Onto Chapter Two

Tomorrow is going to be the second chapter of my so-called 'new life'; working in a Michelin-star restaurant; out of respect to the Chef and restaurant, I will keep it anonymous. 
Chapter 1: at ESCF-Ferrandi was tough to begin with, but with time, effort and commitment, I got by, ended up loving every minute of every second and actually, now, wished I was still in school. Maybe it's the fear of what's going to happen tomorrow, maybe it's the stress that I will be induced in, maybe I just don't want to fail and I'll do anything in my power to not let that happen.


To be honest, I feel a mix of emotions, and I think that's normal. I don't know what's going to happen, what to expect, what to do better on. What I do know is that I have to give 200% (even more - 300% as Chef always says) and that's exactly what I'll do because as of right now, that's the only thing I know how to do, and what to do - in terms of what I know my capacity is. 


I don't know when the next time I'll blog. Tomorrow for me, is orientation day, a day to learn the concepts and attitudes of my 'head' company but Tuesday, will be the real, the first new page of Chapter 2. I'll probably blog tomorrow just because of my excitement/fear of the next day but after that, who knows. Maybe I'll be working 15 hour days and am so exhausted I can't blog until the weekend, or maybe I will have the strength to do so...But I cannot guarantee anything right now, so I want to assure my followers that I will try to do my best.


As a final note, to those who will start interning tomorrow, to those who will start one week later and to those who already started, the best of luck, hopefully I'll have the time and energy to visit you guys and blog! I know all of us deserve what we got and I wish you guys a great experience in the restaurant/hotel you'll be working in.


Please continue following, without you guys this blog would be dead!

Les Fines Gueules

In culinary school, we're told that not only does our cooking techniques matter, but for French food to be truly good, it should consists of the freshest available produce so that ingredients shine. I believe that Les Fines Gueules (an equally cozy wine bar and perhaps what might be the best steak tartare in Paris), right off Place des Victoires, embodies this principle. 

It serves the best quality produce in a generous serving but without overdoing it in presentation. The restaurant is not cheap, serving also vins naturels from France but serves some of the country's best oysters, cheese, meat, etc...

The daily menu that changes - apart from the steak tartare and the Rumsteak

I have read mixed reviews about the restaurant and agree that the staff, as nice as they are, were inattentive. I think it was the amount of customers kept tightly in the tiny restaurant or perhaps it was the lack of staff but by the end of the meal, it was very difficult to actually pay the bill and leave. 

Entrées

Assortiment de Charcuteries fines (12 or 24 euros), we opted for the latter as we had hungry bellies. The meat was freshly cut (I believe a vintage hand-worked machine was used)

Carpaccio de veau elevé sous la mère - sans bio - 36 mois, huile d'olive extra-vierge (Carpaccio of veal - raised by its mother for 36 months)

When I read this on the menu, I thought to myself...I have to have it. It's as fresh and clean as you can get. The meat was divine, it did not even taste (or look) like meat as it melted in your mouth. The more pinkish the meat, the better it is.

Ravioles de Boudin Noir de Christian Parra (one of the great Charcutiers of the Basque country) - Ravioli of Blood Sausage...a very familiar yet interesting take on blood sausage. 

Emiette de Tourteau, Crème de Concombre à la Menthe (Crabmeat, cream of cucumber) - it was very refreshing and cleaned your palate, would have loved to see this on the menu during the hot summer months.

Tarte fine de St. Jacques, Coulis d'Espelette -- Scallop tart with Espelette pepper coulis

Plats

Noix de Veau Desnoyer, Pieds de Moutons et Pleurotes, Coulis de Truffes Noires (Veal tenderloin, mutton's feet and pleurotes mushrooms, coulis of black truffles) 

Coeur de Rumsteak, Purée Maison, Sauce of Vin Rouge -- Rumsteak with red wine, potato purée

The pièce de resistance: Fameux Tartare de Limousine au Couteau -- Hand-cut steak tartare (17 euros). The Desnoyer meat (from Limousin) was draped with aged parmigiano reggiano and parsley with more potatoes and a light salad (provided by vegetable King, Joel Thiébault). This was probably the best steak tartare we’d ever eaten.

