http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/ ChefTalk.com Cooking Forums - Food and Cooking disucssion for the professional and the at home cook. en Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:27:32 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/images/styles/cheftalk/misc/rss.jpg http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/ http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/496-lunch-hot-dougs-dinner-publican.html Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:24:15 GMT Well if anyone reads my blog you know I am die hard pork loving kind of guy. So when my long time friend Nicholas George from culinary school came into town for a visit it was a great opportunity to try some new places. To my surprise both places Nick suggested I had not been to and were both... Well if anyone reads my blog you know I am die hard pork loving kind of guy. So when my long time friend Nicholas George from culinary school came into town for a visit it was a great opportunity to try some new places. To my surprise both places Nick suggested I had not been to and were both places I was eager to try.

Hot Doug's
===========


The first was Hot Doug's which has been a Chicago hot spot for quite a few years now. Known for their unique selection of hot dogs and sausages it is not your typical hot dog stand. Probably one of the main reasons I have never ventured to Doug's is the horror stories of the long lines. As a matter of fact one of the ChefTalk community members posted a nice thread about their visit and included a photo of the line out the door here:

http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/resta...-emporium.html

We arrived at Hot Doug’s on a Thursday around 11:00 am and it looked like we beat the noon time rush since our wait was only about 10 minutes. The place is a hole in the wall but it has character and Doug is a cool guy. The menu options are unique and I found myself having hard time trying to decide on which dog I wanted because they all looked so good. In the end we opted for one Chicago style hot dog each, one smoked crayfish hot dog, one foie gras hot dog, a large order of fries and a couple of cokes.
The Chicago classics were excellent and what you would expect. No ketchup though, and there is a sign on the wall that says “No ketchup on hot dogs” so mind your manners at Doug’s or you might get the boot. The other two dogs were excellent any like nothing I had ever tried before. I mean c’mon how often do you have a Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Sel Gris served on a hot dog bun? Both sausages (Foie gras and smoked crayfish) were tasty and filling. I recommend going with one or two friends and ordering several different dogs and sharing as we did. One of these sausages is enough to fill you up with an order of fries so it pays to share so you can try different choices. It was really nice to see someone doing something so different with something so classic as a hot dog. I found myself as a former chef wishing I had come up with a similar idea.
Hot Doug’s serve duck fat fries on Friday and Saturday but if you go, go early or bring a book to read while you stand in line.

The Publican
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The second place my friend Nick wanted to try was The Publican, Chef Paul Kahan’s new place. Visit them at Publican - News and Events. This is my kind of place, the type of establishment that I would go back to regularly to enjoy great beers and food with friends.

The focus of the restaurant is pork and is not a good choice to take a vegetarian especially if it is your first date. Each week they get a whole pig in and break it down and make their amazing pork rinds, sausages and pates etc. Although they have some excellent seafood and chicken dishes the pork is the show piece and not to be missed. Going to the Publican and not trying at least one pork dish is like going to Paris and not trying the food. The menu changes daily at the Publican so I was disappointed to find out that they did not have the crab I had heard so much about on the menu. It should be noted that the have an excellent selection of fresh oysters on the menu but we were not there for oysters so we will have to try those on the next visit.

I really liked the layout and design of the restaurant it created a perfect atmosphere in my opinion. The restaurant team really tried to create something similar to a German style beer hall and I think they hit the mark. From the stand up tables to long communal tables to the long wooden handles on the beers on tap the ambiance was perfect.
There are some tables where patrons can sit by themselves, but I think you will have a better experience sitting at the long wooden communal tables with everyone else. We had some great conversations with our neighbors and it really ma



Here is a quick rundown of what we had:

Wines:
1976 Johannisberger Claus Riesling Kabinett (yep you read it right not a typo a 1976er and it was excellent) A gift from my friend Nick and it was so good we shared it with a few of our neighbors who also really enjoyed it.


2006 Geil, Scheurebe Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany (Scheurebe)


Spicy pork rinds

Bone Marrow: roasted with toast points and small parsley, shallot and caper salad

Charcuterie plate: scrapple, duck and foie gras terrine, pork pie and chorizo served with pickles and mustards

Sardines: golden raisins, pine nuts, bacon and cerignola olive

Sweetbread: bacon, mustard greens and tarragon mustard

Grilled baby octopus

Frites with George's organic egg

Little Gem salad: basil, fennel, pig's ear, radish and buttermilk-Muscatel vinaigrette

Waffle with strawberries and pear and honey butter

Whiskey kissed with pure maple syrup

I have photos of just about everything in the photo gallery so you can stop by and check it out here: Publican - ChefTalk Photo Gallery. The one area I haven’t commented on was the beers and this along with the pork dishes is one of the main reasons to visit The Publican. Unfortunately I don’t remember the beers we had and they are not on the website menu but I do remember the Belgium beer I had was excellent. They beer list is a perfect size with only 20-30 beers with about 7 on tap. Next time I will be sure to write down the beers.

In closing I have to say that The Publican is probably the best restaurant I have been to in years. The food was outstanding and there was not one dish that was under par, everything was well executed and the flavors and textures were outstanding. The service was polished and professional and that is not an easy task with communal tables. My only negative comment is that it is very loud when the restaurant is packed. The Publican is my new Chicago favorite I highly recommend you check it out. If you have eaten there I would love to hear your comments and experience. ]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/496-lunch-hot-dougs-dinner-publican.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/475-tips-dining-paris-france.html Mon, 18 May 2009 13:06:23 GMT The following article is written by my wife Colleen and I think it is very informative on some of the more helpful tips to know when dining in Paris France (or just about any European country I expect). Please share your tips for dining in Paris in the comments section below.


Here's what I've learned from experience, and a little research:


ENTREE.
The word, “Entrée” is confusing on a menu for Americans because the French mean “appetizer” when they say, “Entrée.” What Americans consider an entrée is what the French call, “Plat Principal,” (main dish).

A FEW WORDS ABOUT COFFEE.
The French drink café au lait or cafe creme only in the morning and is unusual for lunch or dinner.

Un café is usually a short espresso sized cup of coffee, not an American sized cup of coffee. If you order café au lait, they often bring an American sized cup of coffee out along with a pitcher of hot, steamed milk for you to pour in your coffee.

If you intend to eat a meal and have coffee alongside it, do not order the coffee first! I did this and the waiter assumed we were not eating but only having coffees. He threw up his hands, got upset and stormed off! The hostess came over and asked if we were going to eat. We responded yes, but that I just wanted coffee alongside my meal. We almost lost our seat in this upscale, busy restaurant due to my faux pax. Order your meal first and THEN ask if you may have coffee alongside it.

On that note, many French will go to a local Cafe to simply have a coffee or tea. This is a normal thing for French to do - enjoy a coffee alone - at a cafe. But many restaurants in Paris expect you to sit at the outdoor tables if you aren’t there to eat.


When you place your dessert order, you may notice that they do not ask if you want coffee as well. The French will not serve your coffee alongside your dessert because they treat coffee as a course which follows dessert.

ORDERING WATER.
If you order water they will ask you “with or without carbonation” in French as follows: “avec gas ou sans gas?”. The assumption is that you want a bottle of water, which costs a fair amount of money, and are not ordering tap water which is free. This can be a costly mistake unless you know how to order tap water. In French you would not ask for just water but “Une carafe d’eau” which is a carafe of water. This is understood to mean that you want tap water.

DO THE FRENCH DISLIKE AMERICANS?
Many Americans have had bad experiences in France or have heard of others being treated poorly by the French. Thus there is a stereotype that the French do not like Americans. Some may "write off" a trip to France because of their false perception that they will be treated rudely by the French. This simply is not true. If you take time to learn a few cultural "rules" or norms, act kind and courteous and also try your best to speak as much of the French language possible, you will be treated wonderfully.

