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Dineocrat Explores Paris - Jean François Piège

Jean-François Piège was one of the most difficult reservations to get for the Paris trip. You must call ahead exactly two weeks before your desired date. Dinners are almost instantly filled up. Fortunately, they have lunch, which was fine by me. I wanna be in bed by 10 p.m. (22h to the French)!  Piège, together with Les Bouquinistes, probably has the chicest clientele that I saw in our food adventure. The lunch crowd was definitely more casually dressed but Lanvin/Prada casual.

Anyway, the Top Chef France judge is quite a presence in the country at the moment. How hardworking is he, though, that he was also present in the kitchen for our lunch? Overall, a virtuoso meal from the Michelin-starred restaurant: technically proficient without sacrificing taste. Go! If you're there, get his book "Best of Jean-François Piège," which the restaurant sells near coat-check. Beautiful pictures, Piège recipes, hardcover--at €10, it was the true bargain of the trip.

To start the lunch, "les grignotages" (a bunch of truly appetizing and playfully prepared amuses): among others, a "ham sandwich," a "soufflé," and escargot.
 
The menu came in an ornate envelope in which you can fold and insert the paper afterwards. I said, "Oui!" to the RSVP. Right: salt, pepper, butter knife, butter. Sigh. It's like every angle from where I sat was a potential still life.
2007, I've been told, was a great year for Meursault: a Meursault Blagny from Antoine Jobard. Next, a 2010 Condrieu (which I've already said in previous posts was the wine of the trip) from Domaine Georges Vernay.
The Asian influences are infrequent here but, for the Dineocrat, quite remarkable. (You'll see it more prominently at Les Bouquinistes.) Left: a salad of Noix St. Jacques de plongée (scallops) with crispy wonton, truffes noires (black truffles). The bowl is a work of art. Next, lobster on top of foie gras. WOW! Not the first time it's ever been done, apparently, but a new and incredibly delicious combination for me.
 Jean-François Piège in the open kitchen.
Oh, yes! another wine that elicited yelps of joy and surprise at the table. One of my favorite Burgundies, a Vosne-Romanée, this one from Mongeard-Mugneret. To go with dessert, a Jurançon, an appellation from southwest France, from the producer Uroulat.
The Piège de resistance: the most enormous portion of ris de veau (sweetbreads) I have ever been served, perhaps the size of two thick baguette slices. (Served with leeks, chicory, veal sauce and mustard.) Mind you, there were three of these monster plates, one for each diner. The first time I ever did not finish sweetbreads. Record!
 
The desserts even more evidently showcased technical prowess. Blanc à manger version sucrée (Piège's recipe here, in French), with mandarin and bergamote, an île flottante that revealed itself when sliced. Right: a translucent sugar ball with meringue and a citrusy golden custard inside, also only showing itself fully after you crack the ball open.
I'm not one to give up on a sensational meal, but perhaps the serving of sweetbreads turned out to be my gastronomic Waterloo (for the day, at least). But I also surrendered to all else, in a good way. Everything about the restaurant was beautiful, from the Deco-meets-the-60s feel down to the last utensil. The music was strange, eclectic, catchy--like what your hip friend, if you had one, would play at her party. Piège, if you were a Grecian urn, I would utter, "beauty is truth, truth beauty." Screw it, I'd say it anyway. Plus, you're worth the wait at the phone for reservations. You're very convincing.

Reservations are a must. Thoumieux, the hotel affiliated with Piège, has a very attractive web site that tends to load slowly where I'm from. The Facebook page, on the other hand, has all the essential information if you need to call to reserve a table and it loads very quickly. The people who answer the phone speak English, but as with every dealing you have in France, ask nicely and politely, "Parlez-vous anglais?"

79, rue Saint Dominique, 75007 Paris, France
Téléphone : +33 1.47.05.79.79
Adresse électronique : contact@thoumieux.com
Site web: http://www.thoumieux.com/
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