Back in Paris: Abri, La Dame de Pic

My friend, Gaby, was planning to go out of town when she learned that her house sitter would not be coming. She contacted me in Provincetown and I offered to take over and care for her precious cat, Nera, since I would be back in Paris before Gaby left. Gaby usually likes to have someone live in the apartment while she is away and as I live downstairs, we decided that I would spend time daily with Nera and that would be fine for the two weeks of her absence.

Apparently, I did a good job and, and to thank me, Gaby invited me to a wonderful lunch at a tiny new restaurant called Abri. I'll start out by saying that I was extremely impressed and to my dismay, found that getting a dinner reservation there requires quite a lot of planning as it is a tiny pearl of a restaurant with about 9 tables.

The staff and chefs at Abri are Japanese and the food is French fusion. The menu is a surprise and there is no choice (although you do choose your main course). Before you are served they ask if you do not eat a particular food. With me it is always cilantro.

Different people in the restaurant are served different dishes. We started with a dish of squid rings, artichoke purée, and morel mushrooms which I love and which were in season. Next came gnocchi maison (home made) with a purée of white asparagus, grilled parmesan, and onion flowers.

We each chose a different main course so that we could taste each other's. There was lieu jaune (a delicate white fish) with a coconut milk emulsion, citronella and spring vegetables

and a juicy piece of roast lamb with broccoli rabe flowers and delicious rich potato purée.

We saw that they were serving both a dark chocolate and an apple dessert and requested one of each. They told us that that was not possible. I found that to be an annoying and senseless policy.

So we both got the apple dessert which I had requested. They called it a millefeuille de pomme à la glace vanille.

It was a wonderful end to a superb meal. Dinner is inexpensive and quite copious. I can't wait to go with a different special friend.

For my birthday, I always invite someone or some people to a great restaurant. I chose La Dame de Pic this time. Sophie Pic, the daughter of Jacques, fabled chef, was the first woman to get three stars for her Restaurant Pic in Valence. She continues to create her food there and also to run a cooking school. This year, she opened a nice place in central Paris and within months, was awarded one star.

The restaurant is quite large with different alcoves so you don't feel that you are part of a mass of people. They have a strange process of handing out perfumed papers and asking you which you like the best. One of the three aromas goes with one of the three menus suggested. Usually the aroma you choose as your favorite is also the menu you prefer. It almost worked that way for us, but I wanted to switch my first course and that was fine. Each of the three menus proposed is a five course dinner.

As our amuse-bouche, we had a lovely gaspacho de melon, mousse de chèvre frais, cafe Blue Mountain.

The name of my preferred menu was Agrumes Aromatiques (aromatic citrus fruits), and Gaby's was Terre Epicée (spiced land or soil). I chose my first course from Gaby's menu.

We started with Le Petit Pois which was served in a cold soup flavored with vanilla and bergamote (a citrus flavor).

I love fresh peas in season and this lovely cold soup was a marvel.

Next Gaby got the beautiful Oeuf Mollet (lightly baked egg) with tomatoes tricolors, chutney de tomate, café Blue Mountain, safran. Blue Mountain coffee seems to be a favorite condiment here.

I had the Rouget de Mediterranée, baies rose, citro kabosu (some type of lemon).

For our main courses: Gaby had the Pièce de Veau, lard de colonnata, safran, pissaladière avec une purée aromatisee . The veal is served with a bit of Italian ham, as well as a provençale tart of parsley and garlic.

I had La canette de la ferme de ciels, suprême fumé, navets, combava (an exotic vegetable).

We both loved our dishes and tasted each other's.

Desserts were Baba au Rhum (Gaby) (three tiny babas in a strawberry sauce) and Le Citron de Menton (a lovely lemon tart with Menton lemon). They were both delicious.

After dessert came the requisite mignardises of delicious tiny chocolate cakes and lemon tartelettes.

I really loved the food and enjoyed the service and the decor. I was puzzled by the introduction of the perfumed samples though. To me, it was a pretentious gimmick in the name of originality.

Searching for the Best Lobster Roll in Massachusetts and in Manhattan too

B and G Oyster, Boston, The Squealing Pig, Provincetown, and the Lobeter Place, Chelsea Market Manhattan

On a pouring Friday afternoon, I went off to B and G Oyster, Barbara Lynch's latest restaurant in Bay Village. Lobster is expensive now but this place is over the roof. I sat at the bar, had a nice glass of crisp white wine and actually had an appetizer of lovely fiddlehead ferns.