Here are some tips which helped me get good treatment from the French:

1. Many Americans perceive the French as snooty and pretentious when this is really not the case. Rather, it is usually an American misperception or lack of understanding of French culture. Of course there are exceptions to this, however, with a little time and effort, you can save yourself a bad experience in Paris and even learn to love the French. If you can understand the French culture, you may be able to “read” interactions you have with the French in a more accurate manner. The first thing to learn is that the French have a more formal and haute (high) culture.

What do I mean by formal? While American culture seems more relaxed and casual in its interactions with strangers, French culture appears to be more composed and observant of conventional requirements of formal behavior. For example, in America it is common for your restaurant waiter to be casual and outgoing – even entertaining - while in France the restaurant staff will act professional, dignified and formal. Their withdrawn, reserved demeanor may seem cavalier and condescending, but this reserved and formal manner is actually what they believe to be polite behavior – so they are actually trying to treat you with what they believe to be courteous and respectful behavior.


What do I mean by a “high” culture? Their “high” culture – as opposed to many American companies’ methods of producing a mediocre product to “make a fast buck” - can be seen in everything the French produce: from fashion (haute couture) to food (haute cuisine). There’s a reason that Paris is the fashion capital and the gastronomic center of the world: they do fashion and food with the highest standard of excellence. While American commercials are all telling you to supersize it, the French value quality of food over quantity of food. There are no “superstores,” “box stores,” or “megastores” in Paris. That’s what is so appealing about it: numerous, lovely boutiques; quaint family run restaurants, specialty food stores. Where else will you find a shop that sells only cheese? Or find a butcher who only sells horse meat? Or find a bakery where the line is out the door and down the street? Or a chocolate shop where there are chocolates 3 feet long shaped like an alligator? Or streets lined with pastry shops with cakes that appear to be artistic masterpieces you’ve never laid eyes on before? Or find a whole country whose people buy fresh bread every day? Only in Paris, my friend.

2. Get a picture in your mind of the typical American that the French would despise: an overbearing, sloppily dressed, obnoxious, loud, discourteous American who can’t speak – and won’t learn - a lick of the French language. Now try to be exactly the opposite of that rude American. Be courteous, kind and friendly. Keep your voice at the same volume as the people around you. Learn a few French words and phrases, and speak French FIRST before you speak any English to a French person.

3. When it comes to what you wear and the bag you carry, sport Samantha Brown’s look, not Rick Steves’. Save the t-shirt, shorts and gym shoes for Disneyworld or camping. Instead pack your bag with business casual clothing. You won’t be pegged as a touristy American (by the way, I didn’t see a single French person wearing shorts or running shoes in Paris). You may be extremely cleanly, but understand that most Europeans view those who carry backpacks as unkempt and dirty backpackers. Leave the duffel bag and backpack at home. Skip the ever popular American tourist fanny pack (you’ll be a target for the gypsies who walk around Paris looking for someone to mug). Instead, buy a satchel, leather bag, tote or shoulder bag.

4. Allow time for a rapport to develop between yourself and a stranger (for example, your waiter, a clerk or a store owner.) Adhere to the proper French cultural formalities of a friendly greeting (“Bonjour” all day until 6:00 p.m. and thereafter, “Bonsoir,”) to be performed before you start joking with your waiter. View the shopkeepers and restaurant staff as experts or professionals in their field that you can learn from or consult for information rather than as servants to wait on you. They will sense your respect for them and it will get you great treatment. We had 2 experiences where, after we adhered to these formalities, our waiters began joking around and teasing us so much that by the end of the meal, they seemed like old friends. Respecting formalities at first with the French serves to go a long way in getting treated nicely in France.


FRENCH WAIT STAFF.
A note about the wait staff in France: being a waiter is considered a dignified profession unlike the U.S. where one may wait tables simply to make money until they get a big break in another profession (like arts or theatre). While the waiters at TGI Friday’s is wearing as much “flair” as possible with their kitschy pins, suspenders and candy striped outfits, Parisian waiters are formally dressed - even in casual restaurants and cafes - wearing suits or dark vests over crisp, white shirts. At a high end restaurant the wait staff will often dress in tuxedos. Many waiters are older and have spent a lifetime in their career of restaurant service. Take advantage of their culinary expertise and consult them. You may ask, "Que recommendez-vous?" (what do you recommend?).

PARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS?
If you don’t speak French, learn a couple of French phrases and words which will get you better service and treatment.

Contrary to popular American perception, many French actually do not speak English. And those who do will usually view themselves as incompetent in English though they may speak it fluently. I found many French who spoke English perfectly would tell me that they get nervous speaking English and do not believe that their English is good at all. So you may find many French who are more than competent in English who will not speak it simply because of their own insecurities. I found that if I attempted to speak as much French as possible, those who were fluent in English would ask me, "is English better?" Those French who were insecure about their English would continue to address me in French even when I would admit, "Je ne comprende pas," (I don't understand) - they would speak in French more slowly afterwards or rephrase what they said.

If you make an effort to speak as much French as possible and not immediately greet people in English, the French will perceive your actions as favorable and not the typical rude American who expects that everyone should speak English.

ENOUGH FRENCH FOR AN ENTIRE MEAL.
Always start with a friendly greeting - you will be addressed this way as well. All day long until 6pm use, "Bonjour," (good day) and always greet the host before you make any demands or inquiries. After 6pm use, "Bonsoir" (good evening).

To ask for a table for two say, "Une table pour deux personnes, s'il vous plait." If you have a reservation you can say, "J'ai reserve," (I have a reservation) or "nous avons une reservation" (we have a reservation). If you have a reservation, they will ask for your name ( in French, "nom").

"Pardon, le menu, s'il vous plait," (excuse me, the menu please).

“S’il vous plait,” for "please," and, “merci,” for "thank you."

"Une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plait," to order tap water.

"Du vin, s'il vous plait" (some wine, please). You will be asked "rouge ou blanc?" (red or white?). You may choose to order a carafe of the house red wine: "Une carafe du vin rouge maison, s'il vous plait." Or ask for a recommendation, "que recommende vous?"

To order, say, “Je voudrais, s’il vous plait . . .” or "J'aimerais, s'il vous plait . . . " (I would like).

To get the check, say, "L'addition, s'il vous plait."

When you leave, say, "merci beaucoup; au revior!" (thanks very much, goodbye!).

When all else fails ask, “Do you speak English, please?” by saying, "Es ce que vous parlez Anglais?" which can be shortened to, “Parlez-vous Anglais, s’il vous plait?”

When they ask if you are finished with you meal they may say to you, “termine?” (think “terminated?”), and you can respond, “oui,finit” and even give a compliment such as, “C’etait tres bon,” (that was very good), or “C’etait magnifique,” (that was magnificent), or “C’etait parfait,” (that was perfect), or “C’etait delicieux,” (that was delicious).

When all else fails, ask “Do you speak English, please?” by saying, "Es ce que vous parlez Anglais?" which can be shortened to, “Parlez-vous Anglais, s’il vous plait?”

