Ms. Glaze's Pommes d'Amour

Spring!

It's Springtime! And what better time to book a table at the Restaurant Spring in Paris?

marinated mackerel garnished with, zucchini blossom and orange sauce

I'm sure you've heard of this chic bistro because the American Chef, Daniel Rose, has been featured in just about every foodie magazine including Gourmet.

What really makes his restaurant special (besides the fact that he's an American Chef in Paris) is that he cooks right in front of you, just for you.

He goes every morning to the farmer's market and picks out only the freshest ingredients and then plans a three course meal only for the people that have reserved for the evening. So you know that everything is top quality and truly seasonal.

No use showing up at the door unannounced. Because first of all, there probably won't be a table available. And secondly he only prepares food for the customers that have called. So book your table at least a month in advance.

velvety rich pumpkin soup with pan seared foie gras

And what a beautiful and creative meal it is! Chef Rose brings his American know-how to French cuisine with style. Check out his blog for menu updates, recipes, private cooking classes, and even live TV footage from the kitchen.

Lamb prepared three ways with rich jus and spinach to garnish

Unfortunately for me, I don't get the opportunity to eat at his restaurant often because when he's cooking I'm cooking too. That's the breaks for cooks in Paris – we all have the same days off. But, I did get the opportunity to meet him and taste his food this last Fall. I only wish I got around to posting my experience earlier.

How can you not love a restaurant that sends you home with breakfast for the next morning?

Restaurant Spring
28 rue de la Tour d'Auverge 75009
Reservations +33 (0)1 45 96 05 72

Technorati Tags: bistros, paris, Paris restaurants, restaurant Spring

Pho 67 in Paris

If I tell you about this restaurant then you must promise me you won't go. Seriously. There's just not enough room for you and me both unless we go together – the restaurant is too tiny! They only have sixteen seats and so far I haven't had to make a reservation or wait long for a table. But, if that changes, and I can't get my pho when I need it, then there's going to be some trouble in Seine City!

I'm a pho addict. And when I need my fix I normally trek out to the 13th arrondisement for a big bowl of steamy beef broth filled with thick rice noodles, beef slices, onions, spicy basil, and cilantro. Since the weather has turned cold, I'm finding my cravings for this Vietnamese speciality have increased.

Now that I've moved from the stuffy 17th to jazzy St. Michel I have discovered a whole new world. Right across from me (and all the raucous Greek Latin Quarter restaurants) is a quiet hidden street that has several Vietnamese restaurants and markets brimming with Asian produce and products. Apparently this was one of the original areas that the Vietnamese immigrated to in Paris! Who knew?

Pho 67 is a Mom & Son establishment from what I've sussed out. The mom is the chef and the son takes care of the service with grace and professionalism. Sometimes you have to wait a little for your soup or main dish because she cuts and chops everything to order. But it's worth the wait. And everything is super fresh!

I discovered this restaurant on a rainy Paris afternoon with my friend Carol from the beautiful blog Paris Breakfasts. And we just sat over our big bowls of steamy pho inhaling and slurping up the intoxicating mix of herbs, spices, noodles, and rich beef broth wishing the conversation and the meal would never end.

Pho 67
59, Rue Galande
75005 Paris, France
+33 1 43 25 56 69

Technorati Tags: Paris restaurants, pho, soup, vietnamese food

Paris Picks: Restaurants & Bistros

I receive tons of emails requesting good restaurants in Paris. And it's no surprise because there are a lot of mediocre eateries here! Here's a short list of my favorites. If you've got one please add it along with the contact info. All restaurants listed below require a reservation!

3 Michelin Star French Cuisine:
Guy Savoy: Traditional French cuisine transformed into contemporary elegance. Ask for the 100 euro lunch tasting menu if looking for a fine dining experience without breaking the bank. Guy Savoy is favored by international stars, French politicians, business men, and chic clientele that desire a private secluded atmosphere without all the fussy gold glitz. Service is impeccable, professional, and friendly. Besides, Monsieur Guy Savoy is an international film star now, having played one of the characters in Pixar's Ratatouille! Do you know which part?
8, rue Troyon, 75008, tel: +33 (0)1 43 80 40 61

Le Meurice A newcomer into the 3-star arena. The très sexe chef Yannick uses traditional and modern cooking techniques to elevate French traditional cuisine to new heights. Set within the beautiful and historic Hotel Meurice, the decor is reminiscent of a more opulent and decadent era. Great service and beautiful sensual food plated with a nod to Japanese presentation. Reserve a table through their website.