Since I was in an oyster house, I had to order oysters. They were extrememly fresh and flavorful: 2 Wellfleet Oysters (delicate and flavorful), 2 Naked Cowboys (meatier)

And the pièce de résistance and reason for my presence there: The Lobster Roll.

This was the most expensive lobster roll except for the one in Paris that I reported about last year (and a lot of that has to do with the exchange rate). The roll was not adequately toasted and buttered and it needed a bit more mayonnaise. The lobster, of course, was excellent. The fries too. I gave it a "B" for the weaknesses I cited.

The next day, in Provincetown, I went with a group to The Squealing Pig. This place looked like a plain diner and I was concerned about ordering anything there. The Bloody Mary's were the best and strongest I ever had, so already I felt I had started on the right foot. This wonderful lobster roll on a toasted and adequately buttered roll was deserving of an A-.

The best lobster roll I ever had was in the early '80's in a shack on Nahant's beach. At that time, we thought they were expensive at $8!

Several months later, I found myself in NYC and went to Chelsea Market where I remembered a lobster stand. The place is now a full-fledged stunning seafood shop and adjoining restaurant. You get the lobster roll at a take out counter and then search for a seat in the market. We were there for a late lunch so there were no seats but we sat on a high baseboard until a table cleared. This lobster roll was superb and as I remembered it. I give it a B+.

Since I am in NY quite a bit these days, I will make a point of coming to this place (at least until my next trip to Provincetown).

Around Boston: Sycamore, Blue Ginger, The Painted Burro

Sycamore is a brand new restaurant in Newton Centre recently opened by a young chef with a glowing reputation: David Punch. I met him when he ran Ten Tables in Cambridge. Even with reservations, we had a long wait but the food was sublime so we forgot our initial discomfort. I went there with Sophie, Mason and Diane and as a result, we were able to taste most of the spectacular menu.

Even a simple salad was garnished with goat cheese, hazelnuts, dried pears and champagne vinaigrette. But there was also a dish of asparagus, laughing bird shrimp (what is that?--probably a pretentious name for small shrimp), 5-minute egg, honshimeji (a Japanese type of) mushrooms, and nori (the seaweed which appears around makizushi).

For the main courses, we tried Pan Roasted Arctic Char with celery root, green peppercorns, and pea greens as well as Rabbit Two Ways: one way was bacon-wrapped and the other braised, garnished with nettle gnocchi and maitakes (another type of Japanese mushroom).

For the health fad nuts, we ordered some sides of vegetables: the obligatory kale sautée, and cauliflower roasted with raisins and pine nuts.

Dessert was thorough wonderment. There was a chocolat pot de crème, chantilly with caramelized banana and peanut brittle. I skipped the side section and went straight for the pot de crème. I gave in when I tasted that peanut brittle! We also tried and loved the warm-sugared beignets served with house-made milk jam. The beignets were excellent.

Sophie is a bit of a wine expert, having learned the art from her father, my good friend, Richard. She chose a nice wine for us, but of course, I was sorry it was a French one, since I come from France where French wines are what we have all the time. But it was very good and married well with the main courses: Baronfosse "les Blemnites" Côtes du Jura, 2007.

Blue Ginger in Wellesley was next on the itinerary. I wish it had been there when I went to that college. It was recommended to me by my old, dear friend, Carol, and we went there with her husband, Ed and with very old friends of mine, Susan and Eric.

This was the perfect place as I love Asian Fusion Cuisine. The chef, Ming Tasi, is well known from his food channel TV show: East Meets West. We shared several appetizers and chose our own main course.

The signature Foie Gras Shiitake Shumai in Sauternes Shallot Broth were gobbled up before I had a chance to take a photo! They were delicious. We also shared Crispy Fried Calamari with Thai Dipping Sauce--another winner.

For the mains, there was Sake-Miso Marinated Sablefish with a Vegetarian Soba Noodle Sushi;

Pan-Seared Scallops with Tamarind Sauce, Creamy Thai Barley Risotto and Sautéed Haricots Verts, Seared Duck Breast with Sweet Wasabi Sauce, Applewood Smoked Duck Leg, Wild Fried Rice and Shiso-Bartlett Pear Purée; And Korean-Marinated New Zealand Lamb Rack with Asian Mole, Yuca-Potato Cake and Chayote-Kale-Asian Pear sauté.

I was very happy with our Sauvignon Blanc from the Napa Valley.

A stunning chocolate cake was a fit end to a memorable meal.