SERVICE.
What a pleasure it is to eat at restaurants in Paris. The French waiters do not stand over your shoulder and re-fill your water glass every time you take a sip. They do not check back every five minutes to see if you need “anything else?” They will not endless scan your table and interrupt you a dozen times to clear plates and dishes one by one. Instead, they will wait until everyone at the table is finished eating (what a concept!) and THEN clear all the plates at once. This seems much more efficient and much less intrusive (I have always wondered, is there such a shortage of dishes and cups in American restaurants that they must take them from you in a piecemeal fashion to get them into the dishwasher and out to the next customer who is waiting for that dish?). The French waiters do not ask ridiculous questions such as, “are you still working on that?” or “Can I get that out of your way?” (was it really causing that much of a disruption or in my way?). They will clear your plates when it is completely obvious that you are finished and there is no need to even ask to confirm if you are finished. They will not interrupt you while you are talking to your companions (as in the U.S. when it always seems to be right at the moment when you have reached the climax of your story or the punch line of your joke). They don’t come by a dozen times during your meal to ask if everything is satisfactory or if you need something else. As you can see, you will have a peaceful evening and enjoy conversation in a restaurant in France. You will not be rushed out of the restaurant as many table-turning American restaurants often do. The French believe in eating as a slow, pleasurable experience to savor flavors and time with friends and family.

WAITING FOR THE BILL IS A MISTAKE.
If you want the check and are ready to leave, do not assume that the wait staff will bring it on their own. They will not bring it until you ask. They will assume that you want to stay until you ask for the check. When you are ready for the check simply ask, "L'addition, s'il vous plait." ]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/475-tips-dining-paris-france.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/472-perfect-last-day-brasserie-lipp-poilane-bread-brasserie-bofinger.html Fri, 15 May 2009 00:48:15 GMT You could not ask for a more perfect last day really. The temperature was 70 degrees with blue skies and sunshine all around. It was a wonderful way to end a fantastic trip. We headed out from the apartment with a few last stops on our agenda and our first was the Place Des Vosges. One of... You could not ask for a more perfect last day really. The temperature was 70 degrees with blue skies and sunshine all around. It was a wonderful way to end a fantastic trip.

We headed out from the apartment with a few last stops on our agenda and our first was the Place Des Vosges. One of Paris's very beautiful parks it just happens to be right across from where we are staying and so we made our way and snapped a few photos. In the spring when the sun is out and the weather is just right the park is packed with people just reading, and playing with their kids. Around the park are wonderful restaurants, cafes and shops and if you head a little further south west you will end up by the Notre Dame.



I hate admitting this but the last time we were in Paris (2007) (also Colleen's first time) there was a huge line out the door for the Notre Dame so we never went inside (sad I know). This time we were sure to stop in and see this amazing cathedral.





After a little site seeing our goal was Poilane the famous bread shop. But, by this time we were starting to get hungry and as we walked we found ourselves near the famous cafes and brasseries: Les Deux Maggot (http://www.lesdeuxmagots.fr), Café De Flore (http://www.cafe-de-flore.com), and Brasserie Lipp. On our last trip we had a fantastic lunch at Café De Flore and this time we wanted to try Brasserie Lipp (http://www.groupe-bertrand.com/lipp.php).





Brasserie Lipp was established in 1880 by Leonard Lipp but it is now owned by the Bertand group (who also owns Angelinas). Well know literary giants such as Sartre and Hemmingway were regulars at the Brasserie Lipp. As well from what I understand it is very common to see celebrities dining at Brasserie Lipp however we did not see anyone we knew.

Although it can be quite common to have to wait for a table we had no problems. It must have been early since there was hardly anyone in the place and we were seated immediately in the back room. According to the Brasserie Lipp's website the menu has not changed in over half a century. We certainly weren't looking for anything new and exciting in fact we were in the mood for a very traditional meal.



After we ordered a couple of house beers we started our lunch with one of the house specialties called Cervelas Remoulade. It is difficult to explain just what this was and when I ordered it I had no idea what we would get and simply ordered it to be adventurous (it said house specialty so why not). What came to our table were two large oval shaped sausages which had the same texture as a hot dog and similar flavor covered with mayonnaise. Although it was different we both enjoyed it and it went very well with our beers.



For our main courses I chose the classic steak tar tar and Colleen chose the Cassoulet. It has been over ten years since I have had steak tar tar and I have always wanted to try it again but never felt much in the mood. Now in Brasserie Lipp with a nice beer it seemed like the right choice. Not much to describe here other than it came out on a plate with nothing else. I felt the tar tar was lacking something so I reached for the little dish of mustard on our table and enjoyed my raw meat with some good bread and a little mustard. With the beer it went down very well.





For Colleen I think that this was her first Cassoulet and I thought it might be too much and too heavy for lunch especially with the beer. It was so delicious that she devoured almost all of it. We skipped on dessert simply because we wanted to do that somewhere other than Brasserie Lipp. After a coffee we paid the bill and we were on our way to Poliane.






If you are fan of Ina Garten you have probably heard her speak of Poilane bread at one time or another. Until a few months ago I had never heard of Poilane and when I did I was very eager to try the famous bread. I am not going to bore you with tons of details about Poilane since you can do a search and pull up hundreds of sites, articles, comments on this wonderful bread. What I will tell you is that it was founded in 1932 by Pierre Poilane and the famous bakery is now run by his granddaughter Apallonia Poilane. You can read the full history here: http://www.poilane.fr/pages/en/compa...s_histoire.php.



There are several Poilane shops in Paris and we happened to be at the one on rue de Chere-Midi. The shop is small but pretty much all they sell is bread so it works out just fine. They will also just sell you a quarter or smaller of the famous 4 pound sourdough loaf. This is what we purchased and enjoyed the loaf as we walked the streets of Paris. What a wonderful crust, and the bread was so flavorful I now understand what all the fuss is about. Poilane is definitely a must visit when you come to Paris. And, just in case you can't make it to Paris to try their bread you can order the famous 4 pound sourdough loaf from their website and they will ship it to you (will cost you about 37 euros).



After Poilane we had one last stop before heading back to pack and that was one of the taller buildings in Paris the Tour Montparnasse (http://www.tourmontparnasse56.com). Alas another place in Paris I never knew existed. If the lines at the Eiffel tower get you down then head to this location and go to the 56 floor. We were here for the view and I expect that is the main reason everyone comes. We did order a few desserts to calm our sweet tooth and a coffee and tea and they were just fine. I have to say this is a wonderful way to see the city from up high and you can avoid the long lines and tons of people that are always present at the Eiffel tower. Although if you really want to go to the Eiffel tower (and you should) then you can skip the lines there and go to the restaurant they have mid way up the tower. On our last trip we stopped off there for a drink and it was very enjoyable. If you want more such as dinner then be sure to make reservations.





We left the high rise and as we headed back home to pack we stopped off a Napoleon's tomb. The building is magnificent and from what I understand was actually a hospital during the war. Napoleon's tomb is probably the biggest coffin I have ever seen made completely out of marble. Strange for such a small guy. What I really enjoyed was the massive armory and the swords, guns and complete sets of armors. Original Irish claymores on display as well as swords outfitted with one shot pistols.





So how do you end a perfect day? How else with one last great meal and for us that was at Brasserie Bofinger (http://www.bofingerparis.com/). On our last trip to Paris we dined at Bofinger and enjoyed so much we decided to go back. We didn't take any photos we were completely wiped out and just wanted to enjoy a good meal. Colleen ordered the steak with béarnaise sauce and I ordered the grilled lobster with beurre blanc. Oh man I wish you could have tasted my lobster it was out of this world. Colleen's steak was also outstanding and I knew at one point that we were really enjoying ourselves because we did not say a word we were just eating. It was truly one of the top meals of the trip and totally spontaneous and unexpected. After dessert and coffee we went home and packed and that was all she wrote.

