• Tabbouleh: A tasty unsophisticated salad I enjoyed
• Hummus: Exactly like the one in almost all Lebanese restaurants
• Labneh balls: Covered with seasoning, those labneh balls are indeed good
• Lettuce
• Bread and butter

• Meat: Over cooked and chewy. Didn’t like it even though its quality is good
• Potatoes: Boiled and fried potatoes that melt like butter. Those were nice
• Carrots and Broccoli steam cooked and covered with dried thyme leaves

• A large WC
• Impeccable welcoming
• The idea of wearing white overalls is interesting

• The seats are old and uncomfortable. I ended up with a back pain
• My friend’s seat didn’t even work
• Having to handle this heavy tablet is not the best of things. You cannot eat and watch a movie at the same time
• The entertainment system is outdated
• Food is average and the meat overcooked and chewy
• Desserts were distributed with no forks
• Many of the seats are broken and need fixing. Some money has to be spent to upgrade these planes

1. Expect to smell of grilled meat, fish and duck. Don’t plan a party afterwards
2. I would choose to sit on the upper floor, it soothes me better
3. The meat is great but also consider the duck and fish, they are as succulent
4. Cranberry sauce is my recommendation
5. Don’t leave without tasting their Pain Perdu
6. The average check with wine is 65$/person which is reasonable

1st visit: BlackRock: A New Concept that Needs Fine Tuning

• SERVES 8
• PREPARATION TIME: 45 minutes,
• Cooling and chilling
• COOKING TIME: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs, at room temperature
• 200g/7oz/1 cup caster sugar
• zest of 1⁄2 lemon
• 100g/31⁄2oz/scant 1 cup self-raising flour
• small piece of cold unsalted butter
• 100ml/31⁄2fl oz/scant 1⁄2 cup whipping or double cream
• 8 gelatine leaves or 2 sachets powdered gelatine
• 500g/1lb 2oz quark or labneh
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1⁄4 tsp rosewater or vanilla extract (optional)
• seeds from 175g/6oz pomegranates (see page 216), plus extra to decorate
• icing sugar, to dust
• chopped mint leaves, to sprinkle

Preparation:

1. Separate two of the eggs; put the egg whites in a glass mixing bowl and the egg yolks into a large mixing bowl. (If you have time, chill the glass bowl first, as this will improve the texture of the egg whites.)
2. Whisk the egg whites vigorously for 2 minutes until you achieve soft peaks, keeping the mixer or whisk moving around the edges and the centre at all times to ensure that all the egg white is mixed thoroughly. Set aside.
3. Add a whole egg to the egg yolks in the large mixing bowl along with 100g/31⁄2oz/1⁄2 cup of the sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Beat for about 1 minute until you achieve a creamy consistency.
4. Add the lemon zest to the bowl, and sift in the flour. Beat for about 1 minute to incorporate. Next, add in the whisked egg whites and fold in thoroughly with a large metal spoon, making sure to remove any lumps. Try not to tap the bowl with the spoon as you’ll lose the air, which will reduce the general fluffiness of the cake.
5. Preheat the oven to 170 ̊C/325 ̊F/Gas 3. Put the butter in the centre of a deep, springform 20cm/8in cake tin and line with parchment paper, cutting around the edges closely so it fits the base. (The butter will help the parchment paper to stick to the tin.) Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level it with the back of a spoon.
6. Bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes on the top shelf or until the cake is lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Leave the cake to cool for about 20 minutes before releasing the base and carefully peeling off the parchment paper. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the cake horizontally into two layers, turning it as you go to help keep the knife level. Transfer the two cake layers to a wire rack to cool.
8. Put the cream in a medium bowl and whip for about 2 minutes until soft peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip. Set aside.
9. Cut up the leaf gelatine, if using, into smaller pieces using kitchen scissors. Put in a small bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 2 minutes, then drain well. Return to the bowl and pour over 4 tablespoons hot water as you whisk vigorously, making sure all the gelatine dissolves and there are no lumps remaining. Alternatively, follow the packet instructions if using the powdered gelatine.
10. Separate the two remaining eggs. Whisk the egg whites as in step 2. Put the yolks and remaining sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat vigorously for 1–2 minutes, then pour in the gelatine and continue beating vigorously.
11. Add the quark, whipped cream, lemon juice and rosewater, if using, and fold into the mixture with a large metal spoon. Add the whisked egg whites and fold in gently, just enough to incorporate with no remaining lumps. Add the pomegranate seeds and gently fold in.
12. Place the cake tin, base removed, on a serving plate, add the base layer of the sponge cake, cut-side up, and lock the tin. Pour in the filling, gently spread it to level and then cover with the other sponge cake layer. Transfer to the fridge and leave to chill for at least 1 hour until the filling sets. Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle with extra pomegranate seeds and mint and serve.

