A few years ago, I had heard about Hidden Kitchen, a great "non-restaurant" from a young couple from Seattle, Braden and Laura, working out of their apartment in the 2nd arrondisement. Went with friends and had a fabulous - I mean really fabulous - meal. A bit odd being at a table with strangers, but these guys have real talent in the kitchen, and a great palate for wine pairings. Seems that they got overwhelmed with requests as the word spread, and are moving their underground operation into the bright lights of the 1st arrondisement. The wine bar opens mid-October, the adjacent restaurant opens sometime in November. I hope to visit when I'm in Paris in january...if any of you get there before me, let me know your experience. The addresses/web page are listed below.

Restaurant Verjus

52, rue Richelieu

75001 Paris

Verjus Bar à vin

47, rue Montpensier

75001 Paris

www.verjusparis.com

a great new post from Eater Paris

 this link to an annotated map includes two of my new favorites (Agape Substance and Septime), and has a few on my "next time in Paris" list, including Au Passage (in our nabe) and Frenchie's wine bar. Check it out!

http://eater.com/archives/2011/09/02/the-eater-paris-heat-map-where-to-eat-right-now.php#Map

Agape Substance lives up to the hype...

Paris food writers have already bestowed the "genius" moniker on this young chef at his new place near L'Odean. And, after one incredible meal, I can see why he's getting such rave reviews.

I'm very grateful to Paris food writer Alexander Lobrano. His blog (http://hungryforparis.squarespace.com/blog/2011/7/23/agape-substance-brilliant-eating-in-saint-germain-a-la-greno.html) does a great description of this truly special restaurant in the posh 6th Arrondisement, accompanied by photos. For some reason I've gotten squeamish about whipping out my phone to take pictures of every course - but I'm glad he included the pictures, as several were of dishes we ate, too.

Opened just three weeks before we ate there, we were surprised even at the room itself. The nondescript street entrance opens to a very narrow room. At the far end is the kitchen itself, but extending in an organic way from Chef David Toutain's command post is a long communal dining table, with stools on both sides (the stools are actually my only complaint...I much prefer having a back to my seating). A few two-tops complete the room, which, max, probably only seats about 20 to 24 people. From what we could tell, we were the only non-French speaking folks in the room, but were welcomed warmly by the professional and kind staff. We particularly loved the maitre'd...he was adorable, and knowledgeable.

Agape Substance is expensive - dinner was 99 Euros each plus wine - but this was a birthday dinner AND our last nite in Paris until January. The tasting menu is the only choice, and the wine list, with many biodynamic wines on it, was also on the high side, but none of that mattered once we had our first bite and sip....I've never eaten in a more personal and ingredient-driven restaurant. First, the menu is simply a listing of those key ingredients (eggs, monkfish, carrots, chocolate, peaches, etc.). The staff asks if there's anything on the list you don't like or have allergies to - and then the chef goes to work. As we were there on the earlier side, we got a lot of the chef's attention the first few courses. They would be brought to us, and then he'd come over and explain them in detail (in excellent English - his wife is from San Francisco), often adding the final ingredient himself.

The multi-course meal flowed very well...from a starter starring berce, a green seed we'd never heard of before, thru the luscious egg in a lemon verbana foam, to the most amazing wedge of tomato I'd ever had - topped by the chef with a large spoonful of what looked like green powder, and turned out to be some sort of freeze-dried basil pearls that melted in your mouth. Amazing - both simple and complex at the same time. This kind of molecular gastronomy I can easily live with.

My two personal favorites were the crab dish...little mounds of incredibly sweet crab and a bit of grapefruit in an intense shrimp broth, and, surprisingly (to me), a perfect little plate of sweetbreads (tho the monkfish dish was also sublime). I'm always challenged in these environments to eat everything...I start off strong, but do fade towards the finish. At one point, I made my way to the restaurant's bathroom -- which, btw, is the coolest, most high tech little toilet room I've ever seen -- and mentioned to the chef I was getting full. Probably, my bad, as we noticed other diners getting some dishes we didn't -- but, honestly, I was glad to have been listened to.

