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Archive for Bistro

Eating Paris – Bistro V

Jan07

Restaurant: Bistro V

Location: 56 Bd de Port-Royal, 75005 Paris, France. +33 1 45 35 35 31

Date: June 24, 2022

Cuisine: French Bistro

Rating: Meh French

_

On our first night in Paris I knew we were tired and was looking for a very casual “good food, authentically French” place for our large party with kids. Given that, I didn’t want to use the Michelin Guide or anything, so I thought I’d try one last time to use Trip Advisor. This place was EXTREMELY highly rated (on TA), like #20 out of almost 16,000 restaurants in Paris and above almost every 2 and 3 star etc.

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Looks like a typical Bistro.
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Inside had some atmosphere, but not as much as I would have liked. It was deserted — we were the only people — yet they basically ignored us.
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Crisps from a bag. Not an auspicious beginning.
1A4A8439
Bread with a butter packet. Oh boy.
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Watermelon, honey, mint and feta salad.
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Chicken spring rolls from Chef Alain Kassi, Thai herbs and hazelnut chips. These weren’t bad per se, but spring rolls?
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Périgord duck foie gras, citrus chutney. This was solid, but you could buy a can in Paris and slice it.
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Creamy risotto with coconut milk and ginger, grilled prawns, fresh herbs and parmesan.
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Supreme of cod, roasted broccoli and basil pesto.
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Beef tenderloin (High Quality Meat Breed) black pepper sauce, sautéed potatoes.
1A4A8453
Duo Camembert with Tartufata and Comté cheese.
1A4A8467
Semi-cooked chocolate with a runny heart, passion fruit juice and vanilla ice cream.
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Cheesecake, Matcha tea cream and salted butter caramel.
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Plain strawberries.
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Strawberry salad, balsamic caramel and mascarpone ice cream.

Food was okay. Nothing inspired at all. Just fine. Not super authentically French. I’ve had better meals in totally random cafes. I just don’t get the rating.

Service was VERY slow with a single employee in the front and one in the kitchen. The waitress was a bit exasperated with our frustration at the pace and showed it. We were the only people for an hour but they really didn’t get going, probably because of the kitchen guy. Dessert took 45-60 minutes because the kitchen guy wanted to finished everyone elses savories. Basically miserable service and very irritating when we had been up for 40 hours (with kids).

This concludes any trust I have in Tripadvisors ratings as this is rated VERY high on their list, as I said #20 out of 16,000! I will NEVER trust a TA score or reviews ever again. I might have to use them when there is nothing else in English, but only as a last resort. Given how many great places are in Paris some tourist trap would have been better. I don’t even know who this restaurant is aimed at.

For more French dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Eating Rosh Pina – Shiri Bistro
  2. La Cachette Bistro part deux et trois
  3. Quick Eats: La Cachette Bistro
  4. Food as Art: Bistro LQ
  5. Bistro LQ – Truffles 2017
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Bistro, Eating France, Eating Paris, French Cuisine

Parisian Pasjoli

Mar02

Restaurant: Pasjoli

Location: 2732 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405. (424) 330-0020

Date: January 15, 2020

Cuisine: Bistro French

Rating: Really good

_

Pasjoli is an elevated French bistro from award-winning chef Dave Beran. The restaurant pays homage to French cuisine utilizing the bounty of produce available in Southern California. Dave Beran is the guy behind Dialogue, which I didn’t love on my single visit (but I do need to try again). In any case, looking at the photos of Pasjoli (before I went) it looked very good: straight up but precise rich French cooking.

