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Dominique Bouchet:
Simplicity and Restraint
PARIS – In this day and age, when ultra-fresh, ultra-beautiful
food – from fruits and vegetables to meats, fish and poultry – is
there for the asking, the hardest task for most cooks is to keep
it simple. Dominique Bouchet, one of the capital’s star chefs
of the moment, certainly understands restraint, and for this we thank
him.
Dominique Bouchet, you say? He’s surely not a household word,
yet a look at his track record belies his quiet public persona. Fresh
from a stint as chef at the Hotel Crillon, he’s been on his
own – again – for just a few months, settling into a
quiet street in the 8th arrondissement. (For the record, he’s
also been behind the stove at Jamin in the pre-Robuchon days, at
La Tour d’Argent, then at his own restaurant in the Charentes.
And he’s trained, among others, chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin
in New York) His latest spot – Dominique Bouchet – is
what we want today, a subtle mix of homey bistro and neighborhood
restaurant. The menu is brief, crisp, and welcoming, as is the small
40-seat dining room, with exposed stone walls, quiet tones of beige
and brown, and a small, open kitchen that’s as discreet as
the rest of the place.
Keeping it simple, the 52-year-old chef offers just half a dozen
starters, a quartet of fish, five different meat dishes and six desserts,
along with a single daily special. Some dishes will just make your
heart sing, like his generous plate of mixed seasonal vegetables,
seasoned with fresh coriander and a shower of olive oil. On one visit
the combination included baby cauliflower, carrots, leeks, asparagus,
artichokes, green beans and parsnips. The mix was a welcome breath
of fresh spring air on a late winter’s eve. And at 14 euros,
it’s a pure bargain.
Equally bright and appealing is Bouchet’s warm terrine of
rich and elegant Beaufort cheese, artichokes and ham, a pretty, compact
dish served with a small green salad alongside. His simple but sublime
terrine of foie gras is served with a mix of dried fruits and nuts
and freshly grilled bread.
I’d go back again and again for his classic rendition of aile
de raie – or skate wing – set on a bed of baby ratte
potatoes, seasoned with just capers and lemon. The dish sings with
freshness, a winning combination of sweet skate wing, warming potatoes
with a fine touch of acidity from the capers and lemon. Equally full
of clean, intense flavors is the roasted duck paired with a confit
of turnips set off with just a touch of vinegar. My only disappointment
over a series of visits was the seven-hour leg of lamb, which tasted
over-reduced, with juices that gave off a touch of bitterness.
As if I have not already given enough good reasons to pay Bouchet
a visit take one look at the wine list and you’ll do a dance.
Bouchet has no huge cellar and doesn’t intend to build a huge
list, so instead he prefers a steady stream of limited wines, all
at good prices. The 2002 red Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards,
from the Perrin family at Château du Beaucastel is priced at
56 euros. The year 2002 was the only year they did not make a Châteauneuf
under the Beaucastel label, due to intense rain during the September
harvest. So Les Sinards actually includes the Beaucastel grapes,
and anyone who does not love its rich, multi-layered quality should
give up drinking wine altogether. Other fine buys include Bruno Claire’s
intense, expressive 2000 pinot noir Marsannay Les Grasses Têtes,
for 45 euros; and Olivier Leflaive’s classic, mineral-rich
Chardonnay, Chablis Les Deux Rives, at 36 euros.
Dominique Bouchet
11 rue Treillard
Paris 8>br> Telephone: 01 45 61 09 46
Fax: 01 42 89 11 14
Web: www.dominique-bouchert.com
All major credit cards. Closed Saturday and Sunday. About 55
euros per person, including service but not wine.
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