Friday, September 27, 2013

René Redzepi - Noma

March 20th 2009

It is funny to see how food critics like to make new idols. Directly after having praised the molecular cuisine for years and while keeping on maintaining silly rankings among restaurants which are so different to each other, they have decided to put forward a purely anti-molecular cuisine which is well supported by the young generation of Scandinavian chefs. One of them is this talented René Redzepi who runs his restaurant Noma in Copenhagen.

Well despite that previous comment and my loath of hipsters' trends, I must tell that I have spent a wonderful lunch at Noma. Guests are served a beautiful and apparently simple cuisine made of local products. The dishes are witty and tasty. Among the highlights of the meals, I can count the hay-smoked quail eggs, the carrots in edible soil (!), and a fantastic very-lightly seared langoustine on a hot stone.

On the can-do-better side, I could mention the desserts (but hey when you're used to French pastry, you become extremely picky) and he service which is done by the cooks themselves. I believe cooking and service are two different things and you can't always be good at both.
Also I wasn't so fond of the fact that you were supposed to eat some dishes with your fingers.  Let me have a fork please and let me decide for myself!
Unfortunately, René Redzepi wasn't there on that day but the restaurant was well-run nevertheless.

Those few critical comments should not overshadow the very high quality of this cuisine and the exemplary philosophy around it. This is truly an outstanding place which brilliantly represents one of the mot excellent streams of nowadays' cuisine.



Smoked quail eggs

Rye bread, chicken skin, lump fish roe and smoked cheese

Carots, soil and herbs

Toast, herbs, cod fish roe and vinegar


Shrimp and white currants, Crème and chorophyll

Squid and cucumber juice, kohlrabi and spinach

Tartar and wood sorrel, Aromatic juniper and tarragon

Razor Clams and parsley, Dill and mussel juice

Langoustine and Söl, seawater

Radishes from Lammefjorden, sea weed and egg yolk

Burnt salsify and milk skin, Truffles from Gotland and wild herbs

Skate and vegetable stems, Pickled ramson onion

Caramelized milk and yogurt, garden sorrel and rape seed oil

Øllebrød and frothed milk, Skyr and toasted rye kernels



Noma
Strandgade 93
1401 København K
Denmark
+45 32 96 32 97

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Jean-Louis Nomicos - Les Tablettes

May 24th 2013


I had read many good things about Jean-Louis Nomicos. It must have been one of those nights off. I didn't feel the talent I was expecting. The menu is well designed and has all the necessary elements to provide a luscious meal but it fell short on tiny details: warmth of the dishes, textures (especially the sweetbread was all moist and didn't deliver that crispy crust that was expected), sherbets were already melted when served, etc.


Lemon jelly, tomato

Goat cheese, Olives; Eel and Apple


Green Asparagus, soft boiled egg, morels, Arbois wine

Seabass, fennel steam, artichoke, sea snails, cherry-tomato, basil

Truffle macaroni, foie gras, celery, veal jus

Veal sweetbread, ginger, lemon grass, carrots


Strawberry, tomato, peppermint, star anise, vanila, ibiscus, rubarb

Grand cru chocolate, mascarpone ice cream, cocoa sherbet


Mignardises



Les Tablettes de Jean-Louis Nomicos
16 Avenue Bugeaud
75116 Paris
France
+33 1 56 28 16 16

Sylvain et Sarah Sendra - Itinéraires

June 21st 2013

Let me get straight to the point: Itineraires is one my favorite spots in Paris. It gathers a combination of excellent and modern food which is both delectable and light, a comfortable seating, an extensive wine list and above all an extremely warm and friendly service.

In its current form, Itinéraires has evolved from its former bistro style into this more comfortable version which is well suited for the Michelin star race. It didn't come as a surprise when they gain their well deserved first Michelin star in early 2013.

Sylvain Sendra and his wife Sarah have always wanted to take the time to do things properly as the name of their first bistro suggested it. It was called "Le temps au temps (Time for time )". It was rue Paul Bert.

But they've now moved many years ago to this more-central location, not far away from the formerly glorious Tour d'Argent. At first, they kept their bistro version until Sylvain Sendra decided he wanted to offer something more to his guests. One thing which has not changed is the extremely professional and friendly service under the direction of Sylvain's wife, the talented Sarah. Not only does she masterfully organize the dining room and give direction to the waiting staff, but she is also extremely knowledgeable about wine and skillfully advises guests about the beautiful and well-balanced wine list.



Eggplant caviar, Sake foam

Marinated Salmon, yogurt dust

Herb consomme, mackerel, oyster sherbet

Dublin Bay prawn

Risotto, anchovy butter, fish stock and onion flower

Guinea fowl, girolle mushroom, potato mash


Chocolate entremet, milk ganache, passion fruit

Cherries lightly seared, vanilla ice cream





Restaurant Itinéraires
5 rue de Pontoise,
75005 Paris - France.