Bethany is launching her new cookbook this wednesday the 11th, at 6pm at Hotel Le Gray Beirut.

Angelina’s Chestnut Puree Vermicelli Tower is definitely one of the main and important things to try while in the French capital.

The Mont Blanc is a meringue base piled with extrusions of chestnut purée and filled with whipped cream.

The Austrian confectioner Antoine Rumpelmayer established Angelina named after his daughter-in-law, in 1903. For over a century, the Angelina tearoom has established itself as a high point of Parisian gourmet pleasures, Angelina became a must-not-miss venue for the Parisian aristocracy. There, Proust, Coco Chanel and the greatest French fashion designers were to be found… The decor designed by the famous Belle Epoque architect, Edouard-Jean Niermans, combines elegance, charm and refinement. Angelina is a genuine romantic poem, a quiet and voluptuous venue, between serenity and gourmet pleasure.

This creation is simply outstanding: The crème de marron “spaghetti” on the outside is wonderfully textured and flavored – full of chestnut goodness and neither too moist nor too dry, neither too creamy nor too gritty, and neither too sweet nor too bitter, as some other Mont Blanc’s can be. My favorite part is the vanilla crème within that melts like butter activating all your taste buds. Yum. And the meringue heart provided a good measure of crispy/crunchy fun, with an added kick of sweetness. That’s what I call pure fantasy.

Up to 600 pieces are sold every day in the historical tearoom, Rue de Rivoli. You can choose between two versions, the normal chestnut or chocolate one.

Lovers of classic French desserts can’t miss this Mont Blanc recipe, by chef Sebastien Bauer from La Maison Angelina café near the Louvre

PS: The hot chocolate l’Africain, an Angelina classic! The richness of the famous old-fashioned hot chocolate, together with its small pot of whipped cream, has always delighted young and old alike.

Queen of Tarts quickly established an iconic reputation – and today, ten years on, it’s still flourishing. Everything is baked and prepared fresh on the premises; and Yvonne and Regina still use only the best ingredients – Lavazza coffee beans in their coffee machines, Callebaut fine Belgian chocolate in their chocolate fudge cake and muffins, and of course the freshest Bramley’s Irish apples in their apple crumbles. The home-baked buttermilk brown breads are still moist and flavoursome, the soups are lovingly made daily – and the fabulous cakes and signature tarts still draw customers from far and wide. And now, a perfectly judged wine list is another reason to drop by.

• Wood covers all the floor
• A brick wall decorates the left side and a long mirrors decorates the right side
• Mirrors are everywhere giving the place a wider feel
• Old furniture adding this authentic touch you expect to have
• A long bench with its old rugged fabric under the main mirror on the right side follows the wall
• Light yellow colored walls
• The counter at the very end with all its cakes and mouthwatering preparations

• The Irish coffee: a cocktail consisting of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and sugar, stirred, and topped with thick cream. The coffee is drunk through the cream. But this coffee is way too strong consisting of 90% whisky and 10% coffee making it undrinkable. I only took two sips and that was it. The heated whisky burns your throat as it enters going up directly to your brain like a shock

• Carrot cake: The carrot cake, as they describe it is said to be the best in town is delicious. A dark color moist cake topped with a sugar icing and filled with cooked crunchy black walnuts. Simply yummy!

• Bailey’s Chocolate Chip Cheesecake: Very, very tasty indeed. A cream cheese cake flavored with baileys drink and filled with crunchy chocolate chips. Warm whipped cream on the side makes this portion remarkable

• Old Fashioned Victorian sponge cake: A typical Victoria sponge with raspberry jam and whipped double cream. The jam and cream are sandwiched between two sponge cakes; the top of the cake is not iced but covered with a dusting of icing sugar. Fresh and spongy at the name states, this cake is superb. Moist and full of taste, it melts under your teeth like butter

• Decadent Chocolate Pecan Tart served with warm cream: A fondant/brownie on a tart with crunchy pecan nuts. It’s a tasty tart but the least of my favorite. The cream on another hand that comes with all the cakes is delicious

The Queen of Tarts has indeed great pieces of creations. A must stop while visiting Dublin.

• The restaurant is very dirty: bread crumbs on the floor, chocolate on the table, biscuit pieces stuck on the menu. Really unacceptable
• The service is extremely slow since, one employee does it all – Why?

The Queen of Tarts hosts another bigger location just two minutes away from this one. I think we should have tried it for maybe better service and bigger staff.

An éclair is an oblong pastry made with choux dough filled with a cream and topped with icing. The dough, which is the same as that used for profiterole, is typically piped into an oblong shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside. Once cool, the pastry then is filled with a vanilla-, coffee- or chocolate-flavored custard (crème pâtissière), or with whipped cream, or chiboust cream; and then iced with fondant icing. Other fillings include pistachio- and rum-flavored custard, fruit-flavored` fillings, or chestnut purée. The icing is sometimes caramel, in which case the dessert may be called a bâton de Jacob.

