French Cuisines
Rech
Talk about an underrated restaurant: Not once did anyone mention Rech when recommending restaurants to visit in Paris. That’s a mistake. I make to sure hit up Rech every time I head to Paris because it’s all the things you love about France wrapped up in one casually elegant spot. Why? For starters, there’s a terrific selection of Oysters from all over France. But that’s just one of the stellar slurry of shellfish on display outside the entrance of Rech, a compelling lure to step inside and order the Seafood Plateau, brimming with Langoustines, Mussels, Clams, Crayfish, Whelks, Shrimps and I could go on. You could order the Plateau, nibble on great French bread and butter, drink some Chablis and call it a good night here. But then you’d miss the Vegetable Tart, a vibrant melange of spring produce —...
Read More
Astrance
As a foodie, I’ve always wanted to eat at Astrance. It’s one of those great dining legends you hear about, hoping one day you’ll get to experience the magic for yourself. Pascal Barbot & Christophe Rohat’s joint venture earned them three Michelin stars and a spot on San Pellegrino’s Top Fifty Restaurants In the World List for the last decade. How could you go wrong? Something went wrong because I wasn’t wowed or moved much at all. Don’t get me wrong: It’s not that dinner was bad. It’s an entirely elegant and intimate spot (with just twenty five seats), and the service is impeccable. The serene space is spread out over two floors, which are decorated with yellow leather banquettes, sky high ceilings, and charcoal gray walls. And I can’t ignore how fantastic the wine list is because there are...
Read More
Le Comptoir Du Relais
Some restaurants have that certain magic you can’t quite put into words. You know, one of those spots that everyone wants to not only see and be seen, but also wants to eat at. That’s not an easy or common combination. Just think about the restaurant at the Hotel Costes. Locals and tourists alike aspire to sit on the terrace at this sceney spot, sipping rose and people watching. But what do they eat? The same thing they eat at every single Hotel Costes restaurant (and there are nearly 100 Costes-owned and run eateries in Paris), and it’s all mediocre at best. Le Comptoir, on the other hand, is one of those few, magical restaurants that manages to be everything to everyone. It’s fashionable without trying to be and the food is terrific. Though it’s been around for...
Read More
Le Dome Cafe
If you’re looking for an old school brasserie to sup on oysters and Chablis, Le Dome in Montparnasse is a fine idea. (Ernest Hemingway and Henry Miller made a regular habit of Le Dome.) With bragging rights to a Michelin star and its own seafood shop just around the corner, the kitchen’s got today’s catch at its fingertips. As is often the case in seafood brasseries in Paris, the shellfish is on jewelry-like display at the entrance of the eatery, everything from Gillardeau and Fines De Claires oysters to Clams, Mussels and Langoustines. The space is a warm, cozy spot (especially good for a chilly night), outfitted in red-and-gold velvet banquettes, wood paneling along the walls and dangling light fixtures shrouded in lampshades. This is a fruits de mer platter kind of spot, so you’ll want to try whatever’s...
Read More
Florence Kahn
You wouldn’t expect to find a boulangerie in the heart of the Marais named after the first Jewish woman to serve in the United States Congress. But there’s nothing American about this shop, easily identifiable by its beautiful, blue and white tile mosaic on the facade. (It’s actually a Paris landmark, which originally opened back in 1932.) In fact, it’s one of the last standing, traditional Jewish bakeries in Paris’s Jewish Quarter, and undoubtedly the best, especially for Pre-War Europe classics…
Read More
Restaurant Spotting: Le Cirque Revitalized
Unlike tourists meccas like Tavern on the Green, Le Cirque has always been an iconic haven for local glitterati — such as Barbara Walters and Michael Bloomberg, who owns the glass-fronted, u-shaped building where Le Cirque is now housed. Recently, Le Cirque got a new chef and with it a menu makeover, making it worth a revisit…
Read More
Marche President Wilson
Marché President Wilson is proof that outdoor markets don’t have to be ‘rough and tumble’ so to speak. In fact, this one on the luxe Avenue President Wilson just across from the Seine River is one situated on a very wide and stunning street in the 16th arrondissement. What that means in layman’s terms is room to wander without elbowing your way down the shopping aisles. There’s plenty of room to wander in peace in this airy, al fresco marche with top-notch ingredients (the best in Paris). Look no further than the fish stalls to see the impeccable spreads of seafood & fish – from six types of Escargot to eight varieties of Shrimp, beautiful St. Pierre, Turbot, Flounder, and heaps more all displayed on ice. That’s just the beginning…
