ekscrunchy

Here is the address for Le Procope:
13, rue de l'Ancienne Comedie, 6eme. Metro: Odeon.
..I recommend the Cafe for oysters and the simplest dishes.

Nikki

I've been enjoying your report a lot. Glad your trip to the puces was so enjoyable.

cigalechanta

Thanks for a nice read on the first day of December. I stayed at the Caron for 15 days, loving the Marais. Years ago my first time to Paris, I dined on that wrought iron balcony at the Procope.

ekscrunchy

Glad you are following, and enjoying. I forgot to post the link for Le Procope:

www.procope.com

We each had the oyster tasting sampler. This is a good place to keep in mind if you want a simple meal or snack at an hour when other places are closed. (I would certainly recommend it over the nearby Lipp, for example, which is also open non-stop and which has a sign in English in the window stating something like.."no salads as a meal..." That strikes me as a little off-putting.)

ekscrunchy

..(continued)

that Sunday evening, after a full day at the flea market, Branly Museum, and other places, we had dinner reservations at Le Reminet, a restaurant which receives lots of praise here and on food message boards. We had made the reservation by phone from the US and were asked to confirm two days before, which we did. The look is quintessential Paris bistro.. stone walls, mirrors and flowers. The pretty, and tiny, downstairs dining room was packed; there are only about 8 tables; several were occupied by foreigners (it was early, as our dinner reservation was for 8pm). Le Reminet is a chef-owned restaurant; the chef, Hugues Gournay, is from Normandy and he is much in eveidence throughout the meal, chatting with guests and offering commentaries on his creations and their ingredients. The menu, with quite a few fish dishes appropriate for the kitchen of one from Normandy, I suppose, is inventive without being offensive to traditional tastes.

I began with a veloute of potimarron. Potimarron is an autumn squash originally from Japan. (In the US we kow it as hokkaido squash.) The Chef Gournay described as a combination of pumpkin and chestnut (hence the "marron" in its name)and I did detect a faint chestnut taste in the soup, which was a creamy essence of vegetable but was underseasoned for my taste.

Here is a photo of potimarron, and a recipe for soup:
http://cucinatestarossa.blogs.com/we...it_potima.html


Grosse crevettes (18 E) arrived next, large pink shrimp served, to my delight, with the heads on and resting on a bed of sauteed leeks (?) gently spiked with red curry.
Desserts revealed the Norman origins of the chef:
"Nougat glace aux Calva et Pommeau" served with apricot caramel in a sauce of Norman cider (quite a mouthful) closed my meal.
We drank Chateau Boucasse 2001 Madiran. A. Brumont Maumusson (23 E); Sancerre blanc, 2005, Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy (26 E) and an Alogote, Domaine Sorin-Defrance, 2004, Saint-Bris-le-Vineux (16 E).
The total damage here was about 60 Euro per person. Le Reminet is a lovely restaurant and the location, as well as the fact that it is open on Sundays, makes it a good address to remember:
Rue des Grand Degres, 3 (5eme) (a block from the Seine across the river from the Ile St. Louis). Having said that much, I will also say that to me the food is very good, but not of the exalted quality that I had been expecting based on the many rave reviews I had read here. By the end of the week, the memory of the meal here would fade somewhat in comparison with the delights to come.....

After dinner we walked back along rain-slicked streets to the Deux Iles, a walk of about 10 minutes.

....tomorrow, Monday, Picasso Museum, exploring the Ile, and NO dinner reservation!!

moolyn

ekscrunchy, I did a little research and am almost certain it was the Deux Iles where we stayed but it didn't have an elevator then unless it was hidden. Small world!

I was very interested in your report of Le Reminet too because I've read elsewhere that the wife of the chef is a celiac so he is very knowledgeable about gluten proofing meals. It was already on my list for the next time we are in Paris and now it's at the top!

tara3056

Bookmarking this wonderful report to read later!

ekscrunchy

Thanks, Tara. I responded to your related post just recently..

