how to fan girl at restaurant l'arpege in paris

L'Arpege.

Chef Alain Passard is one of the most famous people in the culinary world. His restaurant, L'Arpege, consistently gets three Michelin stars and is a fixture on the World's 50 Best Restaurants List. He focuses on vegetarian cuisine although he does offer meat and fish as well.

I first heard of Chef Passard when a friend served me an "Arpege egg" one time at a dinner party. My friend's version was creamy scrambled egg topped with caviar served in an egg shell. Since then, I've been wanting to try the real thing.

When Mr. Sazy Rock and I recently visited Paris, he wanted to go back to Arpege to get himself up to date on the city's dining scene. I was more than happy to tag along. I was very excited to finally eat the famous Arpege egg.

The Scene

The diners were both food tourists and French people alike. We arrived fairly early and the place was mostly empty. But, by 9 pm, when most people ate, the place was full and buzzy. Men wore jackets and women dressed smart. I should note, however, that I saw a French speaking couple wear jeans.

The Service

What excited me was Chef Passard working the room and greeting every single diner. In fact, when he first started greeting diners, I thought he knew them personally. He was that friendly. Instead, those folks were just regular diners like me and Mr. SR. When he finally came by our table, he joked with us and noted how much Mr. SR seemed to enjoy eating their bread. After saying hi, he went back to the kitchen.

video: what is a bouchon?

Join me and Mr. Sazy Rock as we dine in a real bouchon in Lyon, France at Comptoir Chabert. I hope you enjoy our short video.

video: dining at paul bocuse's l'auberge du pont de collonges in lyon, france

If you've ever wondered what it is like to dine at Paul Bocuse's temple of gastronomy - L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges - in Lyon, France, I've shot a short video below. Enjoy!

have you ever wondered how the british house of lords dine?

The menu at the Peers' Dining Room.

If you've ever wondered how those Lords in the British Parliament ate, well, now you can somewhat have an insight. As a quick primer, the British Parliament is made up of two houses - the House of Lords (similar to the Senate in the USA) and the House of Commons (similar to the US House of Representatives). Their office is the Palace of Westminster where Big Ben is located. If you are a Downton Abbey fan (like me), a period drama about the lives of the upper and lower classes of wartime Britain, Lord Grantham would have been a part of the House of Lords.

Within the Houses of Parliament are dining areas. The Peers' Dining Room is the restaurant where the Lords eat. Usually, only Lords are allowed to dine there, unless invited by a Lord (or when they decide to - on very rare occasions - open it up to the public. (The House of Commons has its own dining area and Lords cannot dine there unless invited by a Member of Parliament ("MP"). So, if Lord Grantham was visiting London (and if he were real), he would have had access to the Peers' Dining Room.

During our last visit to London, Mr. Sazy Rock (a dual citizen of the US and the UK) got wind of a rare opening of the Peers' Dining Room. Lords and MPs were out and about campaigning for and against Brexit so the powers-that-be decided to open up the Peers' Dining Room for a short period (about one week) to plebeians like us. As an aside, 2015 was the first year that the powers-that-be opened up the Peers' Dining Room to the common folk. It was such a success that they did it again in 2016. Pre-Brexit, we were told that they had plans to do it again. I don't know how those plans will work post-Brexit.

hedone: hedonism for the mouth

Hedone.

One of the highlights of my last trip to London with Mr. Sazy Rock was a meal at Hedone. Our expectations were very high. Yet, Hedone still met them.

Let me explain. My brother in law dines at Hedone. A lot. As in he-dines-there-so-much-he-has-a-chair-with-a-plaque-with-his-name-on-it "a lot." He's been dining there since it opened and we think he's dined there over 200 times. When Mr. SR lived in London, he and my brother in law ate out a lot and talked about it. The bottom line is: we trust his palate.

So, on our recent trip, my brother in law treated us to a meal at his favorite restaurant. We went for lunch because we knew it was going to be a long lunch. As the restaurant's name suggests, we were in for a pleasurable meal, and we wanted it to last a very long time.

Hedone.

le chantecler restaurant in nice, france

(Nice, France).  As part of our friends' 40th birthday celebrations in France, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Le Chantecler - a gorgeous Michelin-starred restaurant located in the storied Hotel Negresco along Les Promenade des Anglais.   It is a very posh place so we definitely dressed for the occasion.  (Tip - Before dining here, check the dress code on their website.)

The lobby was beautiful but quiet and empty like a museum...

