simon says french food blog

Auberge basque, the new face of French hospitality

By François Simon

Saint Pee sur Nivelle,

If you want to know what the new face of the French hospitality industry looks like, this is where you should come. Auberge Basque harkens back to the time when hosts were thoughtful, unaffected, and genuinely happy to receive you.  Cédric Bechade (formerly of Bocuse and Ducasse) has come here to give free reign to his passions, side by side with an exceptional sommelier, Samuel, and a young staff overflowing with enthusiasm and dedicated to their profession. 

Lovely rooms, in both contemporary and classic styles, and remarkable cuisine that’s a welcome change from genteel, stuffy gastronomy: here there are only fresh regional products and an élan marked by refreshing creativity.  The cuisine is playful, precise, vigorous, colorful….and there’s plenty of it.  If you go, you’ll notice that the attention to detail extends even to the bread.  It comes from the Boulangerie Darrigues.  While not the prettiest bakery in the village, it’s the best, especially the gateau basque, excellent bread, brioches with raisins and nuts.  An impressive wine list and, overall, throughout the hotel a scrupulousness that ensures everything is just right.

Auberge basque : Saint Pee sur Nivelle. Tel.: 05.59.51.70.50.

Web Map

(photos F.Simon)

ISSAUTIER KEEPS UP THE FIGHT

Saint-Martin-du-Var, French riviera

By François Simon

Astonishingly, Issautier lost a Michelin star last year. There’s perhaps no point in whining over something that is ultimately of little importance for a great talent.  That talent, issuing from genuine pleasure, feeling and delight, is on display in this lively, vibrant, and affecting (if somewhat dated) place.

Here, when the chef proposes asparagus, it’s not like in Paris, i.e., served with a mango-ginger vinaigrette.  Definitely not.  Here, the portion is generous.  Not only are the asparagus plump, high grade and flavorful, just to be on the safe side they’re served with foie gras and shaved parmesan. One comes to this auberge for the challenge, to confront nature in all its extravagance: next up is the half-salted cod, and to drive the last nail in the coffin, a vegetable aioli.

Nobody talks about Jean-Fançois Issautier anymore. He’s no longer fashionable, no longer à la mode. All the more reason to pay him a visit.

Issautier, route de Dignes – Saint Martin du Var (83), RN 202 – Tel : 04.93.08.10.65. 100-150 euros Map

Photo : A. Kertész. La fourchette, 1928.

Brasserie Balzar : A breathtaking disaster

PARIS

By François Simon

Brasserie Balzar is part of our national heritage. When you see its glassed-in terrace off in the distance, only one thought occurs to you: joining for a time this “club” open to all. It would be a terrible mistake.   

Let’s start with the veal liver: it’s carelessly prepared, disgusting.  The potatoes are revolting.  The tomato, a bit mangled, is plunked in the corner. The whole thing is simply pathetic.  I was as hungry as a wolf but I left practically everything on the plate.

On to dessert: the specialty is “le glacé Balzar” (an ice cream concoction).  The dish is a breathtaking disaster: Chantilly from a spray bottle, very little chocolate sauce, industrial ice cream and dusty meringue.  It certainly sounded good, but the execution is…. lacking.

When you look at the bill after barely eating or even drinking anything, you can only rub your eyes in disbelief: 67.90 euros for this unspeakable meal.   It’s enough to make you go outside and rip up the asphalt, exhume a few cobblestones, and make proper use of them.

French Version  Web  Map

Brasserie Balzar. 49, rue des Écoles, Ve. Tél. : 01 43 54 13 67. Ouvert tous les jours.

Saut du Loup, dazzling

Paris, France

By François Simon

Restaurants inside museums have always felt a kind of embarassment towards food. As well as towards many other things, in fact. Rudeness, common things, other temptations. They retain around themselves a kind of space which they expect to fill in a tawdry manner. Fortunately, from time to time, some unexpected rays of sunshine appear, like at the Saut du Loup, in the Museum of Decorative Arts.

