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New Shanghai Chinese Restaurant at Ashfield

Posted in Cheap Thrills, Eating, Sydney - West

My husband is in bad birthday rehab. He’s had too many disappointing birthdays to count, from when he was young and given a bag of rocks from the garden to when he was older and received a box of toilet cleaning supplies. He’s understandably scarred by the concept. I on the other hand adore birthdays and love to celebrate them for at least a weekend. I also love other people’s birthdays from the ritual of selecting a present for them, wrapping the gift and writing the card and seeing their face when they open it. So I take my mission seriously to make him love birthdays again and what the birthday boy wants he gets. Sort of. His favourite restaurant is Shanghai Night in Ashfield, the place where for a mere $6.60 he can get a massive 18 piece serving of dumplings. I was only too happy to go here but in true food blogger fashion, I felt that I should try somewhere new-ish. He agreed to the compromise I suggested, trying the Shanghai dumpling place next door to Shanghai Night. There, at least he’d be guaranteed of his beloved 18 dumplings.

New Shanghai Chinese restaurant is indeed right next to Shanghai Night. Inside it looks brighter and newer with small plasma screens showing a rotation of the items on offer. It’s slightly wider than Shanghai Night next door by about 2 metres. The configuration is different, with the cashier towards the back and the dumpling makers behind a glass screen on show for customers and some booths to the right (which currently have some dumplings abandoned mid preparation).

Service is friendlier than that at Shanghai Night and while we see a lot of familiar items, namely the dumplings, prices are higher by a dollar or two. There are also some unusual dishes and of course, being the visual creatures that we are, we are enticed by the items in the pictures.

We order and the dishes trickle out slowly, one by one. None of this fast and furious pace that we get at Shanghai night (which we actually prefer).

Famous new shanghai steamed mini pork buns $6.80 for 8

The first item we receive is the Xiao Long Bao, the famous mini pork buns with hot soupy interior which explodes with the first bite. We notice that there aren’t too many punctures (good) but the hot soup and filling is missing the ginger zing which we adore in the Shanghai Night dumplings.

Steamed Pork with coriander dumplings $7.80 for 18

12 comments | August 21, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Mont Blanc coconut macaroons

Posted in Cooking and Recipes, Sweet things

No, I’m sorry if I got you excited but these are different from French macarons.

I admit I’m ahead of time. I usually make these for Christmas presents but don’t think I would recommend that you make a Gateau Breton requiring 6 egg yolks and leave you stranded with 6 egg whites do you? Of course not Dear Reader. This is one of the standby recipes I use if I have a surplus of egg whites. However this only uses 3 of them, and if you are determinted to use all 6 egg whites, you’d do better making a pavlova (as long as they’re totally egg yolk free) but in this case I was using my sister’s kitchen and she doesn’t have a beater or mixer.

You can use milk or dark chocolate, I used white as I like the snow topped mountain look. And cachous are optional but obviously desirable, especially around Christmas time when things need a sparkle. I have to confess I went wild while in London at Tesco for their silver cachous. Priced at $6AUD at your local supermarket for 60grams, they were an incredible 9p-yes that’s right, a whole 20c for a 30g box of them. Which confirms what I’ve suspected for so long, that we’re completely rorted in Australia price wise. Which is of course why I bought 16 boxes of them

10 comments | August 14, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

The great blind butter challenge!

Posted in Eating, NQN's most memorable moments and meals, Outside of Sydney

The one thing about having foodie friends is that you know that when you ask them to sample butters, they won’t ask “Why?”. It’s taken as a given that you might want to compare the subtle tastes of butters and see whether country of origin or price plays a part in the enjoyment of the butter. Imported butters in Australia are astronomically priced, either due to the cost of importing them or sheer profit, indeed you can pay from $7-$10 for an imported butter that will retail overseas in London for £1-£1.70. So it was pre-planned with my sister that when I came to London we would do a butter taste test in order for the bank balance to not run dry.

