Paris In The 1950's - Now That Was A Time

On this Sunny Friday in Beverly Hills, I am missing my Paris, more to the point the Paris of my youth in the 1950's and the following clip from the 1950's movie - 'Funny Face' - will give you a good idea of what Paris looked like in the the 1950's.
Its fun and ya know......................................., the city is still beautiful..............
.it always will remains so.

Roscoff, Brittany, France - My New Found Love!

The town of Roscoff, in northern Brittany, is as disarming a granite-built little port as any in Brittany, Coastal southwest England or American's Maine coastline villages to be exact. 
The town, although it seems like a village, is open to the sea but drawn tight round the community. Shipping and free-booting wealth equipped it with a framework of fine solid 216th and 17th century houses. Some fishing continues and good beaches ( somewhat cold to swim in) have a generous coating of pleasure seekers. 
Brittany like its two other regions in France ( Alsace and Corsica) are very independent and have their own culture, language, music and customs. Brittany is closer to southern England and Ireland in many ways than to France. In fact  Ferries from Ireland and Plymouth come into port every day. The music you hear all over Brittany is Celtic. Close you eyes and you'll think you are in Ireland. 
The storybook harbor and towns buildings are trimmed with flowers and  it is one of the , if not the most pleasing places to stay for awhile anywhere in France.

It's also the home to the Onion Jonnies - these were Breton Farm men who used to cycle around Britain, peddling their local pink onions ( and are they great!) door-to-door With berets, hooped shirts and bikes laden with onion-string, they established the caricature of Frenchmen for British people who rarely saw any others. 

There are two wonderful hotels here, also the boat 15 minutes over to the tropical island of Batz, After Roscoff drive east along the most fantastic coastline called 'the Pink Granite' coast to another wonderful town called Perros-Guirec.
If I had to live in France ( which I want to do) then Roscoff would be where I would end my days; happy and content,no question about it. Brittany and Roscoff have captured my heart and soul.
Email me about more details of this magical place.   

I Am Back From My Month In France

My travels took me to Brittany - Northern and Western Finistere ( Like having to pick your favorite child - what is my favorite area of France? well, truth be told.. its Brittany - the New England of France), then I flew to Lyon and headed a bit north to the Beaujolais area ( much more dramatic than its neighbor Burgundy in my opinion) and then worked my way south towards Provence - Northern Provence first , in the Drome area ( the hidden part of Provence) and then into the Luberon Valley ( the heart of Provence) and then drove to the Marseilles airport to catch a flight to Paris and then 30 minutes north a new hotel, a new and fabulous hotel in Chantilly and its chateaux. Photo below.

Forget Versailles, this is the place along with the Vaux-le-Vicomte Chateaux south of Paris. 

In between a few restaurant highlights, including Anne Sophie Pic's new bistro in Valance. 

So, stand by for more in-depth reports of my trip........

I am Off To France For a Month - Hurrah!

Dear Readers
I am off to France for about a month and so I'll pick up blogging on my return in late may.
If you ask? I am visiting my beloved Brittany and then on to northern Provence to check out new and old hotels to see how they are doing for my clients.

oh yes! I am eating some of the most glorious food in the world and enjoying the company of French old and new friends ( they are the best)

French City Pass - See More - Pay Less - Everyone Likes a Bargain

Paris, being the first, offers for many years past, a Museum pass that allows you entrance to over 70 Paris ( in and out of the city) museums. There is also a Paris Visite card that gives you unlimited transport on the Metro and Paris buses.

Now other major cities within France are getting on the bandwagon to do the same. 
Besides Paris - Lyon - Nice - Nantes  -Dijon offer passes that include discounts in the cities sites and transportation. All can be bought at the local tourist offices. 

If you are visiting Normandy and its War Museums - they offer a pass for only 1 Euro ( bought at the first War Museum ) you visit and  then is good for discounts at any of the scores of other War Museums spread out along the Normandy Coast.

D-Day 70 years later - Celebration in Normandy

This year being the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Europe - D Day as it was known, will be a celebration with Heads of State from many countries, including President Obama will be attending. 
There are many sites in the greater D Day area and one, albeit somewhat touristy ( but hey, we are all tourists, no?) is the Arromanches 360 museum. 
Here is a look at what goes on in the museum. 


http://www.arromanches360.com/en/ - here is the site to give you more information.

