Two Final Restaurants a la "No Reservations"

We managed to dine in several more really great places but wanted to wrap up this blog focusing on two more of the restaurants that were on the 100th anniversary show of "No Reservations", which prompted our trip to Paris in the first place.  Le Jeu de Quilles is at 45 Rue Boulard, closed Sundays and Mondays. Take the metro Line 4 (purple) and the Mouton-Duvernet stop.  This is an impossibly small place with the kitchen partially open to the dining room, which really showed chef Hugo's passion for his craft. 

Yes, complete with zinc bar!

His dishes are seasonal and I ordered lion fish with boullion and orange. Yes, this is the same lion fish you see in the aquariums. They are now being fished because they have no natural predators and have become a nuisance. Since they tend to hide in nooks in rocks and coral under the sea, lion fish are taken one delicious fish at a time. 

                         Another of our favorites, pied au cochon                                    

with fried potatoes.  Another of us ordered mussels and whiting with couscous- all very delicious!

Another true dining treat was at Le Violin d'Impres located at 135 Rue Saint-Dominique.  This is on Metro line 8 (light purple) stop Ecole Militaire, near the Eiffel Tower.  There are two Christian Constant restaurants right next to each other. This is the high end one. Again, no tourists; the clientele looked like a combination of business people & "ladies who lunch", where did we fit in? With our forks, of course!  The food was fantastic!                                                    

       Scrambled eggs with caviar and sea urchin, served in the urchin shell, so creamy and delicious.

                       My favorite braised sweetbreads.

Medallions of monk fish.

  

This really deserves special mention. It is a classic French dessert called Mille Fuille (million layers) and this is the first time I have seen and eaten the real thing.  Many places will serve a multi-layered concoction more like a Napoleon- mais non!   Hands down this is one of the most fantastic desserts I have ever eaten. The crunch of the pastry, the melt-in-your-mouth custard, the sweetness of the caramel sauce, well you get the picture! 

We would go back to Paris in a heartbeat for many reasons, but undeniably the food would be a high priority. Hope you have enjoyed our culinary adventure and that it will be helpful to you on your own  trip!

Bon Appetite!

Vivien and Terry

    

Paris, France- Day 4- The Big Splurge

 

In front of E. Dehillerin, "Material de Cuisine"; this is where Julia Child purchased many of her copper pots that now hang in the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. Her entire kitchen was transported from her home in Cambridge, MA to the museum. The store resembles an old fashioned hardware store with wood racks and cubbyholes everywhere and is a real treat to explore. It is located at 18 et 20, rue Coquilliere and is closed on Sundays. But, alors, lunch is waiting! 

Bearing in mind that we had a very special dinner planned, we decided to venture out on our own once again. We came across Au Trou Normand, 117 Ave Parmentier (closed Sunday & Monday). A small restaurant but delicious!

Baked eggs

    Fois gras & smoked duck breast salad

Baked cod with Lyonnaise potatoes

Well, some of us went light... we worked up an appetite after wandering through the Musee d'Orsay.

Once in a while, when in one of the foodie capitals of the world, we decide to go on a splurge.  We select a restaurant that is really worth the dollars we know we're going to spend; something that is unobtainable in other establishments. Bourdain & Ripert (see previous blogs) made it a point to visit their longtime friend and chef, Joel Robuchon while in Paris. Chef Robuchon has been named "Chef of the Century", currently he has restaurants all over the world, but Paris is his home. He has torn up all the rules regarding haute cuisine and his L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon is truly a dining experience. I would invite you to view the website at    www.atelier-robuchon.com/‎.  

The menu changes frequently and we ordered items which I'm sure have changed- octopus,seafood risotto and this dessert was just a little something they surprised us with. The meal is similar to going to the theater. Reservations are at set times, the doors do not open prior to that time. Yes, we did make reservations online months ahead and yes, it was very expensive- but definitely worth it!