Hélène Darroze (two Michelin stars) One of the only female owned restaurants in Paris to receive Michelin rated accolades. Her food is feminine, imaginative, and sensitive drawing upon her native roots in Landes. A very special experience without the self-concious Parisian elite attitude to muck it up. Check it out ASAP before she receives her third star and the prices go higher!
4, rue d’Assas, 75006, Tel: +33 (0)1 45 72 07 14

Bistros:
L'Ami Jean: Basque food in a fun pro-rugby atmosphere. I think it's some of the best food in Paris. If there's one restaurant you must go to, it's this one. For more info click the link, I wrote a post on it a few years back. I always take friends here when visiting in town.
27, rue Malar, 75007 +33 (0)1 47 05 86 89

Le Comptoir: located right off Metro Odeon in the ever-trendy St. Germain area, this resto serves up traditional bistro food offering one tasty menu a night. If you don't believe me, then click the link to read Chez Pim's write-up! Great people watching too! (photo by Moveable Feast)
9, carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006 Tel: +33 (0)1 44 22 07 97

Le Severo: This restaurant is for carnivores and wine lovers. There is much debate over whether this is really a steak-frites bistro or a wine bar with excellent food. Both Patricia Wells and David Lebovitz have given it their blessings so you know it's good. I've linked to Chef Lebovitz's detailed review. Worth the trek to the 14th! (photo by New York Times click link to read their article too!)
8, rue des Plantes, 75014, tel: +33 (0)1 45 40 40 91

Spring: If you can get a reservation at this tiny restaurant (only 16 seats) owned by American Chef Daniel Rose, then take it! He changes the menu daily and serves what he's found to be the freshest. Chef Daniel worked at Le Meurice (mentioned above) before opening his own place. I've linked to his blog here so you can get an up close and personal account.
28 rue de la Tour d'Auvergne, 75009, tel: +33 (0)1 45 96 05 72

Le Soufflé: Totally kitsch, but so much fun and they do have the best soufflé's in Paris at a very reasonable price. It's a fun way to end a vacation in Paris. Ignore the flourescent lighting and the well worn white tableclothes and just enjoy. The servers have been working there probably for half a century and they speak English very well. Seriously, I love this place – it's good fun food in a tourist-friendly environment. Click on the link to read my old blog post and see some pics.
36, rue du Mont-Thabor, 75001, Tel: +33 (0)1 42 60 27 19

Chez Janou: Tucked away in the Marais, this hidden bistro serves classic provençal fare. Their menu boasts seasonal dishes and desserts. They also have one of the largest collections of Pastis, the traditional French anise flavored aperitif. Don’t skip dessert, you’re in for a treat especially if you order the chocolate mousse.
2, Rue Roger-Verlomme 75003 Tel: 01 42 72 28 41

Technorati Tags: 3-star restaurants, best restaurans in Paris, bistros, Guy Savoy, L'Ami Jean, Le Soufflé, Les Bouquinistes, Paris restaurants, Spring, tag, top

Preparing for My Stage

I've been avoiding expressing my immediate dream because I didn't want to jinx it. Now I see that the idea is preposterous, so I might as well share my little foodie fantasy and if it doesn't happen then I can grovel for sympathy or if it does happen we can all celebrate together.

I'm graduating in four weeks from Le Cordon Bleu and I'm trying desperately get myself ready for my "stage". A stage is like an apprenticeship without pay in a restaurant. We call it an internship in America. However, in the french kitchen it really means slave labor. I have worked in kitchens in San Francisco restaurants and run overly packed cooking classes with hormonally challenged teenagers – a feat I still look back on with wonder – but the idea of working in a Michelin star restaurant is intimidating.

