The beef was there, but where was the excitement? Pros: An extensive wine cellar, good products. Cons: A lack of that infectious pride in outstanding products that sets other caves à manger (like Papilles) apart. Styling itself as a bistro-cave … Read More
Tapas with a twist are a specialty of the house. Pros: Outstanding vegetable cooking; great staff; restful, understated decor. Cons: Wine list a bit short; at these prices, diners could be seated a little less cheek by jowl; two dinner … Read More
Pros: Well-sourced ingredients, pleasant staff.Cons: Tables too close together; bluefin tuna on the menu (tsk, tsk). It might be a conceit, but Miroir’s name is nowhere to be seen on the facade; it’s scrawled on the glass door in what … Read More
Pros Carefully sourced food Quiet, very local vibe ConsDitzy serviceMiles from anywhere It seems odd to name a restaurant after the only god reputed to have died in prehistoric times. Certainly, the temptation to start reaching for the mythological conceits … Read More
When you walk into La Marée, you get a sense of having entered another world. Outside is the heaving eighth arrondissement, with Rue Daru itself being home to the Orthodox Cathedral and other things Russian, plus a noticeable density of … Read More
“I hope you realize that your reviews are subjective?” queried a food-loving friend the other day. Duh. And you can also catch a place on a bad night. It’s one of the reasons why I don’t like reviewing poor meals. … Read More
Better than Happy Pills Down-to-earth food in a warm, friendly venue. If you have euros in your pocket that haven’t been exchanged from another currency (i.e., the dollar or sterling), the best place to be right now for eating is … Read More
Chipped-Formica Heaven The pot au feu was on its last legs. Paris has more restaurants named Chez Léon than you can shake a stick at, but one of them stands out from the crowd. Not for any reasons of culinary … Read More
Standout Antidote to Holiday Excesses During the Christmas and New Year holidays, the French traditionally live on a life-threatening diet of oysters, foie gras and smoked salmon, washed down with plentiful quantities of champagne and topped off with chocolates. During … Read More
Two for the Price of One Ober-Salé, like La Laiterie Sainte Clotilde, has the simplest of decors. Restaurants are funny places. It’s that ritual of communal eating, people getting together to masticate. On off days, the thought of what happens … Read More