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It’s located on Main Street, on the Venice end of Santa Monica. Rooted in classic French cuisine and inspired by the Parisian markets, Pasjoli reflects Beran’s thoughtful cooking style, showcasing his creative touches on bistro fare.
7U1A5613
The front has been built out in a very Parisian style.
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The interior is Bistro crossed with LA contemporary.
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Quite attractive though.
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Le menu.
7U1A5617
From my cellar: 2002 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart. VM 94. The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart comes across as rich, powerful and opulent. This latest release of the 2002 was disgorged in July 2015 and finished with a Chardonnay-based liqueur whereas the previous release, disgorged in May 2014, was finished with a Pinot Noir-based liqueur. This is a distinctly vinous, almost shockingly raw, visceral Champagne from Billecart-Salmon. There is no shortage of volume or intensity, that is for sure. Stylistically, this year’s release inhabits a whole other world relative to last year’s release. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. (Drink between 2018-2042)
7U1A5621
Salade d’endives. black walnut, grapefruit, comté. Classic French endive salad with a newer presentation.
7U1A5630
Ragoût d’oignons caramélisés. caramelized onion, gruyère, pâte brisée. Nice and rich, like a cheese onion mousse. Sort of a reconfigured onion soup — sort of.
7U1A5634
Crabe et chou-fleur. blue crab, cauliflower cream, sorrel. Great “salad”. Bright flavors and lots of clean crabby taste.
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Quenelle. scallop, caviar beurre blanc. Not your classic quenelle (the omelet-like log in lobster bisque sauce), this was a buttery feathery light mousse with lots of caviar. Nice balance of butter and briney fish eggs.
7U1A5618
From my cellar: 1999 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Charmes-Chambertin. VM 92+. Bright, saturated ruby. Vibrant aromas of blackberry and violet. Powerful but juicy and not at all heavy. A wonderfully fresh wine of terrific verve. Still tight on the firmly tannic back end. Quite fine, though.
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Truite amandine. rainbow trout, smoked roe, French beans.
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Cauliflower.
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Homard vol-au-vent. lobster, melted leeks, sauce béarnaise. Super rich, but fabulous. Lobster, pastry, shellfish sauce. What’s not to love?
7U1A5659

Canard à la Rouennaise à la presse (Escoffier 3476). whole roast duck, salad of salanova lettuce and duck leg, gratin dauphinois
for two (available by pre-order only).

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The duck comes out on its bed of rosemary and they first cut off the breasts.
7U1A5661
Tools.
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It’s semi-raw, as the breasts will be finished back in the kitchen.
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The carcass is chopped up and…
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Goes in the “torture device press.”
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Seen here.
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The “jus” (blood and drippings) is then pressed out and combined with wine, cognac, etc and cooked into a sauce.
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Duck breast meat returning from the kitchen looking perfect.

7U1A5687
Avec le jus. About as good a European/French style duck breast as I’ve had. Not as good as a great Peking duck, but what is?
7U1A5690
You can see the fat / flavor emulsion here.
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Gratin dauphinois. These were basically perfect potatoes layered with dairy. Really delicious.
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Salad of salanova lettuce and duck leg. Delicious salad.
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Each duck has it’s own unique numbered card.
7U1A5728
The dessert menu.
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Soufflé au chocolat. Bitter chocolate, vanilla ice cream.

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Chocolate sauce to go in the soufflé.
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Sauce on its way in. Very good classic soufflé.
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Vanilla ice cream.

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Tarte au fruit de la passion. Green chartreuse cream. Delicious with an intense passionfruit flavor.

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Riz au lait. Rice pudding, 8-hour roasted pineapple, rum. Spectacular creamy rice pudding nicely complemented by the pineapple and caramel/rum sauce.
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Caramel rum sauce for the rice pudding.
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The check came in this cute book. Service was all built into the prices.

I really liked everything about Pasjoli. It’s not cheap, but it felt worth it. The decor is elegant/updated. The service was very friendly and efficient. Food was extremely on point. Updated French bistro fare, so nothing felt dated. Great flavors. It’s very rich. If you like “light” this probably isn’t your cup of jus.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Bistro, Dave Beran, duck, French, Pasjoli, Pressed duck, Santa Monica

Burgundy at Bouchon – Faiveley

Apr02

Restaurant: Bouchon Beverly Hills [1, 2, 3]

Location: 235 NORTH CANON DRIVE | BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210 | 310.271.9910

Date: March 14, 2013

Cuisine: French Bistro

Rating: Good, but expensive

_

Through my recent Burgundy aficionado dinners I was hooked up with a series of winemaker dinners that Wally’s Wine and Spirits throws. These seem to be at Bouchon and feature great wines from a particular winemaker as well as an intimate opportunity to meet the winemaker himself.

This particular dinner features Faiveley, which is a solid traditionalist B+ Burgundy house that I buy very frequently as they offer a wide range of wines from all over Burgundy and very good value.

With regard to Bouchon. In the last three-four years there’s been a bit of a French Food revival in Southern California, but the emphasis has been on Bistro fare. Of course this is consistent with the post-recession trend toward less formal restaurants anyway. Bouchon is the small-chain spawn for Thomas Keller, the highly acclaimed chef of The French Laundry.


The Beverly Hills space is very pretty. Check out the bar (both raw and booze). Lobsters oversee the diners.


