Luxeat

Katz's Delicatessen

Katz's Delicatessen is not only a pastrami institution, it's part of New York history. If you visit New York, you must go there the same as you must eat a buttery croissant when in Paris or a spicy currywurst when in Berlin. The question is, is it worth a return?  Yesterday it was my first time in Katz's and i must say i was disappointed. I ordered the famous pastrami sandwich with some pickles on the side. First, it is extremely impractical to eat, so you end up eating the pastrami slices with fingers. Second,the bread becomes soggy very quickly.(and who likes soggy bread?) Finally, i think Katz's pastrami is only good when it's warm, as when it gets cold, it becomes tasteless. I know many people looove Katz's Delicatessen, but  for me this Lower East Side "institution" is not worth a return.

L'Astrance

L'Astrance (3*) (4 Rue Beethoven 75016 Paris,tel. 01 40 50 84 40 )

Chef : Pascal Barbot

Have i been there before? Twice. First time when it already had one Michelin star and once when it just got it's second star.

Ambiance and service: Friendly,professional, yet less ceremonial than at some other high end restaurants in Paris.

Coming soon...

 

The schnitzel, tafelspitz,etc report

I happend to spend the last days of 2009 in Vienna, the home of opera and Viennnese cuisine. Wiener schnitzel,tafelspitz,Sacher cake, apple strudel,lot's of hot chocolate, coffee and glühwein. I am glad that i  never put on weight as i think i've had the calories intake for the rest of 2010!

Some highlights from my New Year trip in Vienna.

I dream of...

...La Pâtisserie des Rêves , the recently opened Phillippe Continici pastry shop in the 7th.As L'Express Styles magazine mentioned in November, "la pâtisserie surcréative" is out, while "les gâteaux classiques" are in. 

An impossible ban?

While some  environmentally conscious countries are proposing to ban the international bluefin tuna trade, in Japan business keeps going. The first tuna auction this year  fetched a price of 1.55 million Yen ( around 11 600 euros) for a 150 kg fish. For an obvious reason,Japan is opposing the ban proposition. It  would put an entire Japanese tuna fishing industry to the end. Of course, the outcome won't be better when  bluefin tuna is extinct from the oceans, but i do not imagine how all those traditional sushiyas would change their menus and stop going to Tsukiji every morning to buy this expensive fish...Just some food for thought...

Passage 53

Passage 53 (53 Passage des Panoramas 75002 Paris - 01 42 33 04 35)

Chef: Shinichi Sato (former of l'Astrance (Pascal Barbot) and Aida)

Have I been there before? No

Ambiance: nonexistent. Because the restaurant is so small and has a huge window to the Passage des Panoramas (it used to be a philatelic shop), makes you feel as if you are eating ,well,..  in a philatelic shop.

La Régalade

La Régalade (14 Avenue Jean Moulin 75014 Paris - 01 45 45 68 58)

Chef: Bruno Doucet

Have been there before? Yes 

Ambiance:busy, lively and convivial

Can i have the smallest, madame, please?

Melons for 500 dollars are a bargain compared to the current price of black truffles in Paris. One kilogram in Fauchon shop costs 3000 euros. Or, you just need to cross the place de la Madeleine and you will have even a "better" price at La Maison de la Truffe  - 3490 euros a kilo. The good news is that a small( 20-30 grams )truffle is enough to turn your meal into something very magic. So, finally,no need to get a bank loan!

OAD Best Meals of 2009

Opinionated About Dining continues the great tradition of asking chefs and bloggers what was their meal of the year.You can see the whole list here. Ms Luxeat is on the list too ;)