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| Jim Haynes' Sunday Soiree |
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| From left: Nancy's friend, me, Nancy, Barb, Amy |
Upon landing, we went straight out to the St. Germain area to shop. I had made
reservations (required) at L'Ardoise, a cute casual restaurant that serves up
a 32-euro prix fixe menu....all charmingly written on a blackboard. The quail salad's dressing was light, not overpowering,
but big enough for lunch alone. My ravioli de foie gras came with a salty light cream sauce, also perfect as a meal by
itself. Since I was full, I don't remember much about my pigeon entree or dessert. Eat here if it will be your only meal that
day!
If you are a repeat visitor to Paris, one quirky thing you may consider is Jim
Haynes' Sunday Soiree. Jim is an American author who has lived in Paris for 30 years, and has a dinner party
at his home every Sunday. Don't be fooled--although the rule is that "everyone must mingle," it's still difficult if you are
naturally shy. There are also people there who mainly speak French, so you need to figure out who speaks your language. Still,
for 20 euros, it's a good deal. You'll meet a wide range of people and will be fed a good meal. Many people come just to meet
Jim himself, buy his books and have him sign them. I went to meet other Fodorites (above), who were fantastic.
| Catherine & Christian Constant, Le Violon d'Ingres |
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| I don't know why Mr. Constant looks so glum; he was jolly all through dinner! |
Le Violon d'Ingres, a "casual smart"
version of Mavro's, is a nice splurge dinner, but don't be scared off by the internet prices. My tasting menu was just
60 euros and was recommended so that I "could try the specialties of Mr. Constant." I started with a caviar and crab terrine
surrounded by a white sauce that was almost undetectable to the taste, yet got more delicious the more I ate it. The sea bass
was light, but a little fishy. The pigeon was smooth and moist, with a lovely mushroom wine sauce and placed atop a section
of lettuce with a shallot vinagrette. Very SF! Very La Folie. The dessert cheese that followed went very well with
its wine; the taste was hard to place but brought out the fruitiness of the Hermitage. Their chocolate decadence was pure
fudge with creme anglais and vanilla bean ice cream. Chocolat lovers, gather round.
My MOB friend Tammy Hermann highly recommended le Relais de Entrecote,
a steak place that is known for its green peppercorn sauce. She and I love our meat still mooing, so I trusted her instinct!
Little English is spoken here, but they must be adapting to American tastes, since they now ask how you would like your meat
prepared. And,there's no need for a menu because they only serve one meal (although you will want a menu for dessert.) The
salad has a spicy mustard dressing, reminiscent of Sam Choy's creamy wasabi dressing, and is topped with walnuts. The steak
itself is unusually soft, and the sauce tastes vaguely like the salad dressing. I can't place the earthy taste, but it's definitely
familiar. The fries are crisp-tender and not too oily.
| Chic freaks and geeks at the Montmartre Wine Fest |
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| Click the photo for a link to the official website. |
| Two Windmills Cafe, Montmartre |
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| Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélissa! |
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I didn't realize that we were staying just steps from a famous bistrot--Le Florimond. The fixed menu, which changes constantly, is just 34.70 euros and the staff
will bend over backwards to accomodate you. The pumpkin soup is creamy and is so fresh it tastes like they just picked it
from the garden. The lobster ravioli is the big winner, covered in a chunky bisque-like sauce. (I like Chai's better, but
these are more delicate and less filling.) The rabbit sausage with terrine of rabbit comes with some kind of chive patties;
the rabbit overpowers everything on the plate. The fish with dill sauce is lick-the-plate ono. Nisa had a roast chicken with
potatoes and a vanilla cream sauce. I know this sounds wierd, but it was delicious....a combination of savory with the almost
sweet sauce worked very well. My citron tartlette with caramel is a citrus flavored custard in phyllo pastry; too heavy to
follow such a dinner, but would be sensational on its own. It's not better than sex--but I think the sweet, sour, and mellow
flavors were feeling each other up in a menage on my tongue.
| With owner/chef Pascal Gulliamin at Le Florimond |
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| When I asked for a photo, he looked like he wanted to die, but politely obliged me. |
In between, we took an overnight trip to Chinon. This is where Joan of
Arc went to form & train her army, after she started hearing God's voice telling her to do so. Everything in this town
is dedicated to Joan of Arc and her place in French--and world--history.
SeaUrchin (Nancy) from Fodors suggested I stay at the Chateux
de Marcay because she is a ghost magnet like me and swears the place is haunted. For the record, I didn't
have anything happen! Many seek out the chateaux for its food. All the dishes are the result of progressive thinking, with
vegetables amidst salty milk foam or (turbot) fish served in meat sauce. My veal rump was served wtih a puree of celery root
with a thyme jus. Hmm! The dessert was a capuccino pudding over fig puree in a tiny cup. We also enjoyed the unique petit
fours, all with bright, intense flavors.
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| Chateaux de Marcay in Chinon |
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| Upscale, remote, and....haunted?! |
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One last thing: If you go to Paris in October, try to go during the first week.
One of the highlights was the Montmartre Wine Festival, an annual event in conjunction with the Paris Nuit Blanche. La Nuit
Blanche, or "White Night," is an all night celebration throughout the city that showcases the culinary, cultural, recreational,
and family activities that the people of the city have to offer. In Montmartre, there are about 40 tents along the roads just
below Sacre Couer. Champagne, wine, cheese, tortes, bread, oysters, mushrooms, ethnic food, fruits, vegetables, honey, sausage,
potatoes and more are for sale at reasonable prices by local artisans. Who knew? It's like a cheaper, more delicious version
of Taste of Honolulu. I found myself muttering, "My city sucks!" More than once on this trip.
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