We enjoyed some drinks at the hotel bar before dinner which is highly recommended simply for location and people watching.  Then we entered into the grand hotel lobby into the formal dining room of the restaurant (which had surprisingly pink table cloths). 

Very very pink table cloth... but check out the gorgeous dishware!

The moment we sat down we were embraced with a cloak of finely orchestrated service.  Course after course arrived - each more beautiful than the next, as you can see below...

 

By the end we were bursting at the seams, yet not so full that we weren't able to end the night with another nightcap at the hotel bar.

The entire experience was extraordinary and highly recommended.  The elegant, posh surroundings, impeccable service and beautiful plating made the entire meal from beginning to end magical and nearly theatrical.  But while I enjoyed my meal immensely, I can't go as far as to say that it was the best meal I had in Nice.  That honor would go to Restaurant JAN (reviewed here).  The bill at Le Chantecler was also about double the cost of JAN.  I think the choice  really boils down to whether you care more about the actual food versus the entire dining experience.

lamb chops: london's iconic dish?

There are plenty of iconic dishes in London to choose from. Last week, I wrote about the Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad from St. John. Today, I submit that the Tandoori Lamb Chops at Tayyabs is pretty iconic as well.

The Tandoori Lamb Chops at Tayyabs.

Tayyabs is named after the last name of the owners of a Punjabi restaurant in the Whitechapel area of Greater London. Although it is very near Brick Lane, which is known for South Asian restaurants, Tayyabs is the better option because the food is just amazing (and affordable). 

"nose to tail": london's iconic dish?

The Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad at St. John.

Admittedly, there are plenty of iconic dishes in London. That is, those widely known and well-established dishes that scream "yeah, that's London."

I will submit that St. John Restaurant's Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad is one of London's top iconic dishes. After all, the dish was arguably popularized by a well-respected chef -- Fergus Henderson -- based on his well-known philosophy of cooking -- nose to tail. 

restaurant review: le bistro gourmand

(Nice, France).  As a lactose intolerant person, French cuisine tends to be too rich and creamy for me.  But there are some homestyle French bistro food I enjoy with the aid of lactaid pills.  In my search for good bistro cuisine in Nice, I came across this helpful blog - www.bestofniceblog.com - which has wonderful tips and recommendations for Nice.  

Our group took up one of the dining rooms which was quite light and airy.

 Based on the review there, my friends and I decided to dine at Le Bistro Gourmand, and it was a lovely surprise.  

have you ever wondered where the buffalo wing was invented?

Have you ever wondered where the Buffalo Wing was invented?

The Home of the Original Buffalo Wing.

restaurant review: restaurant jan (one michelin star restaurant in nice, france)

(Nice, France).  In Nice, we were joining a group of friends for their birthday celebrations so it was a rare situation when I did not plan or organize any of the meals.  Fortunately the food planner was also an avid food and wine lover so he planned all of our group meals beautifully.  For our first large group dinner he chose Restaurant JAN - an incredibly well-reviewed restaurant with one Michelin star.

Here is a sample menu - they offer several choices of prix fixe.  I think we went to the chef's choice which had more than 6 courses.  While each course is deceptively small, all of us were pretty full as we neared the end of the meal.  So how was the food?

restaurant review: eventide in portland, maine

Eventide Oysters.

Portland has been getting a lot of love in the food world. Portland, Oregon, that is.

And, that's great. Portland, OR is a great eating city. But, I have to argue that Portland, Maine is just as great, if not better.

The Scene

Eventide is a small seafood restaurant on the outskirts of downtown Portland near the port. Although, Portland is so small that being on the outskirt is not really all that far. When we stopped in for brunch, most tables and the bar area were full. Luckily, we found a great spot near the oysters at the bar.

brown's vs. markey's: the battle for the best lobster rolls

Sunset behind Brown's Lobster Pound.

In a small town located in New Hampshire's tiny coastal stretch are two fairly famous lobster restaurants. On a recent road trip of New England, Mr. Sazy Rock and I decided to wade in on the local argument as to which Lobster Pound was better: Brown's or Markey's.

The drama could not be better. These establishments are literally (not figuratively) across the street from each other. Only a somewhat busy highway separates them.

We decided not to get a whole lobster because we only had so much stomach and so little meals between us. After all, this was an impromptu stop on our way to dinner in Portland, ME. But, to make it fair, we decided to get lobster rolls from both.

restaurant review: harry sasson in bogota

Outside Harry Sasson.