In the vein of Julia Child, I've started working in the kitchens at Le Cordon Bleu to try and get back into the swing of prep work and to practice with unfamiliar produce, meats, and fish. It hasn't been easy. First of all, my french is horrible. The sous-sol chef barks orders to the assistants and I have to double check to see what he's said. This is a huge problem. Often instead of telling me what to do, he'll come over and show me an example. What am I going to do in a french restaurant where nobody speaks English? Is the head chef going to come over to me and show me an example every time he want's something done? Uh, don't think so!

I secretly think the sous sol chef puts up with me only because my french makes him laugh. I'm not shy about talking en francais, but my pronunciation, grammar, and verb conjugation in elementary. On our first encounter I told him that I needed a "gros carrot" for one of the chefs. He burst out laughing so hard that tears started flowing from his eyes. I didn't understand what I had said, until I grabbed a big carrot from the walk in fridge – then it hit me. I had asked him if I could have a big penis.

To make matters worse, there's a little hierarchy amongst the student kitchen staff at LCB and I spent the first week having to really prove myself. I'm older than everyone down there and have restaurant experience so you can imagine my surprise (and annoyance!). I know that sounds cocky, but when a 21 year old tells you your brunoise is shit and orders you to do it again in a tone reserved for disobedient kids, it takes a lot of deep breathing to maintain composure. And, by the way, the recipe said dice not brunoise. However, I sucked it up and inwardly thought, "This is just a test, it could be much worse in a real French restaurant kitchen".

My favorite was when one of the students tried to tell me how to wash lettuce. I was ripping the core out quicker than he was cutting it out and he was insisting that I was doing it wrong. I finally turned to him and said, "I used to prep for hundreds of salads a night, I think I can handle these twenty heads here". After that he realized that I had some experience and instead started asking me questions about quick ways to handle different produce.

But, I don't want to come across as a know-it-all here because many of these Cordon Bleu Kitchen Slaves have been working sous-sol a long time and they understand the flow of preparing lunch for the whole Cordon Bleu staff as well as preparing all the foods for the demonstrations and practicals. I have learned a huge amount from the students in the basement of Cordon Bleu: I can shuck oysters, clean monkfish (very hard), cut purrrfect brunoise and julienne, butcher just about any type of meat, and understand basic french orders. And yes, I've also learned that it's okay to be 30-ish and still learning.

I have four weeks in the basement kitchen at Le Cordon Bleu and then It's either sink or swim. Why am I doing this you might ask? Because I want more than anything in the world to do my stage at my favorite restaurant in Paris, the three Michelin star, Guy Savoy. This is my favorite restaurant in Paris and if I had 285 euros for dinner I would eat there every night.

Recently Guy Savoy was voted the 7th best restaurant in the world. I would be happy peeling potatoes in a corner if they let me.

So keep your fingers crossed for me and if anyone has any fancy shmancy favorite restaurants here in Paris, please share...

Technorati Tags: Cuisine, Food, Le Cordon Bleu, paris cooking school, Paris restaurants

Cinderella at Le Cinq

The experience I had at Le Cinq, the three star restaurant of the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris, can only be described as ethereal. My husband and I met with our friends Natalie Zee, author of Coquette:Digital Style, and her fiancé to celebrate their recent engagement.

photo courtesy: The Four Seasons Hotel

When we arrived our coats were whisked away by four people who simulataneously unrobed us. We were led through the warmly lit dining area to our table that was elegantly laid out with gold rimmed china and real crystal glasses. As I began to sit my chair was gently pushed in by an invisible attendant.

We began with flutes of champagne from their assortment of iced champagne. I chose a pretty rosé that sparkled light pink in the warm glow of the restuarant. We clinked to Nat's and Giles future happiness and settled into our plush chairs. No sooner had we taken a sip of luxury when our first amuse bouche arrived – sliced brioche with lardon baked for us on arrival in petit ramekins. After quickly finsihing our first nosh, small plates of thinly shaved pata negra arrived. All this before we even looked at the menu!