Hope you have enjoyed the blog and learning about some of these truly wonderful establishments in Paris. ]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/472-perfect-last-day-brasserie-lipp-poilane-bread-brasserie-bofinger.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/469-cafe-marly.html Wed, 13 May 2009 02:40:48 GMT

Would you believe the last time my wife and I came to Paris (2007) we went to the Louvre museum but never went in. It was my wife's first time in Paris and I always regretted that we never actually went inside the museum. After all how can you come to Paris and not gaze upon the famous Mona Lisa? It could just be me but I find nothing civilized about going to the Louvre. What I mean is it isn't really a peaceful place to look at some of the greatest works of art. Rather it is more hoards and hoards of people jamming in all to get a glimpse of the famous lady. In any event we made it to the room and took a look at the Mona Lisa and she is still smiling after all these years. At least I think she is smiling if only a little.

If you have no plans to visit Paris you can still visit the museum virtually at the Louvre website http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en. They have virtual tours of the artwork which is pretty cool.

After we spent some time admiring the artwork at the Louvre and after we had enough people we headed outside. Just to the right when you exit the glass pyramids you will find Café Marly. This is nice spot to sit and have a coffee. Just relax and enjoy the view of the Louvre and do some people watching.





]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/469-cafe-marly.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/468-dinner-guy-savoys-les-bouquinistes.html Wed, 13 May 2009 02:15:24 GMT

Of all the restaurants I really had a desire to visit Guy Savoy's was the one. Unfortunately going to the flagship restaurant of Guy Savoy was to cost prohibitive for us to go. If you stop by the Guy Savoy website (which is very nice by the way http://www.guysavoy.com/en/) you will see two menus. The "prestige menu" and the "Colors, Textures and Savours" menu. The "prestige menu " cost 275 euros per person and the "colors, textures and savours menus" cost 375 euros a person which works out to be 275 euros = $375.00 and 375 euros = $511.00 per person. I am pretty sure you have already done the math but just to make my point either of those menus with drinks will end up costing you close to or over a thousand dollars per couple. Needless to say this place was out of the question for us.

So the next best thing was to choose one of the less expensive restaurants by Guy Savoy and we choose Les Bouquinistes. Guy Savoy actually has 4 restaurants in Paris and Les Bouquinistes was the closest to where we were staying and it seemed like the logical choice. The website is worth a visit it is very well done and has much nicer photos than what I have taken LES BOUQUINISTES - OFFICIAL WEB SITE - RESTAURANT AVEC GUY SAVOY

A funny note is that I booked our reservations via OpenTable.com they have a French version which I did not know. I have used Opentable.com many times in the United States and never missed a table or had a reservation misplaced. As we would find out I think they are still trying to catch up to what open table is in France.

We arrived at the restaurant around 7:30 for our reservation and were greeted by the maitre'd only to find out they did not have our reservation. I informed him that we had used OpenTable.com and he said a few quick words in French and then explained that he often forgets to check the emails. I thought we might be out of luck but they sat us right away and everything worked out fine.

The restaurant is a medium size with enough seats I am going to guess for around 50 people. It has a hip vibe to it brought on by the modern art, olive colored blinds, multi-colored ceiling fans, and the broken colored tiles used throughout the décor. The kitchen is downstairs and so are the bathrooms. If you hit the restrooms while you are there you actually get a great shot into the tiny kitchen that produces some great food.









Les Bouquinistes is one of the few restaurants that we actually ordered off the menu instead of going with the prix-fixe. Although the prix-fixe menu looked great we just were not in the mood for that much food.

Our meal started off with what I believe was a beef roulade served on a bed of what the chef called beet tar tar. I must confess I had a difficult time understanding all the components of the dish. It was served to us by a very kind woman who only spoke a little English and struggled to describe all of the elements of the dish to us.



For the appetizer course I chose the royal of foie gras, served with a light cream of celeriac soup. The foie gras was cooked perfectly and the royal complimented it nicely. Above the royal (or custard) was a bed of cooked julienne celeriac and on top of that the foie gras. Fat from the foie gras dripped down into the soup and added a really visual aspect to the dish as it pooled on top of the soup. The flavors were excellent and I really enjoyed this dish.



Colleen ordered the special of the day which was a morel mushroom and leek soup. This was a simple presentation which was fine because the real show piece of this dish was the flavors. Perfect time for morels and it showed as they were very fresh and had deep rich flavor which was complimented nicely with the slowly cooked leeks.



Both appetizers were actually decent size portions and we probably could of gone straight to dessert but Les Bouquinistes was one of our last fancy meals and there was no way were going to skip out on the main courses.

For my main course I chose the langoustines with morel mushrooms and vegetable raviolis. The flavors were great but there was nothing at all to the presentation which was nothing more than a big bowl of liquid with cooked langoustines on the top. The vegetable raviolis where at the bottom of the dish and although you could not see them they tasted great and with the addition of the perfectly cooked langoustines it was a great combination. Flavor wise the dish reminded me a little of a cioppion or bouliabasse only no tomato product.



Colleen chose the rib-style sirloin of Hereford beef served with pureed potatoes with fresh herbs, and roasted shallots. The steak had a nice demi-glace based sauce served over it and the meat was cooked perfectly. There was a large serving of potatoes so much so that she was not able to finish them but they tasted excellent, creamy with hints of herbs.



For dessert Les Bouquinistes has a number of excellent choices and probably the best one is the sampler platter for two. You get a small version of every single dessert including the ice creams and sorbets. Here is a list of all of the desserts you see in the picture below:

Around the citrus fruit : grapefruit jelly, white grapefruit sherbet and bergamot cream

Dacquoise with cararmelized apples, sherbet granny smith

Carpaccio of strawberries, pistachio creamed rice

Iced milk chocolate parfait, pear tartare

Cheese strainer and kiwi

In addition to those we also had three ice creams: pistachio, raspberry and peach. Lastly we had mignardises of macaroons and caramels with pistachios.



I really enjoyed this meal, the restaurant, the service and everything about about Les Bouquinistes. Not over the top and you could go there in jeans if you like and have a fantastic meal. It is a nice way to get a glimpse of Guy Savoy's creativity. It would be a mistake not to point out that the actual chef of the operation is Williams Caussimon who plans the menus with Guy Savoy hence the reason the menu states "Avec Guy Savoy" (with Guy Savoy). Maybe for our next visit I will buckle down and save up for the full monty meal at Guy Savoy's flagship restaurant but for now this was a great meal. Consider Les Bouquinistes highly recommended.

As we left the restaurant we walked along the river and we crossed only to find the Notre Dame lit up. We snapped a few photos but night time photography takes too much patience for my tastes. Here is one shot just to show how beautiful it was.

]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/468-dinner-guy-savoys-les-bouquinistes.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/467-what-subway-doing-all-over-paris.html Tue, 12 May 2009 21:21:45 GMT The last time I was in Paris (2007) I certainly don't remember Subway sandwiches being here. I suppose I could of handled seeing one subway sandwich shop but they are all over Paris which just shocks me.



In addition to subway there are even more starbucks coffee shops here than when I was here in 2007. This also really surprised me because this seems so counter culture to the Parisian way of life.





All of this reminds me of when I was traveling with a good friend and fellow chef back in the 1990s. We had just left Prague and were on our way to Budapest Hungary to see the sites. After we set up camp at the worst youth hostel I have ever stayed at we headed for the downtown area. As we came to the center of town I was surprised to see a huge section of American fast food shops. Kentucky fried chicken, Popeye's, McDonalds, and Dunking Doughnuts to name a few. About the only thing that I was happy to see from all of these shops was the dunkin doughnuts shop so I could have a taste of American coffee. After all it had been almost two years since I had the watered down stuff and I was missing home. Below is a photo from the archives when I was back in my twenties standing in front of the Dunkin Doughnuts in Budapest.



