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French food news: Romantic, cool, large, or kid-friendly tables in Paris (not necessarily together)
By Ann | June 13, 2009
Bonjour, mes amis, and welcome to another edition of French food news. Minnie the cat (photo above) is wondering, and I’m sure you are too… What’s going on in this week’s French food media? (Besides, that is, more swooning over Obama’s visit to Paris.) Alors, this week Le Figaroscope finally breaks free of its al fresco dining search to rank restaurants in four very different categories: 1) Most romantic/sexy, 2) Most hip-hop-potamus (that’s “hip” for all you non-Flight of the Conchords fans), 3) Best for large groups, 4) Best for kids. They’ve lumped all these divergent themes under one heading: “A Chaque Situation, sa table,” which translates literally to “A table for each situation.” A better title would have been: We don’t have enough material to squeeze a full article out of any of these categories, so we’ll just make up something general and throw them all together.
Most romantic/sexy – I thought Le Restaurant de l’Hôtel sounded pretty interesting. Oscar Wilde died in this very hotel, Serge Gainsbourg lived here, and now you can seduce your date here. Le Fig says: The restaurant resembles a baroque boudoir, sporting a panther-print carpet and curtains. It also boasts an excellent starred chef, Philippe Bélissent, whose high-flying cuisine pairs marvelously with the glamourous settings.
Hip Tables – This category is not really my bag, but Café Germain has been getting a lot of press recently. It’s owned by the inimitable Costes brothers and is this season’s scene sensation.
Best for Groups – Les Papilles is a tiny, popular wine bar and shop in the 5th that’s often packed. Le Fig says: Remember there’s a small dining room in the basement that can welcome up to 15 people — there’s even a plasma TV screen for rugby fans or workaholics. Enjoy good market-inspired cuisine and some superb bottles of wine.
Best for Kids – Now this is cool: In an effort to teach tweens about gastronomy (only in France!), Atelier Maître Albert invites tweens and teens aged 12-17 to dine for FREE if accompanied by two adults. Le Fig recommends the spit-roasted rôtisserie fish and meat.
For the rest of this article, including more suggestions and addresses, click here.
Let’s see, what else. We know many find Spanish chef Ferran Adria and his molecular gastronomy inspiring. But does his food move you to song? Apparently yes for Bruno Mantovani, who recently premiered a new musical inspired by the El Bulli chef. The piece has 35 movements, a direct reference to Adria’s 35-course tasting menu. Check out Le Figaro’s article here.
Good news for France’s winemakers — According to this NYT article, rosé wine will remain pure, and not a mix of white and red wines as some European lawmakers wanted. Instead, winemakers must continue to make it in the traditional way: from red grapes, which are crushed and left to ferment with their skins on, which tints the colorless juice.
In other news, hot dogs will remain America’s favorite diplomacy tool, according to this NYT op-ed. Let it be known that I have no problem with hot dogs if they are served in their proper environment: barbecues or ball games. But please never serve them with chow mein and dumplings.
Finally, what will Paris look like in 50 years? If Sarkozy has anything to do with it, people will be cultivating vegetable patches in their skyscraper roof-gardens. Click here for the full article. And thanks to David for forwarding. To quote him: “So charmingly impractical!”
Happy weekend and happy eating!
Topics: Food Wednesday, In the news |
3 Responses to “French food news: Romantic, cool, large, or kid-friendly tables in Paris (not necessarily together)”
Comments
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June 13th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Oh, what I would do for another trip to Paris!
June 14th, 2009 at 9:20 am
J’adore les hot-dogs; maybe that’s why I became a diplomat! This CTB entry made me wish Le Fig had thought of another roundup: Best hot dogs in Paris! Most bistros have them on offer and they are often served in a fresh baguette with the spiciest, nose-tinglingest dijon mustard.
February 24th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
If you’ve ever been in Detroit, you probably already know that Coney Island hot dogs are the best.