We purchased butter from Waitrose (for the wider range) as well as Tesco (who also had some decent imports) from a variety of countries: English, French, Dutch, Irish,Welsh and Italian (unfortunately no Australian or NZ butter was available). The most expensive per weight was the Echire French butter in a basket at £13.80 a kilo or £3.45 per 250g basket. This was followed by the Italian butter, the Beppino Occelli at £1.52 per 125g which was also one of the fanciest in terms of packaging with a rivet seal and an imprint on the butter and instructions on how best to enjoy butters like a connoisseur and details of the 2 awards they won. We also had at the cheapest end, Tesco’s English butter. We wanted to try only salted butters (to eliminate the variability when salting a butter yourself) but there were more unsalted butters available so it was a mix. When tasting, we spread them on a freshly baked still-warm crunchy French baguette cut in 1cm thick slices, spread thickly with butter and then sliced up so that each taster got a bit of crust as well as the inside of the bread.

Beppino Occeli’s fancy pants butter

Our lineup:
1. President lightly salted butter: France £4.76/kg
2. Beppino Occelli butter: Italy £12.16/kg
3. Tesco English lightly salted butter: U.K. £3.76/kg
4. Maydew Kosher unsalted butter: Netherlands
5. Rachel’s Organic lightly salted butter: Wales £5.56/kg
6. Tesco Brittany butter with sea salt crystals: France £4.08/kg
7. Bridel Brittany butter: France £6.60/kg
8. Ste Mere D’Isgny Demi-sel extra fin butter: France £6.48/kg
9. Goat’s Butter: U.K. £5.16/kg
10. Yeo valley organic salted butter: U.K. £5.04/kg
11. West country salted butter: U.K. £5.16/kg
12. Kerry Gold salted butter: Ireland £4.48/kg
13. Echire butter: France £13.80

Our tasters:
1. Blythe
2. Candy
3. Kathy
4. Marc
5. Mr NQN

I wasn’t tasting this as I was administering the test.

10 comments | August 11, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Poilâne bakery, Paris

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

When I come to France, all I want to do is eat pastry. Should an immigration officer ask me my reason for entering France, I’ll simply say “To eat pastry”. Forget chocolate, I can always get good chocolate in Sydney, Tokyo, London or anywhere else I travel. However pastries like this are much harder to find. Poilâne is an institution, their sourdough bread of miche is said to be legendary. Using stone-ground flour, sea salt from Guérande and a wood-fired oven they set about conquering the world, one loaf at a time.

So a visit to Paris isn’t complete with a visit to their flagship store on the rue de cherche Midi. I have tried Poilâne bread before as it is available in London so we visited just to “take a perv” at the store and buy some pastries and some other breads. It’s an unusual set up. The shopfront is in a small street and hints not at the auspiciousness of the bakery. A stern looking unsmiling woman sits at the counter taking money while a group of older and younger woman flutter about backs to the wall watching customers and straightening displays of bread.

There is a small selection of breads and pastries and a sample box of their flower petal shaped butter cookies. The miche is sold by the weight and you can choose the amount of thinly sliced bread that you want. One woman offers me a sable biscuit from the box while I am browsing and a friendly young woman, a dead ringer for Natalie Portman offers her help. They package up the items for you, you don’t help yourself, and they wrap it and write the price on the paper bag and hand it to you and you then pay the stern madam behind the counter.

Le haul

8 comments | August 10, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

The Austrian Club, Frenchs Forest

Posted in Eating, Sydney - North

I had told a friend of mine, M, about Una’s at Double Bay and how their Schnitzels came with sauce. “PFfffttt!!” she said indignantly “Schnitzel should never come with sauce!!”. As a proud Austrian, she is highly opinionated on the foods from her native land. And I in turn, vowed never to serve her Austrian food, should I get in trouble for fiddling with it.

We walk into The Austrian Club this cold, Wintry night, our stomachs happily anticipating a large meal full of meat and potatoes and various other ingredients that make up Austrian cuisine. The Austrian Club is situated in Frenchs Forest, close to other National clubs such as the Czech club and the Danish Club. Of course we are going here with M and her monkey-toting son I. After 15 years in Australia, this is her first time to the club. On the outside she says that it is much like a typical Austrian building, white with brown trim and a fire bell at the top. And the sign outside proudly sports Gösser beer, the popular Austrian Beer. So far so good.

Inside, it looks quaint and is comfortable like a hall with checked tablecloth covered tables and we are reassured by M, that it looks just like back home. She point out the various details, from the curtains to the wall plaques and the signs that would separate foreigners from natives.