The elegant dining room has a very spacious, even Parisian feel.


For the special wine dinner tonight we have the private room.


The NV Brut Rose is a pretty, understated wine graced with notable class and finesse. This is a decidedly feminine, delicate style best suited to drinking as an aperitif. Sweet berries, flowers and spices are layered into the refined, well-articulated finish.


And a special (i.e. limited) menu.

 

Flight 1: 2011 Whites

These 2011 whites are essentially bottle samples, as they haven’t been released. Bernard (the winemaker) brought them straight from the domain, probably labeled for our pleasure.


88 points. 2011 Mercury Clos Rochette. A perfumed and expressive nose features a pretty mix of various red berries, earth and wet stone. This is one of those wines that is defined by its minerality on the racy, intense and pure middle weight flavors that possess a lovely sense of underlying tension while culminating in a firm but refined finish. Good stuff.


89-91 points. 2011 Domaine Faiveley Meursault Blagny. Bright yellow. Precise aromas of spices, bitter almond and minerals. Juicy, spicy and and a bit metallic, more Puligny in style than Meursault. Conveys a low-alcohol impression and will need more elevage to put on weight. Finishes quite dry, with a hint of bitter lemon. This tight wine is almost dangerously refreshing.


93-96 points. 2011 Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne. (made from three kinds of grapes, said Hervet: “yellow like Meursault, classic Puligny-type fruit, and green/yellow grapes with a touch of noble rot, like Montrachet”): Soil-driven aromas of apple, mint, anise and menthol, with complicating notes of fresh herbs and white pepper. Dense, saline and seamless; at once very dry and chewy. Conveys a rare impression of glyceral texture without much alcohol (this was actually 12.5% potential alcohol chaptalized to 12.8%). Wonderfully perfumed on the bracing finish, with is dusty with extract. Not at all a fruity style of white Burgundy. But this should make for an utterly compelling wine.


96-98 points. 2011 Domaine Faiveley Batard-Montrachet. An ultra-elegant perfumed glass of Chardonnay. Lots of floral notes.


Dill creme fraiche tartlet.


Smoked duck cubes with a bit of pickle.


Little puff pastries filled with Gruyère cheese.


Salmon pate.


Goat cheese and beet tartlet.

 

Flight 2: Mature Whites


1999 Faiveley Chablis 1re cru Montmains. So rare I couldn’t even find a review, but drinking very nicely.


Burghound 89-93. 2005 Maison Joseph Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru White. There is more wood here than I’m used to seeing and enough influence where there is both toast and vanilla notes that presently tussle for dominance on the very ripe orchard fruit and floral aromas. The big-bodied flavors offer impressive richness and a real sense of concentration with ample amounts of dry extract present on the powerful and driving finish. The wood is not subtle and it’s enough that it will bother some and even though the track record of this wine is that it will eventually eat the wood, I suspect this will always show vestiges of it.


Burghound 91-94. 2007 Maison Joseph Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru White. Subtle wood sets off more elegant aromas of green apple, floral and wet stone notes that are also reflected by the rich, intense and impressively powerful big-bodied flavors that seem extracted from liquid rock, all wrapped in a palate staining and driving finish. Another aspect worth noting is that this is often a distinctly oaky Corton-Charlemagne but in 2007, thanks to the policy of reducing the wood influence, the oak influence is much more moderate if not invisible.


Burghound 91-93. 2009 Maison Joseph Faiveley Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru White. Moderate wood surrounds the very ripe apricot, peach, spiced pear and mango aromas that are in keeping with the opulent and succulent broad-shouldered flavors that possess imposing size, weight and power while culminating in an extract-rich and palate staining finish. While impressive, I would like to see a bit more depth though there is so much underlying material that it may very well develop once in bottle.

The have good bread here.


Salade de Farro. toasted farro, winter squash, pecans with Treviso & blood orange vinaigrette.

Confit de Canard. Duck leg confit, French green lentils, a matignon of root vegetables & red wine vinegar duck jus.

Very tasty. All that duck fat had saturated into the lentils and made them delicious.

 

Flight 3: 2011 Reds

More early samples of some highlights from the 2011 reds!


Burghound 91-93. 2011 Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin 1ru cru Les Cazetiers. A background application of wood does not materially diminish the layered and classic Cazetiers nose of humus, earth, animale, stone and cool wild dark berry fruit aromas. I very much like the mouth feel to the tautly muscled, intense and powerful flavors that possess real drive on the very firmly structured but not hard finish that delivers exceptionally good length. This is worth considering.