• The place is now smaller than before with Monop’ by Monoprix taking a chunk of the original large shop
• Walls are shining and covered in gold adding a touch of luxury
• The facades are different than before or the place has been lit differently as the inner space doesn’t feel and look claustrophobic anymore with its pinkish coloring
• Facing the entrance, behind the display fridge, an appealing collection of bread opens your appetite
• A long display area is filled with colored cakes from different shapes
• Even the restrooms follows the place’s ambiance with a golden touch
• A nicely finished interior with black and white chairs around square tables
• To the right, the shop sells many of Fauchon’s products from cakes, chocolates, biscuits and spirituals

The menu sections:

• Les Petits-Dejeuners
• Les Sandwiches
• Les Entrees Froides
• Les Salades
• Les Boissons
• Les Desserts
• Les Jus de Sante

• Joconde: La Joconde is a signature eclair produced by Fauchon which has the Mona Lisa eyes printed on a milk chocolate decorative layer. This eclair constitutes of milk chocolate with almond taste. The interesting hidden detail is the dark chocolate line on top hidden under the Mona Lisa and that gives this bitter aftertaste that ads the needed finesse. The dough is slightly crunchy as it should be and the overall taste is good. This eclair is my favorite of all

• Chocolat: The chocolate eclair is constituted of milk chocolate filling topped with a dark chocolate icing. Every bite hides a soft and smooth inner filling followed by a dark chocolate after taste. The choux pastry dough can be much better

• Cafe: My friend and I both enjoyed this eclair. A feeling of certain finesse haunts it with a real and strong coffee flavor you would expect from this piece of dessert

• Fraise: A cheap kind of taste that feels exactly like eating a lollipop. This ‘thing’ doesn’t feel like an eclair. It’s more of a synthetic biscuit which can be bought at a supermarket

• Vanilla: Simple and clear. Vanilla filling with vanilla frosting. Even though close to a muffin with its sugary crisp cover, this eclair is correct

• Lemon: An acute lemon taste provided by the frosting erases any taste from the filling. It’s an acceptable piece

• Mangue: A very strong mango taste that doesn’t fit an eclair in my opinion. I’m not a fan

• Paris Brest: A soggy super sweet gooey piece of sandwich covered with crunchy nuts. That’s a big no! Nothing seems to be right about this eclair

• Caramel with salted butter
• Passion fruit

• Fauchon’s eclairs are produced in Lebanon every morning at 10am in their central kitchen at City Mall
• The most expensive eclair is 6,000L.L and not 12,000L.L as many have claimed
• The staff is professional and welcoming, different from my experience last year

Unfortunately, I was not impressed at all. The eclairs are good but I expected something great, something out of this world, something “Fauchon”. All the pieces have a feeling of “they are not fresh enough” with an average taste. Good for us, unfortunately for them, some fine Lebanese pastry shops have much better quality and taste. At Laduree, I was impressed and wanted to come back again soon, as for today, I left the place saddened by finding Monoprix stuck to it and tasting something not up to the standard of Fauchon.

• A small place along the Monot street
• As you enter, an open kitchen behind the bar welcomes you
• Grey concrete floor
• A glass facade allows natural daylight to enter
• A long mirror on the right makes the place look twice as big. A long bench under it supports it
• The left wall is decorated with a TV and some shelves with ketchup bottles, plants and miniature cars
• Ten lights pending from the ceiling
• My favorite items include the design wood chairs with burgundy leather cushions

• Beef bites
• Side orders
• Chicken bites
• Fish bites
• Vegetarian bites
• Add-ons
• Desserts
• Drinks

• Halloumi Skewers: Every skewer hosts three cubes of halloumi along two cherry tomatoes, grilled and covered with balsamic vinegar
• Cherry Cheese Bite: Emmental, cherry jam, BBQ sauce
• Pineapple Bite: Pineapple, bacon, BBQ sauce. Grilled pineapple is good
• Brie bite: Brie, lettuce, tomato, cocktail sauce. Meat quality is good
• I’m So Blue Bite: Blue cheese, lettuce, pickles, cocktail sauce
• Beef Mozzarella Bite: Mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, pickles, BB sauce
• English Breakfast Bite: Quail egg, tomato, onions, kebab sauce
• Mushroom Cheese Bite: Emmental, tomato, onion, mushrooms, BBQ sauce
• Baconator Bite: Onions, 3 slices of bacon, BBQ sauce

The tasting experience:

• To tell you the truth, I wasn’t expecting it to be that good
• The meat quality is good. Exactly what you would expect from a burger bite
• The bread is tender and easily chewable leaving place for the inner ingredients to be appreciated
• The meat size is proportional to the bun
• Using brie and blue cheese in a burger is a great idea. The flavors of these bites are really nice
• The English breakfast is one of my favorites. How nice it is to see i mini egg inside a mini burger and feel its taste
• The Pineapple is not to be missed
• The mozzarella layer is crispy on the sides and non oily. Enjoyable
• Cherry and its sweetness is extraordinary. Bravo