Desserts

Mi-Cuit au Chocolat Valrhona (Half-baked Valrhona chocolate cake)

Nage de Clémentines et de Raisins à la Menthe, Billes de Chocolat (Refreshing clementines and raisins with mint and mini Chocolate marbles)


To be honest, I could have done without this dessert. There wasn't anything unique about this dish - it was clementines, its juice with some raisins and chocolate bits. I could do this at home. A bit of a disappointment after a nice meal. 

Les Fines Gueules roughly translated as “The Fine Mouths” serves simple dishes to demonstrate the quality of the produce. It's refreshing to find someone who understands the balance between serving good quality ingredients and not pushing the extremes of your taste buds. 

Les Fines Gueules
43 Rue Croix des Petits Champs, 75001
Tel: 01 42 61 35 41
Metro: Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre (Ligne 1)

Chez L'Ami Jean

In a side street in the 7th arrondissement, Chef Stéphane Jego heads Chez L'Ami Jean, a rustic Basque restaurant covered with decorative details including wood panels, memorabilia from pelote, graffiti signs, strings of espelette peppers on the ceiling and random cartoon characters. Chef Jego, formerly taught by Christian Constant (Les Cocottes) and Yves Camdeborde (Le Comptoir du Relais) - plays along with similar themes of his 2 former Chefs.

Reservations are a must and I could only make one for 7 pm, considered quite early for Parisians. Entering the restaurant, it appeared a little desolate, but slowly it filled up quickly; by 9 pm, the entire restaurant was filled with dozens standing by the entrance. The restaurant dining room including the bar at the entrance is filled with tables that are elbow-to-elbow, barely allowing you to hold a private conversation and for more than one waiter to pass.

We opted not to order l'assiette de cochonailles (a gigantic and beautiful basket of charcuterie) as we would never have finished the meal. Instead, we chose from the 3-course prix-fixe menu at 42 euros - quite steep compared to other restaurants (I remember hearing it used to be fixed around the late 20s) but decided upon it anyways.


In terms of service, I found it to be a bit lagging in the beginning and the maitre d' wasn't very welcoming at first, ignoring many clients. However as the service picked up, we got to speak to some of the waitresses and they ended up having a very good sense of humor about it all. I quote: "the service is bad but the food is spectacular"...


Basket of crusty pain de campagne and a fish/shrimp spread. 

One each dish, Chef Jego throws around some paper thin bacon - changing the flavor of the dish completely. Loved the detail. 


Entrées


Bulots de céléri rave en service de deux...queue de boeuf mitonée de veau (Shredded and molded Oxtail with sea snails and shrimp with celeriac sauce)

Poulpe en fine gelée de foie gras, chipirons tempura, persil d'hiver...au vert (Octopus and Foie gras jelly with tempura of calamari and parsley sauce)

Plats


Pot-au-feu façon, de porcelet en chaud-froid, légumes de choix (Pot-au-feu: braised meat and vegetables with turnips)

Raie rôtie aux agrumes, huile d'olive vierge (Roasted sting-ray with citrus and olive oil)

Desserts


Pamplemousse d'ange...perles Japonaises...onctueux vanillé (Grapefruit supremes with tapioca in vanilla cream)

L'Ami Jean is also famous for their Riz au lait ‘grand-mère’ - a huge bowl of rice pudding...it just never seemed to end! It comes with a caramel beurre salé (but more like a beurre caramel salé - you could only taste the butter!) and roasted walnuts.

At the end of the meal (not like you had room in your stomach or anything)...they offered flavored mini-meringues: chocolate, caramel and pistacchio. 

Ending the dinner and going home was a real task as I was very stuffed; though I would like to return to this restaurant to see what Chef Jego brews up the next time!

Chez L'Ami Jean
27 Rue Malar, 75007
Tel: 01 47 05 86 89
Metro: La Tour-Maubourg (Ligne 8)

Epices Roellinger

Olivier Roellinger, the 3-star Michelin chef based in Cankale, Brittany (France), known for his extensive use of spices, made headlines when he gave up his 3-stars and opened a chic spice shop near the Louvre, in the 2nd arrondissement. 

