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Will Paris Embrace This U.K. Invasion?
PARIS - A diner at my table offered her unsolicited
response to the abrasive, deafening, dinner-time noise
and clatter that filled the gigantic new Left Bank brasserie,
Alcazar: ''If I come back, it will be just the two of
us, my husband and I. We have been married for 50 years,
so if we can't talk to one another for two hours, its
O.K.''
The French have been invaded by the British, and only
time will tell if Parisians will embrace it. Sir Terence
Conran of design fame has bravely and boldly expanded
his London dining empire to Paris with his bright, airy,
smart and bustling 200-seat brasserie Alcazar. All red,
white, black and modern, this brilliantly designed spot
is just the sort of injection Conran and others think
Paris needs. (Others might argue that the restaurant
is little more than a continued internationalization
and dumbing down of cuisine, with a Euro-Asian-fusion
menu that could be served anywhere in the world.)
But Conran is not out to lose. He has chosen Guillaume
Lutard (formerly of Taillevent) to man the stoves of
the glassed-in kitchen that looks out into the bright,
two story glass-roofed restaurant in a courtyard off
Rue Mazarine. The bread comes from the baker of the
moment, Eric Kayser on Rue Monge. And Conran made sure
that everyone in town knew he was coming: He papered
the press with lavish and colorful advertising; invited
everyone in the neighborhood to half-price preopening
lunches, and held a series of high-profile ''soft opening''
events before the official start on Nov. 8. Add to that
the fact that the restaurant will be open seven days
a week, with a brunch on Sundays, and Alcazar is hard
to miss.
While the food breaks no new ground, the menu features
typical brasserie platters of fresh oysters and shellfish,
as well as largely Mediterranean-inspired menu peppered
with saffron, arugula, goat cheese, fennel, couscous
and artichokes.
Two preopening meals proved uneven, with excellent
fresh Guillardeau oysters from Brittany, a fine caramelized
puff pastry tart of tomatoes and fresh goat cheese,
and a welcoming main course vegetarian platter of braised
seasonal vegetables. Far less successful were a misguided
puff pastry tart piled high with arugula and rouget
and a gigantic, dry chicken breast stuffed with a bland
mixture of foie gras and artichokes. The food lacks
any definite focus or personality.
The reason to go to Alcazar is that it offers a change
of pace from the standard choucroute-and-beer brasserie,
with a stunning and modern décor, exquisite service
from a well-trained and enthusiastic staff, and a place
to hang your hat almost any time of day. An upstairs
piano bar offers wine by the glass and a brief menu
that includes tastes of sushi, oysters, caviar, smoked
salmon and foie gras.
The spot, by the way, is the former Alcazar night club,
which closed eight years ago. The site began its life
in 1850 as a printing plant.
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Alcazar, 62 Rue Mazarine, Paris 6; tel: 01-53-10-19-99;
Fax: 01-53-10-23-23. Open daily until 1 A.M. Credit
cards: American Express, Diners Club, Visa. A la carte,
300 to 400 francs ($53 to $70)
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