Le Dauphin

We're back with more news on Chef Inaki Aizpitarte, who to some is a culinary genius and an up-and-coming Chef on the Parisian food scene, while others think it's just all overrated. 

I'm not an adoring fan of Chef Inaki but his cooking is good. 

I've blogged about the Chef previously, after my visit to Chateaubriand about 3 months ago. I was very impressed at first but having eaten there a couple of times; some of the dishes became less memorable - perhaps that's where the mixed reviews of the restaurant come from? But the food is nonetheless good, moving Inaki's restaurant to 11th in Restaurant Magazine's World's 50 Best Restaurant List and beating culinary giants such as Gagnaire, Robuchon and Troisgros. 

Last night though, I spent an evening at Le Dauphin, his most recent venture a few doors down from Le Chateaubriand. It looks like a Parisian tabac from the outside; very uninteresting place to be honest but made a total makeover with Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas who magnificently transformed it into a modern Carrara-marbled wine bar serving more than tapas-like plates with natural wines from France. There's marble everywhere (the floor, the walls, the ceiling! The place is sleek, the decor minimal (but much nicer looking than Le Chateaubriand) and some dining tables laid out around the wine bar. Like Le Chateaubriand, the menu is a single sheet of A4 paper with a list of dishes that they serve - apparently it changes weekly. It's simple, nothing overdone - just what you need to know really. 

Mirrored walls in the back leading to the kitchen

I made a reservation for 7.45 pm, which was quite early, but the place immediately got packed by 8.30 pm with people typically at the wine bar (it is a wine bar in the end). I think when there was an initial buzz, it was hard to get a reservation but now not so much + it might just be worth walking in to have a glass of wine or two and munch on 2-3 dishes. 

As for the wine list, there's a variety of natural wines from France including Bordeaux and Burgundy but it leans toward the Loire Valley and promotes natural wine producers that I enjoyed at Le Chateaubriand as well; reasonably priced at 5 euros per glass and around 30 euros per bottle. 

We should be clear that the portions are not tapas-style like in San Sebastian, Spain, they are a little larger, more generous and I can't really pinpoint exactly the 'type' of food he serves - it's eclectic: French, Spanish, Japanese - kinda of like Chateaubriand where Inaki twists traditional dishes such as pig's feet, steak tartare by bringing out the original and base flavors of the dish - not overpowering it with other accompanying ingredients. 

However, unfortunately, I found there to be a lack of salt in the dishes - perhaps purposely done to accentuate the original taste? I do like a lot of salt...I was overall more impressed with this restaurant than Chateaubriand, it's something different and the food choice was more interesting - it was from the carte (whereas Chateaubriand is a prix-fixe for 50 euros). The prices of the dishes were reasonable for Parisian standards; between 8 - 10 euros, but serve this in Spain, I'd think he'd go out of business. 

Terrine de Foie Gras

Pluma Iberico, Radicchio (Pork fillet served crispy on the outside and rare...yes rare on the inside) - very impressive

Encornets a la plancha (Fried squid)

Eperlan en Friture (Deep-fried Smelt fish)

Poulpe Tandoori (Tandoori Octopus)

Steak tartare - hand cut steak with capers, fresh herbs and radish

Cochon de Lait Bigorre (Suckling Pig with Celery puree)

Along with the Pluma, the suckling pig stood out as the most flavorful dish, though I wished that the skin had a little bit more crisp to it. 

If you're willing to make the trek to the 11th arrondissement, definitely come here for a glass of natural wine or two and chow down on some good portioned tapas from Inaki Aizpitarte's new venture which holds already a lot of recognition at reasonable prices - so come before they increase! 

Le Dauphin 

131, Avenue Parmentier, 75011

Metro: Goncourt (Ligne 11)

Tel: 01 48 06 58 41

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)

Le Garde Robe

Le Garde Robe, literally "closet", is a small wine bar tucked in rue de l'Arbre Sec, across the street from Spring's shop, Spring Boutique. Many wine bottles line the brick walls of the narrow wine bar like a library of books. The wines in this bar are 'nature' from independent labels, but you can find an array of international wines too. You can pick wines by the glass (4 euros) or by the bottle (to which you must add 7 euros for corkage fee if you drink it in the restaurants) or which you could leave with right away.

While you wait for your wine to air out, the staff kindly serves you a platter of different meats, cheeses or both and country bread. 

Below the daily menu:


                             


It's a comfy place to come to after work or late on weekends.


Le Garde-Robe
41 Rue de l'Arbre Sec
75001 Paris, France
Tel: 01 49 26 90 60
Metro: Louvre-Rivoli (Ligne 1)

Le Comptoir and more...

This weekend was filled with tasting and trying new ingredients and dishes.

First off, on saturday late morning, I paid a visit to the market in Alma-Marceau. The market is covered with store tents and is about 500 m long, up Avenue du President Wilson. There you can find every sort of produce: fruits and vegetables (notably from one supplied who sells to all the Michelin-star restaurants), meat, cheese, seafood (also boasting one of the best fishmongers) and even cooked food.

yellow cauliflower

Then a small group of us culinary students ventured into the 6th arrondissement to try the highly praised Le Comptoir du Relais (without reservation!) located in Odeon. The food is inexpensive and delicious at the same time. Yves Camdeborde opened this restaurant of 20 seats in 2005 and now it's one of the hottest ticket meals in Paris. The menu is different during the weekday where customers eat a set-prix fixe menu while the weekend is more laid back and a la carte. From outside, it looks like any other small brasserie but the uniqueness of menu sets it apart from others. Camdeborde calls his food traditional but I found it innovative and very forward, updating French classical dishes.

I thought the prices were fair, the service attentive and a great atmosphere in general. No wonder people line up outside the restaurant - even at 3 pm!

L'avant comptoir - le comptoir's bar next door where you can grab a glass of wine and some Spanish tapas before seating

Writings on the bar's wall

It was rather a meaty lunch on our part but who could resist? 

APPETIZERS

I had the carpaccio of head of veal (cooked) and it was THE BEST carpaccio I have ever had. Seasoning and tastes were perfect.

Carpaccio de tete de veau

Eggs Mayonnaise

Salade de poulpe (octopus) et fenouil (fennel)

MAIN COURSES

Stew of beef cheeks with vitelote chip

Slice of suckling pig on a bed of lentils and vitelote chip

Tranche de lard - pork belly

Souris d'agneau (lamb) with dried fruits - AMAZING

And finally, a little room for dessert - which was an interesting mix: Chocolate ice-cream with piment d'Espelette (type of chili pepper) and Caramel au beurre salé (salted butter cream).

Le Comptoir du Relais

5, Carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006

Tel: 01 44 27 07 97

Metro: Odeon (Ligne 10, 4)