Read More
Marche Bastille
There is no shortage of outdoor food markets in Paris, that’s for sure, but some are way better than others, and Bastille happens to be my favorite. Why? Because there’s so much variety. The biggest problem is how much there is just how bustling and big it is. My advice is to do a dry run without stopping to shop to get the lay of the land, which involves a hefty slew of produce stands, several local cheese and fish shops, bread stalls, spices, nuts, olives, you name it. I say go hungry, and preferably on a Sunday morning, when you can make a pit stop at…
Read More
Le Coq Rico
Planning a visit to the famed Sacré-Couer in Montmartre? There aren’t a lot of great dining options in this neck of the woods, aside from Le Coq Rico. If you want to cross Roast Chicken, the French way, off your “to-do” list, this “bistrotisserie” (how great is that word?!) is the perfect spot to do just that. It’s a beautiful spot with dark wood floors, creamy stone walls, glass wine walls, and white marble-topped tables that looks more like a Swiss chalet than a French bistro. Toward the entrance, just by the bar, is the main attraction, the rotisserie with several chickens slowly spinning round and round. Take one look at the menu and you’ll see that chicken is the name of the game here. Chicken in all forms. There’s several Chicken Eggs poached, scrambled, fried and battered. We...
Read More
Terroir Parisien
I’ve eaten more than my fair share of tarte tatin in France and beyond, and I simply can’t find one that comes close to Yannick Alleno’s take at Terroir Parisien at the Palais Brongniart, near the French Stock Exchange. What makes this classic upside down apple tart so tricky to make is that it either comes out moist and dewy with a respectively (and tragically) dewy crust, or with a crispy crust and dried-out apples. But Alleno nails it, producing beautifully caramelized apples on a perfectly flaky bottom. I guess we shouldn’t expect less from the chef who earned three Michelin stars at Le Meurice, but Terroir Parisien is a decidedly dressed down Alleno. But let’s back up for a minute. After all, Terroir Parisien is a bistro, not a bakery or patisserie, which wheels and deals in artisanal...
Read More
Cherche Midi – Reviewed
It’s amazing how a few tweaks can transform a space into a whole new restaurant. What was once a chichi pizza joint named Pulino’s has been triumphantly reinvented as a French bistro called Cherche Midi. Cherche Midi is a total looker. The checkered floors have been replaced with classic bistro, hexagon tile floors, the brick walls are no more, and the glaring fluorescent lighting has made way for soft globes…
Read More
Brasserie Thoumieux
The room itself is almost worth a visit to this stylish haunt adjacent to the Hotel Le Thomieux in the 7th arrondissement. Really, all French brasseries should look this fabulous at 90 something years old. You see Brasserie Thomieux’s been around since the 1920’s, though it’s had some major work done since it first opened. There are mirrors on every wall, a flurry of soft bistro globes dangling from the ceiling, beautiful brass trimmings, and plush red banquettes and chairs at every table. But my favorite decor element are a scattering of emerald green lights that give the room a magical glow — that kind of glow that so many bistros stateside try to imitate. (Balthazar comes to mind.) You’d never know it’s a Costes Hotel, which is a good thing considering all their other restaurants have virtually the same menus....
Read More
Cafe Des Musees
One glance at Cafe De Musees and you’ll wonder why it always seems so packed. As far as looks go, it’s on the uglier side of the spectrum. (Just saying.) It’s located in the Marais, just a stone’s throw from the Place De Vosges, but it has little in common with its stylish locale. Cafe De Musees belongs more to a humble, older school of bistros, built not for the scene, but for the food, which is down to earth and soul-satisfying. There are two floors for dining as well as a narrow sidewalk out front with a few two tops. The interior is outfitted with wood tables, tile floors, maroon banquettes and a chalkboard with specials. The wine list is solid, peppered with lots of good options. I say go big at Cafe De Musees, meaning the...