Following that meal and in the same splurge mode, we went for after dinner drinks at the grand Hotel de Crillon, a historic landmark at 10, Place de la Concorde. By the way, the only place we found Marker's Mark and Dubonnet. The grand dame is undergoing a nip & tuck and will not open until 2015 but only because it is 255 years old and needs a bit of renovation!  

Tomorrow is yet another day with more dining adventures around the corner.

Bon Appetite!

Vivien and Terry

Paris, France Day 3 of 8- On our own, Tony & Eric would be proud of us!

Parisian pastries- what could be cuter or tastier?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Well, ok the cheeses are 
           also amazing!                                                                          

Hmmm walking around Paris makes us hungry! Where to go for lunch?  We decided to just look around and pick somewhere that simply looked interesting. After much consultation between the three of us, we selected La Coupole- 102 Blvd du Montparnasse, which is also open 7 days a week. What a find! 

The interior of La Coupole

The restaurant has quite a history with the likes of Josephine Baker to Jean-Paul Sartre and Picasso dining here. This is what we ordered-poached egg in red wine and shallots, sweetbreads with veal breast, sole meuneire, green oysters and a poached egg with spinach and cepes (a mushroom available only in the fall) .

              Oysters served on ice.
            



 I was put in an odd position. When my poached egg finally,  arrived, after everyone else was served, it was way overdone. You poached egg aficionados will understand  that perfect moment when the tines of your fork pierce the top of the yolk and it runs over the cooked whites of the egg . This did not happen with my dish. I was actually very disappointed. Now, do I say something, or not? I decided I was representing my country and Americans know something about food preparation so we motioned the head server over. He took one look at my plate and whisked it away. Within minutes a fresh dish was prepared. We all were suspended in time while I picked up my fork. Voila- perfection!

After lunch we attending the most amazing jewelry collection I have ever personally seen. Yes, even more incredible than the Diamond District in New York! It was a special traveling show of  the Van Clef & Arpel collection displayed in the Lourvre. The creativity and workmanship is simply unbelievable. I was breathless for hours!  So much so that we had to stop for aperitifs at Le Deux Magots. This is a landmark bistro located at 6 Place Saint-Germaine des Pres where there is great people watching. 

Since lunch was so interesting, we decided to rely on our instincts for dinner. Walking around reading menus is somewhat of our version of "seeing the sights"! We came across Le Procope- 13 Rue de l'Ancienne Comedie. It looked like a lot of locals were dining there, so in we went. 

The exterior did not reflect the charm of the interior. This has been a restaurant since 1686 and with starched linens, balloon wine glasses and rooms here and there, we were ready for a fine meal.

 Beef Cheek Stew served in a cocotte; the lid has little nipples on the inside allowing the juices to flow back into the pot during cooking.

               

   Baba au Rhum- a classic dessert done to perfection!

     Day 4 later with dinner at one of France's finest chefs establishments- the BIG splurge! 

Bon Appetite,
Vivien and Terry

  

Paris, France Day Two

  If you were to ask me,"What is your favorite restaurant in the world?".   I would have to say          *** (this indicates a Boudain/Ripert choice)  Je The... Me located at 4 Rue d'Alleray.   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The quintessential bistro- small, charming, no tourists and fabulous food. My daughter, Nicole, is currently in Brighton England and she will be dining here in a few weeks. I'm so glad she will be sharing this wonderful dining experience; although I wish we were sharing it together! 

It is closed on Sundays and Mondays; very accessible via the Metro (line 12 - green) the Vaugirard stop. The kitchen is impossibly tiny, the food just incredible with attention to detail as only the French can do.

Minced duck breast in gelee

                



        Sweetbreads with carrots

Kidneys in white wine sauce
I cannot say enough about this bistro; just such a lovely meal but onto dinner!