The service is stylish and efficient, though at times the solicitude of the staff goes a bit too far.

I started off with a Romaine salad. Somewhat entertaining, it was rather a failure (the Romaine remains imperturbable), but at least there is some goodwill here, some risk taking, even if lacking in execution, indeed the dish was simply ordinary in the end.

Next up are the Saint-Jacques.  The chef still prepares his emulsions the way they were made at the beginning of the 21^st century. The problem is that goes back a decade now.  That said, it seems suited to this sort of disembodied meal, ethereal and cloud-like, that seems to fly through the air, and which in the end isn’t bad thanks largely to the attentiveness to flavour (here, a touch of vanilla, with the sea bass a hint of ginger with the bass).  It was quite a pleasant experience, though the portions are a bit meagre given the hefty prices (26€).

Overall, it was a delightful experience (there’s a beautiful terrace), even if it obviously isn’t cheap at 143€ for two people, which gets you just enough to pick at.

Le Saut du loup, 107, rue de Rivoli (1^er) - Tel. : 01 42 25 49 55. Web Map

L'Agapé – but where is the life?

Paris, France

By François Simon

It’s not easy to make a name for oneself when opening a restaurant. The rarefied world of « gastronomy » stands in the way.  At every turn, there are about a hundred people in Paris that prevent you from taking your place at the table.  How to force one’s way through the crowd of the already-tenured blocking the gate?

Sneak in on your hands and knees? Create a diversion? Wear a disguise ?  Marry a food critic? Or why not open a restaurant on rue Jouffroy-d'Abbans. That’s what three former employees of Passard just did – L’Agapé.

They offer excellent food, the kind that deserves a Michelin star. The asparagus with Colonnata’s bacon is exquisite. The Sologne’s pigeonneau (a small pigeon) is sumptuous. The ice cream with rosemary is delightful.  Everything is impeccable, but curiously we feel almost in the way. We let the torch march past without clapping too loudly. 

This restaurant is off to a great start. It’s headed at full speed towards its destiny and at the same time has already made it, plain and simple, to the gastronomic “big show” – that world of criticism, accolades, food guides and chocolate medals. What’s missing?  Life, of course! 

From 80 to 100 euros. Menus at 39 euros for lunch.

L'Agapé - 51, rue Jouffroy D’Abbans (17^ème) - Tel. : 01.42.27.20.18. Map

Open Monday - Friday, closed Saturdays and Sundays - Subway station : Wagram.

THREE-STAR CHALLENGE

Barcelona, Spain

By Joe Ray

It is a sublime pleasure to realize that you’re in the middle of one the best moments of your life.

Last week over lunch at the Pinotxo food kiosk at Barcelona’s Boqueria market, I smiled so much that I hit a point where I couldn’t speak.

It happened like this…A very good friend and I sat at a pair of Pinotxo’s stools with three years of catching up to do. Beer and Cava are ordered. I recall the time where I spent a day shooting pictures for a story, wedged behind the bar in the galley kitchen and of the incredible meals I’ve eaten here.

Mushrooms appear, wading in an elixir of olive oil, vinegar, garlic and goodness, dusted with big flakes of salt. Did we order those? Is that important? I take a bite and my right leg starts jiggling.

Razor clams show up next, cooked a la plancha (think: screaming hot greaseless griddle), garnished with nothing and drizzled with olive oil that mingles with their liquor, followed by a plate of clams that are cousins of those at Cal Pep.

A roaring crowd mills through the market, and we talk about life, love, family, tragedy and happiness: the floodgates of three years of busy lives in different places burst out onto the bar. The axis of the world shifts to the center point between our stools and our plates.

My favorite Pinotxo dish arrives – baby squid known as xipirones sautéed with tiny white beans. Along with the drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt, there’s a swirl of a balsamic glaze that sharpens flavors and adds subtle sweetness. My left leg starts jiggling, independent of its neighbor.

