It’s coming up 12 years next month since Mike and I opened the doors at La Cigale.
For some time I’ve had it in the back of my head to publish a book which tells our story from the original inspiration in France to where we are now bringing what we could of French lifestyle to our corner of Parnell. The plan is to include our favourite French inspired recipes using fresh New Zealand ingredients particularly those from our La Cigale French Market stallholders.
With that in mind, on our last buying trip to France in Paris in early October, we met up with my cousin Stephen and his wife Nicki, our photographer, to take photos for the book. Stephen is much more organised than I am so he worked on the accommodation side of things. I’m a bit inclined to leave that to the very last minute. In Paris the brief was to find something that wasn’t a normal hotel. We wanted something different that didn’t cost a fortune. A difficult task but he managed it – a privately owned house in the Marais that the owner, Yann, operates as a bed and breakfast. The photos on the website looked amazing but as I’ve learnt from past bookings on the internet, beautiful photos often don’t match reality. We arrived in a narrow street to a narrow 16th century Parisian house. It was one room and a staircase wide, 5 floors high with another 2 below ground. The photos definitely did match reality.
If you like somewhere that’s modern, light and airy then this isn’t for you. The house is crammed full of antiques, particularly 18th and 19th century pieces, with lots of plants and artificial flowers and dimly lit. Each bedroom is individually decorated and has a well appointed but small bathroom. Most of the time we were the only guests so had the run of the house. The breakfast wasn’t a highlight but when we returned from work late each afternoon we were treated to a cup of tea in the drawing room. Before leaving home Mike and I had determined that with La Cigale’s emphasis on food, we should make sure we had new eating experiences that would give us inspiration for our food at home. Consequently on our first afternoon at Yann’s we pumped him for his ideas of places to eat nearby.
We tried the first recommendation that night – ‘Les Ambassades d’Auvergne’, situated in an ancient building in the next street. Many of the original bistros of Paris were started by people from the Auvergne. They brought to Paris their down-to-earth hearty country food. Yann said whatever we ate we must include the lentil salad and finish with chocolate mousse. We all ordered the salad as an entrée. A huge bowl full of warm lentils arrived. They’d been cooked with lardons and goose fat – absolutely delicious – but we couldn’t finish the bowl between the four of us. Three of us followed with duck confit and Stephen had a special sausage with aligot, made from whipped potatoes and melted Laguiole cheese and garlic. A waiter dramatically served it at the table, taking a large spoonful of aligot and ‘stretching’ it high into the air. After all that, Mike, Stephen and I were full but Nicki was determined to have the chocolate mousse. Like the salad, the mousse arrived in a huge bowl. It was only 8 euros. The waiter thoughtfully brought us a plate each. After having a generous spoonful each, 2/3 of the bowl was still left!! I later read that this chocolate mousse has been consistently voted the best in Paris.
One of Yann’s other suggestions was ‘Restaurant 404’, also nearby. He said bookings were essential. After trying for 2 days without anyone answering the phone (apparently this is normal with popular restaurants), we decided just to turn up on Sunday night. Inside was full but we were offered a table in the courtyard. Restaurant 404 is named after the Peugeot car model 404. The food is French Moroccan. The four of us shared a great meal which was presented on platters and bowls on the table. It included a tagine, couscous, vegetables, grilled spicy lamb and traditional accompaniments such as harissa and preserved lemons. While we sat enjoying this we wondered why we’d been given a table. It was obviously one of the ‘cool’ places to be. Nicki and I watched as some people got a table and others were rejected. We decided it was to do with shoes. The women with the highest heels were always in, while those in low heels were out. Why did they take us in our jeans and sneakers? Who knows? Anyway the experience has inspired our new dining experience – Tagine Tuesdays (high heels optional).
Enjoyable Experiences in Paris and Provence
Dinner at Petit Saint Benoit on the Left Bank, Paris – very simple home cooked food at very reasonable prices.
Drive through the Dentelles near Mont Ventoux – go for the very small ‘D’ roads, the scenery is stunning, the road a dirt track and have lunch under the planes trees in Gigondas.
Saturday morning market in Uzès – the town really is bustling, the heart of the oldest part has a great food market. Have lunch in one of the many cafés under the arches of the square.
Stay in the tiny village of Venasque at Hotel Les Remparts – there are 7 comfortable rooms (only 54 euros a night), a great restaurant and terrasse, excellent food and a beautiful view over the valley.
Picnic lunch on the banks of the River Sorgue near Fontaine de Vaucluse – buy delicious food in the market at L’Isle sur La Sorgue and eat it beside the crystal clear waters.
Walk right to the top of the oldest part of the village of Oppede – much of it crumbling ruins dating from Roman times – very haunting with stunning views from the top.
Highlights from a few days in Paris
FOOD – cafes, restaurants, shops, markets- ie anything to do with eating!
One of the things that makes any trip to France enjoyable even if it’s only for 5-6 days is the chance to try out different eating places, or to wander round a local market with it’s delicious smells, or to go into wonderful epiceries and food halls of the large department stores.
Aux Lyonnais 32 Rue St Marc 1e is an old restaurant that Mike and I first ate at in 1982. As the name suggests, it specialized in country style food from Lyon. After going for several years we became a rather tired of the menu which didn’t change and we eventually stopped going.
It has wonderful old style bistro decoration with tiled walls and large antique mirrors.
Recently I read that the renowned Michelin 3 star chef Alain Ducasse had taken a share in Aux Lyonnais and had totally revamped the menu but left the décor as it was. I discovered that it is essential to book in advance so emailed prior to leaving NZ.
I had a thoroughly enjoyable meal starting with oeufs cocotte with morilles[eggs baked with morille mushrooms & spinach], followed by fish quenelles in a delicate crayfish sauce and finishing with a piece of toasted brioche and tiny strawberries.
I was in Paris on a Sunday so decided to do as lots of the locals do and have a Sunday lunch. I was lucky enough to get a table at La Rotisserie du Beaujolais on the Left Bank on Quai de la Tournelle. It’s across the road from Tour d’Argent the famous 3 star restaurant and is owned by the same people. The food is very much of the “terroir’’ with some unusual traditional country dishes. For example the Frenchman sitting next to me had tete de veau[boiled head of veal]. I can eat most things but the furry bits looked a bit too much for me to handle! As the name suggests, they do serve delicious rotisseries and other dishes. I had fricassee of rabbit with lemon confit and roasted garlic served on a bed of polenta. They specialize in very well-priced wines from Beaujolais. Most of the clientale seemed to be regulars who seemed to dress up for lunch in elegant outfits although it’s not a dress up type of place.
Totally different to that is L’Arbuci on Rue de Buci in the heart of Saint Germain. It’s a modern bistro, quite stark in appearance with large windows overlooking the street.
Their speciality is seafood, in particular oysters which they shuck to order. I had 6 of these delicious briny things served with shallot vinegar and thinly sliced brown bread.
To follow I had a very simply grilled whole bar[a small fish]. To drink I followed the waiter’s suggestion of a chilled Chablis.
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