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At Home With Patricia Wells - Cooking classes in Paris and Provence, Cookbooks and Restaurant Reviews.
It's wonderful to be home in Paris after my chock-a-block US tour for The French Kitchen Cookbook. Thanks to everyone who came along to the events, it was great to meet all you food lovers!
The tour continues in Paris however, with an event next Tuesday, December 17 at WH Smith, from 6-8pm. I'll be signing books from 6 to 7pm, with a presentation from 7 to 8pm. I'd love to see you there!
WH Smith, 248 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1
Tel.+33 1 44 77 88 99
Join me for a book signing with Napa Valley wines and appetizers from The French Kitchen Cookbook, Thursday, November 14 from 5 to 6:30 PM at Press Restaurant, 587 St. Helena Highway, St Helena, CA 94574. Tel: 707 967 0550. $8 per person. See you all there! Patricia
This week I have been fortunate enough to participate in Nutritious Life Week at the Golden Door Spa in Escondido, California. Along with 5-mile morning mountain hikes, classes in Fast Fit, daily workouts with my trainer, strenuous water aerobic classes, and daily tennis lessons, the days are sprinkled with massages, manicures, pedicures and facials. There is also time for me to talk to the guests about my own fitness program, my cooking, and signings for my new book, The French Kitchen Cookbook. Pictured above are a few guests enjoying the spa's first outdoor picnic, held overlooking the 3-acre organic vegetable garden, a paradise that right now is bursting with multiple varieties of beets, carrots, fennel, kale, society garlic, nasturtiums, oregano, and Mexican tarragon. Tonight, in our cooking class, we sliced many of these vegetables paper-thin, blanched them, then tossed them with an avalanche of herbs and a Yogurt, Lemon and Chive Dressing (recipe follows.) We also prepared a lighter variation of my Miniature Onion and Goat Cheese Appetizers, as well as Grilled Polenta Squares with Tomato and Onion Sauce, both variations on recipes from The French Kitchen Cookbook.
Yogurt, Lemon, and Chive Dressing
Equipment: A small jar, with a lid.
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup finely minced fresh chives
In a small jar, combine the lemon juice and the salt. Shake to dissolve the salt.
Add the yogurt and chives. Shake to blend. Taste for seasoning. Store covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week. Shake to blend again before using.
About 3/4 cups
Miniature Onion and Goat Cheese Appetizers
These tasty, savory, miniature appetizers are a huge hit in my cooking classes. There is always a great sense of satisfaction, when one removes a tray of these fragrant, golden nuggets from the oven. These are best warm from the oven but are also delicious at room temperature. They can serve as appetizers or as sides to a simple green salad.
Equipment: A food processor; 2 nonstick petit four molds or mini muffin tins, each with twelve 2 1/2–inch (6.5 cm) cups, or a 24-cup mini-muffin pan.
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound (500 g) onions, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into thin half moons
Fine sea salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces (125 g) soft, fresh goat’s milk cheese
Grated zest of 1 lemon, preferably organic
3 large eggs, preferably free range and organic lightly beaten
1 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme or regular thyme leaves
Fleur de sel, for garnish
Makes 24 miniature appetizers
Wine suggestion: The mineral-rich flavors of this blend of Marsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Bourboulenc with their touch of spice make this white wine –Domaine du Paternel Cassis Blanc de Bancs -- a perfect palate opener to pair with the tatins.
Grilled Polenta with Tomato and Onion Sauce
This light, colorful vegetarian weeknight dinner is a favorite, and this soothing, comfort-food dish knows few rivals, particularly in cooler weather.
Equipment: A 1-quart (1 l) gratin dish, 4 warmed dinner plates.
3 1/2 cups (875 ml) 1 % milk
Fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup (135 g) instant polenta
1/2 cup (3 ounces; 90 g) freshly grated Gruyère cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 large onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into thin half-rounds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
One 28-ounce (765g) can peeled Italian plum tomatoes in juice
Fresh, flat-leafed parsley leaves, for garnish
1. In a large saucepan, bring the milk, 1 teaspoon of the sea salt, and the nutmeg to a boil over medium heat. (Watch carefully, for milk will boil over quickly.) Add the polenta in a steady stream and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3 minutes.
2.Remove from the heat. Add half of the cheese, stirring to blend thoroughly. The polenta should be very creamy and pourable. Pour it into the gratin dish. Even out the top with a spatula. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to firm up. (Or store, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.)
3.Prepare the tomato garnish: In a large skillet, combine the onion, the olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of the sea salt and sweat – cook, covered over low heat until soft and translucent – about 5 minutes. With a large pair of scissors, cut the tomatoes in the can into small piece. Add the bay leaves and tomatoes and their juices and cook, covered, over low heat for about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
4.At serving time, preheat the broiler. Cut the polenta into 8 even squares. Place on the baking sheet, cheese side up. Place under the broiler and broil until the cheese sizzles, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the squares to the warmed plates, stacking the second slice at an angle over the first. Spoon the sauce all over. Garnish with parsley and cheese.
4 servings
WINE SUGGESTION: An inexpensive everyday dish suggests an equally fine but gently priced wine. A favorite is Michel and Stephane Ogier’s La Rosine Syrah, a deep purple vin de pays from the hillsides north of the old Roman town of Vienne.
MAKE AHEAD NOTE: Both the tomato sauce and the polenta can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, then covered and refrigerated separately. Reheat at serving time.
THE SECRET: When using whole, canned tomatoes, use a scissors to cut the tomatoes into small pieces, making for a still chunky yet finer sauce.