• The quality of the meat is very good
• The fries, cut like potato chips are innovative and tasty
• The proportionality of the ingredients constituting the burger

• The sauce cocktail, the main ingredient everywhere should be stronger, more prominent with more character. The taste is fade or even nonexistent
• Use better quality of bacon. The one we had today feels like beef
• Work more on the hygiene and cleanliness: The place is ridiculously left unattended to
• Fix the bar display: Remove the plastic cutlery storage, 961 beer boxes… Nothing’s appealing or looks mouthwatering. Learn from Classic Burger Joint’s display
• Wet napkins and napkins should better be branded

• The smell of frying/cooked oil in the restaurant is unbearable
• The music is unacceptable
• Service is mediocre

The concept and burgers are just great. The place can become a national success if only they refresh and change the place upside while focusing on the important details that matter to clients.  I congratulate you on the burger quality.

Dinner was served:

• Cheeseburger LPG (Oignons caramelizes, bacon grille, roquette, salad verte, frites maison)

Served in a brioche bun, The 180g meat sits perfectly around the added ingredients. Sponginess, juiciness and crunchiness of the bun by Paul Bakery hosts a thick and adequately cooked, non-red meat with an ultimate juiciness inside. After feeling the crunchiness of the bacon slices a sweet aftertaste of the caramelized onions is all what you need to make this plate a gourmet one. The fries cut in small little pieces are great, served with lollo rosso lettuce.

• Tartare de Boeuf (coupe minute, salad verte, frites maison)

Even though I’m not a big fan of beef tartare, this one is really good served with green lettuce salad and French fries. The freshness of the ingredients is clear.

Soupe Carotte Coco (veloute de carottes, lait de coco, coriandre fraiche)

Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this one. A clear light orange color where a mix of flavors and aromas are richly combined to create a soup you definitely have to try: Coconut milk, coriander and carrots. It looks and feels like pumpkin soup but is really delicious especially with the peppery after taste you feel after every sip. This soup is served with three buttered crunchy bread sticks. Winter is here, don’t miss it.

• Crabe frais facon waldorf (Crabe frais, julienne de celery rave, pomme Granny Smith, avocat, vinaigrette mayo moutarde)

Imagine the softness of fresh crab and their lemon dressing coupled with the crunchiness and sweetness of green apples, all salted and covered with olive oil. That’s really yum! A mature soft avocado on the side adds the needed finesse. This is a plate I loved.

• Oeuf Cocotte Falcon Mamie Manette (oeuf bio, creme de champignons au mascarpone, ciboulette, huile de noisette)

An organic egg poached inside a mix of different mushrooms with mascarpone and hazelnut oil, all blended. You have the egg flavor with a warm mushroom taste. The mascarpone cheese doesn’t appear but adds some consistency, and the egg yolk at the end makes you want to lick your lips. Dig in to the very bottom for the cooked eggs, which gets marinated on its way up. Amazing taste.

• Coquilles St Jacques

Mini scallops prepared with style and simplicity. Coriander, chives and lemon juice. Decorated with a basil leaf on top, this plate is to die for. Soft and tender the scallops melt under your teeth like butter. Wow! What a fine premium taste!

• Raw fish: Carpaccio de Dorade

The raw fish you see below was caught just a few hours earlier and brought to the kitchen. When seeing a black nylon bag climb up the stairs, I couldn’t but follow it for some pictures. Freshly prepared in minutes, we enjoyed one of the finest sea bream ever, simply seasoned with dill, pepper and salt

• Loup de mer: In the same bag was a sea perch that was prepared differently with shallots, dill, lemon zest, green onions, chives and coriander. An indescribable mouthwatering feeling! I wish you all can taste those special preparations depending on availability

Today’s dinner was special as it was coupled with different wines. Each plate had a matching choice:

• Henri Boillot, Blanc de Blancs, Extra Brut, Cremant de Bourgogne
• Bourgogne, Appelation Bourgogne Controlee, Bourgogne, Christian Faurois 2008
• Chassagne-Montrachet, Henri Boillot, 2007
• Lacoste Borie, Pauillac, 2009

Dinner wouldn’t be complete without some fine desserts:

• Mille Feuille: A unique piece of Mille Feuille with its rich puff pastry, filled with pastry cream and thin slices of mango. Mouthwatering and extravagantly tasty.