As for subway and starbucks in Paris it is nice if you want a taste of home but for me they just seem out of place. ]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/467-what-subway-doing-all-over-paris.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/465-lunch-le-grand-vefour-three-hour-lunch.html Tue, 12 May 2009 00:36:23 GMT Le Grand Vefour (http://www.grand-vefour.com) was one of the highlights of this trip to Paris for me and my wife. The restaurant is beautiful, elegant, and you feel like you are stepping back to a time when life was not so fast paced and there was a deep sense of attention to detail. Le Grand... Le Grand Vefour (http://www.grand-vefour.com) was one of the highlights of this trip to Paris for me and my wife. The restaurant is beautiful, elegant, and you feel like you are stepping back to a time when life was not so fast paced and there was a deep sense of attention to detail. Le Grand Vefour is one of the oldest restaurants in Paris going all the way back to patrons such as Napoleon and Victor Hugo. Some of the patrons such as Napoleon and Hugo were regulars to the point they had brass name plaques posted behind their table which are still there today.



The restaurant is small with only about 25 or so seats in the main dining room you will want to make your reservations early. In usual form we went with the lunch service which for these types of restaurants keeps the cost down. The prix-fixe lunch menu will set you back about 88 euros a person plus drinks. For the length of your dining experience, quality of the food and service this actually seemed very reasonable priced to me.










We started lunch with a Kir cocktail that was made with Tattinger Champagne. It is interesting to note it was Tattinger champagne since this is the company that now owns Le Grand Vefour. After a few sips of our Kir our waiter brought us our starter which was an almond soup served with a purple potato chip. Very beautifully presented, but we were not quite sure how to eat this dish (nor was the gentleman next to us). It came with a small silver spoon which I assumed was for the soup but this proved too cumbersome to eat from the small cup so I simply sipped from the cup instead of using the spoon.





For our first course I chose the foie gras with pea and tomato puree and Colleen had the crab meat salad with radishes and sorrel. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the foie gras. Peas are not something I would think to merry with foie gras but the terrine was flavorful and had a good texture and color (thanks to the peas). I suppose the use of peas is to be expected since Guy Martin the head chef truly enjoys working with vegetables. To tell you the truth it was actually kind of refreshing to see a foie gras preparation that wasn’t paired with the usual cloying sweet subjects such as apricots, figs, cherries etc.



Colleen’s crab was very fresh and tasty and also beautifully presented. The radishes didn’t strike a “wow” cord but were just kind of ok. The radishes that were cooked were nestled in a thick mayo like sauce which added some life to the radishes but not enough to elevate them to that “wow” factor.



For my main course I chose the monk fish with sesame foam and green and yellow zucchini. The monk fish was a large piece that was served on the bone and it was cooked perfectly. With the addition of the sesame foam it was outstanding, the best monk fish I have had. The green zucchini was not quite completely pureed and set in a square on the bottom. The yellow zucchini was rolled into small flowers as a garnish to the dish. Both were simply prepared and their flavors rang through loud and clear. No funny spices or sauce here to mask the freshness of the products.



Colleen’s main course was a surprise mostly in how it was presented. She ordered the lamb which was slowly cooked and served in sort of a napoleon fashion with layers. One layer was the lamb, another was a tomato and it was garnished with fresh bright green lima beans. For the vegetable accompaniment it had tabouleh sandwiched between thick layers of roasted red and yellow peppers. The lamb was tender and flavorful and with the addition of the tomato it was heavenly.



For both our main courses we also received two quenelles of mashed potatoes with a small amount of mixed greens with them. The potatoes were fine but nothing exceptional and an almost unnecessary addition I thought. Still one cannot say you do not get your money’s worth at Le Grand Vefour they certainly take care of you.



It is at this point in the meal that we are both very full and have been dining for about an hour and a half. Little did we know just what was coming. Next up was the cheese cart and what a cheese cart it was. Colleen sampled a variety of goat cheeses while I enjoyed a tasting of the blue cheeses and all were excellent.



Now we were really full and I was not sure I could handle dessert but as I mentioned earlier I had no idea what was coming. Desserts shine at Le Grand Vefour and one should be prepared to eat and even after a large and lengthy meal you will have to sit through dessert after dessert.

Dessert started off with a small glass filled with grapefruit gelee (contained whole pieces of grapefruit in aspic) and topped off with cinnamon foam. This was refreshing and tasty and acted almost as a palate cleanser after the heavy cheeses. In addition to this a small tray of mignardises and pate de fruit were brought to our table. For the mignardises we were served one each of the following: raspberry macaroon, caramel over a chocolate cookie, chocolate tart, and sweet pastry filled pate choux with a small top painted with gold. The pate de fruit where of various flavors and although we each only tried one they were very nice.





For some reason it seems we missed out on one of the dessert courses. I noticed that our neighboring tables had all received a small custard which we did not. I am assuming that the waiters simply forgot to serve us this but I find that odd since the service was so top notch. It is possible that they took one look at our faces and realized that the custard would be too much. Needless to say I did not bring it to their attention since I didn’t think either of us could handle another dessert course.

Now it was time for our main desserts and these were truly works of art. My dessert was a chocolate cake with gold paint garnish, a chocolate tube filled with a hazelnut mousse and topped with a tuile cookie which had a quenelle of salted caramel ice cream inside. This was out of this world good and I was really impressed by the pastry chef’s skill. The ice cream was amazing and probably the best I have ever tasted. Another table next to us who ordered the same dessert commented on the fact that the ice cream was excellent. The distinct caramel flavor offset by the addition of salt it was superb.



Colleen had a very unique dessert which was strawberries served in two ways accompanied with a tomato and herb jam. The herbs were mint and basil if my taste buds are correct. The strawberries where served like two little bricks covered with a puree of strawberry and served with mint crackers and a mint and basil sorbet. The base of the plate was brushed with a light stroke of reduced balsamic vinegar.



Are we done yet? Nope, but we are getting to the end which is a good thing because I think by this time we are ready to roll out of Le Grand Vefour. You would expect them to offer coffee next right? Sorry more desserts this time they brought up a whole tray of house made marshmallows, caramels, and another dessert I can’t remember. I had a caramel and Colleen had a marshmallow to be polite. Ok can I have some coffee now so I don’t fall asleep? Nope, next came the chocolate tray with about 10 or 15 different house made chocolates for us to choose from. We were both so full that we each took one to be polite.

Finally we had our coffee took a few final photos paid the bill and say goodbye to Le Grand VeFour. This was truly one of the most memorable meals I have had and I will treasure the experience for years to come. I don’t suspect I will be back anytime soon simply because these really seem like once in a lifetime experiences that you enjoy and look back on with fond memories.

One last thought on the service which was truly exceptional. From the moment we sat down we were treated extremely well. The maitre‘d sat us and spent a little time explaining the great history of the restaurant. The waiters were very attentive and looked after our every need while we dined. Probably the best service I have had at a restaurant in a long time.

]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/465-lunch-le-grand-vefour-three-hour-lunch.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/464-drinks-laduree-le-bar-champs-elysees.html Mon, 11 May 2009 10:49:12 GMT Since today was kind of like a break from all our running around we came back to the apartment for rest as I mentioned in a previous blog post. It was late when we returned and I thought we would call it a day but I was wrong. Around 9:00 pm neither of us was tired so we decided to venture out and... Since today was kind of like a break from all our running around we came back to the apartment for rest as I mentioned in a previous blog post. It was late when we returned and I thought we would call it a day but I was wrong. Around 9:00 pm neither of us was tired so we decided to venture out and enjoy a nice evening in Paris.