The Painted Burro



This might be the best Mexican in already Mexican-crowded Davis Square, Somerville. It is certainly the newest and the noisiest with the longest list of Tequilas. I went there with Mark and Jesse. Mark and I shared Street Cart Chicken: a 1/2 roaster with achioto-citrus marinade, more of that kale (the latest of the ubiquitous vegetables), fried plantain, creamy poblano rice and tamarind butter. It was both beautiful and tasty. Jesse had already eaten so he "just" ordered Fundido: Oaxaca, Chihuahua and Jack cheeses served with corn tortillas and with black bean "refrito"--very rich indeed.



I was not a big fan of the churros with caramel-chocolate sauce but Jesse and Mark gobbled them up.

Another Trip to NYC

I was in New York again (lucky me) and the first place I want to write about is Forcella. It is the home of the famous Montanaro. That is a deep fried pizza (can you believe it?).

Surprisingly, it is not greasy and the crust is the right amount of crisp and chewy. The restaurant also serves the regular type pizza, but I think you go there for the Montanaro. It's in the Bowery which is a newly gentrified area that has a museum with interesting architecture and a number of fancy shops and boutiques.

Later in the week, I met my friend, Stacy, on the Lower East Side and we tried APizz--a Sicilian slang word for pizza. It gets a great write-up in Zagat and is really off the beaten tracks. We didn't get pizza this time, as the Branzino sounded wonderful: Branzino Wood Roasted, Deboned and Served Whole, Roasted with Rosemary, Thyme, and Lemon and served with a delicious Arugala-Tomato Salad.

The Little Owl is a small restaurant in the West Village with a big reputation. I went there with Pat and Tim with whom I have dined every time I am in NY for the past 40 or so years. I had never heard of the restaurant but was eager to try it. Unfortunately, it was dark and so I could not take very good photos. Two wonderful dishes were the Basil Lobster with a String Bean Salad,Curry Vinaigrette, and a Broiled Salmon with English Peas, Corn, Pesto Vinaigrette.

If you are looking to spend a fortune on great sushi, Gari is your place! The sushi served there are very creative in that there are inventive toppings on each of the fish served. The first time I went there, I took the Omakase (chef's choice) and had no idea how high the prices could go. But the sushi are terrific. This time, I chose an abbreviated menu and it was a lot less expensive but still painful for my pocketbook. Here are some examples of the beautiful creations:

The sushi are served with a cream or a spicy mixture on top. Of course, the sea urchin stand alone.

All the sushis are just wonderful and Gari is the only place you will find this.

Tune in tomorrow for a summary of my search for Lobster Rolls in Boston and other pursuits.

Kei: Fusion Cuisine in Paris

In a sobering minimalist decor, redo of a former classic French restaurant, is the new Kei. I went there with my friend, Noriko after we had tried Sola.

Once again, Japanese-French fusion food could transport me to great heights.

At lunch there are two menus, one more expensive and more substantial than the other. I chose the "big" menu. The menu started off with a bang: Crème Glacée de Truffe Noir, Potiron, Shizo. Shizo leaf is an aromatic herb that finds itself in many Japanese dishes.




The ice cream topped with a generous portion of black truffles was just luscious and I felt ready to start a great meal. Next was Asparagus Tempura with Peas. It came with three flavored salts: green tea, yuzu, cresson-agrumes.

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Next came soup: Velouté d'Asperges Blanches, Caviar, Gelée de Consommé de Legumes servie froide was a sensation. The chef was taking advantage of the seasonal vegetables and I love anything topped with a good caviar.

The lunch menu continued with a lion's share of luxury products: Foie gras de Canard, Gelée de Pomme Verte, Bière Brune condiment, Crumble de vanille et d'amandes. This was extremely flavorful and astonishingly creative.




The first main course was great: St Pierre, Velouté de Truffes, Petits Legumes, avec une Compotée de Pomme de Terre et Oignons, Couche de truffes noires; the second main course, wonderful: Quasi de Veau, jus, Croquettes de fromage sur un Lit de Mousse de Cresson, Feuille de Moutarde.



There was a cheese course, which I could not eat and finally a Vacherin: Meringue au Yuzu, Sorbet à l'Orange Amer et Yuzu, Creme Vanillée, Kumquat confit.

With each course, I had superb wines including a Chassagne Montrachet Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Rouge 2010 and a Pouilly Fuisse Vieilles Vignes Domaine de la Chapelle 2009.

The difference between the menus was that I had three extra dishes and they were a bargain at 75 euros. This is a truly wonderful restaurant.

Sola!! A new one star restaurant in Paris

I was thrilled when my friend Noriko suggested that we try one of the newly starred restaurants whose kitchens are headed by Japanese chefs. To start us off, I reserved at Sola. This is a beautiful restaurant that has both a French room

and a Japanese room with a comfortable recessed space for your legs, rather than a tatami mat at which you would have to kneel.