Once you watch Japanese master Toru Okuda wield a knife, you’ll never want to touch one again. Precision. Care. Attention. Discipline. Perfection. Okuda – whose stable of Tokyo restaurants include both a Michelin three-star and Michelin two-star – has come to Paris. And we diners are the better for it. His serene, pale-wood, pottery-filled trio of dining rooms (a main floor counter for seven; a downstairs dining room for twelve; and a private room for four diners) transport you directly to Japan, with all the accompanying courtesy and gentleness one expects. There is only a single, multi-course kaiseki menu, and diners are presented with a simple printed list of the offerings as they begin their pleasant journey. I was lucky enough to be seated at the bar, with chef Okuda in front of me, demonstrating his amazing proficiency with a knife. It is hard to choose a favorite of the eight courses, but I guess I would have to say the soothing, delicate flan, rich with fresh crab meat and a perfect foil of warm autumn mushrooms (flan salé au tourteau, sauce épaisse aux champignons). It was course number two, and if I had to stop there, I would have been a happy woman. Brilliantly fresh tuna, paper thin slices of squid from the I’ile de’Yeu, and delicate white flounder (carrelet) arrive as a sashimi selection, seasoned with the most delicious seagreens, including an unforgettably bright-flavored fresh-water nori. Not that the dish needed embellishment, we were instructed to season one bite of the squid with the dollop of caviar set on the plate, and take a second bite paired with fresh wasabi that had been grated only seconds earlier. Mouth in heaven, mouth on fire! It will be a while before I forget his grilled bar – oh so perfectly cooked over a charcoal fire – just lightly smoky, falling easily into chopstick-worthy bites, seasoned with salt and sesame. And who would think to actually fry an avocado, transforming both the texture and flavor, making me think of a freshly harvested butternut squash, cooked to create an autumn-worthy purée. Morsels of charcoal-grilled French Limousin beef fillet from butcher Hugo Desnoyer arrive so tender you can eat them with a chopstick, while just about every dish leaves your palate with a clean, citrusy aftertaste. But the one dish that I will be making at home is Okuda’s spectacular dessert (photo) : It consisted of a peach compote, using no less than three varieties (a white peach, a pêche plate and the rare pêche de vigne) set in a glistening crystal bowl, surrounded by a fragrant and fruity-sweet sparkling peach jelly, and of course a perfect peach sorbet, garnished with pungent leaves of fresh mint.
OKUDA
Traditional Japanese kaiseki
7, rue de la Trémoille
Paris 8
Tel: +33 1 40 70 19 19
MÉTRO: Alma-Marceau
OPEN: Wednesday to Monday
CLOSED: Monday lunch and all day Tuesday
PRICE: 160€ fixed menu at lunch, 200€ fixed priced menu at dinner. No à la carte menu.
RESERVATIONS: Essential
ATMOSPHERE: Smart casual
Take a trip to this tiny, 22-seat bistro-cantine that looks, feels, smells, and tastes like Spain. It’s called Le Tourrette, a cheery, newly revived gathering spot dating from the 1920’s, a classic bistro that survived well into the 1980’s. Owner Olivier Mourin (also proprietor of the Ibérique Gourmet, a Spanish specialty shop nearby at 3, rue Paul Louis Courier) has garnered a band of Spanish specialists to offer diners an authentic Spanish treat. The silken, fragrant, delicate Ibérian ham is expertly hand cut paper-thin before your eyes, served with excellent pan con tomate, or crisp slices of baguette rubbed with both garlic and fresh red tomatoes. Bouqerones (classic Spanish vinegar-marinated anchovies) arrive glistening, layered on slices of grilled country bread, surrounded by gigantic cured caper berries and thin slices of yellow heirloom tomatoes. I loved the riz noir aux calamars (photo) a huge portion of wholesome rice seasoned with squid ink and flanked by moist, delicate, baby squid. The poulpe à la galicienne arrives as a colorful, paprika-dusted portion of steamed baby potatoes in their skins and bite-sized pieces of the most tender octopus. There are just 10 stools and a table d’hôte that seats 12. Everything here is generous, personal, and friendly.
LE TOURETTE BISTRO-CANTINE
SPANISH
70, rue de Grenelle
Paris 7
Tel: +33 1 45 44 16 05
MÉTRO: Rue du Bac or Sèvres-Babylone
OPEN: Lunch Monday through Friday. Dinner Friday and Saturday.
CLOSED: Dinner Monday through Thursday, and all day Sunday.