Read More
Le 6 Paul Bert
Ever since Bertrand Auboyneau opened Bistrot Paul Bert, Rue Paul Bert has become somewhat of a dining destination. His latest venture Le 6 Paul Bert, named after its address, is located just down the street from his always buzzy bistro in an equally laidback looking space, furbished with light wood floors, picture windows, glossy red tables, gray snakeskin banquettes, and a clever chandelier made out of forks and spoons. Think farmhouse chic. You wouldn’t expect to find a tasting menu at a casual spot with a long communal table, but these days you can never tell. Le 6 Paul Bert is an ambitious spot with a daily changing menu with no real loyalty to country. In other words, it’s not a French restaurant, but a seasonal one. Maybe that’s why I was disappointed with dinner here and why so...
Read More
Carette
Maybe I’m biased because I lived just a few floors above this cafe, but Carette is a great pit stop when you find yourself in the Marais. Would I go out of my way to eat here or dub it a destination? No, not by any means, but I certainly didn’t mind eating my lunch or breakfast here on a regular basis, and as a hard care foodie, that says a lot. Besides, the Marais is a destination worth visiting for many reasons; the exquisite Place Des Vosges, the Jewish Quarter, the Victor Hugo museum, the shops and much more. While you’re in the neighborhood, grab a croissant at Carette or a hazelnut and raisin flute. The French have a way with eggs and so does Carette, turning out rich and creamy scrambled eggs, served with a house-baked baguette....
Read More
Roseval
Think there’s only one Brooklyn or downtown LA? Think again. There’s a young and hip generation of chefs striking off on their own to make their mark on the Paris dining scene. Since they haven’t hit it big yet, they’re doing it on the cheap in funky, off the beaten path spaces. In the case of Roseval, it’s more off the beaten path than most in the 20th arrondissement on a random corner with not much else in sight. Inside, there’s a tiny bar and a few steps up, a tiny dining room with several two tops packed in. Aside from concrete floors and an exposed wood beam & brick ceiling, there isn’t much in the way of decor. But it’s not the setting I read so much buzz about: It’s the inventive cooking that chefs Michael Greenwald and...
Read More
Camille
It’s hard to find a great neighborhood spot that you want to return to again and again. Especially for someone like me who loves to try new things and new places. Which is why I’m such a fan of Camille in the Marais. While nothing on the menu is earth-shattering, nearly everything is very good and it’s right in the heart of the Marais. It’s the perfect people-watching bistro with plenty of two tops along the highly trafficked Rue Francs-Bourgeois. And because the Marais attracts so many tourists to shop, the servers also speak English, so ordering is thankfully not a struggle. The kitchen turns out a terrific Steak Tartare, and a properly unctuous Andouillette Sausage with mashed potatoes (if you’re into that kind of thing). But my favorite dishes are ones I never found anywhere else in...
Read More
Chez Janou
The Mousse au Chocolat is reason enough to make a pit stop at this buzzy neighborhood spot in the Marais. Do not pass go without the mousse. Because what arrives at the table is an enormous bowl of velvety deep, dark chocolate mousse and a wooden spoon, so you can serve yourself… as much as you please! That’s right. Eat your heart out until your stuffed silly or overdose on sugar. It’s deliciously dangerous and perfect with a glass of French red, of course! Unfortunately, the chocolate mousse is the best thing Chez Janou’s got going aside from outdoor tables and the ability to lure in the locals night after night. Which is what makes it a great pit stop post-dinner. If you decide to come for lunch or dinner, there’s a fine Salade Janou with mozzarella, jamon, and...
Read More
A Delicious Spin on the Classic Croque Monsieur
Is there any sandwich more classically French than the Croque Monsieur? The simple, yet oh-so-satisfying layered masterpiece of Gruyere (or Emmental), ham, and French bread fried in butter has been satiating hungry Parisians for just over a hundred years. Luckily for us New Yorkers, we only have to go as far as the West Village to find one of the best croques this side of the Atlantic…
Read More
Q & A with French Louie’s Executive Chef Ryan Angulo
Chef Ryan Angulo and owner Doug Crowell already happened upon a winning formula with their popular Brooklyn bistro, Buttermilk Channel. While essentially a New American restaurant, there’s still a good deal of French influence and execution involved. That’s why they elected to flip the script only slightly with their long anticipated (five years!) follow up project, French Louie, with a boîte that’s yes, largely French, but with a smidge of American flavor and flair…
Read More