More Cava, more connecting. I can’t stop smiling. If food can bring you to a higher place, I don’t know what that is.

Take all the three-star restaurants and elaborate presentations you want, this is purity in many forms - the center of the universe.

Pinotxo – Mercat San Josep – “La Boqueria” – La Rambla 91 – Barcelona, SPAIN
MAP

Food and travel writer and photographer Joe Ray is the author of the blog Eating The Motherland and contributes to The Boston Globe's travel blog, Globe-trotting.

London, tucked away but a real find: Sheekey

London, UK

By François Simon

Whew, it isn’t easy to find the little nook where this place is hidden. Even the storefront is rather inconspicuous, but once you’re inside: excellent fish and seafood. Definitely not cheap at 23£ for a crab (shelled) and a bottle of water. But regardless, not to be missed.  As good as, if not better than, Bentley’s.

J. Sheekey, 28, St.Martin's court, London WC2N (020.7420.2565) Map

French version  (Photo F.Simon)

PORK ME

Barcelona, Spain

By Joe Ray

I’m being stalked by pork and shellfish.

Following cockles in meat sauce on the French island of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, fortune smiled on me again by mixing meat and bivalves, this time in Catalonia.

A few days ago at the Barcelona landmark restaurant, Cal Pep, I had tiny clams in white wine, parsley, garlic and … what was it???

Too thick to be olive oil, I asked chef, owner and landmark in his own right Pep Manubens if it was butter (an unlikely candidate in these parts) that gave the sauce such a wonderful texture.

He bristled, recovered, placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered his raspy voice into my half-deaf ear.

“It’s the ham.”

I smirked with pleasure as a larger understanding fluttered down; the little bits of the famous jamon iberico were indeed tasty, but what really contributed the flavor and texture that made me chortle with pleasure was the fat that surrounded the little bits of meat. Giving up the ghost on remaining a solid, the fat surrendered itself to heat and higher purpose, rendering a sauce custom-made to be mopped up with pa amb tomaquet – “tomato bread” rubbed with garlic and coated with olive oil. Yow. Yow. Yow.

Cal Pep – Placa de les Olles, 8 Barcelona - +34.93.3107961 Map

Food and travel writer and photographer Joe Ray is the author of the blog Eating The Motherland and contributes to The Boston Globe's travel blog, Globe-trotting.

Pasta Linea, love it….

Paris, France

By François Simon

It’s funny that I’ve never mentioned this charming place.  You’ll find a couple there (Sylvie and Alexis) with a passion for gourmet Italian products who regularly dig up all sorts of little goodies: hams, truffles, pastas, olive oils….You can even get a delicious lunch of home-made pastas of surpassing goodness (vegetable lasagna; sage, fig, basil ravioli); tiramisu that more than holds its own…. Too good.

Pasta Linea, 9, rue de Turenne, 75004 Paris (01.42.77.62.54). au déjeuner seulement. Map  French version

Photo F.Simon

Doing it for the right reasons

Belle Ile, France

By Joe Ray

I recently interviewed American food icon Alice Waters for a story I’m working on – Alice is down on France – particularly on the way the farming industry is run – now preferring to go to Italy where they still “get it.”

She should meet Baptiste Vasseur, an organic farmer in Belle Ile’s tiny town of Kerzo. I met Vasseur, 26, while wandering the cliffs of Belle-Ile. He was out there with his friends, 100 feet above the ocean, fishing for the sea bass known as bar and “whatever else will bite” using shore casting rods to cast their bait a country mile out into the water. How they got the fish up to the top of the cliff remained a mystery.

Vasseur is in his second year of production on his farm with no name, now harvesting late-season tomatoes along with eggplant, cabbage, leeks, turnips, pumpkins and spuds.