• Pomme Caramelisee: A round apple cooked in butter and sugar in the oven then burnt like creme brûlée and served with a vanilla ice cream ball on top. The impressive thing is that the apple is cleaned from its seeds. Sweet and slightly crunchy, I enjoyed the sugar and cinnamon flavors…

Wine matched with the dessert: Ice-wine, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Canada, Vidal 2008

The major items are organic since they use Biomass organic products: The Company sells, under the Biomass brand name, a variety of organic products ranging from Fruits & Vegetables, Herbs, Eggs, Bread, Dairy Products and Processed Goods.

More was yet to come. A revisited “Coupe colonel”. What is normally a sorbet scoop in a vodka bath has been revisited the Lebanese style using Afandello and grapefruit sorbet.

After experience such a unique dinner, how can Le Petit Gris not be my favorite?

Let me know if you feel the same.

While working as a chef at Fauchon, pastry Chef Christophe Adam began experimenting with ways to modernize éclair design, producing a bright orange éclair and a memorable iteration adorned with a digital image of the Mona Lisa. He viewed the classic éclair not as a fait accompli but a point of departure.

Frédéric Vaucamp, trained at Lenôtre, before opening his first meringue shop in Lille, home to the sugar-filled gaufre and the cramique, a brioche studded with raisins or chocolate and topped with crunchy sugar. He has had a Paris presence for the past two years, first in the outer reaches of the 15th arrondissement and since last November in the chic 16th.

• The cakes are fresh, better eaten cold
• Even though a meringue cake, they are perfectly baked with no eggs aftertaste
• Super light, the ingredients are not heavy on the stomach
• Inside are two flu meringues with a hollow bottom. They crumble under your teeth giving pleasant textures
• The meringues crumble into little tiny pieces while the cream hovers around your palate flowed by the aftertaste of the external flavored envelop
• The ball shaped Merveilleux is covered with creme
• Chocolate sparkles, coffee or speculoos make of the envelop a mouthwatering creation

In the year 1725, Louis XV married Marie Leszczynska, daughter of King Stanislas of Poland. His pastry chef Stohrer follows her in Versailles. Five years later, in 1730, NICOLAS STOHRER opened his bakery at 51 rue Montorgueil in the second arrondissement of Paris. In its kitchen, where desserts were invented for the Great Court, king’s delights are still prepared.

La Maison Stohrer is one of the the oldest and most revered Parisian patisseries and caterers. The shop on Rue Montorgueil is the oldest and opened in the early 18th century. The storefront and interior alone are admirable for their elaborate frescoes and carvings.

Nicolas Stohrer served his apprenticeship as a pastry cook in Wissembourg in the kitchens of King Stanislas De Poland.

With a dry Polish bun that King Stanislas brought back from a trip , Nicolas Stohrer invented the Baba. He enriches the dry bun basting Malaga wine, perfuming it with saffron and adding the custard with fresh grapes and dried raisin from Corinth.King Stanislas, while reading the tales of MILES & ONE NIGHT, fascinated by the character of this novel, named the new cake the ALI- BABA .

When the daughter of King Stanislas From Poland Leszcynska Mary, married in 1725 King Louis XV, his pastry chef Nicolas Stohrer followed her to the court of Versailles. Five years later Nicolas Stohrer opened his pastry shop at 51 rue Montorgueil in Paris.

Over time the Ali Baba turned into rum cake and custard was replaced with whipped cream.

Stohrer offers three versions:

• The ALI- BABA, The Original, drizzled with rum, topped with custard and dried raisins from Corinth a circular baba, emptied in its middle and filled with pastry cream and a hint of orange. The cover is then placed back on top as a decoration. This cake is breathtaking. Filled generously with rum, it’s soaked to the bones making it soft and juicy, melting like butter under your teeth. Rum caresses your taste buds in style before the sweetness bursts into action making you smile
• The normal Baba au Rhum, looks like a mushroom. Even though very simple, you also can’t but express your feelings out-loud with a moan.
• The Baba au Rhum topped with whipped cream: This version looks like a finger, baked with fruit cubes and topped with homemade pure white whipped cream. This one was my favorite. The marriage of cream, rum and moist dough is exquisite

You can enjoy these classics individually, or order a bigger one to satisfy a bigger party. 

Berthillon is a French manufacturer and retailer of luxury ice cream and sorbet, with its primary store on the Île Saint-Louis in Paris, France. The company is owned and operated by the Chauvin family, descendants of the eponymous Monsieur Berthillon, who from 1928 operated a restaurant on the premises called “Le Bourgogne”.

Berthillon sells its ice cream in bulk and by the scoop from its shop on the island, and distributes to retailers within the Paris region. Berthillon uses only natural ingredients, with no chemical preservatives, artificial sweeteners or stabilizers. Its ice creams are made from milk, sugar, cream, eggs and flavoring, which derives from natural sources like cocoa, vanilla bean, fruit, etc. Up to fifteen flavors may be produced every day by the chefs depending on the season, market availability and demand. In total, about sixty different flavors are produced by the Maison Berthillon throughout the year.

