JimD's Profile
Josephine Chez Dumonet Report
Had never tried JCD on my yearly visits to Paris. Walked in the Tues. before Easter w/o reservation at 1PM. Seated at second table from window in bar room. An elderly gentleman was in the window seat, turned out to be his first visit to JCD also. I was brought a drink and an amuse bouche of asparagus soup. Service was courteous and attentive. Had the 1/2 portions of foie gras, beef bourgignon and a 1/2 bottle of Chinon. Finshed with the Grand Marnier souffle. A couple of french businessmen were seated next to me, one person beyond them so there were five in the front room, back room which was empty on arrival filled up about 1/2 way, two of the sidewalk tables were occupied. Service was excellent--courteous and attentive. One of the waiters engaged the elderly gentleman and I in a long conversation. He had ? for an entree, the omelet with truffles for a plat and the souffle. Food was excellent. Will return.
So many opinions...what restaurant do you like that desn't get raves on the board?
Second Le Temps des Cerises as a good lunch choice. It was a favorite of Maurice Naughton's see http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/347026
Dining alone in Paris
Solo not a problem at all, plenty of threads here on the subject. Here is a list of places in the 5th where I have dined recently/past years with friends who are residents: Les Pipos, rue l'Ecole Polytechnique, Ribouldingue 10 rue Saint. Julien le Pauvre (heavy on offal, great bone marrow), L'Ecurie, 58 rue de la Montagne Ste-Genevieve; Tournbride, 104 rue Mouffetard (service from 0800-0200, a favorite place for an off hours bite of a couple of friends), Les Papilles,30 rue Gay Lussac
recommended but not tried recently was Louis Vins. 9 r Montagne Ste Geneviève
also like for lunch Le Trumilou 84 quai de l'hotel de ville across the river in the 4th. A French friend who considers himself a foodie recommended Charles Victor Restaurant. 8 Rue Brézin in the 14th, I had a pleasant solo lunch there surrounded by French speakers.
Any suggestions for a good wine shop in the 6th or 7th?
Yes, the store is local. As I said the vineyard is owned by friends (the relationship dates back through a friend's father who was stationed there with the balloon corps in 1917-18). We have been doing this since 2003. I would guess that one could arrange with a wine store or vineyard to ship through Hildebrand or any other long established shipper or negociant. Our local store suggested another shipper as there are several reputable firms, the name escapes me, but the vineyard preferred Hildebrand with whom they had dealt with in the past. Since the vineyard had not exported to the USA previously, we had to register them with Dept. Agr. (I think) but it was a simple procedure done over the web.
Any suggestions for a good wine shop in the 6th or 7th?
One way to import wine legally and following all Federal & State Laws is to use a wine store in the US to bring the wine in. Long story short we import about 100 cases a year from a small vineyard in Bordeaux owned by friends, it is shipped using Hildebrand to a local wine store. Shipping, state taxes, customs duties and wine store's fee etc. run about $65/case. Our 100 cases takes up just a portion of the shipping container it comes over in.
Good lunch options near Metro Pasteur?
I have eaten lunch at Le Pot au Feu 59, Boulevard Pasteur, seemed full of business types in for the pot au feu, it was OK,( my French hotel keeper says pot au feu is too fine a dish for good restaurant and not fine enough a dish for a fine restaurant). But it was good, the place was full and service was fast.
other place in the vicinity would be Dix Vin, had a very nice dinner there 3 or so years ago http://ledixvins.free.fr/
funny, I am in Paris now and was thinking about going to both this week.
A family-run hotel & restaurant near Colmar, please? (And general area dining recs?)
In 2007 we had a pleasant lunch at the Hotel du Faude, Lapoutroie . Here is an old ( 2003) write up on Chow : http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/262919 Here is their website. http://www.faude.com/
Don't remember what we had, but we enjoyed it, liked the place, made note of it in case we were in the area for a stay of less than a week. The chef/owner and his wife made a point of visiting all of the tables and we had a chat with them before we left.
Paris Ile Saint Louis - Need help finding a restaurant
La Cerisaie: from a 2006 post: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/347026
"(Just 20 yards from my apartment--more than 300 years old, by the way--on the rue du Petit Musc in the Marais is the ancient bistrot Les Temps des Cerises, at the corner of rue Cerisaie. Lunch only, weekdays only. But it's very "old Paris," and the fricassée of frogs legs is a treat. You don't easily find frog's legs in Paris, by the way, and nowhere else this cheap (13 €) and this good.)"--Maurice Naughton.
It was always enjoyable reading Maurice Naugton's descriptions of really good and affordable places. Les Temp des Cerises is a decent lunch spot I hit at least once on my annual trip.
Bayeux vicinty recs?
Fay- I googled it and I think it is the same place. (there can't be two butcher shop restaurants in a small town like Bayeux eh?)
Bayeux vicinty recs?