My Little French Secret – Just Two Miles off The Atlantic Coast of France ( 3 Hours By Train from Paris)

For those you like me; who liked the French films of the 1950’s (Hey, there are still some of us around) where everyone cycles slowly down endless French roads, wearing Breton shirts and smiling Bonjours! ,where rabbits hop around gardens; where children don’t scream and the sound of the lone church bell is the only thing disturbing the piece, then the Ile de Re is a place for you.

Two miles off the Atlantic coast, facing La Rochelle likes a place that time forgot. There isn’t even any sign of electricity cable, they are tastefully buried underground. There is no noon or plastic signs, no billboards’, no bright, garish front doors – this small island oozes taste, class, simplicity and quiet. If New York is a city that never sleeps, Ile de Re is the island that never wakes up.

Here you’ll find an island of whitewashed fishermen’s villages, fine sand breaches, wild hollyhocks, salt marshes and a climate that shares the privilege with the Cote d’Azur as being one of the sunniest regions in France. The vegetation is surprisingly southern, almost Mediterranean, pine trees and palms grow well here.

Although in the summer, 100,000 tourists visit, they have not spoiled Re’s charm and off-season, the island is lived-in but tranquil.

Accommodations range from deluxe to simple inns, the food is spectacular – seafood – fresh galore! And there are even a few vineyards on the island producing quite nice wine.

There are about 10 lovely fishing villages that dot the island. Romantic harbors abound.

But the thing to do here (there are over 60 miles of bike trails – flat! And yes, you can rent bikes here after you settle in) narrow lanes that connect villages, vineyards, wood and beaches. They take you where cars can’t.

The island is also home to many famous French personalities – from the film/theatre world and Politics.

There is NO volleyball nets or lifeguards, no jet-skis, no smoky BBq’s or People selling you slices of pineapples and coconuts – no, its just you and nature and great food and a place to come down, relax and be QUIET!

If you have to ask, Howard, what is there to do? Then please don’t come, for this place is not and never will be for you!

Malmaison - Not As Crowded as Versailles and Just As Beautiful

Those who follow my blog will know that Versailles ( must do once, I suppose) is not my favorite monument in France, for there are many others more beautiful. - Chantilly and Vaux-le-Vicomte come readily to mind. 
I  can add to that group, the Chateau de Maimasion ( just outside Paris) which was the home of Josephine ( yes - that Josephine - Napoleons first wife). The Chateau (with fabulous furniture inside) contains a remarkable panorama of art of the Consular period. The grounds are lovely also. 
http://www.chateau-malmaison.fr/en

For Incurable romantics only – if not, read no further please

 As an unabashed romantic, the restaurant Laperouse on the Left bank has always been a favorite of mine. Sure, maybe time has passed it by, at least by today’s so-called ‘Hot’ Restaurants standards (in my humble opinion) most serve boring cuisine – they in fact have reversed alchemy - this time taking gold and turning into lead. They presented cuisine with over 33 ingredients, they pile food on plates ever higher and higher, they embrace, chemical legerdemain with foams and such– boring, their menus read like Tolstoy’s novel of War and Piece and yet satisfy nothing – in short, if you ask me, those so called ‘new,’hot’ restaurants strike me as silly and in my opinion (and that’s what counts, don’t you know) the cuisine would not stimulate the appetite of a starving boa constrictor.

Have I lost some of you..Good!

Ah! But, since 1766 a ‘knock your socks off’ restaurant with Belle Epoch décor, a restaurant romantic beyond belief and a cuisine that harkens back to the good basics of French cooking is still alive. If you are looking for ‘in’ and ‘hot’ and ‘trendy’, this is not the place for you.

What is very special here, is the salons Prive or private rooms, found off the main dining room. These private rooms were set up for the social and political types of there day for illicit liaisons with the then famous Courtesans of the day. Here lovers ate and loved together and the ladies received their payment in the form of diamonds, who would then in turn ,scratch the mirror alongside the wall to make sure they were not fake diamonds and today...... those scratches still remain.

So, if you are inclined to be romantic, take your lover or even your wife and spend an evening in some one of the 10 romantic rooms ( Les Salons Prives) at the restaurant and don't forget..as the song goes.....'That Diamonds are a girls best friend'.