We headed for the Champs Elysees and took a nice stroll down this famous street. As we walked along enjoying the people and the lights we came upon the famous Laduree tea salon. If you have been following the blog you might remember that we had already stopped at Laudree but in a different location. Laduree actually has four locations in Paris, two in London, two in Switzerland, two in Monaco, and one in Tokyo Japan. If I am correct I believe the location on Champs Elysees is the original location and most famous.

One of the newest editions to the Laduree chain is the Le Bar (http://www.laduree.fr/public_en/maisons/bar_accueil.htm) a very chic and modern bar located in the same spot as the Laudree on the Champs Elysses. Le Bar has been under construction for the past year and has recently just opened its doors. It is a beautiful bar with a modern look and feel to it. However, this is not the place to go unless you are willing to shell out some hefty bucks for cocktails.

You enter Le Bar from the main pastry shop and head straight to the back. When we entered there were only five people at the bar which surprised me, but I guess that is to be expected at 10:00 on a Sunday evening. Later I considered that there were only a few people due to the fact that Le Bar's menu is so pricey.



Le Bar is small, there are probably only about 25-30 seats in the bar. It is ultra modern with the entire bottom of the bar lit in a soft white light and purple accents. The lighting actually reminded me of Morimoto's restaurant in Philadelphia where the restaurant is completely lit with soft lighting that changes colors while you dine. The only difference at Laduree is that the light does not cycle it is a constant glow.

The bar menu is a full menu (http://www.laduree.fr/public_en/mais...-bar-carte.pdf) offering drinks and items to eat if you are hungry. We actually were feeling a bit hungry by this time and decided to order a few appetizers which are served tapas style (small portions) and a couple drinks. I ordered one of the house specialty drinks called Lune De Miel which had Tanqueray Ten, grapefruit syrup, and lemon juice. Colleen had the Champagne Cocktail which was a combination of champagne, cognac, orange zest and raspberry. Both drinks tasted excellent and it was actually very interesting to watch the bar tender make the cocktails. He took his time and really almost made the making of the drinks a performance with a lot of attention to detail on how he placed the glass, cut the garnish, measured and mixed the drinks.





For a little snacking we ordered the potatoes served with "Jabugo" Iberian ham and the Blini served with crab. Both appetizers tasted fine but I thought the potatoes with ham were especially tasty. The portions are small which is disappointing given the price is pretty steep.





Le Bar is a fun stop but I don't think I would probably go back since it seems a bit cost prohibitive. This was definitely a once in a life time stop for us. We ordered two drinks at 18 Euros a piece and two small appetizers at 18 and 20 Euros. In total we spent 36 Euros for two drinks and 38 Euros for two appetizers, with a grand total of 74 Euros. This works out to be a 100.00 US dollars based on today's exchange rate. This is a crazy amount of money for a couple drinks and food at a fancy bar on the Champs Elysses. This is not a spot I feel I can recommend in good faith it is too over priced for the money.





]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/464-drinks-laduree-le-bar-champs-elysees.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/463-tea-coffee-angelinas-stop-hotel-crillion.html Sun, 10 May 2009 13:03:24 GMT After two full days of eating and bread making it was time for a bit of rest so we slept in on Sunday. Once we decided to get up and get ourselves together we headed out for the metro and stopped off around the Jardin des Tuileries next to the Louvre. Our destination was to try some of the famous... After two full days of eating and bread making it was time for a bit of rest so we slept in on Sunday. Once we decided to get up and get ourselves together we headed out for the metro and stopped off around the Jardin des Tuileries next to the Louvre. Our destination was to try some of the famous tea shops and hotels in the area. Our first stop Angelina.



Founded in 1903 Angelina (http://www.groupe-bertrand.com/gb/angelina.php) and now owned by the Groupe Betrand, Angelina has been a Paris institution for years. Similar to Lauderee Angelina serves tea, pastries, macaroons, and their wonderful hot chocolate. You can order a full lunch if you like but I think the main focus is the pastries, tea and hot chocolate.

















Most likely when you arrive there will be a line out the door as there was when we arrived, but it is worth the wait. Truthfully the line was so long when we arrived that what we did was to stop in at the beautiful hotel Le Meurice (http://www.lemeurice.com/index.html ) for a quick lunch. The hotel is incredibly beautiful and I imagine if you can afford it, it is worth the stay. It is listed in the “1000 places to see before you die” book. We were pretty hungry at this time and really wanted to go back to Angelina so we opted for a couple quick salads and some water and enjoyed the beautiful lounge. I had a classic frisee salad with lardons, and my wife Colleen had the vegetable salad. Both very nice and they gave us just the energy we needed to brave the line at Angelina.

After lunch we headed back to Angelina and were happy to see the line had gone down considerably. After about 15 minutes we were seated in the front of the restaurant next to the window it was a great spot and I was thankful for such a great table. Having just had lunch we were only ordering pastries, coffee and hot chocolate.

I ordered the house specialty which is the Mont Blanc and a coffee while Colleen ordered a lime cheesecake pastry with hot chocolate. While we both enjoyed the Mont Blanc the lime cheesecake had a strange flavor it just was not what you would expect (hard to describe). No worries though the hot chocolate more than made up for the disappointing dessert. It reminded me of the hot chocolate we had at Laudree, smooth, rich etc. The hot chocolate was for two but it was simply too rich so we were not able to finish it.









Angelina’s has a small but well appointed shop in which you can purchase pastries, tea, and hot chocolate. We for 14 euros we purchased a small bag of their hot chocolate which I am eager to try at home with some friends.

We left Angelinas and continued to walk down Rue des Rivoli and enjoy the people and the sites. There was one last place we had on our list to see before we headed home and that was the Hotel de Crillion http://www.crillon.com/crillon.html. A really gorgeous hotel next to the Place de la Concorde I highly recommend stopping here for tea if you get the chance. There is an outdoor courtyard which is very nice but since it was a bit cold and cloudy today it was not open. The main lounge was very nice so I was happy to be seated there anyway.

We were pretty full from Angelinas so Colleen ordered the “Tea Crillion” which is the high tea service that offered tea, tea sandwiches, and pastries. I ordered a coffee with the intention of helping out with the pastries and tea sandwiches. It was perfect we both enjoyed the tea sandwiches and pastries and we were not overly full afterwards. The tea sandwiches were very basic, toasted white bread with salmon, ham, and turkey served with potato chips. I was a little surprised by this since I was expecting a little more effort on the tea sandwiches. Years ago I used to work at the Four Seasons and was responsible for preparing the tea sandwiches for the daily tea service. We took the tea sandwiches very seriously and were very creative with what we served (definitely not toasted white bread, sliced meat, and potato chips). The pastries where much better and we enjoyed a raspberry mousse cake, scones, and some madeleines.









After our tea at the Hotel Crillion we headed back to the apartment to relax and download our photos. On our way back we say that legendary restaurant Maxims and took a photo:

]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/463-tea-coffee-angelinas-stop-hotel-crillion.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/459-dinner-le-train-bleu-paris.html Tue, 05 May 2009 15:29:44 GMT After baking bread all day and staying up till 1:00 am the day before I was pretty tired but we had reservations at Le Train Bleu that evening and I was not going to say no to those. Years ago when I was a young chef I remember reading an article about Le Train Bleu restaurant in Paris and it just... After baking bread all day and staying up till 1:00 am the day before I was pretty tired but we had reservations at Le Train Bleu that evening and I was not going to say no to those. Years ago when I was a young chef I remember reading an article about Le Train Bleu restaurant in Paris and it just seemed like the most beautiful restaurant I had ever seen. Since that article I have always wanted to go but never made a point until now.