Burghound 92-95. 2011 Faiveley Corton des Cortons. As is usually the case with this wine when it’s young, the nose is restrained to the point of being almost mute though aggressive swirling liberates aromas of earth, spice, red currant and hints of the sauvage. And instead of the robust and well-muscled mid-palate there is an almost caressing mouth feel to the full-bodied yet refined flavors because while the supporting tannins are definitely firm and dense they are also quite finely-grained. There is excellent length to the moderately austere, tight, focused and linear finish that delivers outstanding persistence.


Burghound 91-94. 2011 Faiveley Echezeaux. An intensely floral nose is notably ripe with notes of plum, spice, black raspberry and cassis in evidence. There is a seductive texture to the solidly well-concentrated medium weight plus flavors that benefit from plenty of structure-buffering dry extract such that this seems more forward than it really is. The tannins are dense but fine and this should significantly reward 12 to 15 years of cellaring.


Burghound 93-95. Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze. An exuberantly spicy, cool and airy nose that mixes a variety of wild red berries, humus and earth nuances where the latter component is also well-represented on the solidly well-detailed and powerful medium weight plus flavors that possess superb length. This is a big but not burly Bèze that is actually more a wine of finesse than outsized power and weight.

Truite Grenobloise. pan-roasted Idaho rainbow trout, cauliflower, capers, lemon confit with brioche croutons & beurre noisette.

Poulet Rôti Grand-Mère. roasted chicken with fingerling potatoes, button mushrooms, bacon lardons, pearl onions & chicken jus.

Steak Frites. Herb roasted, caramelized shallots, maître d’hôtel butter or sauce Béarnaise served with French fries.


The table is getting crowded!


Bernard Hervet, managing director of Faiveley.

 

Flight 4: Red Cortons+


Burghound 92. 1999 Domaine Faiveley Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru Red. This is right behind the superb ’99 Mazis in quality with its closed and reserved black fruit merging seamlessly into full, firm, structured big-boned flavors that offer terrific complexity and outstanding length. This is sneaky in its intensity and possesses brooding power but it clearly offers grand cru quality flavor precision. This will require at least a decade to unwind and offers excellent aging potential.


Tanzer 88-91. 2000 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley. Ruby-red. Deep but rather austere nose of red berries and rust. Large-scaled, chewy and sweet, with good depth of red fruit flavor. Still rather monolithic and oaky but not heavy. The chewy, granular tannins are slightly dry but hit the palate late. A sizable wine but it won’t be in the same class as the ’99.


Burghound 90. 1999 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru Red. Big, ripe, intense black fruit aromas followed by rich, relatively dense flavors offering plenty of character and supported by a moderate tannic backbone. The ’99 Clos des Corton is not a bruiser but make no mistake, this is still a big wine. It will clearly require some time to smooth out and resolve the solid tannins but there is good mid-palate density and sève to permit the tannins to soften gracefully.


Burghound 90. 1990 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru Red. Black fruit nose that is quite rich and complex with slightly rustic tannins and a long, intense, moderately structured finish. This is still going strong and has developed none of the advanced secondary aromatics that more than a few 90s are displaying, which augurs well for its future development. Still a very big, young wine and this needs another 5 years or so of cellar time before it really comes into its own. Note: this bottle was materially better than another bottle tasted in 2000, which merited a score of 87.


Selection de Fromages Artisanaux. Selection of artisanal cheeses with honeycomb, candied nuts, cranberry currant campagne & walnut bread.

The bread part.

Flight 5: Chambertin


Tanzer 89+. 2000 Domaine Faiveley Mazis Chambertin. Medium red with an amber edge. Complex nose combines plum, cherry, currant, game, cinnamon and menthol. Dense and layered, with sappy, slightly austere flavors of black cherry, licorice and minerals. Lovely intensity without any excess weight. Strong spicy oak gives the persistent finish a slight youthful dryness.

95 points. 1990 Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin. Very intense, almost searing, nose of blood, menthol, red fruit, earth, sous bois, tobacco, and some hot iron. Impeccably balanced fruit, tannin and acidity on the palate. Not as elegant or poised as the Latricieres that preceded it but equally good. My notes are regularly punctuated by the word long – long, lingering nose; long, complete palate impression; long finish of iron and fruit. Again, they end with ‘fabulous’. To me this was Mazis at it’s finest and was drinking perfectly.