Stammtisch-VIPs only!

For example there is the “Stammtisch” sign above a table which reserves that tables for the elders or regulars. An Austrian would never sit at that table unless they were one and each club would have one of these tables put aside for their special patrons. The fixtures above the lights she says are based on the equipment that they use on the oxen that plough the fields in Austria.

Hoof hook

Food orders are taken at the table by the wait staff and drinks are ordered a the nearby bar. And it’s cash only for both (which threw us a little and had us hurriedly counting cash in wallets and nominating people to wash dishes).

Almdudler

We order with the advice from M as to what is typically Austrian and then she comes back from the bar with cans of Almdudler, a popular Austrian soft drink flavoured lightly with herbs (much like a Chi drink). The red can features an Alpine looking couple and it’s said to be their National drink, second only to Coca Cola in sales, although it doesn’t contain caffeine and the taste is light and refreshing.

6 comments | August 8, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Ribouldingue Offal restaurant, Paris

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

When my feet and back are sore from sightseeing, it’s a dream of mine that I am carted around in a pram like a child but unlike a child, I get a say into where I go. I am serious about this, if anyone is willing to do this for me, please call me. So after a morning pounding Paris’s cobblestoned streets in thin soled ballet flats, I come across a restaurant that peaked my interest. Ribouldingue, an Offal only restaurant. Offal only? Yes. It’s part of my “only in this country” theme that has me seeking food that I can only get in Paris and not at home. Although if you know me, you’ll say “But you hate offal” I convinced myself that I loved the Duck Liver at Drouant so other types of offal are also welcome on my palate.

It’s charming inside with lots of gorgeous fresh flowers, cream doors and large mirrors. The waitress is efficient and working alone. It’s empty when we walk in but it fills a bit more. At €27 for 3 courses at both lunch and dinner, many may feel that they would want to visit at dinner time while seeking lunch deals that give more savings.

The menu is in French and our waitress does her best to explain what the items are. I can understand the dessert menu but offal, well, I can’t say that I recognise any of those words aside from “tripe” and “veau”. We choose adventurous things, ones that I wouldn’t normally order but I figure if anyone can make these cuts delicious, Ribouldingue can.

Amuse Bouche: Pork Skin terrine

The Amuse Bouche, a pork skin terrine sliced thinly with a side of dressed leaves is interesting, the pork skin gelatinous and soft. It’s not chewy like some pork skin can be as it’s boiled rather than roasted.

Sabodet (commes a Lyon), lentilles vertes tiedes en vinaigrette (pig’s head and skin sausage with lentils)

Our first course, the pork sausage (pig’s head and skin specifically) and lentils is delicious, the sausage are three wide discs on top of some soupy perfectly cooked lentils.

Ravioli des champignons, couers de canard Poetes, pequillos (Mushroom ravioli with duck hearts and capsicum)

The mushroom ravioli with duck hearts and capsicum almost stops my heart but I talk myself into it “Don’t be gutless, be adventurous” (no pun intended). My husband loves this dish and his reaction spurs me on. It’s softer than the heart at the Yurakucho Yakitori Alley but still not quite to my taste. I do try some and it needs the ravioli and strongly flavoured sweet capsicum to help mask it or complete it whichever way you’d like to look at it.

Rognon de veau roti (roasted veal kidney)

Gratin dauphinoise (potatoes with breadcrumbs and cheese)

Thew Veal Kidney with Potato Dauphinoise is certainly an arresting sight. I was expecting something more …conventionally kidney shaped. I take a small bite and it’s that unmistakable kidney taste (yes I realise how stupid that sounds but I was wondering if they would do something to it to reduce the offal flavour) and small bites of this with the Potato Dauphinoise is actually quite good although if I am to be honest, I much prefer the potatoes to the kidney.

Tripes au vin blanc

The tripe soup is getting appreciative murmurs from my husband. I ask him how it is, never intending to try any as I dislike tripe and he says “The soup is great” and I ask him how the tripe is and he repeats “The soup is great”. I try a little tripe with some potato and soup and it’s not bad although the strong smell is too much for me and I pass the plate back.