Moolyn: Yes, the elevator was tucked in behind the staircase. When you enter the lobby, the desk is on the right, close to the door. And further on, also on the right, are the steps with the elevator behind and not visible if you do not search for it. To the left of the elevator is a kind of glassed in atrium area with plantings..they dressed up an air shaft from the looks of it....this is something you might never have noticed if you took the stairs..

I thought the hotel was just fine and certainly the location cannot be beat. One could undoubtedly do better pricewise somewhere else but to me, the location is paramount. Having previously stayed in the Marais (three different locations) ,once near Les Halles, at various hotels in the 5 eme and the 6 eme, and once in the Intercontinental (that last one was not on my centime) I think the Ile St. Louis is probably the most central, for my own needs.

One factor in the Deux Iles that might be an issue for some people is that there is only a shower; and stepping into the shower enclosure meant stepping over a barrier that might present a problem for someone with, for example, bad knees. this may change when they complete therenovation scheduled to begin in early 2007.

Glad you are enjoying. That is most interesting about Le Reminet and Madame Gournay. They are both very on-the-scene and easy to approach during mealtimes. It reminds me of a talented chef here in NYC that based the menu of his restaurant around healthful recipes; the impetus for this was that his son has diabetes. He also wrote a cookbook on that subject..

ekscrunchy

This report seems to be lasting longer than the actual trip, so I will get it moving with a brief report on my second day in Paris, Monday 23 October:

I was up very early that morning, as the friend who was sharing my room for two nights had to depart for the airport; she left the hotel for the nearby RER about 7am. I did some guidebook reading for an hour or so and then took breakfast in the basement area set aside for that purpose; there is no breakfast room, just sofas and a few small tables in a pair of snug, book-lined rooms. There is also a computer with Internet access; cards are sold at the front desk; an hour of access costs 7 Euro. (I bought a card and never had time to use it during my stay; the helpful Josiane refunded my money when I checked out) The hotel will bring breakfast to your room if you so choose. As far as hotel breakfasts go, this one for 12 Euro is not great although it did include fresh orange juice. I had a chance to see the breakfast served at the Caron de Beaumarchais later that morning and thought it superior (better confiture; pan au chocolate and croissants and baguette traditional; handsome white porcelain; Mariage Freres tea). But for convenience breakfast at one's hotel cannot be improved upon...and since cafe's on Ile St. Louis are pricey, the difference in price would not have been more than a few euro.

After breakfast, I set off for the Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais in the Marais, a 10 minute walk away, where I met two of my friends (and examined the remains of their breakfast!). Two more friends joined us and the 5 of us set off for the short walk to the Picasso Museum, housed in a 17th Century mansion built for a former salt-tax collector and thus bearing the name Hotel Sale. The building, and the gardens, are fabulous and provide a striking and unexpected backdrop for Picasso's art.
The permanent collection of the museum was given to the state by Picasso's heirs in lieu of inheritance tax. We spent about two hours viewing both the permanent collection and the special Heinz Berggruen exhibit; the tour was much enhanced by the (free) audioguide. I would consider this museum to be a must site for visitors to the city.
Upon exiting the Museum, we wandered a bit in the Marais and stopped for lunch at:

Les Philosophes, 28 Rue Vielle du Temple.

This is one of a few cute cafe/restos lining this block and sharing, I believe, the same owner. It appears to be a popular place for both locals on lunch break, and tourists. They offer a couple of formule options, noted on the blackboard, as well as a la carte choices. I had the 20 Euro menu:
For the entree, a tomato tarte, which was unusual and quite delicious, the compressed essence of the fruit served in a shell of flaky pastry. The portion was large. The main course was rather less successful: the fish of the day, rouget had been filleted and sat atop a bed of leeks. While the fish was fresh, the preparation was a little mundane for my taste. With the meal I drank a Bandol rose. The carte also offered a range of salads, croques, and lighter fare. I would recommend this place for convenience, if not for fine dining.

