Well, the lack of response to my rant suggests one of the
following, perhaps:

(1) I'm so far off base that my lack of knowledge of decent food
is showing

(2) This was an aberration for Taillevent, or

(3) I just failed to pique anyone's interest.

Even - especially! - if the former, I'd appreciate a brief
comment from anyone who knows the place and/or can recommend
alternatives for the next trip (NYT had a laudatory piece oon
Depardieu's restaurant this weekend, for example - any good?), or
restaurants any place that really *are* the world's best.

Thanks - Ewan

On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 09:14:21 -0500, Ewan McNay >
wrote:

>Well, the lack of response to my rant suggests one of the
>following, perhaps:
>
>(1) I'm so far off base that my lack of knowledge of decent food
>is showing
>
>(2) This was an aberration for Taillevent, or
>
>(3) I just failed to pique anyone's interest.
>
>Even - especially! - if the former, I'd appreciate a brief
>comment from anyone who knows the place and/or can recommend
>alternatives for the next trip (NYT had a laudatory piece oon
>Depardieu's restaurant this weekend, for example - any good?), or
>restaurants any place that really *are* the world's best.

I would instinctively stay away from a restaurant owned by a star, if
it is anything like his wines... and I would keep a healthy scepticism
about what journalists write about cuisine, for the most part they are
clueless and just write about what the newspapers want, trendy places.


Most people that go to the great meccas of high dining agree that the
claim that Adrian Ferra is the world's best is now obsolete, and that
by far the world's best is Marc Veyrat.

I went to l Bulli last summer, and found it to be interesting, I was
glad I went there, and I enjoyed the comfortable surroundings more
than the meal, mainly for two reasons : 1) the textures were mostly
mushy, there was nothing to truly bite into, I found myself eating
lots of bread, 2) matching the food to wine was nearly impossible, and
though the wine list was very large and prices reasonable, no attempt
was made by us or by the sommelier to match wine to food, 3) the
notion of terroir is totally replaced by technology. I would not have
missed that dinner, but I feel no need to go back.

I have never eaten at Veyrat's place(s), but opinions are unanimous,
despite his allegedly difficult character, this guy is a true genius
and innovator, a purist who works primarily out of passion for what he
does. I'll just have to make uo my mind and go one of these days.


If you want to go to a great place in Paris, go to Yves Camdeborde's
restaurant La Regalade, but reserve a month ahead. Or else go to L'ami
Jean, run by ex-Regalade second Jego.

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France
email link http://www.tommasi.org/mymail

In article >, Ewan McNay >
writes:

>1) I'm so far off base that my lack of knowledge of decent food
>is showing
>
>(2) This was an aberration for Taillevent, or
>
>(3) I just failed to pique anyone's interest.
>

You forgot (4) folks here can't afford Taillevent, so just sympathize in
silence.
Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

David Rosengarten considers Joel Robucheon the best French chef ever.
Robuchon has come out of retirement and is associated with the new
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon at 5 rue de Montalembert, 75007 Paris. A
recent Rosengarten Report reviews this restaurant. The bad news is that
the setting is not a grand dining room, but rather a strange modern
setting somewhat modeled after a sushi bar with stools. Very strange.
The good news is that the food is nearly perfect. You can buy several
"Plats en Petites Portions Degustations" whick cost about 13 Euros each
for a tiny bit of something. Some of these are available in larger
portions at about 25 Euros. Or if you want something more traditional,
they have a very few "Les Poissons et Les Viandes" at about 30 Euros. It
is somewhat like tapas bar, but an extremely high priced one.
Rosengarten found every selection he tried to be perfecton. But then it
does not add up to a grand meal such as you would have had from
Robuchon in the days of his glory in grand restaurants.

"Cwdjrx _" in ...
> David Rosengarten considers Joel Robucheon the best French chef ever.
> Robuchon has come out of retirement and is associated with the new
> L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon at 5 rue de Montalembert, 75007 Paris.

Haven't been there but various food friends have in the last year or so, and
reported similar impressions.

-- Max

"Ewan McNay" > wrote in message
...
> Well, the lack of response to my rant suggests one of the
> following, perhaps:
>
> (1) I'm so far off base that my lack of knowledge of decent food
> is showing
>
> (2) This was an aberration for Taillevent, or
>
> (3) I just failed to pique anyone's interest.
>
> Even - especially! - if the former, I'd appreciate a brief
> comment from anyone who knows the place and/or can recommend
> alternatives for the next trip

I tried to get a reservation at Taillevent last trip to Paris and was
informed that they were all booked up for the high tourist season, but they
could probably fit me in for lunch. Bah!

We ended up dining at Atelier Berger instead, and it was excellent. It was
a slow night and we got personal service from the owner - a Danish
expatriate as I recall. Something like a nine course meal over several
hours, and a different wine - sometimes two - with each course. The poultry
dish (squab?) with Havana cigar infusion was the most interesting of the
lot. Really interesting; it never would have occurred to me to try that at
home - but I may one day.

Tom S

Salut/Hi Cwdjrx _,

le/on Tue, 30 Mar 2004 00:24:59 -0600 (CST), tu disais/you said:-

>David Rosengarten considers Joel Robucheon the best French chef ever.

I'd be more convinced if he (Robuchon) wasn't paid to do adverts for mass
produced frozen food (I think it is).

--
All the Best
Ian Hoare
http://www.souvigne.com
mailbox full to avoid spam. try me at website

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 23:20:50 +0200, Ian Hoare >
wrote:

>Salut/Hi Cwdjrx _,
>
> le/on Tue, 30 Mar 2004 00:24:59 -0600 (CST), tu disais/you said:-
>
>>David Rosengarten considers Joel Robucheon the best French chef ever.
>
>I'd be more convinced if he (Robuchon) wasn't paid to do adverts for mass
>produced frozen food (I think it is).

Fleury Michon ham and charcuterie. Ugh.

Mike


Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France
email link http://www.tommasi.org/mymail

Salut/Hi Mike Tommasi,

le/on Wed, 31 Mar 2004 08:26:51 +0200, tu disais/you said:-

>> le/on Tue, 30 Mar 2004 00:24:59 -0600 (CST), tu disais/you said:-
>>
>>>David Rosengarten considers Joel Robucheon the best French chef ever.
>>
>>I'd be more convinced if he (Robuchon) wasn't paid to do adverts for mass
>>produced frozen food (I think it is).
>
>Fleury Michon ham and charcuterie. Ugh.

Thanks! I'd completely forgotten. Shows how impressed I am by "big name
chefs" in advertising! He's also co-presenter with other chefs of an idiotic
TV spot - 5 mins before lunch which is supposed to pass on some good ideas
for cooking. Wasn't it he who did the "Special creations" for Marie, or was
that another "Great Chef" long past his "sell-by" date, Paul Bocuse. Yes, it
was Bocuse.

He who perpetrated "La Nouvelle Cuisine" on an unsuspecting world and with
Michel Guérard, launched a thousand imitators to steer a relentless course
towards steamed chicken breast with lemon juice and magret with raspberry
vinegar. Bleurgh.

--
All the Best
Ian Hoare
http://www.souvigne.com
mailbox full to avoid spam. try me at website