Many consider Berthillon to be the best ice cream in Paris. In 1954 the owners decided to stop the restaurant and concentrate only on ice creams and a café. Competitors to Berthillon include Raimo, Amorino, Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs.

• Green marble tables
• Violet wood walls
• Colorful paintings decorate the walls
• A middle display fridge
• Light chandeliers add an ambient feeling
• A metallic design fill in the ceiling
• Two burgundy leather benches follow both sides of the room

• Les Coupes de Glace
• Les Pâtisseries
• Les Boissons
• “Only the products on this menu can be enjoyed in our tea-room”
• “No credit card accepted”

• Alessi salt and pepper mills are setup on all the tables
• Schott zwiesel glasses add the needed finesse
• Black fabric placemats covered with red plates decorating the center of tables
• Candles add a romantic feel to the space
• Black ceiling blends well with the overall ambiance of the building
• Simple Christmas decoration with red lights
• Grey floor is covered with carpets under each table
• Square tables are set along the wall which has a white leather bench following it
• A closed terrace for winter
• Galateo & Friends olive oil white bottle
• Relaxing design chairs with white wooden backs and black leather seats

• Autour de la truffe blanche d’Alba
• Antipasti
• Pizzette
• Pasta
• Risotti
• Pesci
• Carni

• Calamari (Nos fame uses tagliatelles de calamars, confiture de tomato & chapeaux de Pecorino). The calamari slices are cut like pasta and covered with shredded tomatoes and served at ambient temperature. The plate contains a bit too much garlic that covers on many of the other ingredients. Other than that, its presentation, freshness and taste are interesting to look into

• Vitello Tonnato (Fines tranches de beau roti, sauce legere au thim & fleurs du carper). This is a very good one. Thin fresh cold, sliced veal covered with a creamy, mayonnaise-like sauce that has been flavored with tuna and mint. The mix is seasoned with olive oil and capers.

• Mozzarella (La mozzarella BIO di bufala campana DOP de 500g serve avec son pain chaud maison et guile extra vierge d’olive Biancolila) is exquisite. Simply: A large mozzarella piece cut in half and soaked in olive oil. Yummy!

• Nolita (Assortiment de legumes grilles & guile extra vierge d’olive taggiasche Galateo) Nicely colored crunchy vegetables served warm, very nicely presented. But that’s a plate I don’t recommend and won’t order again. Too boring!

• Pizza Spianata (Petite pizza a la mozzarella, tomato & legumes grilles): And here the problems began… We order this pizza to start and received it at the end, soaked in water, cold in the middle and inedible. This pizza is too thick and contains too much bread like a French baguette sandwich. Asking for another, we received the same one, only reheated and worse that the one before. I don’t recommend Pizzas at Nolita at all

• Risotto Milanese (Risotto a la bresaola, roquette & sorbet au parmesan et truffe blanche): Here is another problem. Beautifully presented on a red plate is a yellow mouthwatering risotto that was undercooked, super cold and not tasty. Asking for another one, the same plate was reheated making the rice soggy. This plate feels nothing like a risotto. More of the Lebanese dessert (riz b7alib). A bigger NO. Thank you for understanding the problem and not charging this plate.

• Pasta Chitarra (Spaghetti alls chitarra au beurre et parmesan, ragout fin de beau): I enjoyed the pastas. A cylindrical shaped pasta roll mixed with dried veal cubes. Nicely aldente and covered with a Parmesan chips, this plate is way too fatty but tasty. Not for the people with high cholesterol levels. I loved it.

• Pasta Amatriciana (Mezzi paccheri all’Amatriciana, tomato fraiche, pancetta fumes maison, oignons confits & percorino Romano). The best of the best tonight. We all loved it. Its cooking, ingredients and textures are superb

• The place’s ambiance is very pleasant
• The olive oil is unique with a strong aromatic taste
• The black and white plexiglass plates are interesting
• Professionalism of the staff: Women are always served first and the waiters are smily and attentive

• Bread is not tasty, chewy and doesn’t feel fresh
• Some of the plates need more fine tuning

The French capital is a heaven for me – well when it comes to good food, among other things. I recently had the chance to enjoy a true fine dining experience in an establishment that deserves a Michelin star. Everything was close to perfection at Rech – the welcoming, service, ambiance, food as well as desserts. Everything was mastered to perfection.

Created in 1925, Rech has become a must go to if you’re looking for to enjoy some seafood. Grown to become an institution over the years, Rech gained a new impulsion in 2007 with Alain Ducasse. Today, Rech welcomes you in a brand new decor to enjoy the cuisine of Adrien Trouilloud and Jacques Maximin. Bright colors and wooden details are here to reveal the soul of the place.