YAY no offal on the dessert menu!

Cremeux de citron jaune, macarpone, crumble

Our desserts which I gratefully see do not feature offal arrive, the lemon curd and cream layered dessert topped with toasted flaked almonds sprinkled with icing sugar. The lemon curd is just on the right side of tangy and my husband usually fearful of lemon curd readily eats his share.

Blancmange au lait d’amande, salad de framboise et son coulis

The almond blancmange with minted berries is good, the blancmange quivering and mildly flavoured against the ultra thin slivers of mint and fresh berry. It reminds me a bit of Chinese almond jelly.

Petit Fours

The puffy icing sugar dusted homemade marshmallows and glossy dark chocolate coated almonds are delicious. Although it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, I’m sure to offal lovers, it is Nirvana.

And because this was our last meal in Paris, allow me to offer some tips on Paris.

Purchase a carnet of Metro tickets (10 tickets), it’s the easiest way to get around Paris. Sure it smells a bit and is crowded but trains run very frequently and it is very easy to master. The distance between stops is very small too and sometimes walkable.
Walk everywhere, it will really, truly help counteract the effects of copious pastry and cake consumption
When you walk into a boutique or store (not a department store) say “Bonjour” or “Bonsoir” and when you leave say “Merci, Au Revoir”. Unlike Australia where you may be met with silence, they’ll always respond.
You may get the occasional snooty waiter but on the whole the service is good, often friendly and charming (I think we were just lucky). I actually found service in high end/gourmet food stores a bit stiffer and snootier than high end restaurants.
Department stores are closed on Sundays. Yes, believe it.
The Dali museum in Montmatre is well worth a visit, and you can buy sculptures and Lithographs there.
Take advantage of lunch specials and the Plat du Jour. Even Michelin starred restaurants will often have a very well priced lunch deal.

Ribouldingue

10, rue Saint Julien Le Pauvre, 75005 Paris.
Tel.: 01 46 33 98 80.
Métro: Cité, Maubert Mutualité or Saint Michel.
Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner.
Fixed-price menu: €27 for lunch and dinner
Cash, Visa and Mastercard only (no American Express)

11 comments | August 6, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Restaurant Chartier, Paris

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

No, dear souls, Chartier is not Cartier (I too actually got excited for a second when I first saw it as it has the same logo), but rather a former soup kitchen or bouillion that now services as a restaurant for one and all. It’s vast and reminiscent of a train station, not helped by the baggage stands above the tables. It’s said to be fast and furious and you go there for a good quality, economical meal in surroundings that have elements of splendour. In 1989 it was classified as a historic building. Their aim is to “satisfy the bellies without hurting the wallets”

Baggage racks

According to Chocolat and Zucchini’s book, Clotilde’s Eating Adventures in Paris, with careful menu selections, you can eat dinner here for under €15 per person which is an absolute steal in this city. And even though it’s on Rue de Fauborg Montmatre crossed by Boulevard Montmatre, it’s not actually in Monmatre central (go figure) so while we had hoped to combine it with a tour of Montmatre, we had to get on the Metro for two trains to get here. From their window full of stickers, it seems that every travel book and food journal recommends a visit here.

Luckily we’re relatively early so getting a table isn’t a problem. The menu is in French only so we muddle through what we can read and order with some recommendations from the waiter who is a gruff but smiling fellow. I want to try Andouiette sausage (made from tripe, I’ve had it before at Claude’s) but he dissuades me from ordering it as does my husband who knows that I don’t like tripe. We order a selection of what they have recommended as well as a green salad (I’m craving salad having not had a big salad in a long time) and a roasted chicken (Ok yes I know it sounds like the most boring dish ever but I honestly wanted to see if roasted chicken in France is prepared any differently with different flavours-it’s not, more on that later).

The waiter scribbles the order on the plastic throwaway tablecloth.

Salade verte melangee €2.20

My husband is especially impressed with how quick he brings the starters out and we figure they must be pre-prepared to deal with a restaurant this size and to have them ready so quickly. Still the green salad is fresh with a mix of salad leaves and a oil and light vinegar dressing. I am happily crunching on this, missing my greens.