PRICES: Starters, 7 to 12€, main courses, 12 to 21€, Wines by the glass, 2 to 4€
RESERVATIONS: Recommended
ATMOSPHERE: Casual
SPECIALTIES: Tapas
Years ago, chef Joël Robuchon told me that his trips to Japan greatly influenced his own personal style of cuisine. He felt that the French and the Japanese shared a great sensibility and respect for food, showing special consideration for flavors, colors, textures, presentation. Today in Paris, diners can see how intensely Japanese-born chefs are responding to that shared awareness. Many --- like Akihiro Horihoshi at La Table d’Aki and Shinichi Sato at Passage 53 – have worked in some of the finest kitchens in Europe. Chef Takayuki Honjo ---with a CV that includes Astrance, Noma, and Le Mugartiz – joins the club with his tiny, quiet, all-white, angelic, monastic dining room, ES, on rue de Grenelle on the Left Bank. The dining room staff includes an Italian, a French, a Japanese, making this an international scene. Taka’s food is beautiful in every sense of the word. I feel as though he has been immensely influenced by Pascal Barbot’s food at Astrance, just across the Seine. But he’s not a copycat. And his flavors are direct and forthright, not a slammer but a gentle tap. One of the best dishes sampled at his table was a roasted guinea fowl (pintade), teamed up with a delicate and colorful green pool of spinach cream, a shower of perfectly cooked autumn girolles (chanterelles), and the tiniest, most flavorful sautéed baby new potatoes, the size of an olive. But the crowning glory came in the way of a soothing hazelnut cream, applied like a palate knife to the plate, a nutty luxury that unified the entire dish. A creation triumphant in its simplicity and clarity of flavors. I would be proud to make and serve his caramelized codfish, and loved the idea of his cream of corn soup, flavored with a jasmine essence. Dessert almost hit the ball out of the park: A delicate, tiny meringue shell was filled a sweet, fruity poached peach, topped with a peach sorbet (too forcefully flavored with almond extract), and set in a pool of soothing, bright pink, peach jelly. Crusty country bread from baker Jean-Luc Poujauran, and wines from a favored winemaker, Simon Bize in Burgundy, all add to the pleasure. The restaurant name is a translation of the Freudian “ID,” meaning, the component of personality at birth that is the source or our wants, desires, impulses, and drives. So use your “ID” and go to “ES.”
Restaurant ES
Modern French
91, rue de Grenelle,
Paris 7
Tel: +33 1 45 51 25 74
MÉTRO: Solferino.
OPEN: Tuesday to Saturday.
CLOSED: Sunday & Monday.
PRICE: 55€ fixed menu at lunch; 75€ and 105€ fixed menu weekday dinners. 105€ fixed menu Saturday dinner. No à la carte menu.
I am excited to announce the release of my latest labor of love: The French Kitchen Cookbook. Two years in the making, this cookbook is a collection of my favorite recipes and lessons from my cooking classes in Paris and Provence. Here's information on purchasing the book and my book tour! Hope to see all of you! PATRICIA
To order:
PATRICIA WELLS SCHEDULE: THE FRENCH KITCHEN COOKBOOK
New York, New York
Monday, October 21:
5 to 6:00PM ELI’S MANHATTAN – book signing
1411 Third Avenue, (corner of East 80th Street) New York, New York 10028
212 717 8100 www.elizabar.com
Northvale, New Jersey
Tuesday, October 22:
7:00PM BOOKS AND GREETINGS—Talk and signing
271 Livingston Street / Northvale, New Jersey 07647
Contact: Kenny Sarfin 201) 784 2665 www.booksandgreetings.com
Darien, Connecticut
Wednesday, October 23:
7:00PM DARIEN LIBRARY with BARRETT BOOKSTORE—Signing
1441 Post Road / Darien, Connecticut 06820
Contact: Rosanna Nissen 203 655 1234 www.darienlibrary.com
Bookstore: 203 655 2712 www.barretbookstore!sbcglobal.net
Wilton, Connecticut
Thursday, October 24:
7:00PM WILTON LIBRARY with ELM STREET BOOKS—Signing
137 Old Ridgefield Road / Wilton, Connecticut 06897
Contact: Karen Danvers 203 273 3469 www.wiltonlibrary.org
Bookstore: 203 966 4545 www.elmstreetbooks.com
Chicago, Illinois
Friday, October 25:
6:30PM ALLIANCE FRANCAISE DE CHICAGO—Prix Charbonnier Award
810 N. Dearborn Street / Chicago, Illinois 60610
Contact: Aimée Laberge 312 337 1070 www.af-chicago.org
*Patricia in conversation with Bill Daley from the Chicago Tribune
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Saturday, October 26:
12:00PM LAKE PARK BISTRO with BOSWELL BOOK COMPANY—Ticketed luncheon and signing
3133 E. Newberry Boulevard / Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211
414 962 6300 www.lakeparkbistro.com
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Sunday, October 27:
12:00PM PAINE ART CENTER AND GARDENS—Ticketed luncheon and signing
1410 Algoma Boulevard / Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901
Contact: Trina Woldt 773 218 2197 www.thepaine.org
Chicago, Illinois
Monday, October 28:
11:30AM FROGGY’S FRENCH CAFÉ with LAKE FOREST BOOK STORE—Ticketed luncheon and signing
306 Green Bay Road / Highwood, Illinois 60040
Contact: Ann Walters 847 234 4420 www.froggysrestaurant.com
Bookstore: 847 234 4420 www.lakeforestbookstore.com
7:00PM ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP—Talk and signing
123 West Jefferson / Naperville, Illinois 60540
Contact: Ginny Wehrli-Hemmeter 630 355 2665 www.andersonsbookshop.com
Larkspur, California
Tuesday, October 29:
6:30PM LEFT BANK LARKSPUR BRASSERIE with BOOK PASSAGE—Ticketed dinner and signing
507 Magnolia Avenue / Larkspur, California 94939
415 927 3331 www.leftbank.com
Bookstore: 415 927 0960 www.bookpassage.com
Contact: Marguerita Castanera
Berkeley, California
Wednesday, October 30:
7:00PM MRS. DALLOWAY’S—Talk and signing
2904 College Avenue / Berkeley, California 94705
Contacts: Ann Leyhe & Marion Abbott 510 704 8222 www.mrsdalloways.com
Danville, California
Friday, November 1:
7:00PM RAKESTRAW BOOKS—Talk and signing
522 Hartz Avenue / Danville, California 94526
Contact: Mike Barnard 925 837 7337 www.rakestrawbooks.com
San Diego, California
Saturday, November 2:
4:00PM LODGE AT TORREY PINES—Adventures by the Book ticketed event
11480 North Torrey Pines Road / La Jolla, California 92037
Contact: Susan McBeth 619 300 2532