They are both beautiful and when you call, you must choose one of them.

Sola has a set menu. Lunch is 6 courses for 44 euros; dinner is 88 euros for ten. The dishes are so delicate and pure that ten would not be too many. We were there for lunch.

There is a short and nice wine list and also a good sake list. As we were in the Japanese room, I chose a very flavorful Dassai sake, recommended by our server.

A delicious creamy emulsion of panais (a root vegetable) with lobster was a wonderful way to start.

This was followed by a caramelized slice of foie gras served on a piece of toast. The silkiness of the foie gras was delicious against the sweet foil of its crust. It was garnished with a purée of baked apple and a bit of fresh chervil root.

Next came two warm seafood dishes: one with bulots, (periwinkles), fried garlic and parsley root, and the next with scallops, yuzu (like a lemon), gobo (an orange root vegetable), and potato served in a light broth (dashi). They were both light and flavorful. The chef is very proud to use fresh vegetables from Joel Thibault.

The main courses were an excellent turbot wrapped in Italian ham and garnished with ginger pearls, leek, fried leek root, and a ginger jelly:

and a lean slice of roast Iberico ham, peas, pea purée, baby asparagus, nasturtium, in a sauce lightly flavored with vinegar.

This was a perfect end to a sublime meal.

But of course, the meal was not over. The Japanese know their way around French desserts. We were lucky to be served a dish with vanilla ice cream, chocolate ganache, hazelnut meringues and caramelized hazelnuts, and a fabulous and delicate tuile with bits of bitter chocolate.

I left with the feeling that I would like to come again for dinner on a special occasion.

Sola obtained one Michelin star after being open just a year. It is a star well deserved. This is a place to remember.

Restaurants in Japan: Part Two

Ryugin, Akita Udon (Sato Yosuke), Ramen

Ryugin is the first restaurant I went to on my arrival in Tokyo. It has three stars and is sensational. The chef is young and extremely creative.

The meal started off with a bang: 13 types of vegetables with a pine nut sauce. Next came flash fried uni wrapped in shizo leaf and nori (seaweed) served on a bed of burdock root.

There was a long parade of dishes, including seasonal mushrooms, Matsuba crab (only available in the winter months),

a stunning sashimi course with lobster and smoked Spanish mackerel, grilled fish with gingko nuts (in season), charcoal grilled Wagyu beef with diced crunchy vegetables.

Following a palate cleanser of pear and gari and the requisite rice garnished with yuba (my favorite form of tofu) and pickles (delicious), came several desserts with a small bowl of Matcha tea. There was tangerine candy (crack open the candy to find frozen yogurt and add some hot tangerine sauce. With the crunchy pieces of candy, this multi-faceted dessert was a sheer delight.

Before the end of this wonderful meal, came a hot sake soufflé followed with a wonderful soothing and delicious egg ice cream in soft serve.

Of course, a meal like this comes with a price, but it was so superb that I felt it was merited and I knew I would want to return. As I was leaving the restaurant, the chef came out of the kitchen to greet me and to shake my hand. I think they are always very happy to welcome foreign guests who have clearly sought them out.

At the end of my trip, my friend, Kyoko asked me to tell her my absolute favorite dish of the vacation. She was surprised to hear that it was at the Udon place that I went to with her and her husband, Toshio. It is a simple, inexpensive, regional restaurant in the Ginza which serves a type of udon that comes from Akita in the north. The owner chef is Sato Yosuke and that is also the name of the restaurant.

We started with beer and some appetizers: the seasonal mushrooms, Matsutake were served as tempura and were excellent.

Next came a dish of succulent monkfish liver which is very rich and flavorful. Grilled fish (Hata Hata) came next and it was accompanied with a large serving of the fish eggs which were extremely crunchy. All of these dishes (except for the monkfish liver) were new to me.

To accompany the main dishes, we opened a bottle of Shu (a strong sake) from Akita. The specialty of the house is udon and it is served cold or warm on a screen, accompanied with a warm sauce. Both Kyoko and I ordered a green curry sauce that was full of pieces of excellent chicken.

I loved the spicy, satiny sauce and with the cold noodle, it made for the dish that I had to say was the favorite of the whole trip! Kyoko was surprised but when it comes down to it, I find delicious simple food very appealing.

Kyoko always likes to take me to new places but I will definitely ask her to send me the map to get to this restaurant so that I can convince other friends to accompany me there.