Crevettes roses mayonnaise €3.70

The prawns, although they look unspectacular are deliciously sweet and fresh with a mustardey mayonnaise. I only wish there were more prawns but for that price, I cannot argue.

Poulet roti froid garni pommes frites €8.70

The roasted chicken, the one that I was curious about is actually just like the roasted chicken at home, with gravy and chips. It’s good but honestly I wish I had ordered something a bit more adventurous. *Sigh* food choice are always clearer in hindsight.

Sausages and Lentils

The lentils and sausage are not bad although the lentils have been cooked for too long. The sausage is tasty and goes well with the lentils. I remember the lentils at Sel et Poivre much, much more fondly.

Service lags while two large groups sit down around us and our waiter attends to them. During this time, two men gesture to share our table as the restaurant, enormous as it is, is packed to the brim.

Creme de marron vanillee €2.70

The marron vanille is a pot of sweetened chestnut puree with the lightest hint of vanilla. It’s incredibly rich and although we should have probably ordered the Coupe mont blanc (creme de marron chantilly). With just the puree, it’s too rich to finish such a large portion.

It’s not fine dining and I’m not certain it warrants a special visit but if you’ve spent too many Euros like we did and are in the area, a drop-in will fetch you a decent meal - that is, if you can get a table.

And if you wondered what those drawers were for, they were for regular customers to store their napkins although this was many moons ago!

Chartier

7 Rue de Faubourg Montmatre 9th arrondisement
Metro Grands Boulevards Use Exit 2
Tel: 01 47 70 86 29 (no reservations)
www.restaurant-chartier.com
Open 7 days 11:30am-3pm, 6pm-10pm

11 comments | August 2, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Le Mesturet, Paris

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

After an afternoon at the Louvre, the only possible thing we are in any shape to do is walk a little down the road from the hotel for dinner. You see, our eyes were bigger than our brains so we thought that we could see everything that we wanted to although we did see the Mona Lisa (along with it seems half of Paris), Vermeer’s “The Lacemaker”, Michaelangelo’s sculptures and Napoleon III’s apartment (crazy gorgeous, especially the dining room). So we stumbled down the road from our hotel and that’s where we were welcomed warmly at Le Mesturet, a bistro serving traditional French food. It seems they’re used to overseas visitors, they ask us where we’re from and then smiling, hand us English menus. I get the feeling that they have a stash of other menus in a variety of languages.

Menu

For dinner, they have a menu formule: 2 courses for €19.50 or 3 courses for €25.50 and one is allowed to choose any of the dishes from the menu. We ask what is good and they point out what they’re known for. It’s hard to choose but we finally settle on the our selections, one that has our host worried, the Calves’ head. “Have you tried this before?” he asks hesitatingly. “No but we want to” we answer firmly. He laughs and says “Well I love this, it’s very good. It’s a Parisian only dish. Most chefs in Paris come from from all over but this one is originally from Paris itself. Tell me if you don’t like it though”. We promise to.

Amuse Bouche-pork and egg omelette

We pop in some of the complimentary appetisers, a pork and egg omelette. It’s tasty, and we’re glad that we tried this as other tables received olives. The crunchy French bread arrives just before our entrees do.

House specialty: grilled eggplant, tomato and goat’s cheese from Artisanal cheesemaker Lethielleux

The eggplant salad is enormous for a starter and our eyes widen when it approaches the table. The eggplant is soft and the tomato and goat’s cheese good although this is a fairly safe dish and similar to one that we’ve had at home often.

Slowly simmered rabbit terrine

The rabbit terrine is lovely, full of rabbit meat and delicious with the toasted baguette. It doesn’t have that strong rabbit smell which I dislike and I am glad that we ordered this.

Slow cooked duck from the Jeansarthe farm, shredded, topped with a layer of puréed potato

The shredded duck “pie” topped with mashed potato is lovely and heady with a judicious amount of red wine added to it. We often find that red wine is often abused and overused in cooking but this has just the right amount added to it.

Tête de veau (calves’ head)

And of course the dish that you’ve been wanting to know about, the Tête de veau is soft and unctuous, simmered until fall apart soft. The meat and soft jelly like ring of fat is mild tasting and when the cornichon remoulade added, gives it that added extra. It’s said to be a favourite dish of Jacques Chirac and takes about 5 hours to cook and must be fully cooked (never undercooked) and allowed to cool completely once it has finished cooking, otherwise it will explode.

