Paris.Rugby.Airplane.Flyover.

Atelier de Joel Robuchon

It's been a couple of years since I've visited the Atelier, one of my very favourite establishments in Paris. Everything was great, especially the cochon fermier, the unbeatable bacon, cabbage-leaf wrapped , foie-gras stuffed pigeon, stellar gazpacho, insane jabugo. And to be in the presence of Carlos (not?), Tof, Austen, and my new friend Béatrice made the evening worthwhile.

Rooftop dangernight

When in Rome.... (Skip's Hamburgers, Merrimac, MA)

All my friends know I take special care of what I eat, and that rarely includes junk food, but being in the Land of Bush, I had to make an exception when someone told me about SKIP'S a 60-year old purveyor of exceptional hamburgers, and a restaurant I have heard about for many years, but had never tried. Suffice to say, the bacon double cheeseburger was absolutely superb, with top quality minced beed, tangy cheese and homecooked bread. A gastroexperience in an unexpected place...

Lakeside Maine

Away from the hustle and bustle of Paris, here are a few images from the private lakeside villa I've been staying at for the last few days... no internet, mobile phone coverage, just peace and quiet ... three days almost drove me crazy......! Where's the action??!

Adrian does New England

Rural NH is scary. Scarier than I remember. Lots of four-wheel drive vehicles, trailer trash, bikers, tattoed yobbos, crap food, sensationalist media, flying/biting creatures, commercials, FAT people, interminable road-side fast food establishments, weird shit.... photos/videos soon....

Stop. Drinking. Now.

New Pierre Gagnaire restaurant?

Rumour has it that Gagnaire is opening a new restaurant designed by Per Se's architect Adam Tihany. Staff at Gagnaire's eponymous three-star know something's up, but won't speak, even under the threat of torture, making me think it must be a new Parisian flagship in the wings...

Lao Siam restaurant Belleville

Salad "douce"


Pates Imperiaux


Beef Lemongrass Salad


Salt and Pepper Shrimp



Sorry, crappy mobile photos again - but I was too busy eating to care. Did Krung Thep the night before, which is always fun , but full of Anglos, so tried Lao Siam , which seemed a pretty good Thai (for Paris), but still had its share of loudmouth Yankies and fake Anglos (at least three different tables out of the ten others...)

Good nems. Good "salad douce" (shrimps, grated coconut and banana flowers, fibrous but tasty..), great Thai-style chicken skewers with peanut sauce, ok beef noodles....Cheaper than Madame Shawn and Krung Thep for a similar quality food, so I'd go back

Krung Thep

Raw grey shrimp salad with red chili sauce, Softshell crab roasted in garlic, Coconut shell filled with rice, shrimp, and Thai vermicelli. Satisfying dinner, despite the fact that some Condé Nast and NYT-reading American students comprised half of the dining crowd...(Belleville! The New Undiscovered Paris!! etc etc)

Drinking Harry Potters at the Meurice

You read it here first

Enrico Bernardo (world's best somelier) takes over La Chamarré. Le Vino, as it's called will open Tuesday September 25th with lots of ex-members of the Cinq restaurant...

Kronenbourg Instant (decom) Pression

Ribaut rips off Moore (?)

I didn't know that those dinosaurs at Le Monde read my blog - I mean, they did steal , sorry "appropriate", an excellent idea though.

Santa Sed Gogo review

Santa Sed - Chilean Family Cuisine

The following photos do not do justice to great little Chilean restaurant I discovered the other evening just steps away from the Canal Saint Martin. I'd walked past this place a few times, and it piqued my interest, but as I forgot the strange name, it slipped my mind. Then I found a review deep in the fooding archives, and decided to go check it out? Carla, the comely patronne, welcomed me as an old friend, tutoying me as if she had known me her whole life. Her enthusiasm and passion really do make the ambience in the restaurant what it is. She was so charming I could hardly keep my concentration on the food, which merited serious gastronomic reflection. All washed down with a pisco sour (pisco, sugar, lemon juice and a beaten egg white) cocktail and pichet of a decent Chilean Carménère. Special mention goes to the house red pepper and garlic butter. Coté deco, simple and cozy, with wooden tables, mismatched chairs, mosaic floor tiles, and ambient Latino dub.


Excellent ceviche, simply prepared fish with lemon juice and corriander

Empanadas de Pino, crispy crust, tasty spiced ground beef, acompanying tomato sauce freshly made

Pastel del Choclo, a Chilean specialty of ground corn,chopped onion, pieces of beef and chicken, hardboiled egg and black olives, all baked in the oven in a clay dish

Classic dolce de lethe, but in a crepe and sprinkled liberally with Chilean sour raisin liqueur

Da Claudio Montmartre

Very decent seafood spaghetti last Sunday at Da Claudio , just south of the Butte. Fresh homemade pasta, tomato sauce, mussels, calamari... Friendly service

La Pizzetta

Yet another resto lauded heavily by the Figaroscope, Le Fooding, et al. Attractive, minimalist dining room. Pleasant terrace. Packed to capacity at 12h45. OK pizzas (white pie with mushrrom cream, garlic, ham.. and a typical saumona) on an agreeable street near Montmartre, but the service ! True Slow Food! At the entrance waiting (already having reserved by phone..) 15 minutes before the first bonjour. Pizza arriving after nearly one hour after having been ordered. The bill coming nearly 20 minutes after being requested. Despite the patron being there, seems an amateur operation. I'd go back to Maria Luisa, Positano, or two or three other more professional and friendly places before coming back here. The one positive point were the waitresses evident and comely cleavages...Sorry no photos..