After a nap and some coffee we got dressed and headed a few blocks down to the bastille where we got on Rue De Lyon and walked a few blocks to the Gare De Lyon train station. The restaurant Le Train Bleu is on top of the train station something I never knew. You can check out their very spiffy website here: http://www.le-train-bleu.com/

Built in the 1900 by the Paris-Lyon-Mediterranean Company it was originally called the Buffet de la Gare de Lyon. The restaurant was renamed in 1963 to honor the Paris-Vintimiglia service and later in 1972 granted historical monument status.

The restaurant was part a massive reconstruction of Paris during which other famous Paris monuments were constructed such as the Grand Palais, and the Alexander III Bridge. There are a total of 41 paintings on the inside of the restaurant which depict rail sites and famous events of 1900. You can read more on the history of this famous restaurant here: http://www.le-train-bleu.com/uk/historique.htm

Going to Le Train Bleu was a real treat for and I was excited to see the restaurant and try the food. Although I don’t think Le Train Bleu won’t make it to the top ten food places on most people’s list it was still a great restaurant to go to. The room, the waiters (flirting with all the ladies), the lamb carved table side, it was like stepping back in time. Here are some photos we took of the restaurant:


















Le Train Bleu has a large menu and in usual form we opted for one of the prix-fixe menus which seems to always be the cheaper way to go. The menu we chose actually had a name which was unique:
You can view their full menu here: http://miseajour.apicius.com/letrainbleu/uk/carte.asp)


Menu Sarah Bernhardt 62€

Crab, avocado and pickled tomato, layer cake style
o r
organic hen's eggs with green asparagus and black truffles

***

Grilled sea-bass, mashed Agria potatoes and courgettes
emulsion of petits gris in parsley
or
"Today's market choice or "Seasonal fare"

***

Dessert à la carte
Coffee


Colleen had the organic hen’s egg and I had the crab to start. Of the two, the hen’s egg was fantastic and probably the best dish of the evening. The egg was soft cooked served in a small mason type jar with some asparagus spears on type and some grated or zested black truffle. On the side was a parmesan cream which was fantastic especially once spooned over the egg. My crab was nice and had thin crisp layers of phyllo making it into sort of a mille fuille. I thought the crab could have had more flavor but it was fine especially once you doused it with some of the parsley and garlic oil on the plate.





For our entrees we both choose the same which was the special that night it was a pike perch soufflé served with a classic nantua sauce. I am sorry to say that while the dish was ok it was nothing more than just ok. The soufflé tasted a bit watery to me and Colleen only ate about half of hers. Thankfully the desserts made up for the soufflé.
Let me take a quick minute here to mention that the waiter was not only flirting with Colleen at this point but also with the two ladies next to us (both of which one could have been his grandmother and the other his mother). When the waiter saw that Colleen had only eaten half of her soufflé he gave her a hard time. But, when she ordered her dessert he gave her even more of a hard time about ordering dessert when she only ate half her meal. All in good fun he was happy to bring her dessert.



For Colleen’s dessert she had the Strawberries au poivre backed in oven proof paper served with a chocolate tuile and gingerbread ice cream. This was very tasty and Colleen had never had strawberries with fresh peppercorn and I actually remember making a similar dish back in culinary school. The dish was brought to the table with a little fan fare with the waiter cutting open the bag once he placed the dish down. The brought some wonderful smells to the table and was a theatrical touch.



My dessert was the crème flambee with strawberry and balsamic vinegar chutney served in an almond biscuit. This was basically a crème brulee that was brought to the table while it was on fire. I am guessing that they poured brandy over the sugar and then lit it as they brought it to the table. Think Greek Saganaki without the “Opa” and the smell of old feet.



We finished off the evening with some coffee and some small chocolates and we were stuffed. After a few photos and a visit to the lounge area (very cool be sure to visit) we headed home. I can now take dinner a Le Train Bleu off my life list.




Here is a shot of leg of lamb being carved tableside which I thought was pretty cool:

]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/459-dinner-le-train-bleu-paris.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/458-baking-bread-cordon-bleu-paris.html Tue, 05 May 2009 08:02:10 GMT After the boat cruise was over last night we walked around Paris a bit at night and enjoyed the lights but this meant we did not get in until about 1:00 am. This wasn't the best plan since I needed to be up at around 6:30 so I could get ready and head to my bread making class at the Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris (http://www.cordonbleu.edu/). Needless to say I was a bit tired but also excited to go to the Cordon Bleu



The school is on the other side of Paris from where we were staying so I headed a few blocks down to the Bastille and picked up a cab. After about twenty minutes I was standing in front of the famous culinary school a little nervous since I did not know what to expect.

As I entered I was greeted by the school receptionist who spoke flawless English and told me I could head upstairs for a light breakfast and that class would begin at 9:00 AM. As I headed upstairs I walked through the students dining area which reminded me a lot of the great hall at the CIA from my culinary school days.





I was surprised to find several students (all Americans) already having coffee. By the time the class was about to start we had about twelve students total mostly from the US but there was a mother daughter from Spain and one gentleman from Canada. Everyone was very friendly and outgoing and passionate about cooking. It was a lot of fun to meet them and share stories.

Just before 9:00 AM we were greeted by our English translator Laura who is from Australia but lives in Paris. It is interesting to mention that all of the classes at the Cordon Bleu are taught in French and translated into English. This really surprised me and I also learned that the school has students from all over the world (Russia, Japan, China, United States) who come to get their culinary degree. The requirement for attending the school is that you speak either French or English so that the students can actually understand the lessons.

One other item I would like to mention is the cost of the program. I find this interesting since when I went to culinary school in the early 1990's the CIA cost me (or cost my parents actually) $25,000 for a two year associates degree in culinary arts. That same degree now costs around $54,000 for a two year culinary degree.

The Cordon Bleu is broken up into three quarters and each quarter is 15,000 euros so a total of 45,000 euros. Which, at today's exchange means the program runs about $60,000. Pretty close to the CIA.

If you're like me and you don't want to shell out that much cash or have that much time you can do the continuing education classes which range from 3 hours to one day to several days. My bread making class was 160.00 euros and was an all day "practical" class. "Practical" simply means that you get your hands dirty and actually get to make something. It also means you get a fancy certificate at the end of the class.

Once we had ourselves together we headed up two more flights of stairs past the photos of Julia Child and Giada De Laurentis (students at the cordon bleu) to the class room.

Students ready to bake some bread.


Ready for action!


The chef and the translator.


So enough of my rambling are you ready to make some bread? We made a total of seven different types of breads which were:

baguette
mini baguettes
croissant
kugelhopf
olive bread
country style bread
rye bread

Of the seven breads we made the baguette and mini baguettes from start to finish. For the sake of time we had three assistants that mixed the other breads and we shaped and baked them. Here is a step by step of how to make a baguette Cordon Bleu style:

The recipe


Mix the yeast and the water


After plenty of kneading let it rest




Divided the dough into 4 100 gram portions


Rolling out the dough






In the tray and into the proofing oven.


The risen dough getting the classic baguette slits on the top.







The chef put the baguettes into the oven and added some steam and we just watched them bake




The finished bread cooling






A shot of my crossiants


Me accepting my certificate.



We baked bread until about noon and then we broke for a one hour lunch. About this time our baguettes were coming out of the oven and we were allowed to take our baguette to lunch with us. The lunch was incredible and I did not expect it at all. It was a beautiful buffet of food and wine all prepared by the students for us to enjoy. The lunch was even better since I enjoyed it with my freshly made baguette.