If there were any disappointments it was with the lack of chocolate in the desserts...Cheryl just doesn't feel non-chocolate desserts are really dessert. That aside, I thought the perfectly poached peach and accompaniments were delicious.

Agape Substance is certainly not the kind of place to go to often - it wouldn't be good for the digestive system or the checkbook....but it is definitely worth going to on a regular basis just to experience some of the most talented and creative cooking you'll ever have. We're already planning to take friends there in January - and know we'll have to make arrangements way in advance as this will soon be one of the hardest reservations to get in Paris. FYI, for our Bay Area friends, Chef Toutain thinks Bentu is San Francisco's best restaurant...I would trust his opinion.

Septime was sublime...

I knew this was going to be a problem. The last few days in Paris were busy and I didn't write about my meals right away...so if some details are missed, don't hold it against me!

We were so glad to have snagged a lunch reservation at Septime! Sometimes these new places with rising star chefs are overrated, but not in this case. We really loved the ingredient-driven menu and approach...a few flourishes with foams and purees, but very "flavor forward." It was a lovely meal from start to finish, and we'd go back in a second.

The prix fixe lunch (26 Euros for three courses, 21 Euro for 2) came with a lovely glass of wine (red or white), and a few choices for entree, plat, and dessert. Cheryl, of course, chose the gazpacho, which rated about the best we've ever had. The deeply flavored tomato-based soup was crowned with a mound of cucumber foam, sitting atop a slice of burrata (that wonderful Italian mozzarella/ricotta cheese). The combination of flavors and textures was just fabulous. Meanwhile, I had a tuna tartare....well prepared, but not a standout like the gazpacho.

The main course winner was the duck - a large slice of breast meat, cooked medium rare, and incredibly tasty. It was served with beautiful tiny roasted vegetables - beets, carrots, among others. Simple and wonderful. But nearly as good was a roasted cabillaud (cod) served with a smoky and savory eggplant puree.  I chose cheese for dessert, and was rewarded with a perfectly aged robuchon, melting in your mouth delicious, and a comte. I have completely forgotten what Cheryl had for dessert, as I was too preoccupied with my cheese.

The service was friendly and very professional, the atmosphere straightforward. As we were a few minutes late for our reservation, we were placed at the communal table near the bar - not a problem at all, but the small main room has a better view of the kitchen action. Septime has been criticized for the simplicity of its decor...we liked the mix of rustic with a slight industrial tinge to the lighting fixtures. It was comfortable and welcoming. We'll definitely head back there for another meal when we return in January....but will be sure to make our reservations well ahead of time. It's an easy 15 minute walk from our apartment, btw, with a number of interesting boutiques and cafes along the way.

Septime
80, rue de Charonne
Paris 11e.
M°: Charonne.
Tél. 01 43 67 38 29

A jewel of a cafe in the 4th Arrondisement

One of the best things about our apartment on rue des Tournelles is that we're at the crossroads of several arrondisements (districts) --- we're in the 3rd, but at the edge of the 4th, the 10th, 11th, and 12th -- all great foodie destinations. It makes it easy to explore and try new places....

Yesterday, after a great cafe creme at Cafe Charlot at the corner of rue des Bretagnes and rue Charlot, we found a new store just next door specializing in smoked fish and caviar. We just ogled the display case, but will go back for special occasions.They carried the tubed spiced mustards that I like ---seasoned with truffles or wasabi or smoked paprika... easy to pack and carry. We also keep meaning to return to Cafe Charlot for brunch....all the food coming out of the kitchen looked yummy.

Later in the day the rain stopped and we took a walk  towards the Hotel de Ville and the Paris Plages. The Plages seems larger this year, with more sand, more cafes, more beach chairs. Would have been even nicer if the weather had been a bit warmer...but at least no more rain. As we walked back the plaza in front of the Hotel de Ville was packed with people listening to a free concert of women rockers. 