After lunch, I ambled back to the Ile St. Louis, getting there in time to see a fellow member of our group take off on a rented bike, brought to his hotel by the owner of one of the bike touring companies, for a jaunt through Paris. I spent the remainder of this drizzly but warm afternoon wandering around the Ile St. Louis and checking out a few of the island's shops, which include a branch of the popular Pylones, stocked to the brim with colorful, not-too-pricey gift items. For 12 Euro I bought a very cute shocking pink eyeglass case, which would become home to a pair of bright scarlett drugstore glasses I discovered a few days later. Also on the Ile St. Louis are a fois gras shop: a branch of oil merchant L'Olivier: a clutch of cafes and restaurants including one or two interesting addresses; assorted food merchants; Berthillon ice cream and its competitor, Amorino; and many shops and galleries offering a range of gifts and antiques.

After a brief rest back at the hotel it was time to turn my attention to dinner. This was a Monday night and many restaurants were closed. More important, this was the only night of my week in Paris for which I did not have a dinner reservation. Fortunately, I did not wait until the evening to address this issue, but asked the front desk woman at the hotel to make a phone call. As it turned out, she had to make a few phone calls, because my first few choices for dinner (Ze Kitchen Galerie was one; I booked here for later that week) were booked that evening for the early dinner hours and I did not want to dine at 10pm that night. I finally secured a table at Allard for 8pm, with the understanding that I would vacate by 10pm to make way for the next party. Since I was dining solo, I knew this would not be a problem. So with visions of theri celebrated duck with olives dancing in my head, I prepared myself for the walk to this vintage bistro in the 6eme.

..dinner will be served shortly...

ekscrunchy

On Monday night I dined at Allard, a classic bistro in the 6eme that was recommended by Patricia Wells, located about a 20 minute walk from my hotel. When I arrived, I was pointed toward a table in the back room. The room to be in at Allard is obviously the cozy space in the front, with its "zinc" bar, wood paneling, mirrors, framed drawings, and lace-curtained windows facing the street, instead of the plainer back room which even at 8pm was already crowded with non-French speaking diners. And so I declined the table in the back and was led, instead, to one in the front room where, at 8pm, only one of about 8 other tables was filled.

The surroundings look as if they have been lifted from every movie in the last 50 years that features a bistro scene. I was quite pleased that I had called for a reservation for, during the two hours that I sat there, I could hear several groups of hopeful diners enter the restaurant without reservations and be turned away, even though there were obviously vacant tables. Some of these people were quite persistant and actually argued with the staff, questioning why they could not sit down even though the place was not full. (I hate to write this, but these arguers were obviously foreigners) Well I soon understood the reason that they had been turned away, as one by one, all of the tables in the front room filled up with diners. From eavesdropping at the conversation at the adjacent table, I learned that there was a food fair in town which drew attendees from around the world.

The service at Allard was congenial and professional and the menu features many classic bistro dishes. I was disappointed to learn the their famed duck with olives was only available for two diners; I looked on enviously as two men sitting nearb devoured their portions. But not to worry; the menu promised other tempting fare. I began with a dozen escargots which sizzled with butter and garlic. For a change, the escargot were served in the shells in which they were born, and not placed decoratively inside all-purpose shells which would be used again and again. Next course was, yes, again, confit de canard. Good but I wished for a dining partner if only because I could have then tried the duck with olives! With the meal, a half bottle of Pouilly Fume. And for dessert, a fromage blanc. The bill totaled 50 euro (three courses from the formule menu for 32 euro; 18 Euro for the wine).

The zinc bar at Allard was so beautiful that I did a bit of reading on the subject and learned that the reason for this tradition was that many of the early proprietors of bistros hailed from the Auvergne, a region rich in tin. Most of the bars today that we think of as being zinc, an alloy of tin similar to pewter, are actually tin.

Allard, 41, rue St. Andre des Arts, 6 eme

Nikki

I don't remember much of my chemistry class, but I do remember that zinc is an element (Zn) rather than an alloy. Tin is a different element (Sn). I always have wondered about the zinc bars, and wondered what else might be made of zinc, something we don't seem to use decoratively so much in the US.

ekscrunchy

I would have failed chemistry had not my uncle, who taught the subject, tutored me. From what I understand, in the past many bars were crafted from zinc and the establishments became known as "le zincs." Today there is one remaining manufacturer of zinc-like bars in the Paris area and the bars they make are actually made from tin and not zinc.