A few other items I will mention that you get when you take the class besides breakfast and lunch you also get a Cordon Bleu apron and side towel, folder with recipes, a pen for taking notes, and samples of all the bread. As a matter of fact it was too much which was a bit sad. Every student walked out of the class with two bags of bread and a box of croissants. I would of preferred that the school keep the bread since I had no idea what to do with it. I tried to pawn some of the bread off on my taxi driver but as I expected I think most Parisians have their favorite boulangerie and prefer to buy their own bread. In the end I had to throw a large amount of it away (terrible I know). We did however enjoy the croissants for a couple days. Not bad, I can't remember the last time I made croissants or a baguette for that matter. All in all a great time and something I would recommend you try if you feel up to it on your visit to Paris.

A shot of my certificate of participation:

]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/458-baking-bread-cordon-bleu-paris.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/457-protests-cruise-seine-river-through-paris.html Mon, 04 May 2009 09:40:20 GMT Between the jet lag and the running around Paris I think we needed a bit of a break so we actually did not do a whole during the day today. We had heard about some of the old “passage” streets in the Marais district where are apartment is located and thought we would see if we could locate a few of... Between the jet lag and the running around Paris I think we needed a bit of a break so we actually did not do a whole during the day today. We had heard about some of the old “passage” streets in the Marais district where are apartment is located and thought we would see if we could locate a few of them. We did find some of the “old” streets of Paris which are cobble stone and very narrow and we also found something we did not expect.



As we headed back to the apartment to rest before going out later that night we came to the Bastille area which is a big round about. There were mobs of people and tons and tons of police. The cops were completely decked out in riot gear and weapons and the whole scene reminded me of something from a Luc Besson film. The police look a bit like armadillos in their heavy duty riot gear and I would of taken a picture wasn’t sure if that was allowed.

We later found out that it was May 1 and that there were protests around the globe some ending in violence some not. Apparently this happens every year and we were lucky enough to be in Paris on that day (yippee). Paris was pretty quiet just a lot of people and some guy on a loud speaker shouting in France. We did not stick around since we had a long night ahead of us.











The last time we were in Paris we wanted to go on one of the famous boat cruises but could never seem to get around to scheduling one. This time around we made reservations on the Bateaux Parisiens (http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/ ) for a night time dinner cruise. Not a big surprise but except for the staff serving us there was not a single French person on this cruise. Definitely a touristy thing to do but we enjoyed it and it is a great way to see Paris and the famous landmarks at night. There is a band and dance floor on board and we enjoyed some nice music and signing while we ate our dinner and cruised through Paris.
At 97 euros a person these is a steep dinner and let me be clear that the food is not the main attraction here. However I was surprised by how pleased we were with the food and service. Here is what we received:

Started with a Kir cocktail
Bottled water

Starters
Light Green Asparagus Cream, Asparagus Spears, Lobster and Whipped Cream
Black Tiger Prawns Marinated in Olive Oil and Lemon, with Crunch Vegetables

Main Entrée
Roasted Angus Beef and Carmelised Shallot, with Bordelaise Sauce
Casseroled Thick Medallion of Veal, with Sage-Scented Gravy

Desserts
Crepes Suzette with Raspberry Butter
White Peach Melba with Caramelised Almonds

Two bottles of wine (one white and one red)
Coffee

I know it is a very touristy thing and the food is again decent not great but hey we enjoyed it. We both thought it was a lot of fun and I would recommend the cruise if you come to Paris. There is also a lunch time cruise. Lastly there are three types of service we choose the cheapest one. You can pay an awful lot of cash just to sit at the front of the boat which was nice but not 165 euros a person nice.

One last comment the view of the Eiffel tower at night is really great. It is lit up and has a circling spot light at the top. Periodically they turn on this sparkling lights (about every 10 min) and the whole tower sparkles and it a really cool site at night.

Here are some photos of the evening.














Some shots of what the boat looks like during the day.





]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/457-protests-cruise-seine-river-through-paris.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/456-quick-note-importance-good-shoes-paris.html Mon, 04 May 2009 08:54:12 GMT I thought I would just mention the importance of good shoes when you come to Paris. Paris is a walking city and it is in my opinion best experienced that way. Forget the tour bus just set out on a street and start walking you will find incredible passage ways and wonderful shops and sites. On... I thought I would just mention the importance of good shoes when you come to Paris. Paris is a walking city and it is in my opinion best experienced that way. Forget the tour bus just set out on a street and start walking you will find incredible passage ways and wonderful shops and sites.

On our first visit to Paris together my wife and I took a shuttle from the airport to the apartment we stayed in. Our driver was born and raised in Paris and he said "just walk in Paris, you must walk in Paris". That is what we did the first time and we had a great time discovering so many places not in the guide books without any tourists smothering you to get a look at the same monument.

That being said this time around I actually brought a pair of Ecco brand dress shoes. This is probably the most amount of money I have ever spent on a pair of shoes in my life ($160) but they were worth every penny. I will be the first to say I would never in a million years see myself walking around on vacation in fancy leather shoes but these shoes are amazing. No sore feet and I can walk all day in them. I also look a little better walking around in nice pants and nice shoes than my typical selections on vacation.

]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/456-quick-note-importance-good-shoes-paris.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/455-stroll-down-rue-cler.html Mon, 04 May 2009 08:53:22 GMT For many Rue Cler has been made well known by travel guide Rick Steves who promotes the area in his travel guides and his website (Rick Steve's description or Rue Cler). Rue Cler is a great place to visit and walking along the street you will numerous food shops that make a great way to prepare for a lunch or dinner in a Parisian park. There are bakeries, patisseries, cheese shops, wine shops, butchers, fresh produce and much more.




A virtual stroll down Rue Cler


































Once we had walked the length of Rue Cler we stopped at a café for a couple drinks and to rest a bit. After the café we headed back to a couple shops we spotted on our walk to buy some cheese and meats for our dinner. We then hopped on the metro and headed back to the apartment for the end of another full day. See you tomorrow.

Shopping for dinner














]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/455-stroll-down-rue-cler.html http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/452-amazing-view-eiffel-tower.html Mon, 04 May 2009 07:56:06 GMT Well we finally hit the wonderful May weather I remember when we came to Paris in 2007. The sky is a beautiful blue with clouds and the sun is shining. It is a perfect day to head to the Eiffel tower. Today we have lunch reservations at Café De’L Homme... Well we finally hit the wonderful May weather I remember when we came to Paris in 2007. The sky is a beautiful blue with clouds and the sun is shining. It is a perfect day to head to the Eiffel tower.

Today we have lunch reservations at Café De’L Homme (http://www.restaurant-cafedelhomme.com/en/index.php ) which is at the Trocadero at the base of the Eiffel tower. The food was ok, nothing I would return again for but the view from the restaurant was spectacular. Our reservation was at noon and we arrived on time to find we were the first ones to the restaurant. This was a plus because we got a premiere seat right at the front of the restaurant.

We were seated outside and had an umbrella which gave us some shade from the sun. After we were seated I found myself just staring out in front of our table at the perfect view of the Eiffel tower. It was excellent and I highly recommend this as a stop on any visit to Paris. As I said earlier the food was nothing great but it was fine for a simply lunch. We had tiger prawns for our main entrée and then dessert. I had the chocolate cake with strawberry sauce and my wife had the lemon tart.


















After a quick coffee we walked around the fountains of the Trocadero and the base of the Eiffel tower. What a great day it was for walking in Paris and you could tell by the hordes of people. After we had enough of the tower we headed to a new area we had only heard about Rue Cler. ]]> Nicko http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/blogs/nicko/452-amazing-view-eiffel-tower.html