Jean-François Rouquette - Pur' at Park Hyatt Vendôme

September 15th 2014

A return to Jean-François Rouquette's Pur restaurant at the Park Hyatt confirms that this table, despite being under the radar of journalistic trends, has a solid team and delivers high-quality cuisine navigating between tradition and modernity.
Dishes incorporate some bits of Aveyron, the Chef's birth region like those pickled-berries. The gastronomic journey also explores the remote frontiers of Japan with this flavouful Foie-gras shabu-shabu.
Being at the chef's table gives the opportunity to open the dialog with skillful craftsmen all along the dinner.

Amuses-bouches

Beef Tartare, mustard sherbet

The Chef's table offers a great view into the kitchen

Chef Jean-François Rouquette

Foie Gras Shabu-shabu, Soba noodles, pickled plums

Girolles, hazelnut and cereals, pickled blackberries, onion caramel

John-Dory, butternut squash, buckwheat clams, lemongrass and ginger

Pigeon breast and its offal cromesquis, sweet-clover, shallot, radish, sweet and sour plums

Dry-aged Beef Filet, Fire-roasted eggplants, blown potato

Fourme d'Ambert and figs

Pear sherbet and Caramel

Passion-fruit Vacherin, old-rum flambéed bananas

Berry salad

All chocolate and caramel dessert

Pur'
5 Rue de la Paix,
75002 Paris, France
+33 1 58 71 10 60

The Hundred-Foot Journey

Although the plot is simplistic and the trailer gives away the a good part of the story, 

The Hundred-Foot Journey is a surprisingly nice movie about a young Indian cook who becomes a renowned chef. The action takes place in France with all its clichés (too bad French people are depicted in such a despicable way but that's what makes the movie funny). 

Despite the lack of originality in the scenario, actors are doing a pretty job in making this movie very entertaining.

http://imdb.com/title/tt2980648/

Sylvain et Sarah Sendra - Bocca Rossa

September 13th 2014
The very first service at Bocca Rossa.


A previous post describes the talent of Sylvain and Sarah Sendra from the restaurant Itinéraires. After the opening of their cozy traditional fast food and beautiful gourmet store in the heart of the Latin Quarter, 58 Qualité Street, the Chef and his wife have now opened this new address just around the block of their main restaurant Itinéraires.
The place named Bocca Rossa is dedicated to the Chef's Italian Grand-mother and revisits the Italian cuisine with extraordinary products carefully sourced from the mediterranean peninsula, like this wonderful Cinta Senese ham from Paolo Parisi.
The wine list is large and reasonably priced. It offers a large selection of Italian wines but also some bottles from the rest of the Mediterranean.
This comfortable address is surely going to be a new favorite.
La vita è bella.

Amazing prosciutti: cured and smoked.

Low-temperature octopus, tomato, aioli

Home-made squid ink pasta, clams and mussels

Tiramisù

Vero caffè

8 rue de Poissy
75005 Paris
+33 9 51 88 52 44

Philippe Bélissent - Cobéa

October 31st, 2013.

Cobéa opened in the location of the former Monsieur Lapin. Philippe Bélissent runs the kitchen while his old-time partner Jérôme Cobou takes care of the dining room. Together they obtain their first Michelin star in 2013.

Lomo slices, crispy prawns

Cashew cream

Seabass, avocado,  mussel, tarama, oyster leaf and bottarga

Shellfish, sweet onion foam

Cobéa Restaurant
11, rue Raymond Losserand
75014 Paris
Tel +33 1 43 20 21 39
reservation@cobea.fr

Thierry Marx - Château de Cordeillan-Bages

June 2008 (that's a long time ago!)

With Thierry Marx having moved to Paris in the Mandarin Oriental for some time now, it is probably worth revisiting his genius and the wonders he had created in the Bordeaux region near Pauillac.

Seared Royal Crab 

Eel in Surf and Turf, cereal toast and sour apple

Uncooked Warm soufflé, oyster and Cahmapgne, sea-water crisp

Cucumber heart with caviar, clam foam, Gillardeau oyster

Abalones

Low-temperature Turbot, seaweed butter vegetables

Squid, piquillos and pork crisp

Lobster, verbena and lemongrass steam, turnip pulp and lemon confit

Spaghetto (!) with veal sweetbread, porcini and truffle 

Conical quail, tagine flavours

Vine-smoked beef fillet, confited potatoes

Dynamising strawberry, frozen lemon and basil, olive oil crisp

Olive oil biscuit, Campari sherbet and mascarpone

Deconstructed lemon tart

Raw brioche dough and fermenting milk

Tonka bean frozen meringue crisp

Chocolate truffle (Tuber Melanosporum!)

Thierry Marx
Château de Cordeillaan-Bages
Route des Châteaux, 33250 Pauillac, France

Anthony David - Les fables de la Fontaine

Jun 1st, 2013

After Sébastien Gravé had decided to leave the race for stars, Davide Bottereau has partnered with the Chef Anthony David from the Ducasse galaxy to continue the magic of  serving some of the best sea food in Paris in les Fables de La Fontaine.

Swordfish Carpaccio 

With Anthony David, the cuisine has changed totally. The cuisines became maybe a little bit simpler and lighter in a good way. One thing did not change though, it is the quality of the products and the precise cooking of the fish.


Les Fables de la Fontaine
131 Rue Saint-Dominique,

75007 Paris, France
+33 1 44 18 37 55
www.lesfablesdelafontaine.net

Sébastien Gravé - Pottoka

September 10th 2014.

Pottoka is an amazing bistro from Sébastien Gravé, the former chef of the wonderful Les Fables de La Fontaine. In this bistro opened a few years ago, Sébastien has extended his menu beyond just seafood (like he did in his previous michelin-star restaurant). He now serves mouth-watering dishes from his basque birth region with the simplicity and conviviality that he likes.

Last year Sébastien opened La Pena, a new dining room just next door which can accommodate a large party of 16 diners. This makes the perfect place for private parties or why not to enjoy watching a rugby match with other supporters.

Pork Belly with girolles and artichokes

Pottoka

4 rue de l'Exposition
75007 Paris
+33 01 45 51 88 38
http://www.pottoka.fr/