Sur Mesure by Thierry Marx, Mandarin Oriental Hotel (Paris) - ♕♕♕♕ 3/4

  Thierry Marx is popular and well known to be a visionary chef, probably carrying with him a slightly revolutionary side to his haute cuisine approach.   He deviates from the well established French Fine Dining style and carries his own styling accent,   probably following in the footsteps of Joel Robuchon after his prolonged hiatus and 1st retirement before the much lauded and resurrected success during the last 10 years.  (yes I am that old to remember it all, unfortunately.. I know Pierre Gagnaire and Joel Robuchon have both taken time off before for years, but not many know about it I do guess).   Thierry Marx also has developed an affinity with Japanese ingredients and influence much like Robuchon.   The new opening of the Paris Mandarin Oriental in 2011 has attracted Chef Marx to accept a new challenge and to head this brand new kitchen.   He managed to strike gold by receiving his 2 Michelin Stars after just months of leading the Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s Sur Mesure kitchen, so here we are trying to try out some Tasting Course.   

 

 

Mandarin Oriental Paris -
Just a few minutes from behind Le Louvre..

 

 

 

Entrance is modern -
It already spells for what is next to come..

 

Parmesan and Thyme Crisp Bread,
and Pancetta and Rosemary Crisp on the right… 
Really liked the Pancetta one with a whole piece of ham hidden inside!

 

 

Amuse Bouche of “Potatoes” -
Top:  Potato with Swiss Chard and Cream
Left:  Candied Potato with Beef Jelly and Sesame
Right:  Spanish Iberico Ham and Potato Croquette

 

Glenlivet Water from Scotland -
Sparkling from the Scottish continent.   A few options are available here. 
You can order Chateldon as well,  but somehow I wasn’t really paying attention..

 

 

2009 Fiefs Vendeens A.O.V.D.Q.S “Hauts des Clous”,  Domaine St Nicolas -  Euro 10/14 CL
The Loire appellation is obvious,  and this wine can sometimes be a mix between a Chenin Blanc and a Chardonnay but this is 100% of the former.   Ordered this as I am nowadays curious as to what restaurant choose for their cheapest house wine available,  just for curiosity!    It was quite fruity and dry with almost a Sauvignon nose of passionfruit and lemon.

 

 

Parsley Jelly Escargots,  Red Miso,  Candied Leek inside with Fried Leek, 
Served with Spelt Wheat Bread -
This was cooked brilliantly,  and there can be no mistaking of the slightly Japanese slant with the red miso.   This dish worked well together especially the Leek cooked two ways.  It is always interesting when a French chef is using both French cooking methods with just a slight Japanese touch.   ~   8/10

 

Turbot Carpaccio is Marinated in Sake and Konbu,  a typical Japanese shime curing method.
Complemented with Garlic and Chili Soy sauce,  plus a line of Parsley & Spinach Puree,  with Corn flavoured Ice Cream and Roasted Pop Corn.   This recipe seemed a bit artistic and sounded all over the place,  but guess what ~  it worked in flavours, even if not by theory in integration. The turbot was quite sweet.   ~  7/10 

 

Lobster Body is Poached and served with a Greenish White Miso Sauce, 
with Radish & Fried Shallots -
Pretty enjoyable,  again with a slight Japanese twist..

 

Blue Homard Lobster Claws and Head meat,  Served Tempura Style in a Squid Ink Coating -
Served with a ridiculously good Homard Lobster Head Sauce…   This might again be a little bit Japanese in style but there is no doubt the taste was great.  ~  9/10

 

 

Wagyu is Coated in Liquorice and Charcoal,  served with Bonito and Yuzu Pepper sauce,  Crispy Rice Cake with Onion Confit and Spanish Ham,
Beef Jus and Broadbeans encased in Italian Lardo Colonnata -
The beef was ordered rare but didn’t have enough Wagyu Fat taste,  and it was not exactly smooth or fatty enough,  a little disappointed.  The highlight was the spring and broad beans hiding beneath the transparent lardo fat.  The question mark was the bonito with yuzu pepper in this equation..  It didn’t make sense at all in terms of Japanese cooking mentality but the flavours somehow mingled together well enough.    ~  7/10

Bread is served with Each Course -
Only when necessary.  It deviates from the old approach,  when bread is always served from the beginning.  I appreciate this new found approach!

 

 

Ylang Ylang Meringue,  with Avocado Guacamole with Lemon Oil, 
& Panna Cotta of Grapefruit and Vanilla -
This again tasted better than the slightly quirky recipes suggested. 
By this course,  I became finally convinced that Chef Thierry Marx is exploratory,  but his final results speaks for itself.   I somehow have a feeling this kind of approach is not aimed at Asian palates.   But I happened to enjoy it,  even if it didn’t wow,  but just happened to have worked. 

Maccha and Almond Biscuit,  with Wasabi Caramel,  and Grapefruit -
Again this sounded a bit Japanese fusionized,  but somehow the taste always ended up tasting good and balanced.   The Wasabi caramel was interesting but subtle enough.  ~  9/10

 

 

Cassis Financier and Cassis Jelly -
This was quite good although a bit predictable.