Burghound 92-95. 2007 Domaine Joseph Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Red. A slightly cooler, distinctly floral and more deeply pitched and much spicier nose offers up reluctant red and black berry fruit aromas as well as game and smoke notes that continue onto the mineral-driven, powerful and well-muscled broad-shouldered flavors that possess another, if small, dimension of depth and length. This is very primary, even backward and will need plenty of cellar time. A most impressive ’07.


Burghound 95-97. 2005 Domaine Joseph Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Red. As aromatically complex as the Clos des Cortons is, the Clos de Bèze goes it one better with a dazzling array of spice, earth, mineral, fruit and subtle floral aromas that change every few seconds but continue onto the elegant, pure, transparent and vibrant flavors that possess superb power and striking depth of material on the unbelievably long finish. This is also quite firmly structured but completely balanced and the flavors are the perfect example of the term power without weight. A monument in the making but a wine for the patient.


Burghound 88. 1998 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Red. Barest hint of oak frames slightly underripe but nicely complex fruit leading to medium weight, intense flavors of moderate richness and firm but not hard structure. There is good if not exceptional material here and the character of the wine is presently on the austere and understated side. I suspect this will always retain a certain reserve, given that the Faiveley style is not given to fruity exuberance in the first place. A wine for the patient.

A very fun evening. I was surprised how good the food was. Not modern or innovative per se (haha) but really very tasty. And there were some great wines plus the interesting opportunity to meet the winemaker and hear his perspective. He was very nice and extremely gracious. There was a bit of a mismatch in that there were far too many wines for the number of courses — but it’s rare for an event to plan on 7+ courses — unless it’s one of mine!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Burgundy at Bouchon – Jadot
  2. Bouchon Beverly Hills
  3. Food as Art: Ortolan
  4. Spago – 2005 White Burg part 1!
  5. Mostly Montrachet at Melisse
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Bernard Hervet, Bistro, Bouchon, Burgundy, Faiveley, French Cuisine, French Laundry, Southern California, Thomas Keller, Wine

Burgundy at Bouchon – Jadot

Mar13

Restaurant: Bouchon Beverly Hills [1, 2, 3]

Location: 235 NORTH CANON DRIVE | BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210 | 310.271.9910

Date: March 4, 2013

Cuisine: French Bistro

Rating: Good, but expensive

_

Through my recent Burgundy aficionado dinners I was hooked up with a series of winemaker dinners that Wally’s Wine and Spirits throws. These seem to be at Bouchon and feature great wines from a particular winemaker as well as an intimate opportunity to meet the winemaker himself.

This particular dinner features Jadot, which is a solid traditionalist B+ Burgundy house that I buy very frequently as they offer a wide range of wines from all over Burgundy (150 in total) and very good value. In general, their reds are better than their whites.

With regard to Bouchon. In the last three-four years there’s been a bit of a French Food revival in Southern California, but the emphasis has been on Bistro fare. Of course this is consistent with the post-recession trend toward less formal restaurants anyway. Bouchon is the small-chain spawn for Thomas Keller, the highly acclaimed chef of The French Laundry.


The Beverly Hills space is very pretty. Check out the bar (both raw and booze). Lobsters oversee the diners.


The elegant dining room has a very spacious, even Parisian feel.


For the special wine dinner tonight we have the private room.


And a special (i.e. limited) menu.

Amuses


The non-vintage Brut Reserve offers orange, sweet spice, and yeast aromas. Light to medium-bodied and delicate, this refined wine has floral flavors intermingled with touches of citrus.


Little puff pastries filled with Gruyère cheese.


Country pate with corchicons.


Salmon pate.


Goat cheese and beet tartlet.

 

Flight 1: Whites


The only non-Jadot wine of the evening. The 2007 Mugnier Nuits St. Georges “Clos de la Maréchale” 1er. Burghound 89, “An expressive nose of green apple, white flower and lemon zest aromas trimmed in a deft touch of wood merges into rich, clean and beautifully detailed middle weight flavors that possess a fine sense of underlying tension and punch on the layered and very dry finish that lingers nicely. Lovely and balanced.”


1999 Jadot Meursault Les Genevrieres. Burghound 91, “This just oozes minerality and spice from an expressive, forward nose offering fresh herbs and citrus that continues on to the rich, nicely powerful and generous medium weight flavors and long, intense and detailed finish. While this remains entirely primary, it is sufficiently forward to suggest that it will not need much more time to approach peak drinkability.”


