Despite, I'm still the least read and crappest food blog around...

This appeared in last saturday's Figaro, confirming my opinion that gastronomic God François Simon is indeed the most visionary critic writing in French today. I mean, even He found hope in my faithless mess of a blog.

La Bulle GOGO Review

La Bulle, 75010, Paris

In my quartier, before a few weeks ago, there wasn't much to look forward to, aside from fake nippons, bad kebabs, and greasy-spoon brasseries. All that seems to have changed, with the new bistro, La Bulle, a fresh new reincarnation of what was, a few months ago, a pretty skanky bar/café. The exposed walls have remained, but with a fresh modern remake: soft lighting, good music, a young, friendly staff, and a cuisine "pimpant". Tuna tartar with wasabi "guacamole" and homemade "papadoms", an oriental-ish chicken filet and herb salad, seabass with mango, lambchops with bordelaise sauce,mushrooms, cumin-flavoured carrots. A young chef who's done England, Spain and Italy, a 30€ menu: entrée, plat, dessert. Two weeks after opening, on the right track. Nothing too radically creative, but good food and attitude. Looking forward to what they can acomplish....

PS apologies for the crap photos, but I've yet to figure out how the settings on my new SONY work...



"Oriental" chicken salad with herbs

Tuna tartar, with avocado/wasabi cream and "poppadom"

Seabass fillets with mango

Lambchops with bordelaise sauce, mushrooms, and cumin-infused carrots


La Bulle
48 rue Louis Blanc, 75010, Paris
Telephone: +33 1 40 37 34 51

Le Floors, Restaurant Paris, GoGo review

Le Floors, Restaurant/Diner Paris

Haute burgers in the Barbès badlands. This modern/nostalgic French bobo version of an American diner is a short walk from the skanky Barbès metro, a quick trot up the rue de Clignancourt. The building is pretty impressive-looking- a former print shop, three stories of glass and white concrete at the intersection of three streets, in a gentrifying neighbourhood, at the bottom of almost-Montmartre. The service, all-female, attitude wrapped up in tight designer jeans is friendly enough, the crowd, chain-smoking yuppies with kids, gays, creative types, etc etc , the music vintage '60's soul and pop. The burgers, perhaps more interesting on the menu than in real life, come with a number of luxe/comfort extras like foie gras, truffles, San Daniel ham, bacon, satay sauce, and accompanying salads, chinese noodle (strange taste and texture), coleslaw, beetroot and raifort,etc. The (most expensive) cheesecake in the 18eme, tasty with real Philly cream cheese, but hardly worth the 9.50€ they charge (I have the feeling it's made with Philly they bought in some overpriced American grocery store in the Marais).

"Du McDo, sauce bobo" says the Figaroscope, and I'm inclined to agree.

New York Times Vélib Bull***t

Why is it that almost every time I read a US publication article on Paris, I find it rife with mistakes, lies and fabrications? Eric Rainman's (oops, Rayman) latest on the Vélib bicycle rental craze in Paris comports some important, fatal errors.

NO Vélib stations currently have the card "swipe" he claims using. What they have is a slot for credit card with smart chip only. Swipes WILL be installed soon, but haven't been yet, making this dubious ...

Vélibs were developed initially for the Parisian market not tourists...

The vast majority of American tourists will NOT be able to Vélib anytime soon...


http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/travel/14Journeys.html?ex=1350014400&en=67aa2906d6fcb413&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Does Michelin Matter in the USA?

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2007/10/michelin_stars_colicchio_doesn.html