If you want to drop into a time capsule ( I do every time I’m
in France) and experience classic French/Parisian cuisine, experience the 1920’s
and 30’s, then I have a long list for you to try.
A favorite of mine is Benoit. A few years ago, the family (
the kids that is) that ran it wanted to walk away and luckily, Alain Ducasse
took it over, updated the menu a bit, but keep the traditional décor ( that I
remember as a kid in the 1950’s) and its
now better than ever.
French food is fussy and I mean that in the best possible
way – no one does fuss better than the Gauls. And no one does the white-tablecloth
( a must in my book) bistro cuisine quite like BENOIT.
In this culinary moment, when chefs look like bikers and the
maître d's’ look like farmers, it feels subversive, almost rebellious, to sit
down in this dressy room and gorge yourself into food coma on garlicky
escargots, sausage en brioche, impossible-to- finish cassoulet, crayfish soup
(Just the best!) and tarte Tatin served
with cream so thick the waiter has to spoon it up with both hands. Sure its
rich, but this is Paris!! You’re not here for the wheatgrass juice.
The late chef, Paul Bocuse was once asked by a customer, why
don’t you serve more healthy food and his response was ‘ Madam, I run a
restaurant, not a hospital’.
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