*** Frenchie's is another Boudain/Ripert stop, located at 5 - 6 Rue du Nil, again closed on Sundays and Mondays. (See Au Pied du Cochon on previous blog). Metro Line 3- not a very pretty shade of green- Sentier stop.  This restaurant is a little confusing as it is located on both sides of an alley with very little signage and there are actually two Frenchie's.  One is a sit down place which requires reservations much in advance and the other is a communal sitting situation with "No Reservations" (get it?), a good wine selection and on a first come, first serve basis. While we were waiting a woman tried to convince me that she was ahead of me and that she was just outside calling her friends.  Ha, ha- not my first time at the rodeo- we had already given our names  to the front desk!          

             Sweet bread nuggets           

       

Mushrooms with cheese foam

Ragu of  stewed beef  cheeks served with beans and pickled mustard seeds

This was a fun night- Frenchie's was rowdy, crowded and yummy! In April when we were in Brooklyn, we met a server who is great friends with Frenchie's chef Gregory Marchand. She had never been to his restaurant and was very excited to hear about our culinary adventure - such a small world, so many restaurants.... follow the blog for more on Day Three.

Bon Appetite!

Vivien and Terry

Paris,France

Ahh, Paris, the lights, the museums, the romance- okay the real reason we go to Paris is for the FOOD! I am now writing about our trip from October 2012 before I began this blog. We had made up our minds to go to Italy that year, then we saw the 100th anniversary show of "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert, as guest host. Ripert, along with Maguy Le Coze, are responsible for Le Bernardin in New York City ( this deserves a post of its' own) and is recognized as the best seafood chef in the U.S. today. Eric is, of course, French. The show focused on the small bistros in Paris where the chef is not concerned with Michelin stars, being on T.V., etc. but just turning out wonderful food to the best of their ability day after day; being true to their cooking souls. After viewing this show, Terry and I looked at each other & both said, "Let's go to Paris!". Terry's brother Bill, adores Paris & was very agreeable to joining us. We downloaded the show, copied down the names of the restaurants and this is our culinary adventure based on tracing their foodsteps. The restaurants on the show will be ***.  Others we found on our own. 

Tuesday 10/2 Lunch- Au Pied de Cochon
                                      6, rue Coquilliere

This is a staple for us every time we're in Paris. It's a big bustling place with a large menu, so there is something for everyone. Also it is open every day which is good as many places in Paris are closed on Sundays/Mondays.

Au Pied du Cochon- Foot of the Pig

 
                      Yes, puppies are allowed!
   

Kidneys!

What we ordered- onion soup, fois gras, kidneys and roasted pork belly.










One of Bill's favorite bistros is Les Comptoir des Gastronomie-   34 Rue Montmartre; closed Sunday. It also has a gourmet grocery attached to it.

Bill always orders the fois gras carpaccio; we went light and had the assorted salmon plate.

Follow us tomorrow for day 2!

Bon Appetite!

Vivien and Terry

Question- How can a National Chain Reach this Perfection?

The newly opened Capital Grille located in the Hyde Park area of Cincinnati- 3821 Edwards Rd- is wonderful! The restaurant itself has that old fashioned clubby feel that makes one feel relaxed upon entering. We have enjoyed the offerings of one of the chefs, Alex Wellman, many times when he was with Nordstrom's in Kenwood. Capital Grill gives him the opportunity to really shine. Terry and I were there for lunch and shared a "Plates" lunch. For $18.00 this gave a choice of soup or salad; a main dish and a side. Don't get me wrong this is a very upscale place! Not being big eaters, we chose to share.

The bread came just out of the oven; warm served with butter and sea salt sprinkled on top. I'm not a big bread person, but this was worth the calories.

We started with the cauliflower soup with crab and curry oil. What a treat; lots of crab meat with just a hint of curry with the oil and just creamy goodness.

All of their steaks are dry aged on the premises, so we opted for the dry aged sirloin with arugula salad. The steak slices were done to perfection, with that bit of crunch when properly seared. The salad had heirloom cherry tomatoes, corn and avocados at the peak of flavor and texture; not overly dressed.

 For our "side" we had the truffle fries. Need I say more as to the deliciousness of this meal?