Will second La Rapiere. Its been a few years but we had a couple of good meals there. There was also a place in the same area of town- I can't remember the name- just steps(south) off of the Rue St. Martin or Rue St. Jean (same street) that was a butcher shop with a restaurant. My wife and I were there with our 4 carnivore nieces, we enjoyed steak and frites.
rec for easy first night dinner in the 5th
Les Papilles, rue Gay Lussac near the Luxembourg Gardens. "Relaxing": no choices, Menu du Marche. "Lovely bottle of wine": It's a wine shop also so you have a wide selection.
Le Peite Pontoise, rue du Pontoise--near the Seine off of Bldv. Ste. Germaine----menu on boards around dining room.
El Arriero, Hermitage Pa.-long wait no food
Went here last Friday. Restaurant was busy but my wife and I were the only ones in the lobby. Our presence was acknowledged but we then waited for 5 minutes without anyone saying anything, then shown to a table. They have a large menu and we had time to read it twice before the waitress came to take a drink order, took our food order at same time. Ordered an appetizer that looked good, a sauteed shrimp dish that sounded like dish's we had enjoyed in Mexico; a fajita and the house quesadilla main. Drinks came in a few minutes. Tortilla chips and salsa were of high quality. Things were looking up. This was the high point. Siipped the first Negra Modelo, caught the waitress's eye and ordered a second beer. About 1/2 way through it we inquired about the appetizer as it had now been about 1/2 hour since we ordered, she said just about ready. In another five minutes she came back and said in "two minutes". I observed several other tables that had been seated prior to us sitting with famished looks on their faces finally get their food. A couple of tables turned and the new occupants were whisked tortilla chips and drinks. Continued to nurse the second Negra Modello, my wife had finished her margarita. The owner came by, I got up escorted him to the cash register, told him to ring up two Negra's and the margarita and we left. I estimate we spent 45 minutes sitting after we ordered without a morsel except for the tortilla chips. The owner said that good Mexican food takes time to prepare, but this was ridiculous. To be fair, our server may have been inept, but the general pace of the service at other tables indicate some problems. There was a lot of rushing around by one server with arms loaded with plates but he always disappeared around a corner. There are hints that the food might be good-from the menu descriptions and quality of the tortilla chips and salsa- but not worth the wait or poor service.
lemon tart ingredients?, Well's Bistro cookbook?
Merci beaucoup!!! Wanted to make it again --btw last Feb. when we tried it again in Paris it appeared that there might be different owners of the patisserie. Quality did not seem to the same whereas in the past the cookbook version and store version were exactly the same.
Jim
lemon tart ingredients?, Well's Bistro cookbook?
Can anyone give me the list of filling ingredients and oven temp for the lemon tart with fresh lemon juice from Patricia Wells Bistro cookbook (or maybe Paris cookbook?). It is from the Patiserrie Bonbonniere on Rue Buci in the 6th. I am on vacation at a cottage in Canada and left the box with the cookbooks at home and it is our hostess's favorite tart. I remember the techniques (simple) but can't recall the exact amounts of ingredients. We have made it from the cookbook and sampled it from the source several times and love it.
Economical Paris Bistros: You can still eat well for 30 Euros or less!
famdoc, thanks for the update on Dix Vins and Midi Vins. I have enjoyed meals at both but missed eating at either the last 2 years. Will have to make sure I visit them next trip.
Oranges with olive oil and garlic
Andrea
its just a simple recipe Grandma used, now we use fresh garlic. Mince some garlic, dump it some extra virgin olive oil if you want it to marinate a bit or just sprinke it on the sliced oranges. Drizzle with olive oil, finish with freshly ground black pepper. Grandma never measured so just use your instincts--UncleJ
Seeking impulsive, flippant Paris advice...please help!
Three of us had a good meal at Ribouldingue two weeks ago. I had the lamb brains for an entree and the veal kidney for the plat, both very good. My friends are not offal eaters but found food to their liking and we all liked the desserts. I like their rice pudding with orange marmalade and usually order that.
Best Bistros near the Bastille
Les Temps au Cerises, 4th, on the corner of rue du Petit Musc & the rue Cerisaie. Lunch only, Mon thru Fri.
Biche au Bois
Les Fontaines?
This question is directed mainly to ChefJune who recommended Les Fontaines to me last Feb.-- I did not get to try it in March. ChefJune: When you were in Paris last fall did you try it again? This trip a couple of friends are joining me and John enjoys lamb stew which was mentioned as a good dish there. We will probably be hitting smaller simpler places like it, Ribouldingue, Petit Pontoise, Biche au Bois etc.
Paris: Gare de l'est, anything good near there?
This place is near, just steps from the canal, I had a nice lunch there last March. It was "complet" by 1pm and they were turning folks away.
La Cantine de Quentin
52, rue Bichat 75010
Paris
Telephone: 01 42 04 40 32
here is a review and description on it with pictures
http://adrianmoore.blogspot.com/2007/01/la-cantine-de-quentin.html
Excellent no-star restaurants in Alsace?
