For those of you who thought I was crazy about the mediocre to poor
food in Paris, and for those of you who felt the same way I did but
didn't want to post anything negative for fear the tribe of prolific
posters would bury you, check out the article below from the August
23rd Washington Post that a friend sent to me.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...082101686.html

If the food in Paris didn't take a **radical dive**, nobody would be
talking about how bad it is and nobody would be talking about skipping
it, eating comfort food and faster food and having much better French
food here in the US. These are simple facts.

If you take a look at this menu from Chez Georges-Port Maillot
http://restaurants.diningcity.com/pu...ges%20menu.pdf
and as just one example their salad frisee:

Salade frisée aux lardons, oeuf poché. 12,00 €

I can tell you that all it was, was the frisee lettuce (if it is a
lettuce) and some very bland dressing. That waste of time and money
cost me $18. If that is not a drastic drop in quality, what is?

Then there was the:

Coeur de filet de boeuf, sauce au poivre 29,00 €

It was just awful and tasted like wood and cost me $45. What I
really should have done was sent everything I didn't like back but not
being that proficient in the language and realizing the menus were so
limited that finding something else was almost impossible, I just
chalked it up to the declining Paris food and gave up with Paris
restaurants.

You cannot blame Americans' palates for the decline in French food.
Evolving away from foods like Steak Diane, coq au vin, clams casino
and crepe suzettes, good onion soup means that you can no more live
off the reputation of what French food was and now you are serving
something different that has to stand on its own. Well, that
something else, along with the poor quality of the ingredients, for
many of us stinks.

I don't know one person who has been to France recently, who has loved
the food there unless their employers or they paid for the Michelin 3
stars. Even then, it's much more glamorous and envy inspiring to talk
about your ability to afford such restaurant masterpieces and how
wonderfully continental you are because you have the savoir-faire to
know how talented Ducasse, Robuchon and Savoy are. What they hide is
their knowledge of the ridiculous prices, or how mediocre the food
really tasted. They hide the fact that tiny colorful portions of
food, possibly frozen with liquid nitrogen, were more framable and
hangable than edible. It's not even proper to say in mixed company
what I would need from a restaurant that wanted me to pay $800 or more
for two people. Check out these menus at Guy Savoy:
http://www.guysavoy.com/fr/intro.htm Click on La Cuisine and then Les
Menus 275 and 345 Euros per person.

American restaurants have gotten better and Paris restaurants have
gotten much worse, to the point that people are opting not to bother
going to them...not even Parisians. Deny it if you want to but these
restaurants seem to be dropping like flies, as the article indicated.
Also, as the palettes of their potential guests get better, coupled
with the fact they have abandoned the French standards that everyone
already approved of, their food is coming under a great deal more
scrutiny and criticism.

A few years ago I went to see a Dylan concert. He sang none of the
songs I went there to hear except for unrecognizable versions Blowin
in the Wind and Visions of Johanna. I'd never see a Dylan concert
again and neither would most of friends who feel the same way after
they got bitten.

However, like the article said, if you know people who have "good and
discriminating taste" in food and they give you recommendations, then
you are far ahead of the average tourist who no matter where they are
in Paris can easily find horrible dinner food. We had the May 2009
Zagats' guide on my palm pilot and all those recommendations from all
those people didn't help, especially when nobody evaluates the menu
for people who do not eat organs, fish or seafood.

I think we will probably go back again next summer while all the
things we never got to do are fresh in our minds and I will try some
of those restaurants Nathalie suggested and I'll try Chartier.

On Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:00:19 -0400, Alan >
wrote:

>For those of you who thought I was crazy about the mediocre to poor
>food in Paris, and for those of you who felt the same way I did but
>didn't want to post anything negative for fear the tribe of prolific
>posters would bury you, check out the article below from the August
>23rd Washington Post that a friend sent to me.
>
>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...082101686.html
>
>If the food in Paris didn't take a **radical dive**, nobody would be
>talking about how bad it is and nobody would be talking about skipping
>it, eating comfort food and faster food and having much better French
>food here in the US. These are simple facts.
>
>If you take a look at this menu from Chez Georges-Port Maillot
>http://restaurants.diningcity.com/pu...ges%20menu.pdf
>and as just one example their salad frisee:
>
>Salade frisée aux lardons, oeuf poché. 12,00 €
>
>I can tell you that all it was, was the frisee lettuce (if it is a
>lettuce) and some very bland dressing. That waste of time and money
>cost me $18. If that is not a drastic drop in quality, what is?
>
>Then there was the:
>
>Coeur de filet de boeuf, sauce au poivre 29,00 €
>
>It was just awful and tasted like wood and cost me $45. What I
>really should have done was sent everything I didn't like back but not
>being that proficient in the language and realizing the menus were so
>limited that finding something else was almost impossible, I just
>chalked it up to the declining Paris food and gave up with Paris
>restaurants.
>
[snippage]

You might find Bittman's Parisian bistro experience of interest:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/07/05.../05choice.html

His targets were lower in the pecking order of things than yours
appeared to have been. And he found much to like.

Two of the joints he reviews have Web sites and their prix fixe
dinners cost in the in the 31-39 euro range. Things like skate and
chilled sweet pea velouté with mackerel tartar and chorizo
(http://restaurantlegaigne.fr/6.html) shore do sound mighty tempting
to this good ole boy.

Here's a link to a couple of one chef's recipes:
http://www.lespapillesparis.fr/EN_co..._recettes.html

They're in French, but you might get an idea. That's pumpkin soup with
bacon, chestnuts and chives; braised lamb shoulder; and panna cotta.
Sounds pretty good to me.