We desperately wanted to order the Baked Apricot and lavender dessert with violet ice cream but they’re out of Violet ice cream which was the component that really intrigued me. No matter anyway, we’re both stuffed from the delicious meal and hearty serves. We’re given a friendly farewell, if only we lived locally (we don’t!) this would be our local restaurant.

Le Mesturet

77 Rue de Richileu, 2nd arrondisement Paris
Open: Monday - Saturday 12pm-3pm, 7-10.30pm

9 comments | July 31, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Pierre Hermé, Paris

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

Pierre Hermé needs no introduction to macaron lovers - I’ve yet to meet a food lover or blogger that doesn’t adore these delicate little sweet morsels from heaven. Interestingly, Pierre Hermé Paris stores began in Tokyo, where most things French will receive an appreciative audience. He has been called anything from “the Picasso of pastry ” (Vogue), “pastry provocateur” (Food & Wine), “an avant-garde pastry chef and a magician with tastes” (Paris-Match), “kitchen emperor” (New York Times), “The King of modern pâtisserie” (The Guardian). High praise indeed. So it was with curiousity and excitement that I visited the main store on the Rue de Bonaparte.

It seems that on the smallest and most inconspicuous of streets in Paris lies a treasure trove of fantastic artists or designers that specialise in food. Case in point, Pierre Hermé’s shop is on a smallish street, unannounced when you’d think they would be shouting it from the high rooftops of Paris. The only hint is the minimalist words “Pierre Hermé” and the crowd. And what a crowd it is, it’s a tight fit to get into this tiny little store, outfitted like a designer set from Ugly Betty where 5 men in designer black outfits behind the counter take your precious order. It’s a little extreme and makes me giggle, especially when I am served by a very serious young man with one of those Kylie Minogue stretch headbands. Even the staff at Louis Vuitton weren’t this serious.

Keeping in mind my splurge at Laduree the other day and for good measure, a parting reminder of it before he exits the crowded shop by my husband, I select comparatively few things. Just a Desire, a 2000 Feuilles and a selection of 7 macarons in a box. I could get them packed in a plastic bag but given that the counter guy has just tried to pick up three with his tongs only to have them crumble right in front of me, I ask for the box. It’s extra of course like all nice boxes here in Paris (grrr). I feel proud that I’ve only chosen a few things and my total is only €22.88.

2000 Feuilles €6.20

We don’t have long to go home and once we do I take them out of their boxes. As the weather was a warm 25 degrees today we have to act quickly, the 2000 Feuilles is on the verge of melting. In fact just seconds after the photos were taken, it collapsed. It doesn’t stop me from sticking my fork into it and plundering its many layers. It’s absolutely gorgeous, the pastry perfectly crispy despite the custard layers (how do they do this in Paris? Everywhere else it goes soggy) and the cream is a rich caramel cream with a chocolate crunch at the bottom. The bottom layer is brushed on the base with butter and sugar. The textures on this pastry are incredible and should you ever come face to face with this pastry, open your mouth and take a bite-I dare you to stop at just one forkful.

Desire €6.60

The Desire, a fitting name is a sponge filled with cream and raspberry jelly, a lovely light concoction but I have the feeling I should have chosen a more exotic offering.

Close up with focus on the Jasmin silver dusted macaron

Macarons 7 boxed for €10.00

The macarons are what made him famous so the flavours I tried were: Eden (Peach, saffron and apricot), Jasmin, Rose, caramel a la Fleur de Sel, Mosaic (Pistachio, cinnamon and griottines aka french morello cherries), grapefruit, Mogador (chocolate and passionfruit). The Eden with apricot is my definite favourite, it is so definitely apricot-ey followed by the delicate Jasmine and Mogador (chocolate and passionfruit). The trends for these gorgeous little things are edible metallic dusts, seen most distinctly on the Jasmin macaron.