While researching places to eat while visiting Bogota, I wanted to make sure that our limited time in the city would not be wasted on bad meals. There were a few candidates and the final choice boiled down to Harry Sasson, which has received a lot of favorable reviews and has been dining destinations for heads of state. So, Mr. Sazy Rock and I thought that Harry Sasson should be a no-brainer.

The Scene 


We were not disappointed in Harry Sasson's aesthetics. Located in a beautiful and tony neighborhood of Bogota, the restaurant looked like a big, fancy European home. In fact, we almost missed it because the facade did not particularly look like what a restaurant's facade should look like. But, google maps did not lead us astray.

restaurant review: andres carne de res in chia, colombia

Outside Andres Carne de Res.

About an hour outside of Bogota is a tiny town called, Chia. It is known for a party restaurant called, Andres Carne de Res. It is also a steak heaven. There is a branch in Bogota itself. But, people I've met have suggested that the one in Chia is a lot more fun.

Andres Carne de Res.

The Scene

restaurant review: marmoleo in medellin

Marmoleo.

For a romantic dinner in Medellin, I'd like to suggest a steakhouse restaurant called Marmoleo. It is located up in a hill overlooking the city. The views there are fantastic as one can see a valley of city lights surrounded by towering mountains.

I know, you might say that usually restaurants with great views do not deliver on the food. But, I can tell you that my experience dining here with Mr. Sazy Rock was positive.

Tip 1: when reserving a table online, check the website for the configuration of the tables vis a vis the view. Then, choose the perfect table. 

Tip 2: The place is usually empty until about 8 pm, when everyone starts arriving.  

restaurant review: carmen in medellin

When Mr. Sazy Rock and I travel to research the food of an area, we tend to try street food, casual dining and fine dining options. After all, we believe that all the food - whether street, casual or fine - reflect the people. After all, those who can afford fine dining are just as much a part of the populace as those who can only afford street food and vice versa.

That being said, whether a particular restaurant or a particular dish is good is more a reflection of the proprietor and not of the food of the region or country. Put another way, not all restaurants serve good food. Some are better at creating tasty dishes than others. That, I believe, is true everywhere around the world.

Carmen.

During our recent trip to Medellin, one of Mr. SR's colleagues suggested we try Carmen, a fine dining restaurant in the Poblado neighborhood. We decided to give it a go since we have been eating at a lot of fast casual restaurants and sampling street food at stalls around town.

restaurant review: eleven madison park

Spring flowers at Madison Square - right across the street from Eleven Madison Park.

(New York, New York).  For years I have wanted to try Eleven Madison Park and during that entire time every single person I knew who went said the same thing - it was worth it!  So my expectations were quite high when I arrived for lunch.  

From the outside it looked like a stuffy office building across Madison Square (yes, where Shake Shack is located - and yes, I was tempted...).  Once inside, however, the mood and atmosphere becomes nicely elegant and formal (but not stuffy).

There were only a few other diners in the large dining area - in fact there were probably as many servers as there were actual diners.  Thus it was no surprise that the service was very attentive.

We chose to do the prix fixe lunch menu and ordered a bottle of rose - perfect for the oddly hot April day in New York.  And then the lovely parade of food and flavors began...

restaurant review: mondongo's in medellin

There was once a time when going to Colombia (not Columbia), and specifically, Medellin, would've triggered plenty of alarm bells. These days, not only is the country safe (as safe as any other big city) to visit, but it is also a great place to sample the local cuisine.

Medellin is land-locked in the country's interior (and quite hilly). So, the restaurants in town had plenty of good meaty options. My visit with Mr. Sazy Rock started at a very popular fast casual joint called, Mondongo's, in the Poblado neighborhood. (We found out later that they have another branch in town, and one branch in the US - in Miami.)

The line outside Mondogo's.

restaurant review: doris metropolitan in new orleans

(New Orleans, LA).  The moment I heard there was a restaurant called "Doris" I had to try it!  I was even more intrigued when I overheard some locals telling a group of ladies that Doris Metropolitan was one of the best new restaurants in New Orleans.  

So on my most recent trip to NOLA, I made reservations for dinner and hoped for the best - and I was not disappointed!  The food, service, and ambiance were all splendid - particularly the steaks. 

Below are some of the tasty things we had:

Amazing bread bag.  It's hard not to fill up - but do try to resist!

Hmmm I think this was grilled artichokes with lemons - quite refreshing.

Plump octopus.

Tuna tartare with fish roe.

The amazing steak with fancy colored salt.

Doris Metropolitan is what I would consider a special occasion restaurant.  But then everytime I'm in NOLA is special ...