Lynn was not available for lunch again this month and I was looking for a lunch companion. Low and behold, no sooner did I put that thought out into the world, when I got an email from John Talbott to see if I wanted to join him for lunch.
John Talbott has a popular blog where he reviews mostly Paris restaurants and sometimes restaurants in other cities. I met John last year at a press lunch and we later met for a very forgettable lunch. We vowed we would meet another time to have a more substantial meal.
John selected Graff, in the ritzy 7th arr, down the street from the D’Orsay Museum. The 7th is not a restaurant area I frequent, so it was good to know a new address.
I hadn’t seen John since last year, so it was nice to catch up with him, especially on the topic of Parisian restaurants. The restaurant was half full when I got there at 12:30 and full by 1PM.
I had quite an unusual starter, a gelee or aspic of chopped tomatoes topped with cherry tomatoes and beets. The menu said the dish also had strawberries, but apparently they weren’t visible to the naked eye. Upon tasting the tomato gel, I was trying to figure out why it had this extra sweetness to it, as tomatoes aren’t usually this sweet and John and I surmised that’s where the strawberries came in. I was cautious in ordering this dish because usually things in gelee I find on the bland side, but this was an exception. John had an tangy ceviche of sea bass.
For main course I had pan roasted salmon with turnips, zucchini, wild asparagus, and a pistachio foam. I found the salmon on the fishy side and not that fresh but the vegetables, which were plentiful and much fresher than the fish, sufficed. I tasted John’s St Pierre fish, which was buttery and rich, far better than my salmon. John has a much smaller appetite than I do (Most humans do) and couldn’t finish the large portion of fish, so he generously offered me a piece of it. I complained earlier in the meal that most of the time the portions of the lunch formules weren’t enough food for me and he claimed the opposite, that there was always too much food. I think I found the perfect dining companion.
Compared with the creative entrees and plats, the dessert offerings were a yawn. John agreed with me but was curious to see if they were homemade or from Metro, the wholesale food market with pre-fab desserts. Three cute mini-Paris Brest’s were much better than average and served with candied pistachios.
We both agreed the meal was excellent on all fronts, including taste, service, portion size, and ambiance, although the tables were too close together and almost impossible to get out of the inside table without tripping.
The two-course formule is 21 euros and three courses is 25 euros.
Graff
62 rue de Bellechasse, 75007
Metro: Solferino
+33 (0)145.51.33.42
Closed Sunday
Click here to read John's review.
New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour
Seems very appetizing, Richard. May try it next week. I believe a "St. Pierre" in French is called John Dory in English.
Posted by: John W. | May 27, 2014 at 06:36 PM