The story of Rech:
In the 1920’s, a lot of Alsatians came to Paris to open seafood restaurants. Places like the Brasserie Wepler, Maison de l’Alsace, Lorraine, Baumann and Rech illustrated this phenomenon. At this time, only white wines from Alsace as Sylvaner or Riesling were considered to match perfectly with seafood, and restaurants use to propose their local family Alsatians wines.

• A display of seafood is setup on the sidewalk
• The restaurant has two floors. A brasserie ambiance on the lower. You will notice a long bar filled with champagne bottles and an upper one with its round tables and dimmed lighting
• A sea ambiance relaxes your senses… you feel like you’re sitting on a boat
• Dimmed lighting embraces the place
• Round tables decorate the upper floor while square one fill the lower space
• A bar to the right displays magnum champagne bottles, a coffee machine and the wine selection
• Mirrors, make the place look bigger are filled with writings from the menu’s propositions
• Paper lanterns pending from the ceiling
• Wood parquet floor
• Take the stairs to go up, an open kitchen is on the left
• There are two dining rooms, one of which is a big dining square table that can host large groups

• Blue ceramic bread plate with a white tablecloth
• Fork, knife and spoon placed on white stones from the seashores
• Salt wood dispenser as well as a silver pepper mill
• Silver water bottle stand
• White carton menu
• Brown leather wine list

• Plateau de fruits de mer pour deus personnes
• Assiette de fruits de mer
• Plateau royal
• Assiete de crustaces
• Le meilleur de Jacques Maxim
• Huitres, crustaces et coquillages
• Entrees
• Poissons, coquillages et crustaces
• Poissons entiers
• Viande et volaille
• Fromage
• Desserts

• Sole de Ligne Epaisse Doree au Beurre, Pommes Rate Rissoles: For two 130euros: The sole, which is part of the flatfish family of fish was well cooked and covered with olive oil, salted butter and served along mashed potatoes and black truffles. It was not my favorite. The fish is too oily and fatty while the potatoes feel heavy

• Saint Pierre de Petit Bateau Entier au Four, petites Girolles: For two 124euros: The John Dory fish, and other fish at Rech are provided by Gill Gegaut, a famous fisherman from the Brittany region. Simple yet perfectly cooked, the fish is seasoned with smoked romarin and a mushroom reduction. This plate has very interesting flavors and a rich moist texture that’s soft and tender as well as juicy under the palate. I loved it and preferred it to the Sole

• The royal seafood platter: Langoustines, Crevettes Grises, Bulots, Fine de Clair N3, Oysters. 91euros. 
  • The fish was so fresh. I adored the tiny shrimps and bulots. It was a premiere for me
  • A large stainless plate filled with crushed ice and seafood on top
  • Served with mayonnaise and a cocktail sauce
  • The plates were changed three times while the experience was lasting
  • A bowl of hot water and lemon to clean our hands was provided at the end

• Crab Salad Falcon Club 32euros: Fresh crab, the club way with pineapples. It’s a tower of different ingredients layered one on top of the other. Bread, fresh crab, lettuce and topped with pineapple. Everything is good and fresh. As for the bread, it has nothing to do here. It is chewy, diminishing the majestic feel of the other ingredients around

• Cookpot de Butternut et Haddock, Condiment Truffe 30euros: Inside a porcelain pit is a mix of many ingredients that pair adequately together, each adding a plus to the mix. A sweetness provided by the butternut, class and richness provided by the slices black truffles and crunchiness added by the croutons. This plate is good and innovative but unfortunately didn’t amaze me. I was expecting for something WOW that didn’t happen

• Carpaccio de Mullet aux Oursins de Pleine Mer 28euros. Yummy! describes all my feelings

After enjoying dinner and tasting many of Rech specialities, we were told that the best was yet to come. I heard a lot about Rech’s desserts… But before that, we were offered a signature plate to caress our palatal buds. The famous Camembert cheese. For only 10euros, you get a full piece of Camembert, seasoned in house then heated to melting point. Cut in quarters, it is distributed to all the table. Impressive!

• Le Fameux Camembert de Rech 10euros: 

• Le Fameux Eclair XL de Rech, cafe, chocolat 14euros: The Coffee eclair is majestic and the best I’ve had to date. This eclair surpasses the ones I’ve had at L’Eclair de Genie or La Patisserie des Reves. Covered with a crunchy sugar layer and filled with a rich and fresh pastry dough, this piece of heaven is unique. The dough is extraordinary and the coffee grains crunch in style to keep an interesting aftertaste that lasts long. The chocolate eclair has a harder filling with an amazing dark chocolate flavor filling this dough followed by a soft light crunchiness. Adequately sweet with a butter aftertaste that makes all the difference. Exquisite!