Bouillabaisse - In the South Of France - Not in Marseilles

Le Mere Germaine restaurant in Villefranche-sur-Mer ( between Nice and Monaco) has been a gourmet landmark since 1938. Its specialty is fish and seafood and its famous Bouillabasse of course. The other famous Bouillabasse restaurant is the 'tony' Tatou; located in Cagnes-sur-Mer. Many people feel that its too snobby and expensive for them ( Snobby to me?, No, but expensive for sure!), so I can recommend le Mere Germaine without hesitation.
http://www.meregermaine.com/en/

Villefranche for movie goers of a certain age, was one location where Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr stopped to see his grandmother in the movie 'An Affair To Remember"..

                     (The Village of Villefranche-sur-Mer)

            OK, so I'm an unabashed romantic, I'll admit it!

Once Upon A Time The Orient Express in Paris

If you happen to be in Paris between now and the 31st of August and wish to relive ( but not have to pay the hefty fee taking the real Orient Express train these days) I can suggest dropping over to the Arab World Institute on the Left bank and visit one of the original early 20th century rail cars of the Orient Express. Here was a time when people aspired to a moment of calm and slowness in their speedy world.
Within the resorted car are snippets of James Bond, Josephine Baker, Agatha Christie and countless other writers and artists. 
Visitors are NOT allowed to sit in the coach, except, after it closes for the day; some Famous French chefs ( included Yannick Alleno) will be serving dinner at Euro 165 per person, if you wish to try that).

All Aboard!!

Air France - Why Fly them?..So Many Reasons...................

A hard look at the truth in Air travel from an old curmudgeon.
Hey! It's my blog and I can say anything I wish! :)

I have flown a lot from Los Angeles to Paris over the past 30 years on not just Air France, but on American  Delta and United Airlines.
One of the pluses of flying into a country on that countries Official carrier is that you get a 'taste of that country' right away while on board. 
I have been flying since the late 1940's and have seen many changes in the airline industry - many good and many bad.
I don't wish to appear sexist, but have you seen American flight attendants lately? Especially on long runs ( the senior women and men get those routes) - 
the American epidemic of Obesity seems to have taken hold of flight attendants, recently on an American carrier to Europe, the flight attendant could barley get down the aisle, she was a 'bit over-weight', have you noticed those American carriers flight attendants appear have have just woken up, they look so unkempt, have you noticed they seem to have the American attitude toward customers that seems combative ( of course clients today can be combative, I'll give you that).
All in All, As Shakespeare once remarked 'Where is the life of late, I lead?".
 So, next time you wish to hearken back to the 'good old days' of flying, try Air France..one thing for sure, the Flight attendants look like they were just hired off the fashion runway.

VIVE LA FRANCE!

My Love of Monaco - Remembering Grace Kelly

<">One of my favorite places, besides France, is the Principality of Monaco. Although I grew up in the 1950's viewing Grace Kelly on the silver screen ( yes! I had a boyhood crush on her, I will admit), when she became Princess Grace of Monaco, that's when I started to fall in love with Monaco. I have happily spent a lot of time there and even thought she is gone, her spirit still lives on in that fabled country.
The Tate Museum in London recently had an exhibition of her life in photos  and here is a short film in honor of her.
Next time you want to visit Monaco/Monte Carlo, please call me.

Good Food in Montmartre? - No Way..But Now...a Resounding YES! LE COQ RICO

Montmartre ( in my humble opinion) has never been known for great food or restaurants..that said, I can know report that Antonie Westermann ( one of my favorite chefs - Droument) has opened a fantastic restaurant( ( open, mind you 7 days a week) whose menu is only based on a single-ingredient - Poultry! meaning - Chicken, guinea fowl ( my favorite always), duck and pigeon and each one comes with its own pedigree and the name of the farmer - how fresh is that? . He uses all parts of those tender birds, including kidneys, hearts , wings and livers ( the stuff you usually toss away at home.)

The restaurant is cozy, bright and modern and you can sit at the counter or in one or two of the small dining rooms.
The Challans farm raised chicken is a wonder
THIS PLACE IS HOT AND RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST. 
Note: Please, please don't be an American and ask for things on the side or cooked without! If so, please don't come!
By the way Le Coq Rico means ---cock-a-doddle-do 
http://www.lecoqrico.com/

TGV - France's Bullet Train now goes from Paris to Barcelona in just over 6 hours!!

