New York Mag for the real Paris insider news

Even I didn't know the Gare Saint Lazare had a TGV !!! Thanks New York magazine!

L'Arome restaurant Paris

Meiji restaurant Paris

Pharamond

Open almost continuously since 1832, this Paris landmark restaurant, located in a quiet square not far, but still hidden from, the horrible Les Halles area, has recently reopened with the vision of Sylvain, formerly of the cult-luxe bistro L'Ami Louis. Using many of the same suppliers, Pharamond brings back quite a few bourgeois classics, such as their unbeatable Bouche a la Reine , or Vol au Vent, a perfectly conceived puff-pastry, filled with ris de veau, button mushrooms and a superb, earthy, salty sauce I couldn't get enough of. The Cote de Boeuf, weighing in at 1.2 kilos, was delicious, tender, and infused with the homemade butter it was cooked with. Also, the cellar is very interesting, with a lot of old bottles from Sylvain's personal collection. The private dining rooms on the third floor may be privatised starting from two people, for secret trysts, and assorted skullduggery.


Facade


Private Salon


Private Salon


Bouche a la Reine (Vol au Vent)


1.2 kilos of beef (before)


Cote de boeuf


Final result!

Cantine de Quentin (bis) / new menu

Dorade carpaccio with cucumber velouté "milkshake"


Saté risotto with shitake mushrooms

Today - A beer on the martyr's mount

Rose Bakery

I know this British-inspired epicerie/brunch place is hardly under the radar anymore, but it still remains my favourite place in the Montmartre area to chill with a drink and plate of scrambled eggs. They didn't spend too much on the deco, and they don't have any English beer (why Asahi only?), but the food is good, bio, not expensive, and they have some hot female waitstaff and customers, and nice takeout cakes.






Scrambled Eggs with Cheese Scone

Jarrasse Neuilly - GOGO review

Canal Saint Martin SKANK

Bet all those tourists on the Canauxrama cruise this afternoon got a great impression of Paris seeing the dozens of tents, makeshift housing, rabid dogs, pesky panhandlers and floating garbage lining the trendy, scenic canal. Bravo to whatever bleeding heart foundation that's behind this. All the local businesspeople thank you kindly for the sudden (and prolonged) 30-40 percent loss in business, and the local Sunday, canal-gazing families thank you for the vagrants pissing on every square meter of available ground surface. Particular kudos for the nearly vertical rise in the local illicit drug trade, violence in the trendy bars and cafés, and general panoramic eyesore.


Tents


Floating rubbish

Jarrasse Neuilly

Although I know Rostang well, having had the chance to spend five hours one lunch in his eponymous gastro, his Neuilly fish restaurant has always been a little off my radar, despite its reputed excellence, good figaroscope reviews, and positive comments in the blogosphere. Last night's dinner was superb. The décor is warm and modern, with lots of reds, various trinkets picked up at the flea market (check out the wooden lockers from turn-of-the-century Banque de France ), and a welcoming friendly and professional staff. The food was outstanding, from the truffle-covered scallops, stacked, sushi-style, on top of algae wrapped potatoes, and the grilled turbotine (1 kg!) , which was, in every way, perfect, from the firm flesh of the fish to the expert cooking and delicious side of beurre blanc. Also of note was the (although very classic) Soufflé Grand Marnier. Probably the most interesting classic fish restaurant opened in the Paris region for awhile (and a good bet seeing the retrograding of Marius et Janette and La Marée)