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Small Chef run restaurants in Paris

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Small Chef run restaurants in Paris

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Old Aug 7th, 2011, 04:12 PM
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Small Chef run restaurants in Paris

I don't know how else to describe them. I read an article about Chefs who are leaving their large successful restaurants in favor of very small ones where they can cook as they like. Usually only have one seating and a small number of tables. Can't remember where I read it or when but do you have any idea what they are called? Or the names of any of them? Thanks so much.
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 08:10 AM
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Monday Morning - Topping
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 08:18 AM
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Dont know which ones you are looking at in particular but we love Le Timbre: http://www.restaurantletimbre.com/le%20timbre%20.html

Just the chef and his wife. Very close quarters with your neighbours but great food.
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 08:33 AM
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We are leavig for Paris this weekend and are interested in this type of restaurant. More suggestions please!
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 08:53 AM
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Tagged Italy, I believe - which may explain the small no of responses?

Peter
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 09:00 AM
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Looks like a great recommendation jamikins. Good reviews on tripadvisor as well. Says the chef is english. Interesting.

The original article I read talked about French chefs that grew tired of their large restaurants and opened very small places and, I imagine, are like Le Timbre. Thanks you.
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 09:22 AM
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Google "bistronomie Paris" and a lot of small and excellent "chef run" restaurants will come up.

"Jadis" in the 15th, for example. Chef Guillaume Delage worked for Pierre Gagnaire for 7 years. After that he went to Michel Bras and later on to Frédéric Anton in Le Pré Catelan. You'll get a 3 Michelin star meal at normal prices.

In this article you can find the 80 best small restaurants.
http://www.lexpress.fr/styles/saveur...es_483170.html
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 11:00 AM
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Try Le Cordonnerie on Rue St Roch and the newest hot spot in Paris is Bistro de Gastronomes on Rue Cardinal LeMoine. Definitely need reservations at Le Cordonnerie and likely Bistro!
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 12:53 PM
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Chef run restaurants? That cuts the possibilities down to about 10,000. Of course not all of them are good cooks. Some of them stay in business because they have good locations or good prices -- or sometimes even just a good serving staff.
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 01:07 PM
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We "lived" on Rue du Cherche Midi and ate at a fabulous place called Petit Verdot: http://www.le-petit-verdot.com/

Another wonderful place was closer to Luxembourg Gardens: http://www.restaurant-perraudin.com/

Assuming they are both still there, you should make reservations. Rue du Cherche Midi is a nice street for window shopping as well.
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 02:32 PM
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Yes, kerouac, I knew someone would see the humor in a "chef run restaurant". Just couldn't think of another way to state it.

The point of the article was that some really good chefs are getting tired of the "rat race" and opting to open small establishments where they can cook what they want for a small number of tables.

I would like any suggestions you have for small restaurants. Inexpensive is good. I saw your suggestion of Chez Papa but haven't checked it out yet.

TDudette, Le Petit Verdot looks very nice but I can't get the menu function to work for me.
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 05:26 PM
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There was a blogger named Jack that used to really concentrate on the bistronomie (?) scene in Paris. There were a few trips around 10 or so years ago where we ate almost exclusively in the places Jack was covering. I think he was from a Benelux country, but memory is foggy on this.

This doesn't help the OP but I was wondering if anyone remembers the iamjack.com website full of great Paris recs?

Many of the restaurants from those pages aren't there anymore but we sure ate well when we followed Jack's advice.
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Old Aug 8th, 2011, 11:30 PM
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Do you mean Jack's Inimitable Travel Guides for (mainly) Belgium, France and the Netherlands? His website was www.jack-travel-com, and Jack was a Belgian guy.
Unfortunately his domain is for sale, so all the good advice is lost, unless someone can retrace it in cache?
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Old Aug 9th, 2011, 05:53 AM
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Ronda, seemed like they changed menus often at Vedot-don't have a clue about their web site though-sorry. But if you do get there, please report back. Sometimes the memory of something can get so much better with age!
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Old Aug 9th, 2011, 06:18 AM
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<b>Vivant</b> ... Pierre Jancou's relatively new restaurant and wine bar in the 10th.
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Old Aug 9th, 2011, 06:19 AM
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bookmarking
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Old Aug 9th, 2011, 07:29 AM
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I'm was also a big fan of Jack. He recommended Eric Frechon's restaurant out in the "boonies", and also l'Astrance in the 16th. Eric Frechon is now a Michelin 3 star chef and so is Astrance.

Jack just vanished, unfortunately.

Stu Dudley
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Old Aug 9th, 2011, 07:46 AM
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Two more food blogs I follow for Paris:

By Alexander Lobrano who was the food critic for Gourmet Magazine and wrote a good restaurant guide for Paris called Hungry for Paris:

http://hungryforparis.squarespace.co...r-paris-index/

BY David Lebowitz who used to work at Chez Panisse as a pastry chef, Living the Sweet Life in Paris:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/
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Old Aug 9th, 2011, 08:56 AM
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I remember Jack, too! Was he the guy that always used to say, "Ma femme parle francais!!" when he was possibly getting himself into trouble, or am I getting my bloggers (before they were called bloggers) mixed up?

I also like this site, which links to some of the others already mentioned. They update it often:

http://parisbymouth.com/

And Ronda, while it doesn't fit all of your criteria, it certainly fits "small" and the chef "cooking what he likes." Hidden Kitchen.

http://hkmenus.com/
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Old Aug 9th, 2011, 09:17 AM
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Hidden Kitchen looks interesting but now booking for Nov. 11! Too late for us.

Reading the Sweet Life - very fun.

Hi Stu!
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