Walking in, you immediately smell an array of unusual but also familiar spices; some of them are Roellinger's own blends each with their own label, usage and ingredients. 

Mixtures include coriander, lemongrass, nutmeg, sichuan pepper, anis, cardamom, lemon zest, cinnamon, garan masala, sesame, sumac, thym, macis, etc...Mixtures are separated in 4 categories: brute spices for purists, huiles (oils), peppers, and spices for soups, meat and seafood.

Before you leave, you're met with 15 different kinds of vanilla beans, from Tahiti to Madagascar, Reunion Island to the Congo....

This last picture impressed me the most: a ship made of clous de girofle (cloves - 

aromatic dried flower buds) used in Asia and Southeastern Africa. 

Spice lovers reunite!

Epices Roellinger

51 bis Rue Ste-Anne, 75002

Metro: Palais-Royal Musée du Louvre (Ligne 1)

Tel: 01 42 60 46 88

closed Sunday and Monday

Bistrot Paul Bert

I have heard a lot about Bistrot Paul Bert as many's favorites for traditional french food. There's good reason for that. The menu changes seasonally and it's a carnivore's paradise (including yours truly) including hure de cochon, côte de porc, entrecôte, steak aux poivres among others. 

The restaurant is rather rustic looking, a traditional French bistrot to be honest with mirrored walls, tiled floors, and mobile chalkboard menus.  The tables are quite close to each other (as they are in Paris) and the menu is heavy on the meat. They have a lot of fish too, and they were equally as good. 

Entrées

Ceviche de Cabillaud

Oeufs durs à la Mayonnaise de Truffe Noire

Plats

Pot-au-feu et ses légumes -  full of tender beef, potatoes, turnips, leeks, carrots, and even a fist-sized piece of marrow

This crowded and very popular place has become one of my favorite bistros in Paris as they serve an excellent entrecôte (served only bleue or saignante - as it should be but definitely not for the faint of heart) and frites. 

Desserts (if you still have room!)

Sorbets faits maison (ananas - pineapple, citron - lemon, cassis)

Soufflé au Grand Marnier

A must-come even if you're in Paris for 72 hours. It demonstrates traditional French cuisine done very well and will make you visit the East of Paris.


Two helpful suggestions: 1. Come with a big appetite, 2. Reservations strongly advised


Bistrot Paul Bert
18 rue Paul Bert, 75011
Tel: 01 43 72 24 01Metro: Faidherbe-Chaligny (Ligne 8)

Le Marché des Enfants Rouges

Le Marché des Enfants Rouges (“ Market of the Red Children”) is the oldest food market in Paris. Marguerite de Navarre (sister of King François the 1^st) was a charitable member of the royal family who in 1534 built an orphanage constructed in what is now the Marais. The children were dressed in red as a symbol of their status. The orphanage closed down in the beginning of the 17^th century and in 1615 was transformed into a market dubbed the Marché des Enfants Rouges to commemorate the establishment. 

Located in the chic northern part of the Marais, the market is a small and held indoor with a small entrance that is easy to miss. 

The market sells the usual suspects: fruits, vegetables, meat and fish but what I like about this market is that there are several stands that sell prepared food that you can eat on tables nearby; this includes Afro-Creole, Moroccan, Japanese and Italian food. 

It remains a market today and has been on the list of national historical monuments since 1982. Currently, locals congregate to shop for produce and fresh products, to have a coffee and to converse with other locals, old-timers and merchants. 

An Afro-Antilles café serves up small bites

An Italian booth that proposes fresh pasta and truffles

Moroccan delicacies at the end of the market will blow you away with their lamb tagine 

(stew of tender lamb with almonds and soft fruits with couscous) - personally it looked the best. 

Le Marche des Enfants Rouges

39 rue de Bretagne
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday:  8:30-1PM and 4PM-7: 30PM
Friday, Saturday- 8h30AM-1PM and 4PM-8PM
Sunday: 8:30AM–2PM
Metro: Filles- Calvaire (Ligne 8)