Vanilla Choux Pastry (Left),  Chocolate Rocher,  and Raspberry Jelly and Vanilla on Sable -
Decent Mignardises,  I guess.

 

Chocolate Selections -
Let’s select a few!!

Done very well as the end course!

 

Outdoor Area in the middle of the new Mandarin Oriental -
I really liked the vibe of this hotel and their new 2 Michelin Starred restaurant by Thierry Marx is definitely worth all the praise,  and at around Euro 150 for 6 Courses and 185 for 9 Courses sounds more than enough decent!    I honestly think this type of nouveau French haute cuisine with a slight Japanese twist is probably more suited for the French locals than Asians traveling overseas,  but if you carry an open mind,  I think you’ll be surprised at how the whole package was quite balanced as an overall package !!  

 

 

 

Price:   Euro €165
Ease of Access:   3/5  (5 – 8 mins walk from Metro Tuileries,  behind Angelina & Le Meurice)
Food:   ♕♕♕♕1/2 - ♕♕♕♕♕

Opening Hours:
Tues – Sat  12:00pm-2:00pm,   7:30pm-9:30pm
Closed Sundays and Mondays

Address:  251 Rue Saint-Honoré  75001 Paris
Ph: +33 (0) 1 70 98 73 00

Le Grenier a Pain (Paris) - ♕♕♕♕♕

   This boulagerie shop in Montmartre near Sacre Coeur has won a 1st Prize for both their Baguettes as well as their Croissants in Paris.  The shop has roughly 30 outlets in Europe all the way to Tokyo.   The locals who live in this area and queuing in line with me told me excitedly that this IS the best shop in Paris when it comes to traditional sourdough breads and the same applies to their other pastries and tarts.    Since everyone is born different,  I will just write it as I discovered it myself. 

There are a few outlets -
But this is probably the most famous original shop.







Those Apricot,  Pear or Apple tarts,
just look superb -

 

Kouing Amang -
*Kouign Amann,  to be precise and what I think they have meant to type.. 







Some Decent Pastries and Pretty Looking -
I think they belong to the old school camp,  in their own right.








These Bread Rolls -
They look very enticing but I don’t think I should waste food ordering them,  only to take 1 bite.








Off the Shelf items also available -







The Award Winning Breads -
These were endorsed by a French local who insisted that I should order some.
I wanted to but I can’t fit in everything.  Sigh..









Paris Award Winning Croissant -
This looked too pale in colours, right?  At that very moment,  I was thinking,  I am getting duped again with all these marketing fanfares and lies…  But the proof is in the pudding, and once I bit in I knew I was in for a home base run of a viennoserie.    The pastry layers literally bursted into a million shards as soon as I clamped my teeth together against the pastry,  the sound it made was completely new to me.  It was just educational.  The pale colour of the croissant was very deceiving indeed,  and they probably deliberately under-baked it knowing that the customer might re-heat it in the oven.  This was just so amazing and no wonder it has won the 1st Prize for the best croissant in town.  If only it was more browned by default,  but understandable from shop’s point of view.     ~  9/10

 

Citron Tart -
The shop highly recommended this.   The pate sucree crust was more on the softer side, and a plastic fork will cut through it easily like butter unlike many places which are more too hard crusty!  The citrus curd was quite tangy and had a very lime-like taste which really awakened your senses,  it was really refreshing and also both sour and sweet simultaneously.  Liked this ~  but probably think this was a little too pedestrian like to be artisanal and slightly too sweet in the background.   ~  7.5/10








The Montmartre market crowd -
I liked this shop a lot.  It is slightly more traditional than the more advanced boulangerie or dedicated pastry shops.   But it is affordable and done to very high standards.  I would be totally happy if I could have access to here on a daily basis.   It’s not perfect yet,  but it’s still definitely a very well done job and worth a repeatable visit. !



 

Price:   Euro $5
Ease of Access:   4/5  (3 Mins walk from Metro Abbesses, near Sacred Coeur.)
Food:   ♕♕♕♕♕

Opening Hours:
Mon to Sun -  7:30am to 20:00pm

Address:  38 rue des Abbesses, 75018 Paris
Ph: +33 1 46 06 41 81

Gerard Mulot (Paris) - ♕♕♕♕ 1/2

  Visiting Paris or France in general is not an easy task for a foreigner arriving here for only a few days.  I have been to Paris a few times but have only started taking photos in the recent years,  so all there is left to do is to eat, take photos to compensate for the past and hopefully getting to explore the hottest pastry shops along the way.   I do envy the bloggers who can eat a lot and not suffer much consequences,  but unfortunately I am not one of them.   I watch the mirror in horror as I gain weight daily but at the same time just want to munch munch munch,  nom nom now away.  I might have put on some serious weight in the past week,  but hopefully my reviews will be of benefit and use to you,  when you come past Paris next time.  I will work around my weight 1 day.