Here is their site:

http://www.atelier-nectoux.fr/uk/ref...rom-france.php

ekscrunchy

..continued..

After breakfast at the hotel the next morning, Tuesday, I headed to the Right Bank and the Musee des Arts Decoratifs on the Rue du Rivoli. This museum, adjacent to The Louvre, had recently reopened and I had been looking forward very much to my first visit in many years.

http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/

After waiting on line a few minutes, I paid my admission and received a free audioguide. For the next four hours, I was enraptured! From Renaissance arms chests to Ruhlmann cabinets, the history of decorative arts of every form and to fit every function unfolds on nine floors presented in chronological order. A few of the items exhibited brought tears to my eyes with their overwhelming beauty. Among the awe-inspiting room settings are a bedroom and bathroom from the Paris apartment of Jeanne Lanvin:


http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/fr/0...uvre04-51.html

There is a separate exhibition devoted to jewelery and to tableware. After hours and hours here, the biggest headliner of the season still awaited: The Balenciaga exhibit in the Musee de la Mode et du Textile, where two decades of the master's designs are presented, followed by the clothing of his successor Ghesquiere.

I finally stumbled out into the sunshine after 2pm, too late to contmplate a restaurant lunch. So from the Museum, I walked through the Tuileries and across the Concorde Bridge to the 7eme and eventually to the Bon Marche food halls, the Grande Epicerie.

www.lagrandeepicerie.fr

Packed with goodies from everycorner of France and beyond, the Grande Epicerie is a museum in its own right and I spent an hour or so wandering and inspecting the temptations before purchasing a ripe Epoisses to enjoy in my room later that day. Next a dashed into nearby Monoprix for a half dozen wash gloves, rectangles of cotton terry cloth sewn together to form a sort of glove that has a loop attached for easy hanging in the bath or shower. These are such great bath accessories, I've always wondered why they are not popular in the US.

I had passed up the shelves of cooking oils at the Bon Marche because I had other oils in mind and I next made my way on foot to one of my favorite shops on the Left Bank and the source of some of the city's finest oils, Huilerie J. LeBlanc, 6 rue Jacob.
This tiny shop sells oils pressed at the LeBlanc family's mill in Iguerande in SouthWest Burgundy..olive, walnut, hazlenut, pistachio, almond, pine nut, and quite a few others..in addition to vinegars, olive oil soaps and shampoos and other enticements. I had already purchased my walnut oil at the mill near Martel but I could not resist bottles of LeBlanc olive oil, Champagne vinegar, and argan oil made from Moroccan nuts pressed by the family. Only the fact that I would have to lug the bottles home in my suitcase prevented me from buying more, because LeBlanc oils are among the freshest and most delicious I have ever sampled.

www.huile-leblanc.com

By this time my arms were getting tired so I reluctantly continued my walk towards the Ile St. Louis and my hotel........en route I stopped at a boulangerie that Madame LeBlanc had recommended on Rue de Buci, Carton (??) where I picked up a traditional baguette to snack on with my Epoisses.

....to be continued. Dinner that night will be at Chez L'Ami Jean.

ekscrunchy

Here is the update on the rental car problem we incurred in Domme:

I had used my card to pay for the car in full with Autoeurope. Since my friend ws to be the principal driver of this manual Renault, she gave her Mastercard for the damage deposit when we picked up the car at Europecar in Perigueux. Due to the unfortunate incident with the clutch on the last night in Domme, my friend is now being billed for about 1200 USD in charges. She disputed the charges and just received word that Mastercard has ruled against her. The reason was that the cost of the entire rental was not billed to her credit card (remember I paid for the car). So here is a lesson: The person who pays for the car must be the one to present his or her card at the pick-up location; both charges must be on the same card, or at least this is true in this particular case. The important thing is that we are all back home safe and sound and no one was hurt! The rest of my report to come, soon, thanks for bearing with me.....

ekscrunchy

topping for recent poster's query

Leely

"The reason was that the cost of the entire rental was not billed to her credit card (remember I paid for the car)."

Good to know, although very unfortunate.

