Food, Wine, and the End of France!

[nic]

Well, now. It seems that I am not allowed to post without registering, so...

I wasn't sure if I should stick this into the Europe section or here. Since it's a book, The Library won out. I can't account for the veracity of the reporting, but the premise is intriguing: Michelin's Guide Rouge has crippled France's culinary creativity and needs to be destroyed.

So fellow Portsiders, do stars figure into your dining experiences? I have eaten at Bouchon Bistro and The French Laundry (one and three stars, respectively) in California, and the one-starred Le Restaurant in Paris. Aside from these indulgences, I typically ate in small cafés and bistros in Paris.

Anyway, the author has a two part article up at Slate.com that might be of interest; you can find Parts I and II

www.slate.com/id/2221245/
www.slate.com/id/2221246/

You can of course find it over at Amazon.

www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596913533?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596913533

[Jazz]

Stars play no part in my choice of where to dine. For me, it is far too expensive and that money would be used in other ways...a day trip, the opera, a beautiful long boat cruise etc. There are so many preferred ways to spend my money! I am curious though, and one day may have one of the menu lunches at Taillevent or Le Grand Vefour? While in Paris I eat at bistros, cafes, and the occasional restaurant. Most often these meals have been satisfying and delicious. Sometimes, I go to one of the markets, or small food shops, buy food and cook in my apartment.

These were good articles and I would like to read the book. My instinct is that he is rather harsh, but definitely has something 'to bring to the table'.

[bjd]

I have lived in France for 30 years and don't know anybody with a Michelin restaurant guide in their car. I have talked to only one couple who went out of their way to go to a starred restaurant somewhere in eastern France and were pleased with their meal.

I think you can easily find restaurants in France where you can eat very well without paying for the prestige and display of Michelin (or Gault et Millau) starred places.

[Deleted]

Those guides are to keep the tourists out of our way.

[traveler63]

When in Paris or anywhere for that matter, we look on line for cafe, bistros, etc around where we are staying and also ask where do the citizens eat because we believe that finding local places are where you get the real deal, both in food and price. Yes, we have also gone to high end restaurants, but usually do lunches, especially in Paris as dinners are very expensive. We did L Tour d Argent for lunch, it was my birthday and years ago, when we were dreaming of a trip to Paris, Kirk promised that one day he would take me there. On our trip in September we will probably have another lunch for our 40th wedding anniversary.

[hwinpp]

I used to get the little green and yellow books published by 'Auberges et Logis en France' (I think) and I did use to follow that for restaurants. I was never ever disappointed.
But I did buy the red guide for France once and enjoyed reading it.

[nic]

I haven't done any research, but I'm curious how popular the Michelin Guide has been here in the States. Especially given our love of credentialing everything; the more stars, the better it has to be.


It falls under that old adage "If it's expensive, it must be good." Thus, the more expensive, the better it is.

[Deleted]

Jul 14, 2009 10:20:07 GMT hwinpp said:

I used to get the little green and yellow books published by 'Auberges et Logis en France' (I think) and I did use to follow that for restaurants. I was never ever disappointed.
But I did buy the red guide for France once and enjoyed reading it.

I had a copy, too, at one time. It is always fascinating to browse when you are on the toilet.

[hwinpp]

Now that's a back- handed compliment if ever I saw one!

;D ;D ;D

[BigIain]

I always assume that the more stars a place has, then the more pretentious it will be. I have never eaten in a starred resturant and likely never will.
In France I choose where to eat by the menu and whether there are French people in it. At home I am very loyal to a hanfdul of places where I know that the food will be first class.

[bazfaz]

I have eaten a couple of times at a 2* Michelin restaurant in Les Eyzies in the Dordogne. Both times someone else was paying. It was excellent and I enjoyed it very much.

Believe me, the red Michelin guide is the one that chefs really want to be in. The top chefs are creative but also respect France's long culinary traditions.

[Deleted]

I think I ate in a 1-star place once. I took my grandmother after visiting the château of Azay-le-Rideau. I remember we ordered the simplest menu and there was enough food for another two people, so it was a big waste.

