BUZZ: Le Metropolitan, Le Laumière & Michelin’s Bonnes Petites Tables 2012

Le Metropolitan, place Mexico, welcomes a talented new chef. Le Laumière’s signature quenelles are worth schlepping across town for. Michelins’ new guide will make sure you’re in the loop of quality/price tables.

Brittany born Stéphane Pitré is a young passionate talented chef. He’s worked at The Ritz, London, with John Williams, Alain Senderens in Paris, done a stint on Martinique and at www.chezcecile.com Now BUZZ tracks him down to the chic Radisson Blu, in the posh 16th where he’s putting his signature on vibrant new menus you should try.

At the end of the long thin contemporary room there’s a glass window, tap on it, say bonjour to SP. He’ll nip out and tell you how excited he is to be at Le Metropolitan where he’s got carte blanche to express his ideas, choose his suppliers, like Joel Thiebault at the Marché President Wilson.

There’s a lot of science in Pitré’s interpretation of the season’s ubiquitous starter:

L’Oeuf à 65° (don’t ask, it’s complicated, delicious if you like eggs, inspired by wacky scientist Hervé (unboil an egg) This. Say Tiss, check him out on this site.

Pitré’s menu includes other original starters: Le foie gras des Landes, mi-cuit et macadamias sablées, ristretto d’equateur réduit. La carotte de Chantenay confite à l’orange, mousseux au curry fort de Madras.

From La Mer he sends out Le Homard, Les Noix de Saint Jacques and Le Dos de cabillaud, poché, dashi d’Hokkaido, raviole au vert (see photo).

And, from La Terre, L’Agneau, La Cannette, Le filet de boeuf “Black Angus” enokis et pousse de tétragone juste fatiguées. From the mountains finish with Saint Nectaire cheese or Le Sucré desserts reflecting Japan and France with La Royal Gala, confite au thé épicé et crème glacée aux fleurs de cerisier.

Don’t hesitate. The hotel’s cutting-edge, pool, Eiffel Tower views, nearby boutiques for retail therapy and post- lunch strolling.

Stéphane Pitré,

Radisson Blu Le Metropolitan Hotel,

10 place de Mexico, 16th

Metro Trocadero/Victor Hugo

T: 01 56 90 40 04

Shut Sunday-Monday

3 course lunch Menu Metropolitan – 28€ + drinks

Dinner Menu Découverte – 58€

Dinner Menu Inspiration 3 courses 38€

A La Carte Average Spend – 51€

La Galerie for snacks, burgers, drinks open daily.

Valetine’s Menu – 120€ includes champagne, water, coffee

At  Le Laumière, owner Eddy Zouari (ex-La Coupole) and chef Jean-Claude Bertrand (ex-Bofinger. Boeuf Sur Le Toit etc) have a secret. It’s the recipe for the best quenelles (pike perch dumplings) in town handed to them, in confidence, by the chef of the Louis X1V when he retired and the Louis X1V closed its’ doors.

Laumière, a delightful authentic French seafood brasserie in a garden setting, is located near the trendy Canal-Saint Martin and the Parc des Buttes Chaumount (circa 1867), exciting places to discover and say, ah Paris !

Tapenade d’olives et croutons dorés with Le Kir au Bourgogne aligoté, for apéritif:

Begin with a gratin of plump oysters or Le Millefeuille tiède aux aubergines et chèvre frais à la tapenade. Or, Tatin de tomates confites au pistou et jambon fumé d’Italie.

Then the fameuses Quenelles de Brochet faҫon Louis X1V, light and spicy go to:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkt1lo_restaurant-le-laumiere_lifestyle

Each dish is numbered and you’ll be given a postcard noting same. Buzz enjoyed No. 24410.

There’s also La Véritable Bouillabaisse Marseillaise. Le tournedos poèlé aux morilles flambé à la fine champagne. Confites au canard du Sud Ouest, sablé de pommes de terre à l’huile d’olives and Croustillant de Saumon d’Ecosse Rôti aux senteurs de sous bois.

To finish Le Baba au rhum brun et chantilly faҫon Stanislas. Tarte au citron Père Laffont. Les profiteroles au chocolat. Drink white Saint-Veran from Maison Joseph Drouhin (35.50) the Red AB (Bio) Cheverny Rouge Domaine des Huarts “Michel Gendrier”, with cherry and redcurrent notes (24,80€) or try the rosé Château Saint Martin Côtes de Provence, flowery notes with a touch of Granny Smith, you’ll think summer’s here (31.80€).

This is a delightful addy. Go for the famous quenelles (the dish alone will cost you 22€), they’re plump, light and lovely. But also for the incredible selection of fresh seafood and coquillages. L’Assiette de l’Ecailler (29.50€) Speciales “Gillardeau” No. 2 6 for 24€. A real treat’s in store!

Le Laumière,

4 rue Petit, 19^th

Metro: Laumière Line 5

Starter + Main or Main+Dessert 23€

Three courses: 29€

Menu Prestige – 42€

Plus A La Carte

T: 01 42 02 46 71

Shut Sunday dinner & Monday

Don’t Leave Home Without:

The 6th Edition of Le Guide des Bonnes Petites Tables, France 2012 is an amuse-bouche published by Michelin before the 2012 Guide hits the kiosques on 27th February. Listed restaurants can display the coveted Bib Gourmand label. 630 addys showcase 124 new restaurants offering three courses at less than 35€ in Paris 29€ elsewhere in France.

In Paris the new Bib Gourmands include:

Ambassade d’Auvergne, Bibimbap, Bistro des Gastronomes, La Ferrandaise, Fish la Boissonnerie, La Marlotte, Le Pantruche, Chez Casimir, Chez Marie-Louise, Zerda, Tintilou, Le Bistro T, Les Caves de Solignac, Kigawa, L’Atelier du Parc, Le Casse Noix, L’Epicuriste, Les Grandes Tables du 104, L’Hermès, Chatomat.

“Eating well no longer necessarily means having to pay high prices”, say Michelin who have a new head honcho, the food and wine loving graduate of INSEAD, American in Paris Michael Ellis.

“I’ve been here so long they’ve given me a French passport”, he confides.

Les Bonnes Petites Tables du Guide Michelin 2012

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