It seems a lonely existence for a young guy (Kerzo is a tiny town on an island with a total population of only about 5,000 and mainland France is alternately known as “The Continent” or just “The Other Side”), so why here?

“I’ve got some family here, but mostly I just like it,” he explained. “I found a farm, I studied to make sure it was going to work and got a farmer’s loan. We’ve got a lot of debt, but the loan helped us get going.”

I ask the same question everyone eventually asks me as a freelance journalist: “You can make a living doing this?”

“I sell in the market in Le Palais, to restaurants, at the farm itself, and once a week a group of island farmers sells at the aerodrome. That’s it – that’s all I can grow.

What he doesn’t say (I’ll later learn this from chef Epron, who buys Vasseur’s tomatoes for his restaurant, La Table de la Desirade) is that some jerk once came by and poured pesticide in the cistern Vasseur uses to water his plants. This could strip a farmer of his organic certification in a heartbeat, but Vasseur rapidly realized the problem with a minimum of damage.

“It can get political,” he adds, “but in the end, it’s working. We work hard and believe in what we do.”

Food and travel writer and photographer Joe Ray is the author of the blog Eating The Motherland and contributes to The Boston Globe's travel blog, Globe-trotting.

"eating out" (2)

Le Palais – Belle Ile, France

By Joe Ray

I spoke too soon. Belle-Ile chef Pacôme Epron has brought me back in from the seawall with one dish.

Though the man has mastered roasting turbot at La Desirade, it was his dish based around cockles (cockles!) that brought me in. His recent millefeuille de coques, rosace de pomme de terre et courgettes au thym, jus viande au foie gras might be a little long in name, but what’s most important is the mix of cockles and meat jus. Some here will cry heresy at the idea of mixing of meat and fish, but theirs is a waste of hot air.

Pouring what tastes like the delicious fond from the bottom of a roast beef pan over the dish turns it from a dainty seafood course to something almost carnal – I wish I was eating this on a date.

Francois Mitterand might have preferred the frou-frou of the nearby Castel Clara (think: thalassotherapy, buffet tables and crisp white jackets), but I like Epron’s and La Table’s simplicity.

La Table de La Desirade – “Le Petit Cosquet – 56360 Belle-Ile-En-Mer - +33 (0)2 97 31 70 70

Map

Food and travel writer and photographer Joe Ray contributes to The Boston Globe's travel blog, Globe-trotting.

“EATING OUT”

Le Palais – Belle Ile, France

By Joe Ray

Maybe it’s all the clean air, but I’m getting into this ‘lunch on the seawall’ idea. Perhaps it’s because everyone in Le Palais, Belle-Ile’s biggest town, shrugs when I ask for a good place to eat (there are a few), but I’m learning that while the towns are picturesque, people don’t leave “Le Continent” for the island’s social scene. It’s more about taking a long walk or watching the waves crash.

I realize this while leaning against one of the two mini-lighthouses (the red one) that mark the entrance to Le Palais’ tiny port. I’ve brought a baguette, a half-dozen plates (flat oysters) from Quiberon, a tomato from a little farm one side of the island and a pepper-coated dome of fresh goat cheese from a cheese maker the other. Here, this may be the version of "eating out" I like the most.

Map

Food and travel writer and photographer Joe Ray contributes to The Boston Globe's travel blog, Globe-trotting.

Sunday night roast chicken

PARIS

By François Simon

This traditional French recipe is a piece of cake. 

Have one child, at least three years old, by your side.  Preferably, he should be standing on a chair, so that he’s about the same height as you.  He’ll have to pay careful attention over the course of several Sundays. Should the mood strike him, he could offer an improvised vocal and hand-clapping musical accompaniment.  As for the chicken, it’s a cinch.  All you’ve got to do is stuff it with a preserved lemon and a little fresh tarragon (NOT an onion).  Then, put it in the oven.  For a long time.  Overcooking (say, an hour and a half) isn’t a problem.  In fact, it might be just the ticket. Undercooking, well…not so good.  There’s nothing worse than a chicken with pink armpits.