*In partnership with the American Institute of Wine & Food, a ticketed reception with appetizers and a signed book in a meet-and-greet setting, followed by a dinner created from recipes in the cookbook by Chef Jeff Jackson
Escondido, California
The Golden Door
Sunday, November 3 to Sunday, November 10:
Patricia will both speak and offer a demonstration cooking class during the week. For details:
NEW! Saint Helena, California
BOOK SIGNING AND COCKTAIL
Tursday, November 14
5:00pm PRESS Restaurant November
587 St. Helena Highway South, Saint Helena, California 94574
http://www.pressnapavalley.com/
Seattle, Washington
Wednesday, November 20:
12:30PM CAFÉ PRESSE—Ticketed lunch and signing
1117 Twelfth Avenue / Seattle, Washington 98122
206 709 7674 www.cafepresse.com
7:00PM BOAT STREET CAFÉ—Ticketed dinner and signing
3131 Western Avenue #301 / Seattle, Washington 98121
206 632 4602 www.boatstreetcafe.com
Seattle, Washington
Thursday, November 21:
10AM to 11AM BOOK LARDER—Talkand signing
4252 Fremont Avenue N / Seattle, Washington 98103
206 397 4271 www.booklarder.com
7:00PM THE CORSON BUILDING—Ticketed dinner and signing
5609 Corson Avenue S/ Seattle, Washington 98108
206 762 3330 www.thecorsonbuilding.com
Miami, Florida
Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24: MIAMI BOOK FAIR INTERNATIONAL
For details see
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Monday, November 25:
11:30AM – KITCHEN RESTAURANT with FLYLEAF BOOKS—Ticketed lunch and signing
1:30PM 764 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard / Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
Restaurant: 919 537 8167 www.kitchenchapelhill.com
Bookstore: 919 942 7373 www.flyleafbooks.com Contact: Jamie Fiocco, 919 942 7936
Raleigh, North Carolina
Tuesday, November 26:
12:00PM QUAIL RIDGE BOOKS & MUSIC—Ticketed lunch and signing
3522 Wade Avenue / Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
Bookstore: 919 828 1388 www.quailridgebooks.com Contact: René Martin, (919) 828-7912
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Friday, November 29:
12:00PM SOUTHERN SEASON—Ticketed lunch and signing
University Mall, 201 South Estes Drive / Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
Store: 877 929 1733 www.southernsesaon.com
Contact: Marilyn Markel 919 913 1241
Tecate, Baja California, Mexico
Rancho La Puerta
Saturday, November 30 to Saturday, December 7:
Patricia will offer both a demonstration cooking class and two hands-on cooking classes during the week. For details:
When the Fed Ex van made it to the top of our Provençal hill on a late summer morning, it was a much happier occasion than many of this summer’s deliveries, a long stream of page proofs and editorial requests that Patricia has described as “publishing hell. ” Hell is over, and the heavenly results are apparent elsewhere on the site.
But back to that August morning: the delivery was from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, which in May awarded Patricia an honorary doctorate of fine arts. Officials at the distinguished college had shipped the framed certificate announcing the artium doctoris; the black, white and scarlet academic “hood” the she is now entitled to wear in future academic processions; and the charming and extensive description of Patricia’s accomplishments, written by Dr. Kathryn Wixon of the college French department and read by Peyton R. Helm, president of Muhlenberg, as he conferred the degree.
The mover and shaker in all this was Sandy Jaffee, who came to Provence as one of Patricia’s students and became a great friend. A retired executive vice president at Citibank, she’s on the Muhlenberg board.
This was Patricia’s second honorary doctorate – the first was from her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, in 2006.
I’m posting a PDF of the Muhlenberg citation here – Patricia was resistant to the idea, but she’s not always right.
– Walter Wells
The super-talented chef Eric Frechon (of Paris’s Hotel Bristol and the Mini Palais) brings us a modern, up to date brasserie called Lazare, serving, as he likes to say, “real, authentic food and a return to what’s essential at the table: history, memory, laughs, tears, family meals and a simple dinner tête à tête.” Set at the ground floor entrance of the Gare Saint-Lazare – the train station near the Madeleine that sends travelers to Normandy and points west --- the bright and contemporary brasserie offers good food, fine service, a cheerful setting, and hours that are hard to beat: 7:30 AM to midnight, nonstop. You don’t have to be traveling to love the place, and I can imagine popping in for a quick breakfast or a snack while shopping at the department stores Printemps or Galeries Lafayette nearby. Frechon hopes to bring back the authentic Parisian brasserie, a loud and happy-sounding spot with such classics as mussels in cream, steak tartare, seven-hour leg of lamb, and a green bean salad with artichokes, hazelnuts, and hazelnut oil. The décor is modern --- shelves filled with stacks of white plates and rows of shiny copper pots; a recipe for their Paris-Deauville dessert, handwritten on a huge blackboard; and an industrially exposed ceiling, painted all white. I’d go back again and again for the moist, perfectly cooked lamb, falling off the bone, set on a bed of well-seasoned bulgar, the meat itself flavored with black olives, tomato, thin slices of lemon, and whole pieces of star anise. Yum! Just right for pairing with a glass of Marcel Lapierre’s Morgon. I love as well his rendition of the classic green bean salad, paired with freshly cooked artichokes, whole hazelnuts, and a hazelnut oil dressing (photo). On one visit we feasted on a giant portion of the tiniest girolles (chanterelles), enough for a vegetarian main course! I was less convinced of the roast codfish (cabillaud) served in pleasant green sauce (sauce vierge) and topped with lightly cooked baby spinach. His rhubarb tart is delicious, perfectly tangy with a crisp, not-too-sweet crust. And cheese comes from young cheesemonger Claire Griffon (with a shop at 23, bis avenue de la Motte Piquet in the 7tharrondissement). Do try the young goat cheese – chèvre – marinated in fresh thyme and olive oil.