It's still early where I am, but I'm ready L'Ami Jean. Thanks for continuing your report.

ekscrunchy

Yes, Leely, this sounds like an excuse for not covering the charges....but we really have no choice here but to pay. And this comes on top of my recent receipt in the mail of a traffic ticket for an offense committed 11 months ago in Florence!

Anyway, this report is taking far too long. I LOVED Chez L"Ami Jean and will write my report of dinner there very soon.....the report is taking longer than the actual trip...again!

ekscrunchy

...that evening, a Tuesday, the five members of our group remaining in France had dinner at Chez L'Ami Jean, Rue Malar, 27 in the 7eme close to the river. Three of us shared a taxi from the Ile St. Louis, and the ride afforded us a spectacular view of the city, including a close up of the Eiffel Tower which is dramatically lit at night.

Chez L'Ami Jean dates from 1931 and for most of its life was a popular neighborhood Basque bistro. Posters and photos of Basque sporting heros adorn the walls in the dining room, outfitted with long wooden trestle tables which are set with handsome red-striped Basque linens. The place was packed when we arrived for our 8pm reservation and people were jammed hopefully into the small bar area, under the hanging rows of Spanish jamones, waiting for tables.

The restaurant was taken over a few years ago by Stephane Jago who had been sous chef of the celebrated La Regalade. There is some talk that he will soon receive a Michelin star and he is considered among the city's best bistro chefs at this moment.

The printed menu runs many pages, too many to allow me to comprehend what was on offer. There are also specials listed on the blackboard, and additional dishes of the day written on the slate tablets that we received shortly after taking our seats. How to choose? I immediately realized that this would not be my last visit to this place!

The offerings reflect a southwestern orientation; there are Basque dishes and southwestern staples such as duck confit and Pyrenees lamb. There were also several lobster dishes that evening, as well as seasonal game meats and cepes. Truly I needed an hour just to read the menu and blackboards! The service felt a bit rushed to me, because I generally need lots of time to read my menu and ask questions. This was a bit difficult since a few of my fellow diners spoke no French, so I needed to help with translation, and also because there were so many people clamoring for tables that we did not have the luxury of lignering, or so I felt...

The restaurant offers a 30 Euro formule which includes entree, plat and dessert. This proved to be an amazing value. We received a few amuse bouches which included a brandade of cod and a couple of other small plates. My dinner, the 30 formule, began with an entree of crayfish. I was presented with a rectangular wood plank, atop which sat a large glass bowl cupping a row of large heads-on crayfish dusted with flavors that might sound discordant but which would prove to be sublime and included ventreche (bacon) and vanilla. The waitress then poured, from a white porcelain teapot, an intense beef bouillon with a few exotic spices. Heaven.
For the main I chose the lamb two ways which was a double chop of Pyrenees lamb and a shoulder of lamb braised and served as a sort of deconstructed shepherd's pie, in a large white bowl over decadent mashed potatoes.
We were given two sides for the table: Pureed potatoes "Charlotte" and excellent roasted cauliflower..both terrific.
The desserts were out-of-this-world great. Mine was a "Marbre" of vanilla and chocolate served with a capuccino sauce and a foam of Tonka (??) beans...
Did I say this was outrageous? And my friends were equally happy with their dessert choices.
We drank white Gaillac and a Loire red, served properly chilled. With 5 coffees, the total bill for 5 of us totaled Euro 214; as I mentioned, an excellent value.

Along with the bill, we were each presented with a tiny burlap bag trimmed in Basque red linen which contained 5 madeleines.

The restaurant phoned taxis for us and we were off, bound for the hotels and already thinking of the next day....(my friends would be leaving but I had two more full days in the city before I had to head back to the US)....to be continued...

..tomorrow...Laduree, Deyrolle, and Atelier de Joel Robuchon...

moolyn

ekscrunchy, I'm still following your delicious report and copying your restaurant recomendations for my next trip to Paris. Thanks!

ekscrunchy

Moolyn, thanks. It is lovely to read your comments and I apologize for taking so long to finish this report! I need to concentrate on my trip to Rome in January so must get to this very soon...