 

Gerard Mulot -
I can never spell this right.  The reason why I am here,  is because this pastry shop is one of the hottest properties right now for their macarons.   Apparently a side-by-side blind tasting of these with the famed Laduree had here coming out on top.   We will wait and see…

 

 

Home Made Ice Creams also available -

 

 

Pastries & Macarons -
Very colourful trays.  
Even a bit fake in colours..

 

 

Berries Tart -
This looked good and was good!   The pastry shell was one of the more crumbled ones,  without being too hard and difficult to cut through, only to then shatter all over your hands.   ~  8/10

 

Amaryllis -
A Macaron shell with Vanilla and Raspberry,
this was quite chewy and very enjoyable.  Not very crisp on the outside at all.  ~   7.5/10

 

Inside -
Quite enjoyable

 

Macarons from Top Left Clockwise:   Salted Caramel,  Cherries Griotte,
Pineapple and Ginger,  Turron de Alicante.
The fillings of the macarons at Gerard Mulot are at the best of it’s game.  For example.  the Cherries one surprising hid a whole pitted cherry inside and was quite natural in taste.  The Pineapple and Ginger was quite refreshing with a fiery pungence.   The Turron tasted just like the Spanish candy.  Salted Caramel was also representational of its intention.   My biggest gripe with the macarons is that they are only about being chewiness and not much of a crispy exterior shell in balance,  and the tant pour tant was way too sweet and even became sticky on the fingers  (guess it’s Italian Meringue based so it’s expected).   Loved the fillings,  but not quite the shell.   ~  7/10

 

I actually quite like here,  except for that sticky and too sweet and macaron shell -
This was easily the sweetest one out of all of the shops I’ve tried and re-tried. 
May be it is just not built for Asian palates?  But I shall be back anyway.

 

 

 

Price:   Euro $10
Ease of Access:   3/5  (Close to Bastille)
Food:   ♕♕♕♕ 1/2  -  ♕♕♕♕♕

Opening Hours:
Tues to Sun -  8:00am to 20:00pm

Address:  Magasin du Marais, 6, rue du Pas de la Mule 75003 Paris
Ph: Tél 01 42 78 52 17

Pho Song Huong (Paris) - ♕♕♕♕♕

  Pho noodles outside of Vietnam,  it makes me ponder.   Where do we find the next best alternative versions outside of Vietnam?   Some people say Canada,  some say Melbourne of Australia,  some say Paris, as France used to rule Vietnam and many locals over there have migrated to France.    For me theories are only theories as I know what I will enjoy and despite it being only my opinion and besides, anything outside of Vietnam probably isn’t perfectly authentic.   Take for example Pho Song Huong here,  which is like the next door competitor Pho 14 advertising that they sell a Northern Vietnamese Pho Bac.   But the end result from both places were more of a Southern styled Pho Nam somehow,  with a strongish soup and plenty of green herbs for accompaniment..!   May be Northern Vietnam sounds a bit more exotic and sells better?

 

 

It’s crowded.
The staff here knows Pho 14 is their biggest competitor in this district.

 

 

 

Saigon Beer -

 

Sauces -
With 2 types of fish sauce,  a chili which is more Chinese than Vietnamese,
and the sweet and hot Srirachas.

 

 

 

Mexican Lime,  Culantro (Ngo Gai), Chili, Bean Sprouts -
The Culantro is the soul to a bowl of pho in my opinion.   Here they provide this by default,  just like in most pho places in Vietnam.   There is however no Thai Basil provided,  the other equally important herb together with the spring onions.   In this aspect,  Pho 14 next door has a more complete package.

 

Pho Dac Biet -
The beef brisket, sliced rare beef and beef balls were very good.   But there are no signs of the tripes or beef tendons,  which again loses out to the next door Pho 14 shop.   What it does make up for is the very very good soup.  Lots of beefiness depth and just perfectly herbed without detectable traces of MSG,  and together with the herbs and lime was very enjoyable.   ~  8/10

 

 

Pho noodles -
These are more of the chewy and white than smoother & transparent rice noodles, 
both of which can work well.   This was appreciated,  and also differs a little from it’s next door Pho 14 competitor.  Each to their own!

 

The Pho Dac Biet -
Had a really great soup indeed, in fact it was slightly better than Pho 14 and both of which beats anything available in Hong Kong by a large margin.  Even Melbourne’s best pho shops will have trouble beating these two.    I did think the pho dac biet bowl was missing the necessary tripes and tendons,  and it was also missing some herbs.   But the soup, beef and noodles were so convincing in itself,  it cancels out the flaws.

 

 

 

 

Price:   Euro $10 ~ 15
Ease of Access:   4/5  (Close to Tolbiac Station)
Food:   ♕♕♕♕♕

Opening Hours:
Mon to Sat -  9:00am to 11:00pm

Address:  129 av de Choisy, 75013 Paris
Ph: 01 45 85 01 76