For quite a while, we'd been hearing about Au Passage, just across the road from us in the 11th, in the Passage St. Sebastien. Creative chef, small plates, off the beaten track -- all things that appeal. But! parisbymouth warned us that the original chef had left to start a new venture (Bones), and that the rave reviews were mostly posted under his tenure. And, our friend Amele said she'd read mixed opinions as well from other Parisien food sites.
Nevertheless, Amele, Cheryl and I ventured out on a very hot July night to check it out. And, have to say it completely disappointed all of us, at almost every level. Okay, the folks in charge weren't responsible for the weather - but they were responsible for the food and ambience - and both were terrible.
One of the things we love about Paris is that, no matter how crowded, it's usually possible to hear your dinner companions across the table. Unlike San Francisco, where restaurant ratings now include noise levels because of the insane need to pipe in very loud music and have surfaces sounds love to bounce off, Paris has always seemed different. So much so that we had concluded that Parisiens just naturally modulate their voices so as to to keep the ruckus down. Not at Au Passage, though. The sound level was through the stratosphere...don't know if it was the low ceilings, or just rowdy groups of diners, but we couldn't hear ourselves think, much less talk.
That might have been forgiven if the food had been great, but, sadly, it wasn't. We started with gazpacho - the only thing all of us agreed was tasty. Then, we moved on to head-on shrimp, with a bit of smoked paprika powder on the side. The shrimp were okay, but a bit soft on texture and flavor. In fact, lack of flavor was the theme of the night. They're using good ingredients, as a rule, but there is nothing going on in the kitchen to make the dishes interesting. Cases in point were a dish of cucumbers, creme fraiche and herbs, and a lentil/fresh ricotta/chervil plate. Both cried out for more assertive seasonings. A bronzed chicken leg and deboned breast came next, over an eggplant puree and thyme. The leg was overcooked and dry, and, though dishes are meant to be shared, was not very easy to dig into. The eggplant puree could have been good, but again missed the mark. Just can't understand sending food out like that...didn't anyone in the kitchen taste it?
The best dish of the night might have been the last one, the veal tartare - good texture, good flavor - but by that time we were just over Au Passage, the noise, the heat, and the boring food.
The only saving grace that evening was watching an adorable young boy - maybe 10 years old or so, eye the raw oysters on the shell his parents had ordered. He was clearly intrigued, and was encouraged by his father to try it. After a few minutes examining one of them, and getting advice on how to slurp it, he did so. His face was priceless - he clearly didn't like it, but kept up a brave front....bravo! For how do you know if you don't try? Similar to our misadventure at Au Passage - we're glad we tried it, but won't be going back soon.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Rino Hits it out of the Park
We've eaten so much good food in San Francisco and Paris over the last several years, it's hard to compare one great meal to another. But last nite's dinner at Rino was truly special. We'd heard about it, walked by it when it was closed, but had never eaten there. It's a teensy space on rue Trousseau in the 11th arrondisement, equidistant between rue Charonne and the Faubourg St. Antoine.
We were very excited to snag a reservation for 5 on a hot July night. Two small tables out front, another two small high-topped tables inside the door on the left, the tiny kitchen on the right, then, past a double wine refrigerator, 8 more small tables. As is the trend with young chefs in Paris, there are only two choices for the evening, a four (45 Euros) or a 6 course (58 Euros) tasting menu.
Four of us were still jet-lagged, so we all opted for the 4 course option. It began with a gorgeous tortellini in brodo, beautifully accompanied by a lovely 2011 Marsannay au Champ Salomon. Italianesque, but not exactly...the four tortellini were petite and open like a flower, stuffed with a savory lamb mixture, topped with a thin shaving of tasty bottarga, and all sitting in an intensely aromatic broth. The waiter advised us that
the chef suggested it be eaten with a spoon - not a problem. None of us wanted to waste one drop, and the crusty whole wheat bread was a great help in that regard.
As enamored as we were of the first course, the second may have outdone it. Imagine a moderately-sized piece of rare tuna, lightly seared, sitting on a bed of baby lettuce and beet greens. Tucked underneath on one side is a puree of heavenly velvety smoked eggplant, and all of it sits in a divine cassis sauce, with a few berries sprinkled around. Part of the chef's genius is that each and every component brings its own flavors and textures, yet the whole meshes beautifully.
By the time we got to the third course, we were ready for a second bottle of wine. A 2011 Pic Saint-Loup from Languedoc got our attention...substantial, a bit barnyard, but still light enough to offset the evening warmth. Then came the pork, sous vide, pink and meltingly tender, nestled on a bed of baby carrots, sea beans, and sunflower greens, and touched with honey. But what made it really stand out was the light smear of an anchovy sauce on the bottom of the plate, adding just the right saltiness and depth to the dish. Each of us cleaned our plate --- again.
The finale was a bowl composed of a luscious rice pudding with passion fruit ice cream, adorned with raspberries and swirls of what we think was rhubarb. Small dots of brittle added texture and sweetness. A lovely light ending to a wonderful meal.
Besides the great company, what I liked so much was how well the meal flowed - each dish stood on its own, each component of great quality and flavor - but it all worked together so well. And, unlike many tasting menus we were satisfied but not so stuffed as to be uncomfortable. All told, a memorable meal - we will definitely be back!
Rino
46, rue Trousseau
75011 Paris
01 48 06 95 85
www.rino-restaurant.com
We were very excited to snag a reservation for 5 on a hot July night. Two small tables out front, another two small high-topped tables inside the door on the left, the tiny kitchen on the right, then, past a double wine refrigerator, 8 more small tables. As is the trend with young chefs in Paris, there are only two choices for the evening, a four (45 Euros) or a 6 course (58 Euros) tasting menu.
Four of us were still jet-lagged, so we all opted for the 4 course option. It began with a gorgeous tortellini in brodo, beautifully accompanied by a lovely 2011 Marsannay au Champ Salomon. Italianesque, but not exactly...the four tortellini were petite and open like a flower, stuffed with a savory lamb mixture, topped with a thin shaving of tasty bottarga, and all sitting in an intensely aromatic broth. The waiter advised us that
As enamored as we were of the first course, the second may have outdone it. Imagine a moderately-sized piece of rare tuna, lightly seared, sitting on a bed of baby lettuce and beet greens. Tucked underneath on one side is a puree of heavenly velvety smoked eggplant, and all of it sits in a divine cassis sauce, with a few berries sprinkled around. Part of the chef's genius is that each and every component brings its own flavors and textures, yet the whole meshes beautifully.
By the time we got to the third course, we were ready for a second bottle of wine. A 2011 Pic Saint-Loup from Languedoc got our attention...substantial, a bit barnyard, but still light enough to offset the evening warmth. Then came the pork, sous vide, pink and meltingly tender, nestled on a bed of baby carrots, sea beans, and sunflower greens, and touched with honey. But what made it really stand out was the light smear of an anchovy sauce on the bottom of the plate, adding just the right saltiness and depth to the dish. Each of us cleaned our plate --- again.
The finale was a bowl composed of a luscious rice pudding with passion fruit ice cream, adorned with raspberries and swirls of what we think was rhubarb. Small dots of brittle added texture and sweetness. A lovely light ending to a wonderful meal.
Besides the great company, what I liked so much was how well the meal flowed - each dish stood on its own, each component of great quality and flavor - but it all worked together so well. And, unlike many tasting menus we were satisfied but not so stuffed as to be uncomfortable. All told, a memorable meal - we will definitely be back!
Rino
46, rue Trousseau
75011 Paris
01 48 06 95 85
www.rino-restaurant.com
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)