The menu is exquisite. Wanting to taste everything we opted for the tasting degustation with paired wines (which is actually a good deal!). My first entree was thinly sliced divers scallops carpacio with a tiny bread stick that oozed a delicately citron flavored fromage blanc when broken. Sublime.

I won't bore you with all the courses. There were too many to write about. However, my petit veal medallions served with a small side of blanc souffle was outstanding and so was the line caught sea bass. I don't normally eat veal but, the other option was pigeon (um, merci non)

Here's some funny things about the evening...they brought a stool for my purse! After I sat down I put my purse on the floor (like I always do) and a few minutes later an attendant came and carefully lifted it onto it's own little couch. CRAZY!!! Also, everything was synchronized. Our food was set in front of all four of us at precisely the same time. Four attendants whisked off the silver warming lids simultaneously. I noticed they have these cute little signals so that no one jumps the gun. So cool – they use hand signals!!!

When Nat and I got up to go to the bathroom a female attendant appeared from thin air and escorted us to the ladies room. And when we sat back down at the table two male attendents again pushed our chairs in simultaneously. I believe we each had our own attendant but I'm not quite sure.

After our main courses were fini, a HUGE cheese cart was wheeled over to us. I've never seen my husband so happy in his entire life! He was like a sixteen year old boy with a brand new Mustang. I chose an aged Comté (hard cheese) and a chevre sec (slightly dry goat cheese) and a creamy blue.

When dessert finally arrived it seemed to keep arriving. We had some sort of amuse bouche before our dessert. Then our dessert, then chocolates, nougatine, caramels and gelees. Of course everything was paired with wine.

photo courtesy: Four Seaons Hotel

And FINALLY after we managed to fill our bellies with an outrageous amount of food and wine we had coffee.

Here's the real kicker. The whole meal was free. That's right! F-R-E-E!!! We didn't pay a dime. I'm not at liberty to say why, but it was wonderful! I think I might have left my glass slipper there... :)

George Cinq Four Seasons Hotel
"Executive Chef Philippe Legendre has created menus for Four Seasons Hotel George V which draw upon classic French culinary techniques and also embrace newer, lighter cooking styles, always incorporating the freshest regional ingredients."

Paris restaurants

Friday night in Paris

Friday night started with a sumptuous dinner at Chez Janou Bistrot in the Marais district with friends visiting from New Zealand. This quaint off-the-beaten-path bistro is anything but average and serves classic provencal fair. Their menu boasts seasonal dishes and desserts. They also have one of the largest collections of Pastis–the traditional French anise flavored aperitif. Don’t skip dessert, you’re in for a treat especially if you order the chocolate mousse. I’d love to tell you how it’s served, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise. Our Kiwi guest raved about his lamb entree and he is a sheep expert so....

After a fabulous dinner we cabbed it to St. Germain (4 euros) and headed to the student hangout, Fu Bar, for some proper cocktails. Apple-martinis all around. These are NOT the horrible bright green apple martinis of home. Their secret recipe captures the essence of apples and cinnamon without all the added sugar and green dye. A perfect after dinner digestif.

Needing to dance off our outrageous food consumption we walked over to Wagg, a nightclub beneath the pretentious restaurant Alcazar. This club is like a grand cave and does not have proper ventilation so dress for summer in New York. The music is eclectic from disco to now. Frankly I don’t think any of us cared too much what the DJ was playing– we were too busy dancing around like madmen. I do recall a small band accompanying the DJ and parading through the dance floor. Ah oui, I also remember my Kiwi friend swinging some girl over his shoulder much to her boyfriend’s chagrin.

Good times had by all, we said our goodbyes and headed home before the rising sun.

Chez Janou: 2, Rue Roger-Verlomme 75003 Paris Tel: 01 42 72 28 41 (make a reservation!)

Fu Bar: 5 Rue St-Sulpice 75006 Paris

Wagg: 62 Rue Mazarine, Alcazar basement, 75006 Paris

Technorati Tags: bars, clubs, Food, Paris, paris bars, Paris nightclubs, Paris restaurants