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Dining with the Angels
PARIS -- I have fond, distant memories of my first days in Paris
in the early 1980’s, when Sunday lunch meant sitting amidst
large family tables of Bourgeois Parisians at the traditional, Burgundian
Chez les Anges. Food was plentiful, robust and serious, with such
classics as oeufs en meurette, coq au vin, and boeuf bourguignon,
sharing star billing with Charolais boeuf en crôute, accompanied
by the obligatory, creamy Dauphinois potatoes. The wine – mostly
the white Rully and red Mercurey – flowed easily, and surely
the meal would end with a few sips of heady marc de Bourgogne.
Now, the place that was all red velvet and Rabelaisian, is pristine,
white, and modern – even a bit playful – and very much
on its way to becoming a current-day institution. Jacques Lacipière – who
also owns the hugely popular bistro Au Bon Accueil, also in the 7
th arrondissement – is a romantic at heart, taking over a failing
business that was last a trattoria, but that also had a rather good
run as Paul Minchelli’s namesake restaurant. It was home to
politicians (belated president François Mitterrand) and the
fashion world (Pierre Berge of Yves Saint Laurent) and of course
fish lovers from all over. You were never sure what the eccentric
Minchelli was up to – he loved to charge outrageous prices
for cans of vintage sardines – but you were always assured
of impeccable fish and shellfish, albeit the price of an arm and
a leg.
Lacipière dream is to bring Les Anges back, creating a contemporary
brasserie that’s convivial, open, and refreshing. If anyone
can do it, Lacipière can, for he has impeccable taste, high
standards, and an almost genetically coded passion for the business.
He still does all the middle-of-the-night marketing for both restaurants,
returning with impeccably fresh fish and shellfish, fruits and vegetables,
as well as autumnal game. The current menu is loaded with seasonal
stars, including wild mushrooms, romanesco and pumpkin, along with
wild duck with turnips, partridge with apples, venison with salsify,
and wild hare. In season fish and shellfish are abundance with scallops
grilled with a curry-infused oil and turbot teamed up with wild mushrooms,
pumpkin, and romanesco broccoli.
I began my little feast with half a dozen chilled, plump, briny
oysters set on a pillow of thick cream nested in the oyster shell.
The oysters, deftly marinated in a touch of sherry, were topped with
ultra-thin Japanese style strips of crunchy red radish and a slight
touch of horseradish, making for a surprising, refreshing, dish providing
contrasts of color, texture, and flavor.
Another worthy starter is his offering of oversized warm – and
warming – ravioli of giant shrimp, aloft in a coral-toned bisque
made of rich baby crabs, or etrilles. Flavors here are full and forward,
but unmasked. What you see is what you get.
Generous portions of plump, moist monkfish, or lotte, were bathed
in a gentle Thai-inspired mixture of lemon grass and fresh coriander,
a soothing, successful dish that surely makes me want to come back
for more. And sole meunière lovers will have a field day here,
with a gorgeous, fresh, alabaster sole, filleted tableside, and paired
with a butter laced with lemon confit.
The wine list is brief but well-selected, and includes treasures
from conscientious winemaker Jean-François Coche of Coche-Dury
in Burgundy. We opted for an affordable, straightforward Bourgogne
blanc (a veritable bargain at 48 euros) 2002, a textbook example
of what a 100% Chardonnay should be, creamy, lush and satin-like.
A wine that insists you sit up and take notice.
Chez les Anges
54 Boulevard de La Tour Maubourg
Paris 7
Telephone: 01 47 05 89 86.
Closed Saturday and Sunday. All major credit cards. Menu at
35 euros. A la carte, 42 to 72 € per person, including service
but not wine.
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