LAZARE
Gare Saint-Lazare (front side, street level)
rue Intérieure
Paris 8
Tel: +33 1 44 90 80 80
Métro: Saint-Lazare
Open daily 7:30AM to midnight.
9€ breakfast menu. 26-79€ à la carte at lunch and dinner.
lazare-paris.fr
resa@lazare-paris.fr
Flavia Federici is an architect, born in Rome and transplanted to Paris. Her passion for food, design, and all things Italian led her to open – at the end of August -- her tiny, welcoming trattoria just steps from the Voltaire Métro in the 11th arrondissement. Walk into the casually but carefully appointed brocante-decorated eatery and you instantly feel as though you’ve been transported to Italy: the aromas, Flavia’s earnest smile and accent, the assortment of aged Pecorino cheeses sitting like a still life in the window. Her enthusiasm and energy are evident everywhere, in the careful selection of the 1950’s cast-off chairs and tables, the serving plates, as well as silverware. On the menu you’ll find a carefully crafted assortment of Percorino sheep’s milk cheese brought in regularly from a small producer in Umbria: some smoked, some aged in stone grotte, or natural caves, served with homemade confiture. Fat slices of rye bread from the Parisian bakery Blé Sucré arrive lightly toasted, rubbed gently with fresh garlic, topped with outrageously delicious ricotta salata (firm, aged, and salty, from the same Umbrian cheesemaker) and sprigs of fresh rosemary. One could make a meal of that! But don’t stop there: My favorite here is the ethereally light lasagne (photo) with fillings that change from day to day, with such variations as artichokes, spinach, or pesto, all topped with slivers of fragrant Parmesan and a touch of arugula. The wine list is compact, including a spicy, elegant Mazzi Brunello di Montepulciano and the dry Tuscan Sangiovese red, Lodola Nuova Vino Nobile de Montepulciano.
COME A CASA
ITALIAN
7, rue Pache
Paris 11
Tel: +33 1 77 15 08 19
Métro: Voltaire
Open 10:30AM to 3PM and 6PM to 10:30PM
Closed Sunday
Prices 15€ starters, 15€ main courses, 7 to 9 € desserts
Reservations recommended
Chef-entrepreneur Alain Ducasse has moved in to resuscitate yet another classic Parisian bistro (both Benoit and Aux Lyonnais are already in his stable), and he’s off to a start -- but he needs to roll up his sleeves. The standard dishes from the days of Madame Allard are there, including their landmark duck with olives (photo), garlicky snails, giant sole meunière. The etched glass windows, burgundy banquettes, and elbow-to-elbow seating remain unchanged, and unchanged also, it seemed on a recent Sunday, was the obvious detachment of the waitstaff. But the trademark duck with green olives, the big garlicky snails and the sole meuniere were as good as they get, and the updated wine list includes some winners such as Henri Bourgeois’s fresh Sancerre, and Les Cailloux’s meaty Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But my salade de frisée (curly endive with cubes of bacon and croutons) arrived as an ignored orphan, without even a sprinkle of the classically vinegary dressing, a very sad presence amid the rest of the table’s offerings. The green bean salad starter was brightly dressed with a touch of tarragon cream, and the oeufs cocotte (eggs baked in a glass terrine) arrived warming and welcoming, dressed up with freshly cooked button mushrooms. Desserts have a way to go: The small round profiteroles filled with cream and sauced with chocolate were delicious if just chewy enough to make me think of yesterday, but both the fig and the blackberry tarts looked and tasted as though they had been made for a much earlier date, with under-cooked crust not worthy of a neophyte let alone this famed bistro, which was celebrated for its hearty fare since opening in 1932. The well-priced lunch menu is there for those who want to get at least a hint of what Ducasse is up to here. Though I don’t think I’ll be racing back right away.
ALLARD
CLASSIC BISTRO
41, rue Saint-André des Arts
Paris 6
Tel: +33 1 43 26 48 23
Métro: Odéon or Saint-Michel
Open daily
Prices: 34€ lunch menu. A la carte, 44 to 86€
Reservations recommended
Atmosphere smart-casual
As beautiful as Paris can be, it is not rich in restaurants with grand views or open terraces. Le Zyriab, perched high in the sky on the 9th floor of the architecturally modern Institut du Monde Arabe on the Left Bank, fills that bill. Even if you don’t intend to dine there (and you should) you can take the elevator up to the terrace floor just to admire the spectacular view: Notre Dame is almost in your face. The towers of Montmartre and the Bastille are there for your eyes to explore. The cuisine here is authentically Lebanese, and comes from the omnipresent house of Noura, which has several restaurants, cafes, catering shops and patisseries around the city. (See www.noura.com for details.) The dining room, which seats 90 guests indoors, is bright, spacious and comfortable, and each table offers diners a stunning view. Service is efficient and warm, and the food clean, clear, well-seasoned and memorable. All the favorites are there, from the refreshing parsley-rich tabbouli to a particularly spicy version of the chickpea puree, hommos Beyrouti. The thick, white drained laban cheese comes well-adorned with crisp cucumbers, and the falafel (deep fried balls of seasoned chick peas) arrives crisp, crusty, moist, and satisfying.