On your fourth attempt, ask the child to undertake the preparations.  He slips the lemon and tarragon in the bird’s keister and, with your help, skewers it mercilessly (while emitting, should he so desire, the ferocious cries of his favorite comic book and cartoon characters).  Carry the skewered bird together over to the oven.  You could put a cushion on the ground and sit and watch the bird rotate on the spit.  It’s better than television. As good as a fireplace, anyway.  You could discuss the sauce (grated ginger, balsamic vinegar, honey, coriander, lemon juice, raisins, Muscat, figs….depending on the season).  You could tell each other stories.  Or just sit and watch.  Or maybe even fall asleep, since it’s nice and warm by the oven.

Once the chicken is cooked, the child is under no obligation to eat it.    He can help you slice it, garnish the plates (with, say, coins of varying denominations, chocolate squares, Q-tips, etc.), and serve it.  Believe me, it’s an experience that he’ll never forget.  Neither will you.  Nor, of course, will the chicken.

Brittany takes centre stage! (3)

BRITTANY

By François Simon

The final stage of our little tour through Brittany on the route between Plomodiern and Nevez.

L’Auberge des Glazicks: Without a doubt our only disappointment. Why ? Under the direction of the family matriarch, the oppressive atmosphere of the dining room radiates with tension and manic tidiness rather than joie de vivre. The various dishes seem to indicate a neurotic fascination with mousses; the never-ending appetizers are served in homeopathic portions. After a while, you find yourself wanting to return to the unaffected Olivier Bellin, who’s had such a thrilling debut, and enjoy a working man’s lunch. That said, in everyone's opinion, this is one of the best restaurants in Brittany. Excellent and cheery sommelier.

About 75 euros. 7, rue de la plage - 29550 Plomodiern - Tel. : 02.98.81.52.32 Web Map

Le Bistrot de L'Ecailler : On the bank of the Aven River, one of the best price/quality deals in the area. With the 45 euro prix-fixe you’ll get a dozen Belon oysters N°5, a half-lobster with curry and home-made French fries, and sliced apples with vanilla ice cream and caramel butter. A distinguished clientele in a classy, tranquil setting marked by an effortless professionalism.

Port de Kerdruc - 29220 Nevez – Tel : 02.98.06.78.60 Map 

Keep an eye on these other addresses:

La Maison Baron-Lefevre : 33, rue de Rieux, 44000 Nantes – Tel : 02 40 34 15 93.

La Coquille : Quai Moros, 29900 Concarneau – Tel : 02 98 97 08 52.

Régis Restaurant : 24, place de la Gare, 56000 Vannes - Tel. : 02 97 42 61 41.

Domaine de Rochevilaine : Pointe de Pen Lan, 56190 Billiers - Tel. : 02 97 41 61 61.

And accommodations to help you prolong a pleasurable trip:

DOUARNENEZ, Hôtel Ty Mad Above the bay, a large guesthouse whose former inhabitants include Georges Perris, Max Jacob and other notables. Cozy bedrooms with a contemporary decor, art gallery. Around 100 euros. Place Saint-Jean, Treboul, 29100 Douarnenez - Tel. : 02 98 74 00 53 Map

SAINTE-MARINE, Villa Tri Men Another beautiful, quaint villa that’s been brought up-to-date, with first-class rooms and magnificent views. Starts at 160 euros in low season, 230 euros in high season. 16, rue du Phare, 29120 Sainte-Marine Combrit - Tel. : 02 98 51 94 94.

LE TRONCHET, Le Mesnil-des-Bois. Robert Surcouf once lived here. These days this restored 16th century manor house offers five very quiet and civilized rooms. From 90 to 105 euros. Martine and Jean-Jacques Vilette, 35540 Le Tronchet - Tel. : 02 99 58 97 12