We started to think about finding a spot for a nice apertif when we ran into our next door neighbors, women from Florida and Alabama. We ended up with them at a women's bar on rue des Ecouffes called La Jacasses....same owners as 3-W across the street. After a few glasses of wine, we were ready for dinner, and the bartender, Angel, sent us a few doors down to Etamine Cafe at 13 rue des Ecouffes. A tiny pearl of a restaurant, there are only two men who work there ---one in the front of the house, one in the very tiny kitchen. The meal takes some time, given that all of the food is prepared by one person to order, but the quality was excellent. A three course prix fixe was only 18 Euros, and there were three choices of entrees, plats, and desserts.

We had a well-made gaspacho to start, followed by an emince of chicken in a luscious truffled cream sauce, accompanied by noodles and a mesclun salad. Our friends both chose salads to start, with tomatoes and radish, followed by a cod, cooked in foil and accompanied in one case by rice, and, in the other, by noodles. They were down to just two desserts by the time we got to it, a simple housemade yogurt with mint, or a peach gratin with sabayon. I picked the peach gratin, which proved to be the most popular. After the meal, the kind waiter carefully prepared a sweetened mint tea for the four of us. All told, a lovely meal at lovely prices. Worth seeking out....Etamine Cafe, 13 rue des Ecouffes in the 4th (telephone: 01.44.78.09.62).

Non Grazie!

Okay, maybe that's a bit too harsh...but our visit to the hot new offspring resto of Merci was not what we had hoped. It's just a block from our apartment, down Boulevard Beaumarchais. And many of the wait staff are Italian, which is great for us as Cheryl is fluent in Italian, and my Italian far outshines my French. It's a very hip room and vibe - big bar with lots of cocktail shaking going on. That part is fun. Great light fixtures - industrial chic, and an open kitchen so you can see the chefs make the pizzas and slice the jambon. But the food, for the most part, was disappointing. The menu itself  is limited to antipasti, salads, and pizza, as well as a huge variety of alcoholic beverages, including a Venetian spritz, one of my favorites. Still, we'd hoped for a broader Italian menu, food-wise. And it would have been nice if the music had not made conversation absolutely impossible.

We tried two salads and a pizza, and the only standout was one of the salads, an insalata del polpo. It featured tender cubes of octopus and potatoes over a bed of arugula, all nicely seasoned. The second salad was farro with shrimp and cherry tomatoes. The farro tasted glue-y and the shrimp were overcooked --- a very disappointing plate. The pizza, which had olives, mushrooms, and jambon was good --- but not a standout compared to Cotogna's or Zero Zero's in San Francisco. Nice texture to the crust and the jambon/proscuitto was tasty. Cheryl wished we had just gotten the simpler margherita.

Would we go back? Absolutely for a cocktail - it's a different and fun kind of bar environment for this district. But we'd only go back for the food if we were craving a decent pizza.

Vietnamese in the 11th...

We tried to call Septime, the hot new bistro on rue de Charonne, for a reservation but there was no answer. So, we decided to wander that way and see if we could do better in person and find a lunch spot on the way. Walking down rue de Charonne from the Fauborg St. Antoine, we noticed a lot of hip new stores, including a gorgeous handbag boutique that strongly beckons. But, focused on food, we kept walking, crossing Avenue Ledru-Rollin, until we saw a chic looking dining room on our right. Only small printed signs on the window announced that this was, indeed, Septime. The friendly staff laughed kindly when we asked for a dinner reservation within a week -- but we did snag a lunch reservation for next Tuesday.