Do try the mixed grill, kebabs of moist, seasoned chicken breasts, lamb, as well as a particularly assertive version prepared with ground lamb.. I could easily make a meal of the yeasted flatbreads --- including manakiche, a pizza-like pleaser topped with zaatar, or a local blend of thyme leaves, sesame seeds, sumac, and the lamb-stuffed arayes, a dish that with a touch of leban could become a major snack of its own. There’s a good list of Lebanese wines, and we loved the white Chateau Kefraya from Lebanon Bekaa Valley, a complex blend of Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Ugni Blanc, and Chardonnay. This is a great place to go with a group, so one can share in a multitude of flavors
LE ZYRIAB BY NOURA, INSTITUT DU MONDE ARABE, 1 rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard,Paris 5, Tel: +33 1 55 42 55 42
Métro: Cardinale-Lemoine. Open: lunch only Tuesday-Sunday. Dinner Friday & Saturday. Closed Monday.
www.noura.com Lunch: 45€ menu. A la carte, 35 to 45€. Dinner: A la carte 35-55 € Reservations: Recommended
Designer Philippe Starck has finally given we flea market lovers a smart, trendy, easy place to lunch before or after wandering the stalls. I’ve been a regular visitor to the Clignacourt market since 1980, and have furnished many a room with treasures gleaned from long and leisurely Sunday strolls. His Ma Cocotte, right at the parking entrance of the Paul Bert market is conveniently located, and since its opening in October, 2012 has been a surefire hit, especially at lunch on weekends, when no reservations are taken. So go early, and walk off the lunch as you stroll the aisles. The food here is nothing more than “correct” but if you go with that in mind, you’re not likely to be disappointed. The huge open kitchen sports a giant rotisserie, with roasted chicken and beef often on the menu. Simple salads of beets, lamb’s lettuce, and soft-cooked egg arrive fresh and perky, while the first course of smoked salmon is divine. The bread is outrageously delicious, and the wine list – which includes some well-priced Burgundies from Olivier LeFlaive – make the experience all that much more digestible. The restaurant is comfortable and not an “in your face” Starck experience. There is plenty of space for outdoor dining, the all-white bathrooms are a must visit, and service was as the French would say, without a fault.
MA COCOTTE, 106 rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint Ouen, Tel: +33 1 49 51 70 00, Métro: Porte de Clignancourt
Open: Daily, 8 am-11 pm. No reservations taken at lunch on Saturday or Sunday. www.paulbert-serpette.com
Lunch and dinner: A la carte 28-40€.
Early in December, having worked for illustrious cheese merchants Marie-Anne Cantin and Laurent Dubois, the young Claire Griffon set off on her own, opening a jewel of a shop just steps from the Rue Cler market in the 7th. Even from the warm grey and white store front you feel a sense of calmness, care, and honor for the treasures inside. Each cheese is displayed with respect and attention, many sheltered beneath glass domes, carefully labeled, with larger cheeses cut into convenient serving sizes. If she has it in the boutique, try the perfumed tomme de montagne aux fleurs sauvages, a Swiss mountain cow’s milk cheese, the rind coated with dried mountain herbs and flowers, which infuse the very special cheese with fragrance and flavor. Equally fine is the goat’s milk pavé de Pontlevoy a fresh, clean, lactic cheese from the Loire.The shop will be happy to put together a cheese plateau, either seasonal or an assortment of more unusual cheeses, such as the tomme de montagne and a fourme d’Ambert seasoned with raisins and Sauternes.
GRIFFON
23 bis avenue de la Motte Picquet
Paris 7
Tel : +33 1 45 50 14 85
Métro: Ecole Militaire
Open Tuesday-Saturday 9am-7 :30 pm. Closed Sunday & Monday.
Inexpensive, vest-pocket restaurants keep turning up in the most amazing places in Paris, and that’s great for all budget-conscious diners. Worth the detour is Katsuaki Okiyama’s latest venture, a tiny, “hole in the wall” steps from the Poissonière Metro in the 10th arrondissement . Carefully decorated on a budget – simple but pleasant hanging lamps, exposed stone walls, an efficient open kitchen – Abri indeed shelters us from some of the expensive, mundane fare one might find elsewhere. The Japanese chef, trained with Robuchon and at Taillevent and Agapé Substance – offers simple, carefully prepared food, no surprises but no real disappointments either. Fresh, seasonal fare prepared right in front of you. What more could one ask? The 22-euro lunch menu offers a daily choice of either fish or poultry/meat as the main course, with a no-choice starter, soup, and dessert. A first-course carpaccio of daurade (sea bream)(photo) was a feathery light, protein-rich starter, showered with paper thin slices of fennel and radish, alas a bit too salty for even my salt-loving palate. Next, an alabaster soup arrived, almost like an angel, a delicate parsnip soup with a heavenly jasmine mousse, almost more of a dessert, but instantly appealing. Main courses might include carefully seared and roasted duck breast, meaty and full-flavored, adorned by a light port reduction, garnished with ratte potatoes; or delicate lieu jaune (pollack, in the cod family) in a yellow tomato sauce. The sure star of the meal was the chocolate tart, a delicate layer of pastry topped with a thick and soothing ganache, paired with a light chocolate sorbet. When a simple café or wine-bar meal can easily cost way more than 22 euros, Abri is definitely worth the Métro ride, unless you live in the 9th or 10th, then walk!