The 1990 Jadot Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres.


2007 Jadot Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 94, “A strikingly complex nose that possess excellent breadth to the ripe, pure and airy aromas of white flower, spice, green apple and subtle pear aromas that complement to perfection the big-bodied, rich and mouth coating flavors built on a base of fine minerality, all wrapped in a sappy and mouth coating finish that oozes dry extract. This is really a lovely effort with a chiseled and driving finale of superb persistence though note that while patience will be required, there is sufficient mid-palate sap that the finishing austerity is not forbidding. A “wow” wine.”


And the same wine, but 1997 Jadot Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 90, “Very expressive, broad and rich aromas of minerals and green apples followed by rich, full, medium weight flavors and excellent acidity in the context of the vintage. This is brighter and more vibrant than most ’97s and though the flavors are quite forward, this should age gracefully for some years to come.”

Truth is, this was younger, fresher, and better than the 2007. Probably the magnum helped.


2002 Jadot Batard-Montrachet. Burghound 93, “This is a huge wine with full-on, expressive aromas of white flowers and fresh citrus extract followed by huge, oily, almost viscous broad and deep flavors that display extremely impressive and fine acid/fruit balance and length that is hard to believe. This is a powerful, precise, almost painfully intense Bâtard that is altogether imposing in its sheer size and power yet it never lapses into heaviness. A genuinely great effort.”

The have good bread here.

Frisée aux Lardons et Oeuf Poché. Frisée lettuce, lardons, poached Jidori egg with bacon vinaigrette & toasted brioche.

Confit de Canard. Duck leg confit, French green lentils, a matignon of root vegetables & red wine vinegar duck jus.

Very tasty. All that duck fat had saturated into the lentils and made them delicious.

 

Flight 2: Reds


1990 Jadot Corton-Pougets. Burghound 92, “A ripe and now mostly secondary nose of earth, spice, leather and hints of animale lead to rich yet elegant flavors underpinned by still noticeable but not hard tannins and a mineral-infused finish that offers admirable length and depth. This is aging beautifully and while ripe, the balance is such that the wine should continue to hold at this level for years though I don’t forsee much if any additional improvement from here. In short, a very successful ’90.”


2000 Jadot Corton-Pougets. Burgound 88-91, “Stylistically closer to the Grèves with even better richness and power though it is not quite as complex and does not deliver the same level of finesse. Somewhat animale in character though not at all rustic. Very fine and quite long and not quite as structured as the other two Corton grands crus.”


2005 Jadot Clos Vougeot. Burghound 92-94, “A reserved and notably ripe earth-infused nose of red and dark berry fruit that possess a subtlesauvage character leads to Cistercian caliber youthfully austere flavors that are big, structured, well muscled and powerful and while not raw, it’s clear that this will need time to settle down and find their center. This is not an elegant wine but the potential is considerable and I especially like the bold character. A wine that will last 3 to 4 decades.”

This was from my cellar, but unfortunately it was way too young. It should be great wine in 10+ years :-).


ad hoc Fried Chicken. Wedge salad with roasted cauliflower & biscuits with gravy.

The best fried chicken I’ve had in years. Really really good! Not exactly light though.


The “light” salad that comes with the chicken.

Steak Frites. Herb roasted, caramelized shallots, maître d’hôtel butter or sauce Béarnaise served with French fries.

 

Flight 3: Reds


1989 Jadot Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots. Very nice, but I couldn’t find any reviews.


And the wine of the evening: the 1990 Jadot Chambertin Clos de Beze.

Parker 96, “It will be interesting to follow the evolution of the 1990 Bonnes Mares, Chambertin-Clos de Beze, and Chambertin. All are magnificent examples of not only the heights red burgundy can achieve, but also of the thrilling quality of the 1990 vintage. The Chambertin-Clos de Beze gets my nod as the wine in the Jadot portfolio that should hit the highest peak in quality and pleasure. It needs at least 5-7 years in the cellar, and has the potential to last for 25 or more years. The color is a saturated dark ruby/purple, and the closed nose offers sweet, jammy aromas framed by noticeable smoky new oak. The magnificent richness, highly structured and delineated style, as well as the explosively rich finish, all make for a show-stopping impression.”