• Pain Perdu de Pastis d’Amelie, Glade Caramel au Beurre Sale 12euros: The Pain Perdu was served in a special strawberry printed plate. A sweet brioche that’s caramelized and served with salted butter ice cream. Unfortunately this piece of bread was too chewy and not moist enough. Not my favorite

• Mister Rech: Succes Noisette Glade, Sauce au Chocolat Chaud 14euros: This is a signature order that everyone talks about. The Mystere is a circular chewy success cake covering a hazelnut ice cream which makes it look like a sandwich. The waiter then pours hot chocolate sauce on top to cover it all. Bravo! It’s known, adored and called mystery for a reason. I loved it

• The manger is unique of its kind. The highest level of professionalism on all fronts
• The plates descriptions are presented in such a passionate way that makes you mouth water before even starting to eat
• The ambiance and decoration are unique of their kind

Rech is definitely one dining experience I’ll remember a long time. We spent memorable moments and recommend you do so as well while in the French capital. Good luck in your upcoming Michelin star.

• A long bar to the left can host up to 12 guests with stools surrounding it
• Behind the bar is an isle richly filled with alcohol bottles
• Lemons are everywhere. Displayed in paintings, placemats and serving cloths
• In the middle is a lounge covered with lemony fabrics
• Look up for the big chandelier which decorates the place
• You get the feeling that you’re dining in a mountainous lodge with the wooden roof, you’ll feel dining in a log house up the mountains
• Over the bar, a village theme (three windows) are painted over a yellow wall
• The place can host couples, groups of four on round or square tables as well as large groups on their big dining tables

• Zuppe del Giorno
• Anti pasti
• Insalata
• Risotti
• Primi Piatti
• Pizze al Forno de Legno
• Secondi Piatti

• Melanzane alla Parmigiana 22,500L.L: In a ceramic dish, layers of eggplant and cheese bathing in a rich tomato sauce. Ideal dish for sharing. Unfortunately the plate was served warm, the cheese inside and outside was not melted and the inner core was cold. Such a plate should be super hot not warm. The ingredients are there and know how also seems there, but the delivery was not right. Make sure it’s hot with its ingredients melting like butter.

• Risotto Al Limone con Gamberetti 33,000L.L: I was expecting it to be different. The lemon flavor is not prominent enough and the crunchy things around are too many. It should be less cooked, more aldente and more pure. The greenery mixed with it makes it look like a Lebanese stew (Yakhne). It can be done much better

• Villaggio Salad 26,500L.L: A generous mountain of lettuce mixed with cranberries, endives, goat cheese cubes, dried raisins, fresh mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. The mix of different types of lettuce and rich balsamic vinegar is interesting. I enjoyed its presentation and the sweetness that is added by the fresh apples. A nice, innovative and tasty salad

• Mezzelune con Spinach 25,000L.L: Yum! This is a good one. Half circle well aldente ravioli filled with a thin layer of moist spinach and basil, bathing all together in a tasty tomato sauce that stays around your palate for long. I loved this plate. Having in mind only to taste, I couldn’t but entirely finish the plate. On the other hand, the presentation of this dish should be reconsidered. It doesn’t look appetizing at all

• Pizza Diavola 29,000L.L: Thin dough generously covered with mozzarella cheese decorated with pepperoni slices. An interesting spicy aftertaste that just right for everyone to enjoy. The sides are small and a bit crunchy. I enjoyed it, but would personally make the sides bigger to crunch more

• Apple Tart 12,500L.L: A mistake spoiled the recipe. This apple tart has been reheated and has lost its crunchiness. Slightly crunchy on the sides and spongy in the middle, the premium quality of ingredients and taste of this dessert is ruined by reheating it before serving. This is not a hard point to fix.  It might have been my luck on that day…

The food in general is not bad but not great. I felt their strong know-how and definitely premium ingredients used in all the plates ordered. They just need some fine tuning back in the kitchen. Heating, seasoning, mixing as well as presenting. I would advice more importantly more simplicity.

• The staff is smiling, professional and attentive to details
• The architecture and decoration of the place are soothing and relaxing
• The wide choice of items on the menu satisfies all needs
• Giving my opinion about the plates, the waiter offered to change them automatically without giving any excuses. Well appreciated

• Add fabrics table napkins that are definitely more pleasant than the paper ones proposed
• The main “food” issue is the fact that they reheat. It doesn’t work. Their precooked Melanzane was not reheated properly. The same goes for the apple tart. Maybe a new oven should be installed
• The plates are not very appetizing and their presentation is not as clean as it should be. I think the pictures speak for themselves
• The Pizza would be perfect if done the same way shown on the Facebook page. Look at the thick crunchy sides. Since you’re convinced it should be done this way, just do it.
• Ham was introduced lately to the choice of items but not printed on the menu. Maybe new menus should be printed highlighting ham and pepperoni, two major and important items in Italian cuisine

Before publishing my TOP10 Italian restaurants of 2013, I wanted to give Villaggio a try. It may not be on this year’s list, but I’m confident that it will be part of my 2014 TOP10. Keep it up guys.