To me, The Rail system in France is the best in the world and if you have never tried it, you are missing something very special.
Mark Smith, the brilliant blogger behind "The Man In Seat 61" - a website devoted to the wonders of rail travel in Britain and in Europe, has allowed me to share with you - his video log of his trip on the new train from Barcelona to Paris. Its a great insight into how the TGV runs and looks.
http://www.seat61.com/Paris-to-Barcelona-by-TGV-train.htm#.UzmDzKhdVj0
( the click-on above has a larger view of the ride and is recommended to see rather than the smaller version below)

Auberge du Jeu de Paume - Once This Country Estate Domain Illustrious Enough to Entertain Kings, is Now a 5 Star Hotel

Forget Versailles – when it comes to kock-your-socks off beauty; the two most beautiful (anywhere in France) chateaux are the Vaux-le-Vicomte ( south of Paris) and Chantilly ( north of Paris).

Chantilly is only 15 miles from the Charles de Gaulle airport, so it makes a stay over the night before you depart for home or a stay over inbound, to recover from jet lag the way to go!

 Now Chantilly has a hotel to rival its fantastic surroundings –                             The Auberge du Jeu Paume. 

This romantic getaway within an hour of Paris is an example of kid-glove French hotel-keeping at its best. The rooms are cosseting and pretty, the magnificent grounds of the Domaine de Chantilly perfect for long romantic walks. Though the young staff has been trained in the best old-school Gallic grand-hotel traditions, they're still warm, friendly, and eager to please, making this elegant auberge feel more relaxed than a big-city hotel. Chef Arnaud Faye runs two superb restaurants—a gastronomic table and a brasserie—and the bar serves good croque monsieurs, cheeseburgers, and other light fare.

                          Contact me for a special ‘last Night in France Package

                                           Chateau de Chantilly is near-by

La Mer - Before Bobby Darin, The Man Who Made it Famous - Charles Trenet

See France - By It's Canals - Slow Travel - The Way France Is Meant To Be Seen

Every year I rent a self-drive barge and discover France anew - le Boat is the company of choice and its the most fantastic way to really to Le France Profonde ( Deep France) 

2014 - 70th Anniversary of D Day

Next year is the 70th anniversary of D Day and the liberation of France.
Although its too late to book something around the first 2 weeks of June (The official celebration of that famous day) , any other time of year is perfect to Visit Normandy. Beautiful, fascinating Normandie

A Country B&B charm meets sophisticated style (and a serious spa!) - just 20 minutes outside Paris

I have just returned from a weekend at a lovely retreat just outside Paris and I can tell you, this will be my retreat for a few days every time I am in Paris ( which is 3 to 4 times a year).

                                         LES ESTANGS DE COROT

A Country B&B charm meets sophisticated style (and a serious spa!), just twenty minutes from downtown Paris’s  and ten minutes from the Chateau de Versailles.

Les Etangs de Corot is a delightful refuge where guests ( 95 % French clientele)  can relax in country-chic accommodations, explore beautiful nature trails, feast at a gastronomic restaurant, and get pampered in a world-class Caudalie Spa.

Les Etangs de Corot in Ville d’Avray is named for its historic setting, overlooking the ponds and forests that inspired many great painters and writers—notably the forefather of Impressionism, Camille Corot. Owned and operated by Alice and Jérôme Tourbier, who also run Les Source de Caudalie in Bordeaux, the 43-room hotel, combines upscale creature comforts with the charm and character of a weekend country house.

Utterly charming, Alice Tourbier’s smart and original interior design integrates antique furniture and contemporary decorative accents throughout the hotel. In a nod to the illustrious artists who spent time in Ville d’Avray, the guestrooms feature reproductions of 19th-century French landscape paintings. The cozy guestrooms and suites are individually decorated with family heirlooms and flea market finds (including secretary desks and brass lamps) and modern flourishes like bold Farrow & Ball patterned wallpaper and oversize mirrors. The suites feature a separate living room and rustic-chic slate bathrooms. The best guestrooms look out onto views of the forest and the lily pad–covered pond.

