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From a Perfect Angle
PARIS -- I don’t know when I last had such authentic,
well-prepare and well-presented French fare as this:
Succulent, moist, glistening cubes of lamb shoulder,
paired with meltingly tender potatoes enhanced with
the essence of violet-toned garlic. Braised veal cheeks
so gorgeous any French housewife would fall on her knees
with joy if she had prepared them, teamed with a truly
original (and successful) gratin of macaroni and artichokes.
What could be bad about that? Add a glass or two of
the rich, velvety red Vin de Pays d’Oc L’Hermitage,
Les Domaine Camplazens (a bargain at 30 euros) and you
are certainly on the road to heaven.
All this at the very understated, carefully conceived
l'Angle du Faubourg, owner Jean-Claude Vrinat’s
“wine bistro,” or little brother of his august
restaurant, Taillevent. L’Angle has been open since
last March, showing us all that Monsieur Vrinat, once
again, knows how to create a winner. The restaurant
is just what one wants of this talented man: Excellent
classic fare with a modern flair, a drop-dead wine list
at worthy prices, and a pleasant setting that does not
look and feel like every other new restaurant in town.
The bare, colored-cement floors, brick-toned walls,
simple white linen tablecloths and soothing celadon
china sets a discreet, undistracting background for
what is to come. The menu, brief and in the know, remains
true to French culture, while not getting lost in a
swirl of nostalgia. The beef cheeks and lamb shoulder
assuage our classic cravings, but much of the menu is
devoted to more adventuresome, modern fare. The ‘’risotto”
special changes daily, and on our last dinner the chef
created a lovely creamy dish fashioned of the Provencal
poor man’s wheat, known as epeautre. Baby artichokes
are prepared in the classic barigoule style (braised
in white wine, herbs and vegetables) but are paired
with shavings of rich Parmesan and a shower of arugula.
A pot of foie gras prepared ‘’a l’ancienne,’
is all that foie gras could hope to be; rich, well seasoned,
better than butter.
There is always a trio of cheeses with accompaniments,
such as goat’s milk Cabécou drizzled with
chestnut honey; the rich blue cow’s milk Fourme
d’Ambert marinated in the sweet Loire Valley white
wine, Coteaux du Layon; and sheep’s milk tomme
de Brebis from the Pays Basque is rubbed with piment
d’Espelette.
Even the lady who can do without desserts plunges in
here: A perfect layered chocolate cake, served with
a fine bitter almond ice cream.
Even if the food were just ok, L’Angle would be
worth visiting just for the wine list. It is not a heavy,
biblical tome, but rather eight pages of wines that
would be worth drinking any day of the week. There is
a full page of wines by the glass, including Domaine
d’Aupilhac’s white vin de pays from the Languedoc,
and Domaine du Deffends’ Clos de la Truffière
from the Var. On my last visit, I enjoyed the pleasant
white Picpoul de Pinet, from Domaine Saint-Martin la
Garrigue in the Languedoc (16 euro), along with the
Domaine Camplazens. Other wines worth trying here include
Domaine Gauby’s Cotes du Roussillon Village Vieilles
Vignes (62 euro); Chateau La Voulte Gasparets, Corbières
Cuvée Romain Pauc, as well as Domaine Huet’s
always dependable Vouvray Sec , Le Mont (44 euro).
All the while, Vrinat manages to keep his grand restaurant,
Taillevent, at the same, fine level. The food at Taillevent,
under the direction of chef Michel Del Burgo, remains
classic to the core, with foie gras, lobster, filet
of beef, saddle of lamb and pigeon leading the way.
A recent visit offered a fine, substantial meal, starting
with a truly satisfying serving of thick, homemade raviolis
stuffed with domestic mushrooms and a dash of truffle,
all bathed in a frothy creamy, soup-like sauce laced
with foie gras. Equally good was the main course veal
chop, thick and served just this side of rare, paired
with fat, first-of-season asparagus wrapped in lace-thin
pieces of pancetta and seared to a golden brown. Only
the individual tarte Tatin, or upside down apple tart,
left me feeling a bit deprived and disappointed.
The wine list, as well, is as much a part of the Taillevent
experience as is the exquisite service and food: Here,
Monsieur Vrinat is happy to help you choose. Don’t
miss the selection of white Burgundies, starting at
30 euro, or the white and red Rhônes, including
a favorite, Domaine de la Mordorée’s 1999
Lirac well priced at 56 euro, or the their stunning
white Lirac La Reine des Bois, at 56 euro.
And once you have been to both restaurants, stop off
to fill your wine cellar at the companion wine shop,
Les Caves Taillevent.
L‘Angle du Faubourg
195 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
Paris 75008
Telephone 01 40 74 20 20
Fax : 01 40 74 20 21.
Credit card: Visa. Closed Saturday lunch and Sunday.
Daily menu at 35 euro. A la carte, 40 to 55 euro, including
service but not wine.
Taillevent
15 rue Lamennais
Paris 75008
Telephone : 01 44 95 15 01.
Fax : 01 01 42 25 95 18.
Email:mail@taillevent.com
Credit cards: American Express, Diners Club, Visa.
Closed Saturday and Sunday. Tasting menu at 130-euro.
A la carte, 105 to 225 euro, including service but not
wine.
Les Caves Taillevent
199 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
Paris 75008
Telephone : 01 45 61 14 09.
Fax : 01 45 61 19 68.
email : mail@cavetaillevant.com
internet : www.taillevent.com
Closed Sunday, and Monday morning.
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