I believe that times have changed and in some of these places you would need to order two meals now to get enough food for one person.

[spindrift]

I am very happy to eat in starred or unstarred restaurants. It depends on whoever is with me at the time. Whilst I was living in London I ate at many excellent and well-known places. I wouldn't change a thing!

[Deleted]

Did you pay with your own budget?

[spindrift]

No.

[cigalechanta]

ratings come and go as do those stars. I dislike the trend of the dishes with foam.

[cigalechanta]

I have never dined in a McDos here or in France but I have traveled France coast to coast and was amazed how the French have embrased them. They have wonderful playgrounds for the children as the parents dined peacefully. Mosed of the French I know do not like Bove.

[lagatta]

Do they serve the same crap they do elsewhere?

[Deleted]

Jul 31, 2009 23:13:37 GMT lagatta said:

Do they serve the same crap they do elsewhere?

The same crap and more. Actually, it was McDonald's France that invented the salad options due to popular demand. I think I read that the last McDonald's country that finally added salad to the menu was Australia. Even though I think most customers eat the standard McDonald's fare, at least there are options like fresh sliced fruit, yogurt... and beer.

[bazfaz]

France is McDo's most profitable country in Europe. You see the golden arches everywhere.

I still think with affection of the McDo in San Jose, Costa Rica, where I marched in, nodded to some security bruiser and firmly walked to the lovely clean toilets.

[lagatta]

That is the only think I use McDo for, though the one I drop in at most frequently has toilets that aren't so spotless alas. It is at a spot I often drop by when running errands (quite a good walk) and our winters are, as you know, very severe, and the cold makes one want to go. I know I'm not the only person who only uses the toilets, but although there is a sign saying pour clients the doors aren't locked so far.

I can't complain because I haven't eaten at a McDo in decades - and back then there weren't even any in Québec - don't know whether they had started elsewhere in Canada. They were always along highways in the nearby US.

[Deleted]

I go to McDo almost every week to get a McFlurry for my mother. I am obliged to get one for myself so she will not feel abandoned.

However, I have been able to discover that the product of the 'other' chain is better. Whenever possible, get a MixMania from Quick rather than a McFlurry from McDo.

[imec]

I would not go to a McDonalds when on vacation in a country known for its cuisine. But when in a hurry, I'm quite happy to eat there. I wouldn't dream of eating "chicken" nuggets, but I enjoy many of their burgers and the fries, while not proper "chips" or "frites" (nor do they pretend to be) are addictive.

[lagatta]

I'm too fussy about good frites, and burgers for that matter. In my neighbourhood, I'm more likely to get something like a Vietnamese sandwich (a small baguette-type submarine garnished with various meats - either a pork mix or shredded chicken - fresh cilantro leaves and slightly-pickled vegetables - carrot, daikon etc). Or various other fast-food things from local vendors.

When younger, I'd go for a merguez-frites in Paris, but that is even greasier than McDo, though more flavourful. Nowadays I'd be more inclined to go for the "sandwich tunisien" with tuna, egg, etc. Or stuff from the Vietnamese caterers that are everywhere.

[imec]

I agree lagatta - but "on the run" you just don't have time to find places that serve what you really want (and often, the place just don't exist where you're on the run)

[lagatta]

Of course it depends where one works - when I'm not working at home, I'm mostly either at one of two clients/colleagues' offices, each about half an hour's walk in opposite directions. One is in Outremont; there is a Première Moisson across the street (chain of so-called artisanal boulangeries - yes, I know that is a contradiction in terms but the sandwiches etc aren't bad), the other also has decent takeaway food nearby. Or am working in conferences, usually in the city centre. Of course when one is on the road, one eats what there is.

If you read Gourmet, a NYC-based foodie magazine, the Première Moisson on avenue Bernard in Outremont is where the photo on the cover of the Montréal issue (March 2006) was staged.

[lagatta]

Here is a great gadget for truck drivers and others eating on the road - a slow-cooker that plugs into a 12-volt outlet! www.roadtrucker.com/12-volt-cooking/12-volt-portable-slow-cooker-crock-pot.htm This outfit sells all manner of truck-outlet cooking devices and coolers.