     

 The dinner menu has a variety of dry aged beef, lamb loin and some seafood. Capital Grille also has a wonderful sounding (we have yet to try it) lobster bisque which is oddly not on the menu but I think is always available. The wine list is extensive and priced from moderate to, well, let's just say it's extensive! The wait staff is exceptional, our gal, Thoria, made the meal a lot of fun. Did I mention this is a part of the Darden restaurant company based out of Florida? They also own Seasons 52, right next door, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steak, Olive Garden and more. Unbelievable!  From beginning to end the experience was truly perfect. We will definitely be back!  

20 Brix- Milford OH

Recently the Southern Ohio Association of Realtors had an event which included a silent auction. Terry Monnie Title Co. donated a meal at 20 Brix located at 101 Main St. in downtown historic Milford for two Realtors to join Terry and myself for a luncheon. Little did we know our friends Derrick and Jessica won the auction! We were delighted.  The main way into downtown Milford was blocked due to a large van knocking down a power line. But we persevered and found our way around to the restaurant. None of us had been there for some time and were all curious about the menu.

Jessica ordered a garden salad with salmon- looked very fresh & moist.

Derrick's pizza was a generous portion and he liked it!

   My crab cake was, alas too salty, but the sauteed 

veggies were good.  

Terry's "Figgy Piggy" sandwich with Brie cheese, figs and fresh fruit.

Since this was lunch time, none of us ordered any wine, as we all had a busy afternoon ahead of us. But the wine list is extensive and we all felt worth another trip to test out the list. 20 Brix can be reached at 513 831-2749.

Bonaire- Scuba, Snorkeling and Fine Dining

                                                
                     Dining, Snorkeling,Dining,Snorkeling...

When we say we are going to Bonaire the typical reaction is, "Where?".  This is the B of the ABC islands in the Carribean- A- Aruba, B-Bonaire and C-Curacao,part of the Dutch Antilles.  Just 50 miles north of Venezuela and very close to the Equator, it is known for several things. The  island is about 24 miles long and the entire island is a National Marine Park.  With over 63 dive/snorkel sites, it is one of the  world's premier destinations for viewing ocean aquatic life. Also, donkeys freely roam the island and is part of the charm.

 For us, it is, of course, also a food destination! My brother, Bob, has had a house on the island for 25+ years and we were there for a sibling reunion.  He knows all the restaurants and more importantly the owners and chefs!

Our first dinner was at Zee Zicht (yes, a Dutch name). Terry had the barracuda. One would think this would be a bony fish,
but it is not! Maybe it was a really big one... this could not be fresher. Bob loves conch which is tricky to prepare; if not done correctly, it can be very tough. This dish was juicy and just to his liking! Donna & Giorgio's was another treat. I had the Seafood Mixed Grill  and my sister's partner, Jerry, had the Spaghetti  Seafood (both entrees were enough for 2 meals).

For a true gourmet delight Cappricio's is the place! Bob contacted the owner/chef and pre-ordered a tasting menu with wine accompaniments. We began with a carpaccio of wahoo with celery sorbet; followed by grilled shrimp with artichoke and mozzarella; goat's milk ravioli; guinea fowl with 
caramelized onion and cherries; finishing with strawberries and coffee gelato. 

Chef at work

Not only was everything delicious, visually gorgeous, but the surprise element of what was going to be served next and what wine would be served was very fun! Thanks, Bob!

Another not to miss spot is Jibe City located in Lac Bay, just a few miles from the downtown of Kralendijk- let's not forget the island is only so big.  This is the quintessential "BEACH BAR"! It is also one of the world's best places to learn to wind surf with constant breezes, a huge safe bay area and water that is only a few feet deep. Of course, the food is wonderfully fresh!

                                                                   

  View from the tables

  

Sails that look like butterfly wings

Wonderful trio of salads- smoked salmon, tuna and crab!

So come to the island, the color of the water really has to be seen to believe. Enjoy some of the world's best snorkeling & diving. Being in the ocean always works up an appetite; end your hunger pangs with some fresh and wonderful meals!

As always,

Bon Appetite!

Vivien and Terry