ABRI, 92 rue du Faubourg-Poissonière, Paris 10. Tel: +33 1 83 97 00 00. Metro: Poissonnière, Cadet, or Gare du Nord. Closed Sunday. 22-euro four- course lunch menu. 38.50 euro six-course dinner menu.
It was one of those dark, dreary, damp Paris days when not even the sturdiest umbrella could keep you dry. So what a delight to walk into the pristine blue and white restaurant Atao near the Batignolles covered market in the 17th arrondissement. Dining in the small, 28-seat restaurant is almost as good as a trip to the Brittany seashore (without an umbrella!) with an original selection of shellfish, including a must-have serving of plump langoustines wrapped in a "leaf" of tender blanched turnips, showered with the bright, welcoming flavors of mint, basil, and chives and brushed with a touch of top-rate olive oil (photo). This is a dish I will surely copy at home: quick, easy, healthy, delicious. A beautiful serving of daurade (sea bream) carpaccio was executed with elegance and flair, though even this citrus-loving gal found the seasoning a bit on the tart side. The palourdes au saké were correct but no more than than, and the generous serving of lieu jaune (a version of cod) flavored with a coating of the zest of the brightly flavored Japanese citrus, yuzu, was a great idea, but the fish was a tad overcooked. Despite a few hiccups here, I'll be back, hopefully on a sunny day to enjoy Aota's oysters and savor once again the incomparable mixed herb and green salad from Annie Bertin, vegetable grower to the stars.
Atao, 86 rue Lemercier, Paris 17. Tel: +33 1 46 27 81 12. Métro: Brochant. Closed Monday. About 35 euros per person.
Bretons seems to be storming Paris these days, and that's a good thing. The newest member of the Breton family is the Galette Café, a small, bright, casual creperie on rue de l'Université in the 7th arrondissment. The organic buckwheat galettes are downright delicious, almost cracking on the edges, infused with butter that all but seeps from the pores of these lacy treats. Always the traditionalist here, I loved their classic galette complete, an almost crunchy perfectly cooked buckwheat galette filled with cheese, ham, and egg, a perfect small bite lunch. I was not as convinced about the daily special with an added touch of tomato sauce (photo), an ingredient that somehow seems at odds with traditional Breton fare. Briny oysters from Brittany are another specialty here, and arrive with a warm rolled galette and plenty of butter to go with it. Students from the various universities in the neighborhood have already turned it into a hangout, making the cafe a lively, fun spot. Service could not be friendlier or more sincere. I think I'll become a regular here.
Galette Café, 2 rue de l'Université, Paris 7. Tel: + 33 1 42 60 22 04. Métro: Saint-Germain des Prés. Open Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday. Galettes from 7.50€, 6 oysters for 12.80€.
Anne-Sophie Pic's week-old La Dame de Pic near the Louvre is the sensation of the rentrée, a pure and calming all-white space, with crisp white linen table runners, sturdy modern wooden tables, her black signature knives from Forge de Laguiole in the Auvergne, all punctuated by a series of vases holding single, long-stemmed pink roses. The restaurant -- whose name translates as queen of spades -- is not a place for compromise. Nor is her herb, spice, and aroma-filled menu. Like the dining room itself, it offers a balance of elegance and comfort, haute-cuisine and everyday fare, all bearing her unique, ultra-modern signature. She sports her feminine role, but does not flaunt it or play it cute. Ingredients are impeccable, preparations are complicated but not overdone, and the taste theme throughout is one of softness and smoothness with a required touch of crunch. I would never think of pairing warm oysters with cauliflower, but Anne-Sophie offers a regal, cloud-like presentation of warm Gillardeau oysters bathed in a frank and fragrant cream of cauliflower and jasmine, surprising as well as satisfying. Sardines are paired with some of the best tasting leeks I have witnessed, punctuated by thé matcha, making for an exotic turn on the everyday fresh Mediterranean sardine.
Bresse chicken breast arrives meltingly tender, paired with a blend of cooked and raw spinach and a touch of finely sliced couteaux (razor clams) adding a bit of texture to the soft greens. But for me, the triumph of the meal was the vibrant pea soup (le petit pois de montagne) flavored with a touch of réglisse and galanga, and tasting as though the peas had been picked in palace gardens only seconds before (photo). Her flavored butters are not to be missed -- one anise, another thé matcha -- to be carefully if not sparingly spread on whole wheat or rye-miso bread. The cheese course consists of three perfectly aged picodon goat's milk cheeses from the Anne-Sophie's home Département of the Drôme --- one young, one slightly aged, one firm and well-aged -- served with a delicate rosemary gelatin and another gelatin of beer and honey. Although I am not a huge fan of baba au rhum (usually too boozy) hers is a delicate delight: tiny mouthfuls of light baba, paired with a burst-in-your-mouth passion fruit creation.The staff is casually but impeccably dressed in crisp blue jeans and blue shirts. And they all actually seem to be having a wonderful time serving the guests at La Dame de Pic. A tiny powerhouse of a woman with endless energy, Anne-Sophie will of course continue running her Michelin three-star restaurant in Valence, south of Lyon. She says she'll probably be in Paris a day or so a week. Most of the youthful chefs -- cooking in a beautiful all plancha and induction open kitchen overlooking the street -- spent the summer working in Valence to learn the tricks of the trade. They seem to be playing their cards right, as well.