I hate to be one of those people who always has a suggestion or always harks back to something “back home” but in Tokyo, one isn’t charged for getting something in a lovely box, and this box is also functional in that it preserves your goodies perfectly so that they can be consumed with both visual and palatable pleasure. There’s nothing worse than reaching home and finding that your food has been smashed to smithereens. It upsets me in fact, that I’ve paid a premium for something that looks perfect only to eat something that looks like it’s through the spin dryer. Another thing that they will also do in Tokyo, if you’ve got a long trip home, is put in a packet of dry ice which would have helped save the 2000 Feuilles should I have wanted to bring them to someone else’s house for dinner.

In any case, my husband, my very own Louis XIV, the man whose mantra is “quantity over quality” finds himself enraptured by the macarons. When someone brings up Pierre Hermé, he startles awake and says in a very impressed tone “that Pierre guy, he makes really good biscuits”.

Pierre Hermé

72 rue de Bonaparte, 6th arrondisement 75006 PARIS
Tel : +33 (1) 43 54 47 77
Open 7 days 10:00-19:00 (Saturdays open until 19:30)
http://www.pierreherme.com

25 comments | July 29, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Délicabar “Snack Chic” at Le Bon Marché, Paris

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

You can’t really go to Paris without doing some shopping and despite the fact that the Euro is giving the Australian dollar a sound drubbing making it less splendid a past-time, an afternoon browsing the department stores is still compulsory. One thing that can make it even more pleasurable is the idea of having something unusual to eat and unusually good at that, in the department store itself. Délicabar is the baby of Sebastian Gaudard who delights in mixing savoury ideas with sweet eg chocolate and raspberry soup, Foie Gras and Chocolate and Salmon Mille Feuille. It’s like mixing metaphors but with more success (and judiciousness).

The Department Store Le Bon Marché was designed by Gustav Eiffel. At the moment, it has a lot of scaffolding to the side so it looks less than ideal. I also like to combine my shopping with a bit of the macabre (and I don’t mean Goth or Halloween outfits this time) so earlier that day we went to the Catacombs of Paris where 6 million bodies were buried in the late 18th century.

I’m not a ghostly apparition-honestly!

It certainly works up the appetite walking the 1.7kms and climbing the 82 stairs and descending the 130 stairs. After a quick browse at Le Bon Marché, we head up to the 1st floor and find the Délicabar, the concept of snack chic (i.e. the opposite of McDonalds-if the brightly coloured resin Alessi creatures were made into a restaurant, it would be this). It features bright pink and orange and plenty of whiter than white in the inside area and green and white on the balmy outside terrace. The menu is in French but we manage to decipher a few words and the fact that dishes in black text are savouries while the dishes in brown text are sweets. A waiter also thoughtfully comes by to explain some of the items in English for us.

Bread

A waiter also explains some of the recommendations, some of the items are no longer available but we order the Foie gras and chocolate on thinly sliced toast and the Salmon Mille Feuille and the chocolate and raspberry soup to finish.

Smoked Salmon Mille Feuille €13

The salmon Mille Feuille is a leaf shaped pastry top and bottom with an accent of poppyseeds and a filling of smoked salmon and cream cheese. A side salad of lightly dressed fennel accompanies this. It’s inventive but I can’t help feeling that it needs a bit more moisture from the filling although the pastry is incredibly crisp.

Pain Foie Gras Chocolat €18

The Foie Gras and chocolate on the other hand is fantastic and has you wondering why this is the first time we’ve seen this. The chocolate is thin enough so as not to overpower and oversweeten the foie gras and when spread on the thin toast with the dressed leaves, it’s superb. A word of warning though, and that is to share this plate with someone. I found that only having one piece of the Foie gras and chocolate was a little more than enough as it’s incredibly rich.

Chocolate and Raspberry soup €7

The chocolate soup with raspberries arrives and whilst it looks like hot chocolate it is slightly different. For starters it comes in a very large cup and eating it with a spoon gives it a different flavour. The raspberries are perhaps a bit too bitter with the bittersweet dark chocolate but if you like your chocolate bitter this dessert is for you. There is also a scattering of finely chopped nuts inside.

Fauchon’s Madeleine store

I also leave you with some of the food purchases I made that afternoon from Fauchon, the “Lips” chocolate boxes, white chocolate tablettes and an ice cream from Hediard across the road. And of course the Mothership, the Chanel Rue Cambon store. Bag Lust!