Additionally, some might find this eGullet thread interesting
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=121209 It's a digest
(with numerous links) of reviews of Paris restaurants which appears to
be updated weekly. I. for one, am amazed.
--

modom

I go there most days and love the food ! Whilst I'd love to go to
Georges Blanc or Troisgros every week, I can't afford it. We eat in
local restaurants twice a week and spend 30-40€ for two inc beer/wine.
Occasionally we venture into Lyon with visitors and go somewhere more
upmarket and pay 30-40€ each, sometimes more. If we go to Paris we
would expect to pay more because it's the capital but good food is
available IF you take the time to find it and stay away from tourist traps.

French cuisine is doing fine and doesn't need your help. Why not go to
Italy next time and leave us in peace

Steve
PS How long did it take you to find an article criticising it ? How many
positive ones did you discard ?

Alan wrote:
>
> I don't know one person who has been to France recently, who has loved
> the food there unless their employers or they paid for the Michelin 3
> stars.

Please stop whining. You haven't learned a thing.

On Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:08:46 -0400, "Dora" > wrote:

>
>Please stop whining. You haven't learned a thing.

Yup. I give up.

Nathalie in Switzerland

"Nathalie Chiva" ha scritto nel messaggio
"Dora" wrote:
>
>>
>>Please stop whining. You haven't learned a thing.
>
> Yup. I give up.
>
> Nathalie in Switzerland

He did not come here to discuss food or learn anything. He came to take
revenge on restaurants that disapponted him. No one, not a French person, a
person who cooks French, Bittman, frequent visitors to Paris, is going to
disabuse him of his rooted prejudices.

We should all let this be a lesson on how not to enjoy life.

Giusi wrote:
> "Nathalie Chiva" ha scritto nel messaggio
> "Dora" wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Please stop whining. You haven't learned a thing.
>>
>> Yup. I give up.
>>
>> Nathalie in Switzerland
>
> He did not come here to discuss food or learn anything. He came to
> take revenge on restaurants that disapponted him. No one, not a
> French person, a person who cooks French, Bittman, frequent visitors
> to Paris, is going to disabuse him of his rooted prejudices.
>
> We should all let this be a lesson on how not to enjoy life.

Amen.

"Dora" ha scritto nel messaggio
> Giusi wrote:

>> We should all let this be a lesson on how not to enjoy life.
>
> Amen.

So how about it Dora? My bunch is having a farewell for the winter party
tonight for a Brit member and I've made a bif double moussaka. Wanna come
with me? You WILL enjoy it, because everyone makes part of the meal.

"Nathalie Chiva" <Nathaliedotchivaatgmail.remove.com> wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:08:46 -0400, "Dora" > wrote:
>
>>
>>Please stop whining. You haven't learned a thing.
>
> Yup. I give up.
>

oh but come on now, he could find one other whiner who wrote something on
the web!

Giusi wrote:
> "Dora" ha scritto nel messaggio
>> Giusi wrote:
>
>>> We should all let this be a lesson on how not to enjoy life.
>>
>> Amen.
>
> So how about it Dora? My bunch is having a farewell for the winter
> party tonight for a Brit member and I've made a bif double moussaka.
> Wanna come with me? You WILL enjoy it, because everyone makes part
> of the meal.

Next flight out! OK if I bring trifle?

"Dora" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> Giusi wrote:
>> "Dora" ha scritto nel messaggio
>>> Giusi wrote:
>>
>>>> We should all let this be a lesson on how not to enjoy life.
>>>
>>> Amen.
>>
>> So how about it Dora? My bunch is having a farewell for the winter>>
>> party tonight for a Brit member and I've made a big double moussaka. >>
>> Wanna come with me? You WILL enjoy it, because everyone makes part
>> of the meal.
>
> Next flight out! OK if I bring trifle?

Sure! The Italians will love it. They call it English Soup.

Giusi wrote:
> "Dora" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> ...
>> Giusi wrote:
>>> "Dora" ha scritto nel messaggio
>>>> Giusi wrote:
>>>
>>>>> We should all let this be a lesson on how not to enjoy life.
>>>>
>>>> Amen.
>>>
>>> So how about it Dora? My bunch is having a farewell for the
>>> winter>> party tonight for a Brit member and I've made a big
>>> double
>>> moussaka. >> Wanna come with me? You WILL enjoy it, because
>>> everyone makes part of the meal.
>>
>> Next flight out! OK if I bring trifle?
>
> Sure! The Italians will love it. They call it English Soup.

Done. I'm packing.

Dora wrote:
> Giusi wrote:
>> "Dora" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>> ...
>>> Giusi wrote:
>>>> "Dora" ha scritto nel messaggio
>>>>> Giusi wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> We should all let this be a lesson on how not to enjoy life.
>>>>>
>>>>> Amen.
>>>>
>>>> So how about it Dora? My bunch is having a farewell for the
>>>> winter>> party tonight for a Brit member and I've made a big double
>>>> moussaka. >> Wanna come with me? You WILL enjoy it, because
>>>> everyone makes part of the meal.
>>>
>>> Next flight out! OK if I bring trifle?
>>
>> Sure! The Italians will love it. They call it English Soup.
>
> Done. I'm packing.


Zuppa Inglese? YUM! Pretty close to tiramisu without the mascarpone,
isn't it? I love both.

I hope the party is fun and the food divine.

gloria p