La Dame de Pic, 20 rue du Louvre, Paris 1. Métro: Louvre-Rivoli. Telephone: +33 1 42 60 40 40. 49-euro lunch menu. Other menus at 79, 100 and 120 euros. Open Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday. contact@ladamedepic.fr and www.ladamedepic.fr
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I admit that I had not sampled Michel Bras's fare in decades, a bit put off by photos of the restaurant's ultramodern architecture and the hyped "nature boy" publicity. Now I am glad that I gave him, and son Sébastien, a chance. Perched at 1,200 meters in the open, verdant and rugged Auvergne, the Bras complex is welcoming, open, organized, and completely original. The food is kaeidoscopic and full of Kodachrome flair, but most of all, tastes are full-flavored and thoroughly delicious. A vegetable garden and well-chosen plots of edible herbs and plants provide a living larder for the chefs. You cannot say the Bras family does not make use of every single herb and vegetable that the earth offers. Their famed gargouillou -- on our visit a colorful and abundant vegetable salad mix of yellow and green zucchini, caulifower, paper-thin slices of turnips and beets, nasturium flowers, pimprenelle, garlic flowers and arugula, to name a few of the ingredients -- made me return home to appreciate the "supermarket" of herbs and salads I had in my own garden, and had stupidly ignored over time. But the star of the day was ther onion and summer truffle tartelette (photo), a generous, lively creation: a buttery pastry base, topped with soothing and mild young onions (here cébes de Lézignan), then a festive froth of cream and a generous halo of fresh summer truffles. An accompanying herb salad was reminiscent of Joel Robuchon's trademark salade aux herbes fraiches, a well-measured mix of fresh herbs and mixed salad greens. Even though I am not normally a fan of vegetable desserts (I don't like seeing carrots on my plate at midnight), the Bras dessert of dried, paper thin slices of eggplant paired with tomatoes cooked long and slow with a touch of sugar was beautifully architectural and rapturous in flavor. Although one might not think of going all the way to the Auvergne to sample great Burgundies (or any other French wines) Bras is worth the detour for the well-priced wine list alone. All the greats are there, and we sampled two favorites from the Lamy collection: including their white Saint-Aubin La Chaténiere 2009 and the red Saint Aubin Derrière chez Edouard 2009, both at their peak of perfection.
Michel et Sébastien Bras, route de l'Aubrac, 12210 Laguiole, France. Tel: + 33 (0)5 65 51 18 20. www.bras.fr. Menus at 120, 145 ,and 191 euros. A la carte, 170 euros. Rooms from 270 t0 580 eur0s. Open early April to end of October. Closed Monday , Tuesday lunch, Wednesday lunch (except July and August.)
Tomatoes must be very happy. Everyone loves them. Craves them. I have always understood that the Japanese believe that the way in which you cut anything changes the flavor. I agree. Slice something too thinly and it looses its soul. Too thick and you miss the message. But at a celebratory lunch the other day on the new terrace of the the Bristol in Paris, with chef Eric Fréchon at the stove, my friend Susan Herrmann Loomis and I shared a landmark meal. There were many highlights, but as a cook and a teacher, what I took away was the "tomato corks" pictured here. I grow more than 20 varieties of tomatoes in Provence, and never tire of them, breakfast, lunch, dinner. I slices them thick and thick, make sauces, etc etc. But I have never seen them cut like this. After lunch, Susan and I emailed about how to do this at home. She was the smartest one who suggested an apple corer might be the right gadget. So I found a fabulous Zyliss apple corer that does a "twist and release" meant for the apple but even better for the tomato. There is no recipe here, but I will tell you what I have done: made tomato corks and drizzled them with olive oil and vinegar and salt, made them part of an antipasti platter paired with thin slices of ham, giant olives, slices of prosciutto, slices of mozzarella, pure heaven. I use any leftover tomatoes to make a tomato sauce. The best advice is to cut the top and bottom from the tomato and stick the corer into the tomato. Release each cork onto a thick layer of paper towels. Salt lightly. Then season and serve as you like! Tonight I will serve a ravioli with that homemade tomato sauce and toss all of this with more tomato corks. To be continued! I have added the Zyliss apple corer to my Amazon Store if you want one!
Patricia Wells – journalist, author, and cooking teacher – is an American who has lived in Paris since 1980. She is the author of 13 books, including The French Kitchen Cookbook, Simply Truffles, Vegetable Harvest, We've Always Had Paris...and Provence, Bistro Cooking, Simply French, and Trattoria. Her first book, The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris, was a landmark work that "cracked the code" to the Paris food world. (The Food Lovers Guide iPhone app is available from the iTunes store, and an all new version of the print edition is scheduled for March publication.) She is the only woman and only foreigner to serve as restaurant critic of a major French publication, the newsweekly L’Express. From 1980 to 2007 she served as restaurant critic for the International Herald Tribune. Previously, she was a writer and editor for The Washington Post and The New York Times.
She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her contributions to French culture, and received an honorary doctorate from Muhlenberg College in 2013 and another in gastronomic journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2007. Several of her books have received the James Beard and IACP awards, and most of them have been translated into several languages. At certain times of the year, she conducts week-long cooking classes both in her cooking studio in Paris and at her farmhouse in Provence. She is married to Walter Wells, retired executive editor of the International Herald Tribune and now her enthusiastic sous-chef.
