BUZZ: MaSa Launches, L’Hotel has Zen Ideas, Mavrommatis & Ducasse at Ecclestone Wedding

2 September 2011 by Margaret Kemp    1167  
BUZZ: MaSa Launches, L’Hotel has Zen Ideas, Mavrommatis & Ducasse at Ecclestone Wedding
Margaret Kemp
By Margaret Kemp
MaSa, Paris 17th They call chef Hervé Rodriguez “Masa,” meaning “manipulateur de saveurs,” so that’s what he’s named his latest restaurant. MaSa is located on the ground floor of L’Edmond, a chic new 24-room boutique hotel in the Paris 17th. Rodriguez, his wife Sophie and second-chef Anthony Detemmermann decided to set up in Paris because “my cuisine is so way out they didn’t really get it when I was cooking outside Paris.” A graduate of Hotel School, Dijon, he counts among his addresses Lameloise at Chagny; La Chouette, Dijon; La Mère Bourgeois in the Ain region; and Domaine de la Corniche in the Yvelines, so you can see he’s been edging closer and closer to the City of Light for some time. His space is contemporary; some may find it a little cold, they’ll take warmth from the welcome and the rather nice wine list, say, St. Peray Version Franҫois Villard 2009 crisp and fruity at 33€. Aurélie will decode the menu (her fiancé Anthony Detemmermann is in the kitchen) and she’ll bring the freebie starter of crevette Obsiblue en tartare et en bouillon. Masa: Merou en sashimi avec yuzu, tarama & mains de bouddha herb. Photo: M Kemp Begin with mérou jaune en sashimi avec yuzu tarama de son ventre, mains de Bouddha et yaourt citronnelle. Jambon Iberico Aljomar 24 mois. On the menu this opening week were: Tofu soyeux avec topinambour; Quasi de veau à la plancha avec burrata, truffes d’été, artichaut et citron jaune or dos de cabillaud et beurre de Kombu, courgette, cornichon, concombre et kaki. Desserts include la framboise sauvage en petit sablé; le chocolat amer et poivrons; la fraise charlotte au basilic thai absinthe, guimauve et céleri, or mojito citron fizz avec Perrier et rhum. Lunch is a shorter version, rapid and spontaneous. Breakfast promises excitement with chef’s spin on, say, Fife Scottish Oats, or molecular Bacon & Eggs, en homage to happy times spent cooking in Scottish castles. “No bagpipes,” chef promises. MaSa Tél: 01 4622 0610 22, avenue de Villiers, Paris 17th Métro: Villiers Shut Sat-Sun Lunch formula: 28-35€ including water and coffee Dinner: Menus at 48-68€ + A La Carte average spend from 45-70€ Need to know “I can resist everything except temptation,” said Oscar Wilde in 1900. A frequent guest at L’Hotel (then a seedy spot called L’Hotel d’Alsace) on Paris’s Left Bank, he even commented on the awful curtains with his last breath. The old boy would love it now, since it was acquired by Curious Group. The sympa décor by Jacques Garcia and services are beyond luxurious. The latest offer is “Awaken the Senses” consisting of a 3-course lunch by chef Julian Montbatut (ex-La Grande Cascade) in the Empire-style restaurant, a massage before or after, and a goodie bag stuffed with Green & Spring products. And if the weather’s fine, eat on the patio. Available from Tuesday-Saturday for 190€ per person or 260€ for two, contact hotel directly. L’Hotel Tél: 01 4441 9900 13, rue des Beaux-Arts, Paris 6th Métro: Saint Germain-des-Prés In Paris, the brothers Mavrommátis have been feeding heads of state, diplomats, artists and the likes of us since 1981. Greek/ Mediterranean cuisine is their speciality, every meal or take-away a journey of discovery. To celebrate 30 years of mouth-watering Keftédes and Houmous, Moussaka and Souvlaki, and to continue the journey, you can win a dream trip to Cyprus. All you do is rock up, enter the draw and, if your name is picked, bingo, you’re off on an all-expenses-paid trip to Four Seasons Limassol. Other prizes include invites to various Mavro establishments and it’s all fair and square “sous contrôle d’huissier.” You’ve got until October 21st to enter and note they’re participating in Tous au Restaurant in September. Mama Mia, this is too good to miss. Good luck! The Black Eyed Peas warbled “I Got a Feeling” when Petra wed James at the 15th century Castello Odescalchi di Bracciano, Italy, yesterday. The daughter of Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone looked stunning in a Vera Wang dress. No peas on Alain Ducasse’s dinner menu for the happy couple and 300 close personals: Calamari, spinach ravioli, lamb and chocolate pudding with gelati. All was washed down with Louis Roederer Champagne and Château Petrus. Then the band played on accompanied by Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Eric Clapton and they danced into the night with music by David Guetta. Bernie’s bill? A cool 5 million euros—ex-Formula 1 driver Jean Alesi was behind the wheel of the nuptial Rolls. Nice touch, eh! Margaret Kemp is a Cordon Bleu graduate who spent a year traveling the world, working and watching in the kitchens of top chefs from Sydney, Australia via Bangkok, Hong Kong, California, New York and France. She reports for BonjourParis on the latest European trends, restaurants and hot spots. Only the DISH Network offers the “French Bouquet” programming package with 7 French channels, including: France24 News, TV5 Monde, Radio France Intl (RFI), Eurochannel & more. Add French news, culture, documentaries, movies & more to your life! For more, click: “French Bouquet” by DISH Network.   If it’s at Amazon.com, you can get it at…
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By Margaret Kemp

Born in Hampton, Middlesex, UK, Margaret Kemp is a lifestyle journalist, based between London, Paris and the world. Intensive cookery courses at The Cordon Bleu, London, a wedding gift from a very astute ex-husband, gave her the base that would take her travelling (leaving the astute one behind) in search of rare food and wine experiences, such as the vineyards of Thailand, 'gator hunting in South Florida, learning to make eye-watering spicy food in Kerala;pasta making in a tiny Tuscany trattoria. She has contributed to The Guardian, The Financial Times Weekend and FT. How To Spend It.com, The Spectator, Condé Nast Traveller, Food & Travel, and Luxos Magazine. She also advises as consultant to luxury hotels and restaurants. Over the years, Kemp has amassed a faithful following on BonjourParis. If she were a dish she'd be Alain Passard's Millefeuille “Caprice d'Enfant”, as a painting: Manet’s Dejeuner sur l’herbe !