Burghound 91, “From a bottle in the big Chambertin and Clos de Bèze tasting: Somewhat stewed, roasted fruit nose cut with very ripe earth and pungent, very ripe plum/prune notes. The flavors are big, very structured and intense but without sufficient mid-palate sap to completely buffer than and thus this finishes with an edgy, dry, slightly astringent quality. Perfectly good but not better and I found this wine a bit perplexing because the 1990 Clos St. Jacques is a really beautiful effort. 88/2005-12 Note: from a bottle tasted in October of ’04 – While the aromatics are certainly quite ripe, indeed even slightly roasted, this bottle delivered much more youthful, balanced, intense and savory flavors that displayed only a touch of the finishing astringency of the above example. While not destined to be a genuinely great wine, it’s certainly a fine effort.”

Really drinking great tonight (me says).


Selection de Fromages Artisanaux. Selection of artisanal cheeses with honeycomb, candied nuts, cranberry currant campagne & walnut bread.

The bread part.

A very fun evening. I was surprised how good the food was. Not modern or innovative per se (haha) but really very tasty. And there were some great wines plus the interesting opportunity to meet the winemaker and hear his perspective. He was very nice and extremely gracious.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

The tallest and Gaulist gentleman is the new Jadot winemaker!

Related posts:

  1. Bouchon Beverly Hills
  2. Spago – 2005 White Burg part 1!
  3. Never Boaring – Il Grano
By: agavin
Comments (7)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Bistro, Bouchon, Burgundy, Chardonnay, Cheese, French Laundry, Jadot, Pinot noir, Southern California, Thomas Keller, Wally's Wine & Spirits, winemaker dinner

Bouchon Beverly Hills

Oct17

Restaurant: Bouchon Beverly Hills [1, 2, 3]

Location: 235 NORTH CANON DRIVE | BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210 | 310.271.9910

Date: October 15, 2011

Cuisine: French Bistro

Rating: Good, but expensive

_

In the last three-four years there’s been a bit of a French Food revival in Southern California, but the emphasis has been on Bistro fare. Of course this is consistent with the post-recession trend toward less formal restaurants anyway. Bouchon is the small-chain spawn for Thomas Keller, the highly acclaimed chef of The French Laundry.


Here is the brunch menu. My snapshot is still at the doctors (Canon service center) so this is a test run for the new iPhone4S camera. Better than its predecessor, but no match for either of my real cameras. The Photostream sync to the desktop is however, pretty sweet.


My obligatory cappuccino.


The Beverly Hills space is very pretty. Check out the bar (both raw and booze). Lobsters oversee the diners.


The elegant dining room has a very spacious, even Parisian feel.


The have good bread here, as well as amusements for the three-year-old set.


“Pain Perdu” (i.e. french toast). Brioche toast with macerated strawberries, creme Chantilly & vermont maple syrup. I’m slightly confused about the strawberries, as these sure looked and tasted like apple. But it was good nonetheless.


“Chicken & Waffles. roasted chicken on a bacon & chive waffle with Tahitian vanilla bean butter and sauce chasseur.” The chicken was a nice bit of roast chicken. If the waffles had bacon and chive in them, I couldn’t tell.


It came with the butter, the gravy, and good maple syrup. I ended up shredding the chicken, cutting the waffles, and adding syrup. It was good, but not quite Roscoes.


Downstairs is the much anticipated takeout bakery.


Not a huge space.


Serving various classic pastries and some salads and sandwiches.


Salads, sandwiches, macarons, cookies, etc.


The breakfast pastries, like croissant and coffee cake. The chocolate croissant was good. The coffee cake and banana nut muffin were a bit dry. Really I expected more. I’ll have to try a lemon tart at some point.


A closeup of the macarons. I had one (passionfruit) and while large, and pretty good, it wasn’t as good as the divine Paulette Macarons (reviewed here).


Good luck trying to read this blurry iPhone photo.

Overall, while Bouchon and bakery were fine, they are very expensive and failed to wow me. The chicken and waffles was $27! This is almost triple Roscoes! I would have forgiven the prices if the food were superlative, but it was just good. Sorry Mr. Keller, you’re rep sets a higher bar.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Beverly Hills Hotel – Polo Lounge
  2. Paulette Macarons
  3. Ford’s Filling Station
  4. Riviera Country Club – Gluttony with a View
  5. Red Medicine is the Cure
By: agavin
Comments (3)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Beverly Hills California, Bistro, Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery, Brunch, Food, French Laundry, Los Angeles, Southern California, Thomas Keller, vegetarian

Quick Eats: Mon Ami Gabi

Dec02

Restaurant: Mon Ami Gabi

Location: 7239 Woodmont Ave.  Bethesda, MD 20814. 301.654.1234

Date: Nov 29, 2010

Cuisine: French Bistro

 

Out with friends in Bethesda we checked out this small chain French Bistro.  After 10-20 years out of favor the bistro seems to have returned in spades.