There are three in-house restaurants at Les Etangs de Corot, each offering a unique ambiance and menu. The gastronomic eatery Le Corot features large bay windows, high ceilings, chandeliers and dazzling blow-ups of the eponymous artist’s famous paintings. The menu does feature game (such as roasted venison with berries, celery, and quince wine sauce) there are also plenty of lighter options like a flaky John Dory fish flavored with ginger consommé and lime.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Café des Artistes is a more casual dining option. With mismatched bistro chairs and no tablecloths, the ambiance here is more country-chic than Versailles-glam.. In the summer months, a third dining option is available. Les Paillotes is a lofted covered terrace overlooking the scenic greenery and pond where guests can dine en plein airon summery fare like pea and mint gazpacho, sea bass à la plancha, and strawberries and cream.

Like the Tourbier’s property in Bordeaux (Les Source de Caudalie), Les Etangs de Corot incorporates wine into all aspects of the hotel experience. For example, the long windowed hallway connecting the reception area to the bar/lounge is lined with 2,500 empty green bottles from the family’s château, Smith Haut-Lafitte. Complimentary glasses of wine offered upon arrival (which can be enjoyed at a moment of your choosing) make guests feel right at home, and a unique tap system in the hotel’s open cave next to Café des Artistes allows diners a rare chance to sample grand crus by the glass. But perhaps the most luxurious wine-related indulgences are hotel’s signature spa treatments, which feature products derived from grape vines as well as the grapes themselves. Known for antioxidant treatments and luscious skin-care products,Caudalie Vinothérapie® was developed by Alice Tourbier’s sister, Mathilde Thomas. The original spa is part of Les Source de Caudalie and the newest outpost, at Les Etangs, features a large outdoor hot tub, a water-massage area, and treatment rooms with beautiful views of the natural surroundings.

Couples looking to escape city life for a night or two of R&R without committing to a long haul will appreciate the fresh-air atmosphere, proximity to Versailles, and the luxurious spa treatments.

Just Back From Almost A Month in France - Details To Follow

                                        ( Howard in Strasbourg's Petit France District in Strasbourg) 
Christmas In France is always a joy, especially seeing the fabulous windows at the legendary Paris department store - Galeries Lafayette.
But Christmas is really special at the various Christmas Markets in Germany and Eastern France. If you have never been, then you are missing a spectacular celebration. 
In Alsace (Eastern France on the border of Germany) sits the city of Strasbourg. it is one of my favorite places to visit anytime I am in France. It's only a 2-1/2 journey train trip from Paris; an easy one day trip round-trip from Paris. 
Here you'll find many wonderful Christmas Markets selling not only tree decorations, but winter mulled-hot wine and food like local sausages and foie-gras. The city is beautifully decorated and the holiday spirits reins supreme here!
So stand by for more of my trip updates in the next few days.

The Intouchables - A Must See French Film - 2nd Highest Grossing Film in French Cinema History

If you have not seen, the French Film 'The Intouchables' - then you have missed a wonderful film of the last few decades!
In the movie the characters take a Paragliding trip and its something that we can also arrange for you to have the same experience. The location is in the French Alps near Albertville. 

That Little Hidden Bistrot in Paris..Not Fancy, But Satisfying.....

Sometimes, I just want to find and relax in a cozy, out of the way Paris bistrot, surrounded by locals enjoying themselves. I am always looking for a place of good food and of good value. A simple but great bistrot meal, is all I ask.
One such place, I can offer is in the Marais district and it near three major museums and thus its called Le Cafe des Musees. Its very near: The Picasso Museum, the Carnavalet Museum and the the Cognacq-Jay museum.
I'm a sucker for confit de canard ( with white beans, of course!)and here is a place that offers one 'to die for"
If you find yourself in this area, please stop by and have lunch or dinner. 

http://cafedesmusees.fr/

Recapture Paris of the 18th Century - The Guingette

Guinguettes were popular drinking and dancing establishments located in the suburbs of Paris during the 18th century.At one time there were hundreds, today there are less than 10. 

Today, Guinguettes are an object of nostalgia to recapture those heady days and a marvelous place to return to the lighter times during the mad years of the 1920's.
One such is just a short RER Metro ride away and its called La Guinguette Auvergnate.
http://www.guinguette-auvergnate.fr/

Gray Goose Vodka Ad - a Funny Stab At the French

I will admit, although I think of myself as being French, my being an American does come out in many ways, one is my love for a good Vodka martini and this Grey Goose Vodka ad makes me laugh at myself and the French. I hope you get a laugh out of it too!