Can't help you southwest of Colmar but I asked the same question last year for the Ribeauville area: -here was one answer:
"Table du Gourmet in Riquewihr is very good and I've seen they've also opened recently a lower price winstub. You are also close to our very favorite winstub, Zum Pfiferhus (spelling may be off) in Ribeauville.
We are also fans of Hotel du Faude (where we usually stay) and Les Alisiers, both in Lapoutroie. If you want really really great Tarte Flambee, take a drive into the Vosges to Ste. Marie aux Mines to Tavern du Mineur. That is about a 20 minute drive from Riquewihr.
Joan Kureczka Mar 20, 2007 06:30PM "
My wife and I really liked the Hotel du Faude, warm gracious service, good food. After our leisurely lunch the owner"s wife came and sat with us, inquired about how we liked the meal and chatted for about 10 minutes. We also drove to to Ste. Marie aux Mines and liked Tavern du Mineur.
Here is the link to that page with more info http://www.chowhound.com/topics/382959
We also took ChefJune's suggestion and went to Domaine Bott and liked their wines.
check out this link also http://www.chowhound.com/topics/259680
Paris Trip Reviews
I travel to Paris once or twice a year and usually end up at Relais de l'Entrecote once each trip. If my wife is along its a definite for supper, usually the first night, she considers it comfort food. If on my own its usually a lunch spot. In 10+ years of going there I can't recall being seated in the "American section". If you go late for lunch, after 2 the non smoking area is closed and your choices are smoking or outside, after 9 at night the place is crowded with Francophones, I have seen a line at the door at 1130 on a weekend night in February. Anyway, fair salad, decent steak, good sauce, great frites, seconds on the steak [they carve your steak and keep half of it warm on a sideboard and bring out fresh frites with it], get dessert at Herme on Rue Bonaparte or Bonbonerie on the Rue Buci.
Hello, I will be in Paris alone for my birthday
Le Pre Verre,Rue Thenard; Le Petit Pontoise, Rue Pointoise: Ribouldingue, 10 rue St Julien le Pauvre; Les Fetes Galantes, rue de l'Ecole Polytechnique all in the 5th a short walk from St.Michel. Chef June highly recommends Les Fontaines on rue Soufflot, I intend to try it this Feb. Also Midi Vins, rue du Cherche-Midi 6th,longer walk, short Metro ride, La Lozere, Le Comptoir [lunch-reservations not needed];Les Chapentiers rue Mabillon all a short walk. All in the 20-40 euro range. A little French will get you more than by in most places.
Paris 9th Arrondissement...Need Top Choices
Spring, 28 rue de la Tour d'Auverne, 9th Tel 01 45 96 05 72
not a classic bistro, no stars (yet)
One seating, 16 seats, one menu,
Here is their website.
http://www.springparis.blogspot.com/
Aligot
Don't let the meat only accompanying the aligot stop you. The portions are huge, the slabs of bleu d'Auvergne cheese on the salads could be considered a main. Just have them hold the meat. They whip up a huge pot of aligot and leave it on the table so fill up on the salad [or the soup-they bring the tureen and leave it on the table for you to refill your bowl] and the aligot. The meat is really secondary the aligot is the focus. If I remember correctly it is a "menu" and dessert is also included. Another choice for aligot is Ambassade d'Auvergne, they serve it everyday. I think it is on the carte with a sausage but you could explain that you only eat chicken and fish. Their lentil salad is great for an entree and the chocolate mousse is brought to your table in a huge bowl, it is dense and fudgy and nobody can resist seconds.
Aligot
La Lozere serves aligot and only aligot on Thursdays. You can have it with: entrecote, sausage or tripe. Reservations essential. I have eaten there the past few years in Jan-Feb-March, all francophones except our table. It is close to a very touristy area but tucked up a little street. Service has been warm and gracious. The salad with huge hunks of creamy bleu de Auvergne was a hit.
How to? - Lunch at Les Relais du Comptoir
Like Deenso I was there last Feb, got in line about 15 or 20 back at about 12:15, got in on first seating. Went past a few times in March, situation around noon appeared to be the same.
Norman, Lorraine, and Northern French food in Paris
Pharamond, recently reopened under a new owner, rue de la Grande Truanderie in the 1rst used to have some dishs from Normandy [tripes a la mode de Caen]. Don't know if it still does. Ate there once years ago, the interior is a jewel.
50th birthday in paris in july with 2 teenagers
You won't have any problems anywhere with well behaved teens who like to eat, they will be welcome at any restuarant. For Monday lunch near where you're staying: try Le Comptoir, Carrefour de Odeon. They don't take reservations at lunch, if you queue up at 12 or 12:15 you will have no problem. For steak [that's all they serve] try Relais d' Entrecote, Rue St. Benoit, also in the 6th.
In the 5th I like Les Fetes Galantes, a small place on the rue de l'Ecole Polytechnique, open for dinner only.
Don't know your price range, how fancy you want the decor, bistro fare or fancier?
