Heidi Ellison
Lucy Dixon: Lulu’s Back in Town
Stylish Swing Song Stylist
Is Lucy Dixon the female reincarnation of Fred Astaire? She wouldn’t mind in the least. Astaire is her idol, her model, the man whose films with Ginger Rogers first got the little Lucy interested in tap dancing and singing. Now … Read More
Gallina
Chicken and Cocktails: For Youth Alone?
I had been to Gallina once before for an emergency late-night chicken sandwich (no other restaurants in the neighborhood were serving food at that hour), which was delicious and enjoyed on the terrace on a warm summer evening. When I recently read that they also offered macaroni and cheese – for me the ultimate comfort food – I knew I had to get back there soon. Chicken, especially rotisserie chicken, is another great comfort food. That is supposed to be Gallina’s specialty, but it also offers other kinds of meat, including pork and rabbit.
Mersea & Istr
Fast or Slow Fish? No Contest!
THESE TWO RESTAURANTS ARE NOW CLOSED I’m all for the concept of “quality” fast food and am glad that it is finally catching on in Paris. Not only has the American chain Five Guys, Barack Obama’s favorite burger joint, opened … Read More
Mersea
Fast or Slow Fish? No Contest!
I’m all for the concept of “quality” fast food and am glad that it is finally catching on in Paris. Not only has the American chain Five Guys, Barack Obama’s favorite burger joint, opened its first Paris branch (in Bercy Village), but there are also a number of homegrown efforts, including the admirable Osè for African food.
Rebelles
The Fabric of Quiet Rebellion
Until recently, all I knew about Clermont-Ferrand was that it was a place smack in the middle of France that one passed through on the way to other places and that it is the home of the Michelin tire company. … Read More
Alliance
A Happy Marriage of Two Top Talents
There were no hints of the delights to come when we entered the restaurant Alliance in the fifth arrondissement, but it was a good sign that the kitchen was fully visible through a rectangular window that stretched across the entire back wall. Chef Toshitaka Omiya and his sous-chef appeared to be laboring away in a fish tank.
Cézembre
Fishing for (and Catching) Superlatives
It takes a talented cook to get me excited about any kind of fish other than shellfish, and Breton chef Anthony Hamon at Cézembre knows how to do it. You won’t find any boring, overcooked fillets here.
Oscar Wilde: L’Impertinent Absolu
Forced into the Gutter, but Looking at the Stars
Like all tragic figures, Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) fell from on high. He had it all, except perhaps beauty, but he made up for that with his brilliance, charm and wit, which were rewarded with fame and fortune. It all came … Read More
Osteria Ferrara
Sicilian Goodness on the Plate
I’ve been waiting a long time for Sicilian chef Fabrizio Ferrara, who made his name in Paris with the minuscule Caffè dei Cioppi, to open the new restaurant he promised when he launched the deli and lunch spot La Dispensa in the 10th arrondissement last year. Ça y est. I ate at the new Osteria Ferrara the other night and was overjoyed on all counts.
Victoria
American Touch for French Comedy
Director Justine Triet admits that for her third film, Victoria, she set out to make an American-style comedy. Being French, however, she chose as her chuckle-generator the subject of depression, not everyone’s idea of a barrel of laughs. But what … Read More