actually cancelled Gagnaire and had dinner at Goumard on Sunday night. It was actually a nice change of pace, having mostly seafood.

LOVED Ami Jean. Was so glad people recommended the foie gras. That dish is incredible, one of the best I’ve had. Does anyone know what liquor they use to flambée? I asked and was told it’s a caramel liquor but not sure what that is or if I even understood the answer properly. We also ordered the côte de boeuf, so it was a lot of food! We were chatty with a young couple sitting next to us, so we shared some foie gras with them, which was win-win: they got to have the foie gras, I didn’t have to feel guilty about being wasteful, and it added to the fun. And the rice pudding rocks as much as everyone says it does.

EH, about La Régalade Saint-Honoré. Hard to put my finger on it, as my lentil soup with foie and bacon chunks was delicious as well as the boeuf bourgignon. But the service detracted - it was harried and rushed (2 servers for 36 covers!). Unlike at Ami Jean, where they were friendly but quick and the rapidity added to this pleasant buzz like one big party, at Regalade, they tried to be friendly but it felt like they were in the weeds and the vibe was almost stressful. Also, I thought it strange that they were out of one of the specials by 7:45, and I was really disappointed they had no cheese, though it was on the menu – I’d much rather have cheese (and more wine) and one dessert for the two of us than have two desserts.

L’Ami Louis
The wine list here was extensive but expensive, 4x US retail for most things. There were some lesser known wines from big vintages and big regions that one could take a chance on. Markup was less, 3x, on lesser-known regions and/or appellations, like Chinon (red Loire).

L’Ami Jean
Interesting list, a bit more fun. For example, they had a lot of second and third wines from great produces, like Rayas. Had quality wines on the low end (as well as the top). Markup was probably 2.5-3 on the top, 2 on the low, which is pretty good value. By-the-glass selection not so good.

Goumard
Some people might find it harder at first to figure out, as whites and reds are grouped together by region, though separated in two sections. Limited selection: repetitive producers. But wines at every price point and markup was 2-2.5X. Would have liked to see more producers for Sancerre and Chablis, given the food.

La Régalade
Was sort of Rhone-focused, both white and red. Markup was 2.5-3X. Fun list, as they had some back vintages of lesser known, inexpensive appellations. They did have a reserve list in the back of the wine list, so if you are looking for something special, be sure to flip all the way back. A few wines seemed priced not to sell (e.g. $145 wine for 500 euro). Perhaps they are on the list for the owner to drink!

Thanks again for the recommendations!

Hi, all,

After reading the boards more, I realized that instead of asking about restaurants - as there are so many good ones - I should have asked what to order! Many restaurants just have their 'thing' that they do so well, which as a visitor is hard to know. Unless you ask folks on CH. So of the restaurants we're going to, the following three will probably have similar dishes.

L'Ami Louis
Chez L'Ami Jean
La Regalade St. Honor

I'd love to hear if you have a particular favorite dish at any of these. (I saw on another thread that Souphie recommended lobster+cote de boeuf +riz au lait at CAJ. ) Or, from a different angle, which restaurant of the three would you choose to order some of these dishes I'll be looking for: foie gras, steak tartare, pig's feet, tripe, and langoustine?

Thanks again,
-k

Hi,

It can be quite confusing (which is either part of the fun or frustration, depending on your perspective). Puligny-Montrachet is just the commune name. When only the commune name is listed, without a specific vineyard site, then it is 'Appellation Communale' which is often referred to as village wines. (AC being third to Grand and Premier Cru.) The premier cru from Sauzet would be something like 'Puligny-Montrachet les Referts,' listing the specific vineyard.

Regarding markup, one of the reasons we chose that wine was the markup was 'only' four times, compared to five, for most others. In NY, typical markup is double retail, sometimes a bit more, and our experience in other countries is roughly three times. So we choked a bit on four-to-five times! (But that was a while ago, and the euro was higher, so I wouldn't take my experience as any comment on Le Meurice's current wine list.)

-k

Hi, all,

Thanks for the replies. It turns out my husband's co-worker, who will only be with us Friday night, wants to go to L'Ami Louis, so I had to change things up a bit. I now have reservations for the following:

Friday: L'Ami Louis
Saturday: Chez L'Ami Jean
Sunday: Pierre Gagnaire
Monday: La Regalade St. Honore

I was tempted to try Le Cinq instead of Pierre Gagnaire, but I'm curious to see what everyone describes as 'crazy'!

I'll report back on wine lists. As an aside to PBSF, we had a village wine at Le Meurice, Sauzet Puligny. Probably retailed at that time for around US$50, and we paid around 140 euro (cough, cough). I think that was all we could afford on the list, given that we planned on ordering at least a couple of bottles. Unfortunately, those looonnngg meals make one quite thirsty!

Hi, Souphie,

Just to clarify, when you said to stay away from the creative dishes at L'Ami Jean, are you saying that one should steer clear of them in general, or were you recommending that based on what I said about my and my husband's and slight tendency to stick to the more traditional in Paris?

Thanks,
-k

Hi, all,

I've read lots of past posts, but I still have a few questions about our list of restaurants for an upcoming trip to Paris. My husband and I will be there mid-January. Just for some background, we live in NY. My husband used to be a chef, and now he's in the wine business (hence the trip). We've been to Paris a few times but not recently. We love to eat, and we love to eat in France! The few mediocre experiences we've had were at more modern-style places, so we tend to stick with more traditional (which is also harder to come by in NY), but we really are adventurous eaters. And a wine list with interesting selections that doesn't gouge is a big plus.

Here's what I have planned so far:

Friday: Chez Dumonet
Saturday: Les Papilles
Sunday: L'Ami Louis
Monday: Pierre Gagnaire/L'Arpege

Questions:
(1) Should I replace one of the above with Spring? I couldn't find many reports on CH.

(2) Would L'Ami Jean be better to put into the mix, i.e. is it more 'different' than Dumonet, Papilles, and Ami Louis?

(3) My husband loves Robuchon, and when he read that Robuchon ate at Le Baratin, he wanted to go. Is it not worth a trip when we aren't in town very long? (We're staying in the 6 arr.)

(3) How does the wine list at Pierre Gagnaire compare to L'Arpege in terms of mark-up and selection on the low end (100-130 euro)? At Le Meurice, the markup was crazy, and there was not much choice around 100 euro. It's a bummer to drink village wine with meals like that.... (I understand the food experiences will be different between the two places.)

(4) Different topic: chocolates. I have always gone to Michel Chaudun for chocolates, after trying to eat my way through Patricia Well's food guide. I was wondering what are favorites of some CHers?

(5) Just a question out of curiosity: I ate at Paul Bert some years ago and really enjoyed it. But from reading CH, I decided to nix it. Was it more consistent at one point? Or is the inconsistency in reviews more about point-of-view?

Thanks in advance. And happy holidays!