On our way back to rue des Tournelles to meet the man who is going to fix our badly warped parquet floor, we saw a small inviting Vietnamese resto called Paris - Hanoi, just a block or so from Septime at 74 rue de Charonne. Maybe holding 20 people (if we all hold our breath), it was nearly full of people happily chowing down on tasty looking food. Knowing we're going to dinner tonite at a friend's for traditional French home cooking, Vietnamese sounded good and we were able to squeeze in. Cheryl had a grilled chicken satay and rice dish, while I had bo bun, tender beef over vermicelli and greens. The woman next to us had a great looking bowl of pho. The food rivaled some of our favorite Vietnamese restaurants in San Francisco, and was relatively inexpensive (20 Euros for the two of us), particularly given the huge portions. We could have easily split one noodle dish or pho and a spring roll. It's not a leisurely lunch - the waiters and cooks moved at top speed non-stop, and people in line outside quickly filled up every space as soon as someone left. But Paris-Hanoi is definitely a keeper on our Paris list.

finally back to Paris

who knew Paris in the summer could be colder- and wetter - than San Francisco -- but it's still Paris, and cafe life goes on even when one's shoes are soaking wet. We're back for 10 days of doing apartment repairs and the like, but we still manage to go out to eat as much as we can.

Our first night we were completely jet lagged as we flew this time thru New York, instead of the nonstop from SF we prefer. So we stayed close to home and ate at our old stand-by Chez Janou. If possible, it was more crowded than ever - and noisier, but the grilled mussels were yummy as was the salad of shrimp, anchovies, and red pepper. We passed on the chocolate mousse...I tried a peche roti (roasted peach), but found it to be more poached than roasted. My companions devoured a blanc mange with a raspberry couli.

Yesterday, we stopped in at Le Tresor, a pretty little restaurant on a beautiful small alley (rue de Tresor) off of Vielle du Temple. At the corner is Les Philosophes, one of our favorite people watching cafes with wonderful hot chocolate in the winter (actually thought about it today when we were so cold, but restrained ourselves). Down the alley is Le Tresor, on the right. We thought we would just stop in for a glass of wine, but the people behind us ordered a heavenly smelling chicken tagine, so we ended up staying for dinner. The tagine was with preserved lemon and green olives, and the sauce had a nice citrus balance. Sadly, the chicken was a bit dry, as was the steak tartare, aller retour (barely cooked on each side) that my spouse had. Disappointing given its setting, but don't think we'll return for the food.

The rain continued even harder today, though we had to run to the Darty in Montparnasse to order a spare part for the air conditioner. Of course, they didn't have it, nor the price, so would not take our order until then..requiring at least one more return visit. We returned home with little time for lunch before our next repair person was scheduled to come by, so we ran down the block to Cave St. Giles, the Spanish restaurant. We had a really lovely lunch of grilled baby calamari and a plate of grilled vegetable (eggplant, zucchini, fennel, scallions, onion, red peppers, and asparagus). Reminded us of last year in Barcelona....fresh, simple, and tasty. It's nice that they're so close.

Late in the afternoon, following an expedition to rue Franc Bourgeois for more weather-proof shoes and then to BHV (it is still summer sale season after all), we walked up rue de Temple back thru rue de Bretagne, heading over to the new chi-chi Italian restaurant, Grazie. It's, we think, run by the son of the people who own Merci, the eclectic store on Boulevard Beaumarchais, that carries clothes, housewares, and perfume, and gives the profits to charity. Anyway, Grazie was filled up for this evening, but we made a reservation for Friday nite---a great sign was that the staff are all Italian (and as our Italian is better than our French, even better). So, once again, we stayed close to home and tried the Japanese restaurant on the corner of rue des Tournelle and Beaumarchais, Kagayaki .

We'd been for lunch two years ago, and had decent udon. They seem to have changed the concept a bit, tho, and were now featuring a teppan grill. I had teppan shrimp, Cheryl had very tender beef, served with different sauces (I liked Cheryl's better than mine - had a bit of a kick). Alongside the protein was a stir-fried vegie dish that was mostly bean sprouts, rice, and miso soup.To be frank, we're a bit spoiled about Japanese restaurants, as we have our favorites in SF. Would rate this one a 5 or 6-- good in a pinch and when you want something on the lighter side, but wouldn't go often. I'm more excited about trying the Japanese restaurant in our friend Sophie's new hotel, Le Citizen, on the Canal St. Martin.