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It's the Season
Paris -- It's the season. Sea bass, lobster, sole,
herring, oysters, scallops, squid, and porgy are all
at their peak of winter, cold-water freshness, so now
is the time to reserve a table at your favorite fish
and shellfish restaurant. Paris offers a grand variety
of restaurants, including a newcomer and a classic spot
with a change of ownership.
The newest spot is a sixth Francois Clerc bistro, this
one devoted to fish and shellfish. Clerc started his
first "good value" bistro in 1994, offering
a fine varied menu at good prices along with a staggering
array of exceptionally priced wines.
Les Bouchons de Francois Clerc Coté Mer is located
right off the Champs-Elysees, in what was most recently
the Androuet cheese restaurant. Decorated in butter
yellow walls with linens a tone paler and bright blue,
yellow and green upholstered chairs, the place is cozy
and welcoming. The varied menu offers some fine choices,
such as a an excellent grilled dorade (porgy) and a
fine crayfish salad. But the real stars of the show
are the wines and the prices: Didier Dagueneau's famed
Loire Valley Pouilly Fume cuvee Silex, vintage 1999
for 273 francs; George Vernay's 1999 Condrieu from the
Rhone Valley for 161 francs; and the delicious Roederer
Brut champagne for only 159 francs.
The Place de la Madeleine landmark fish restaurant,
known for years as Prunier, then Prunier-Goumard and
now Goumard has had a series of owners over the years.
The most recent owner is Philippe Dubois, and the food
is better, fresher, and less expensive than it has been
in years. Too bad the restaurant has all the energy
and excitement of a drab hotel dining room and the sad-faced
staff all but makes you want to turn around and walk
out the door.
But the new Goumard offers some stunning dishes, including
a classic sole meuniere (offered both bathed in butter
and "seche," and filleted tableside); an extraordinarily
fresh grilled bar; a brilliant fricassee of baby clams
bathed in a mix of cream and fresh thyme, anointed with
a touch of cherry-flavored kirsch; and some of the freshest
scallops I have tasted in years, perfectly pan fried,
making for a nutty, intense crust and a smooth, sweet
interior.
The wine list here offers few bargains. A decent bet
is a good value wine that loves fish and shellfish,
the Saint Veran, Domaine des Deux Roches, vintage 1999,
priced at 180 francs.
An all-time favorite Parisian fish spot remains the
pleasant, personal, and discreet restaurant run by Paul
and Sonya Canal. Here, amidst a bright blue and white
décor and a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower,
you can be assured of dishes that are inventive without
being self-conscious. A case in point is Canal's fine
first-course offering of fresh Brittany langoustines:
They sweet, ultra-fresh shellfish are removed from their
shell, very lighted breaded, and turned into an airy
tempura. Teamed up with tempuras of pepper, eggplant,
and zucchini, it's a sunny dish for a dark winter's
day. The best main course items here remain the grilled
sole and the whole sea bass cooked in a salt crust.
Les Bouchons de Francois Clerc Coté Mer
8 rue Arsene Houssaye
Paris 75008
Telephone 01 42 89 15 51
Fax : 01 42 89 28 67.
www.bouchonsdefrancoisclerc.com
Open daily. All major credit cards. 234-franc menu.
Goumard
9 rue Duphot
Paris 75001
Telephone : 01 42 60 36 07
fax : 01 42 60 04 54.
Open daily. All major credit cards: 25-franc lunch menu.
A la carte, 350 to 450 francs including service but
not wine.
Port Alma
10 avenue de New York
Paris 75016
Telephone 01 47 23 75 11
Fax: 01 47 20 42 92.
Closed Sunday and Monday. All major credit cards. 200-franc
weekday lunch menu. A la carte, 300 to 440 francs, including
service but not wine
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