An “Amuse” of marinated carrots, quite nice.

The menu.

Parker gives this a 92, “Potentially the finest Gigondas made here since their sublime 1978 (still going strong, by the way), the 2007 exhibits gorgeously sweet black currant, kirsch, and mineral notes intermixed with hints of cigar box and forest floor. Full-bodied with elegance married to considerable substance and power, a beautifully textured mouthfeel, and a long, heady finish, this will be a long-lived Gigondas. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and enjoy it over the following 15 years.”

The classic goat cheese salad.

Steak Bernaise for a young carnivore.

An excellent lump crabmeat cake. I don’t get enough of these out west.

My two-year-old’s grilled cheese and fries. He seemed to enjoy it.

French onion soup.

Steak frites. Lots of frites.

Bacon wrapped pork, with dijon mustard coated potatoes.

Breaded cod.

With frites.

This was a solid place. Not blow-you-away, but good.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats: La Cachette Bistro
  2. Quick Eats: Panini at Home
  3. Quick Eats: Pizzeria Mozza
  4. Quick Eats: Piccolo
  5. Quick Eats: Brunch at Tavern
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Bacon, Bistro, Cooking, Food, French fries, French onion soup, Gigondas, reviews, Salad, side dishes, vegetarian

Quick Eats: La Cachette Bistro

Nov14

Restaurant: La Cachette Bistro [1, 2]

Location: 1733 Ocean AveSanta Monica, CA 90401(310) 434-9509

Date: Nov 13, 2010

Cuisine: (Cal) French

Rating: Great food, good value for what you get.

 

We’ve been going to La Cachette in Century City for over 10 years. Last year, it closed and reopened in Santa Monica with a new format — and it’s a winner. The old restaurant had great food, but it was a little stuffy and very “gray hair.” The one is more casual, cheaper, closer (to us), and just all around more approachable. But the food is great. Less haute cuisine, more Bistro, but very good.

Again I forgot the medium sized camera so it was iPhone 4 to the rescue, I apologize for the mediocre photo quality as a result.

My dining partners wanted white. So for French, and white. In my cellar, there is is always Chablis. Parker gives this a 94-96, “From this cru’s steep, riverside slopes, the Fevre 2006 Chablis Bougros Cote de Bouguerots reveals its oak in lanolin, toasted almond, and spice aromas, along with notes of chalk dust, sweet lime, and heady, lily-like floral perfume. With enveloping richness, luscious juiciness, and flattering creaminess, yet underlain by a vivid sense of crushed stone, this saturates the palate so completely and intensely and with such a palpable sense of extract, that the finishing stain seems almost severe. This remarkably concentrated and polished wine should be worth following for 15 or more years. The 2005, too, is superb.”

Bread of course.

The menu top half. click to zoom.

And bottom. click to zoom.

“Organic Beet Tower with Feta Cheese, Avocado, Heirloom Tomato, Crispy Goat Cheese Ravioini and Cumin dressing.”
“Lightly Creamed Lobster Bisque, served with Rouille.” This bisque is a good compromise. While it might not be 100% as tasty as the fully creamed sort, it’s like 98%, and it doesn’t hit the gut so hard.
“Wild mushroom Risotto with Truffle Oil, Parmesan Cheese and Mushroom Sauce.”
“House smoked whitefish with potato salad, shallots and olive oil.” This vanished quickly off my wife’s plate. She declared: “I’d order it again.”
“Lamb stew with Merguez Sausage, Coucous, Root Vegetables and Harissa Broth.” This was very tasty. Tender lamb, yummy Moroccan sausage, a complementary broth.
They have really great traditional French deserts (and some newer types as well), but we were too full.
I highly recommend La Cachette Bistro. It’s modern French, done really well.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats: Brunch at Tavern
  2. Quick Eats: Pizzeria Mozza
  3. Quick Eats: Piccolo
  4. Food as Art: Bistro LQ
  5. Quick Eats: Panini at Home
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Bistro, Cooking, Cumin, Food, French Cuisine, Haute cuisine, Los Angeles, Restaurant, reviews, Rouille, Salad, Santa Monica, Santa Monica California
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