Avignon - Palace of the Popes - a Secret Tour

Avignon Palace of the Popes – A secret (visit in English – Fridays only Euro 35 per person)

Who, as a child or even as an adult, has not dreamed of visiting a castle or even a palace and finding secret passageways, slipping through concealed doorways, and visiting places where the public is not allowed to go! 

The itinerary at Avignon’s Palace of the Popes ( Palais des Papes) is offering not so much a traditional tour as a guided discovery of the palace's secret corners. During the visit, your guide will offer details and anecdotes about the building of the monument, its history and the daily lives of the pontifical sovereigns and other figures who occupied the palace.
This tour will lead you from dark corridors to concealed staircases, from terraces overlooking the town to private chapels. 

There are Many more private tours and sometimes brunch included, but in French only.

Just as a sidenote - The "official" visit of the Palais des Papes is not recommended for anyone of restricted mobility, and that applies even more to the secret tour. The steep, narrow spiral staircases and crumbing steps give you the sense of navigating a building site, though this also lends the tour an exciting, exploratory quality.

Brittany - The Spice Capitol of France

For hundreds of years, the importation of Spices from Indian and elsewhere in the world, was landed in the Brittany city of L'orient. Then the trade fell off at the beginning of the 20th Century. Today, Brittany is starting to produce many of the worlds best known spices, Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, is know being harvested in Brittany.
Years ago, a Chemist in Brittany, a M. GOSEE blended several of the worlds best spices into a blend that is very popular with professional chefs, especially in Brittany as it goes well with seafood. It's called Kari Gosse and is found not only in markets, but in Chemist shops. Secret ingredients!!!

When you visit Brittany ( or in Paris at one of the major food halls) buy yourself a jar of it. It's marvelous. Or better yet, visit Brittany and one of the many fabulous seafood restaurants and see how its used to perfection by the local chefs. In Lorient, you must dine at Le Jardin Gourmand and taste the many uses of Kari Gosse.

Aquitaine - Self Drive Motor Boats

One of my favorite vacation in France is to rent a motor boat and spend a few days on the canals and in one of my favorite regions the Aquitaine ( Southwest France) is a marvelous way to discover this unique corner of France.
The port of Baise is a good jumping off place.
Enjoy the video
No prior experience need to sail these 5 mile a hour cabin cruisers. 

Plats Canailles - In France - Simple and Heavy Dishes

In my travel to France for over 40 plus years and eating everything form Three Star restaurants to no stars and in-between, when i comes down to my favorite type of French food - its what the French call plat canailles - best translated as simple and heavy dishes. Some call it home cooking or peasant food. To me,. its the best food in France, bar none.
One of my favorite places to experience this in Paris is Astier. 
Its everything you think about that a real Paris bistro should be. Red checked tablecloths  original woodwork and cafe curtains - its a picture postcard version of a Paris Bistro, to be sure.
Most clients are local ( as its located in the off Paris sightseeing area of the 11th district. Its been there since 1956 and their menu has changed little. A menu of traditional French classics ( no foolish California Fusion cuisine found here, thank goodness!).
Some of my favorites: marinated herring with warm potato salad, cream of lentil soup with smoked duck breast, rabbit in mustard sauce, entrecote with frites, turbot in Bearnaise sauce and a fabulous cheese tray.
It does not get any better than this.

You Are Only as Happy as The Era You Love - Paris of 50 years ago

As you may or may not know, I have been accused of living in the past more than once from friends and family alike and I say to that..I am guilty and proud to say so!
For me, genuine French food, the food of 50 years ago, when there was great French cooking, not the pretentious silly stuff you'll find today, yes even in my beloved Paris -food that will give your cardiologist cause for concern - serious food - you know great sauces - goose foie gras - beef with marrow - duck with peaches - chicken stewed in Beaujolais - Lobster in Port wine sauce.(.I need to stop!) and huge Baba and my list can go on and on.
Was it decadent? - oh yes! Was it delicious? oh yes! and is it what I want? oh YES!
Here and there the past for me is still alive in Paris and one restaurant ( that has been around for 50 years) is Gourmets de Ternes. is still serving the food they did years ago and it is still great. It's local, not fancy, you are there to eat. No Fusion cuisine, no foam, no stark walls (Phillip or anyone else) and chairs and tables.
This is the kind of place you come to Paris to experience.
But then, don't listen to me, I'm just old fashioned and I'll keep those special and old fashion and great food places to myself.