It's been difficult getting my manicured hands dirty in the kitchen with so many fun holiday parties. I like parties. And I like champagne. And recently I've really enjoyed vodka gimlets. I've been delinquent about blogging in the past month, but in case someone does read this, I thought I'd write a posting about the restaurants I like in France. Yes, unusual, considering I only write about my own delicious creations because I'm so super duper in the kitchen, but I can be unpredictable. I also want to jot this down before I forget some must must go to places. The French basically only eat French food. And why shouldn't they when their cuisine is pretty much based on butter sauces and cream and truffles. There's an abundance of French restaurants, but most of them are crap. I kid you not. However, if you are reading this, you are in luck. Because I have great insight into the best restaurants, mostly in the Paris region, and I have great taste in what's good. The list below reflects my subjective opinion, but once again, I have great taste in what's good. Especially when it comes to good food.
Alain Ducasse at Hotel Plaza-Athenee
Prices are steep, but the whole experience was amazing. I worked here too, so compared to the amount of work that goes into the food, I'd say the menu is underpriced. I was pleasantly surprised by the lightness of the food and then they gave me a tour of the wine cellar. And they gave me homemade caramel to take home cause I loved it so much. The poulet de Bresse with albufera sauce was one of the best things ever and I could eat it every meal. Probably even for breakfast.
L'Ambroisie
I would think prices are steep, but I didn't pay for it so I don't know the exact damage it would do. Inside a beautiful old aristocratic urban mansion, the food was very traditional French and the service was impeccable. I give a 20 out of 10 for service. I dropped my napkin on the floor without knowing and someone came and picked it up with a fork and spoon, chopstick style and replaced it with a fresh new one. That's some service. He probably wasn't French. Anyhow, the fois gras mousse with morel mushrooms are their signature appetizer they've served for the past 25 years and I could probably eat it for breakfast. It was so yummy.
Michel Guerard at Les Pres d'Eugenie
This place is way in rural France near bordeaux. But worth the trip in my not so humble opinion. The chef still works in the kitchen and he's 78! Everything is wonderful wonderful wonderful. I'd imagine this place is what heaven is like. His signature dish is this one called the soft pillow of mushrooms and its this delicate ravioli with mushrooms and truffle with an amazing cream sauce with more morels and chanterelles and truffles. It really looks like a soft pillow and I would like to sleep in the sauce every night. This is probably my #1 pick among the gastronomic restaurants.
Auberge le Quincy
I stumbled upon this by accident cause a friend wanted to meet near the ghetto parts of Paris. I rarely travel to 2 digit arrondissement's, but I can't always be selfish or I'd have no friends. And it was soooooooo good! The place is open only 4 days a week. Tues-Fri and it's only cash or check. 2 senior citizens own the place and they are hilarious! Everything on the menu was so to my liking! It's really important to order the ice cream cause they bring you either a whole bottle of grand marnier or rum and you can drink the whole bottle for all they care. The food is more midi-pyrenees style. Could be heavy for the untrained stomach. I always take alka-seltzer afterwards and whip out my fat pants for the next week, but it is soooooooooo worth it. It was listed in a recent article in the now obliterated Gourmet magazine. The article was written by Ruth Reichl and I total gave her respek as editor in cheif after that. Booyakasha!
Evasion
Maybe one of the best bistro's ever. It's sort of in the business district so not many people know of it. It's bistro food, refined. And they might just serve the best Paris-Brest after this one pastry shop in the 7th. This place is just really really good.
Pizza Chic
They serve pretty decent pizza, but the place is just so cute and chic and the clientele is so chic and fab. I like chic and I like fabulous. I don't like pizza so much though. But still, the food is really good.
Il Corte
I once read or heard somewhere that this little italian joint was on the favorites list of 2008 chef of the year Yannick Alleno. I could be hallucinating. But it's really really quaint. It's on the same street at Hotel Costes somewhere. You enter into a very average looking Haussmanian style building and then there's a very pretty courtyard where you'd like to bring out a couple cases of champagne and have a picnic. And then you see the restaurant. The food was very traditional italian I think. Italian food isn't one of my favorites...but I do not dislike it.
Le Comptoir de Relais Christine
I prefer going on weekends when they have the regular a la carte menu cause sometimes they serve things I'm not too fond of on the weekday prix fix. And I like to have variety and I like making my own decisions, rather than having my menu planned out for me. I also love this place cause now they have opened this place next door called Avant Comptoir so you can get little nibbles and drinks as you wait for your table. And Avant Comptoir makes these lip smacking cherry pickles. It sounds gross, but it was truly lip smackingly good. Just make sure you don't get the crazy head waitress with short hair and glasses. She's disagreable and she stresses me out everytime I see her and when she talks, she spits all over the table. It's a true French experience.
Restaurant at Hotel Amour
This place is another Costes brother enterprise. Hence the food is always consistently pretty good. But this made it to my fav list because the place is just so much fun! The clientele is a great mix of snobs and hipsters and they have a super fun menu. The only place in Paris where they serve a bacon cheeseburger with real american style bacon. And just the thought of the hotel itself is fun. If you suddenly feel the urge for some sexy time, you can go rent a room by the hour.
Ferdi
A really tiny tiny place but so fab. The clientele is an amazing mix of hipsters, artists and fashion people. The food is pretty excellent. The burger here is also good. And the ambiance is just so much fun. I once witnessed the owner kicking out some American girl for her impudence. She had no idea what was going on and I wanted to help her but I was chicken and didn't want to be the next one getting the boot. So I watched. Another fun French experience.
Le Voltaire
The food here is quite perfect. Except for the price. But I know a little secret. Just order the Oeuf Mayonnaise appetizer and some tap water. Total bill = 90 centimes. Yes. You read that right. 90 cents in euro terms or I guess its like $1.35 to be exact. You get this ginormous platter of salad with one hard boiled egg covered in mayonnaise. It really is a meal in itself. But you know if you did that, the French will get all up in your ass and swear at you in their beautiful French language, which will sound like someone's singing anyways. So don't do that. But if someone does, please let me know. I was too chicken, so got the steak tartar and it was dam good. I think it's because they used Heinz ketchup instead of the usual gross Amora brand. The food here is really quite good, but it's not one of my favorites. It only made it to my favorites list because of the Oeuf Mayonnaise. Oeuf Mayonnaise is my ultimate favorite appetizer of choice!
I'll try to do some more cooking in the next year. Happy new years and a bientot!
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