Archive for June, 2009
The roofs is on fire
Jun 19th
Beginning tonight, the super value Mama Shelter hotel will begin hosting weekend BBQs up on the roof. Their €39 menu is a bit pricey (dinner for two will cost more than your room) and offers ni hot dog, ni hamburgeur. Nevertheless, I’ll be checking it out… next week. After all the hub-bub has died down.
The low-down in English: Thursday – Saturday no-res dinner from 7-11pm Saturday no res lunch from 12-4pm €39 for a basket of crudités, lentil salad, grilled kebabs of beef, chicken and fish, lamb chops, potatoes, sorbet, watermelon and other seasonal fruits. Drinks not included.
En V.O. from their More >
Paris Daily Porn
Jun 18th
A new photo blog to keep you company when I’m too busy for words: Paris Daily Porn
Two hot dishes from Racines
Jun 17th
Hot Dish #1: Pierre Jancou
Photo: Kai Junemann
Hot Dish #2: Pierre’s Agneau de Lait en Cocotte The latest issue of Gulf Life, the in-flight magazine for Gulf Air, has a new interview with Pierre Jancou. The charismatic owner of Racines was kind enough to share (along with his time and some tasty natural wine) this recipe for milk-fed lamb with spring vegetables.
Le Chateaubriand
Jun 16th
Years ago, I tried le Chateaubriand and had an okay – nothing more – meal. I was later shocked to read reviews heralding this as one of the best restaurants in the city. Edgy, inventive, and over-the-top delicious – none of the adjectives matched my own experience there.
I eventually figured out that Inaki Aizpitarte, the Basque chef from la Famille and Transversal, had taken over shortly after my visit. The old-school bistro setting hadn’t changed, but the acrobatic food was altogether new. I returned to see/eat what all the fuss was about, and experienced a four-course show so delicious that More >
Shan Goût
Jun 12th
Shan Goût opened in March 2009 and was immediately tapped by François Simon as the newest Place To Go. The resulting critical stampede made me cynical, so I avoided Shan Goût for awhile. Then Braden and Laura, two very accomplished eaters, tested it out. Their praise was unwavering, and included the important words “best ravioli ever.”
With so much love in my heart for the dumpling (ravioli is the generic French word for gyoza-type goodness), it wasn’t long before I had a reservation at Shan Goût. I started the night with an apéro at the Baron Rouge, a loud-talking wine bar near More >
Tram Tram (Rome)
Jun 11th
It’s not difficult to find a good restaurant in Rome. But it’s nearly impossible to find one that’s not filled with foreigners. I arrived in the Eternal City with the dream of finding the virgin trattoria – a charming place not yet covered by tourist fingerprints. That dream, I soon realized, is mathematically improbable. With the Eternal City now clocking 100,000 daily visitors, almost every threshold, no matter how “insider,” has been crossed.
The only hope for those who yearn to eat among the locals is to walk far away from the center into a neighborhood not on most maps. San More >
Rolling with the homies
Jun 5th
As promised, Daniel Rose hosted an indoor picnic de luxe last Saturday at Spring restaurant in the 9th. On the menu: lobster rolls, duck-fat french fries (a nod to Hot Doug?) and some very cold champagne.
We arrive late (quelle surprise) after a noisy afternoon at the Villette Sonique music festival. Walking in around 9pm, we’re met with fallen face and the words “we just sold the last sandwich.” There is a table, though, so we sit for wine and to plan our next move.
