拍攝地點: 巴黎 

One of the oldest institutions in Paris’s Haute Cuisine fine dining scene,  I locked in this restaurant to visit and after a 2nd try was finally granted my wish.   After consulting friends and foodies who visit Parisfrequently,  it was interesting many of them also mentioned 2 Starred Le Cinq as the place to be at.   I definitely had that on my agenda as it has a sister restaurant in Caprice in Hong Kong,  but after visiting the highly regarded Paris (Le Meurice ***) last trip around,  and on a later trip trying out the controversial Japanese-inspired  (Sur Mesure by Thierry Marx **) plus previous places before my time of taking food pics,  I decided to trust my instinct and give Ledoyen a chance as I had a feeling it is old school yet also silently reinventing the Parisian  dining trend! [IMG http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HkBOcyFydkk/UKyHEpseyPI/AAAAAAAAU3U/z47bKiegKSo/wlEmoticon-Inlove%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800]  I have got to say this meal by Chef Christian Le Squer was simply perfect from start to the end,  there was a weighted balance between sensibility,  classiness, execution, taste and meal planning  – having tried out some of the fussiestrestaurants in Europe before here or after,  I really enjoyed this French Classical style dining with a modern mentality.

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Amuse Bouches of Campari and Orange Ginger Bubble,  Comte Cheese Puff with Cepe Mushrooms, Bruleed Foie Gras with Raspberry Sandwich,  Vegetable Roll with Poppyseed..
They look good and they tasted equally great.  I especially liked the spoon of Campari with Orange Ginger bubble as it was so appetizing and I was told to eat from this order.   ~  10/10
 
Au Bon Beurre -
The bread offerings were expectedly great,  you can count on it when eating in France but forget it when you eat in HK except for places like Caprice and Petrus, or Robuchon Macau.  I thought a previous butter encounter at equally 3 Starred Le Meurice was  already the bomb, yet this was less cowy but more sophisticated in finish.  I asked the maître d' who makes their butter here?  He showed a big shock on his face and explained it’s just normal Au Bon Beurre from a local farm associated with the restaurant naturally...  If I could just get such great quality produce butter at my disposal >.<   Crazy good  ~  12/10

Beef Jelly Consomme and Horseradish Granite,  Peas and Beef Mince -
For summer, another lovely starter and quite intense.    

Grosses Langoustines Bretonnes, Emulsion d’agrumes -
Blanched Brittany Langoustine with Citrus of Lemon, Orange and Grapefruit, Coriander & Olive Oil Emulsion.  2nd half of Langoustine  encased in a fried Kataifi pastry.  With Seaweed crisp and Jelly beneath.   I really liked this dish for balance and perfect execution.   

Ris de Veau en Brochette de bois de Citronnelle Rissolee,  Jus d’herbes -
Another signature at Ledoyen,  this is the best Sweetbread I have ever had in my life by far.  It was covered in a Sweetbread Crumb,  brochetted with 2 lemongrass stalks,  and served with a herbs sauce and Broad Fava beans and Peas.  Cooked perfectly just barely under well-done and for once I could actually taste the organ too.  And this was huge!  This was only half portion and it was fist sized already.  Didn’t know Sweetbread organ can be presented so huge lol!

Mignardises - 
I find that in Europe Mignardises are not confused with Petits Fours, which come after the meal with coffee. This was served on an edible Meringue plate.

Campari Dill and Basil Croustillant,  Citrus Sorbet,  Grapefruit marinated in Honey & Lemon Juice,  Confit Pink Grapefruit -
I will be lying if I said this wasn’t once again a foodgasm level dessert.   This was just so right..

 
.... to be continued 

A famous Crepe street on Rue du Montparnasse,  there weren’t so many Asian faces that I had come to anticipate compared to the likes of Laduree or Angelina.    As someone who has a crepe fetish,  I have imprinted this street into my mind as the 1st place to visit if I long for crepes in Paris although I always suspected  it to be also touristy,  hence sometimes I did try out creperies in other areas for cross comparison.   This street is closer to the Edgar Quinet Metro station than the similarly named Montparnasse Bienvenue.    A train ride to Brittany or Normandy for good creperies meanwhile might only be a few hours away,  but it is always exciting to see so many Creperies all occupying the same street!  

Paris locals might know of better Creperies in the more suburban areas, and if you do please do leave me a comment so I can work out where to visit next time around!    In the mean time,  this was another visit to Creperie de Josselin after skipping it the last time just like I deliberately skipped La Maison Angelina before a 2nd revisit.   After all quota is limited.   This time I was back with a mission and in fact Josselin was the first creperie I have ever visited in Paris years ago.  Upon this revisit I really want to compare the best creperies I have eaten so far in Hong Kong, France and Australia or elsewhere and settle it once and for all!


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Couple Andouille de Guemene - €9,40
2 separate Layers of buckwheat pancakes are wrapped around this amazing pig tripes sausage!  2 Layered crepes are popular here but so far I have never seen it outside France.  The galette de sarrasin base texture was really great with bites of Buckwheat and aroma, was edge crispy but not tough.  Can’t foresee this getting any better.  Absolutely to die for level.  Amazing.   ~  12/10

Maraichere -  with Spinach, Fried Egg, Lard Bacon, Fromage Cheese, Crème - €9,30
One of the signatures at Josselin.  This was simply sublime once again.  I can’t rave enough about it.  The presentation of the food is not that attractive here,  not exactly neat but this is just so Creperie de Josselin style.   To me,  the taste is more important and the galette crepes here I ate on that night were just simply unbeatable.   Personally I would rate here over >  La Creperie (Hong Kong) >  Breizh Café(Paris).   The latter was the most promising,  but that visit didn’t deliver in taste.  Whereas La Creperie HK is inconsistent but as good as Paris creperies if not better.  Josselin meanwhile looked the most normal and sterile but tasted easily the best!  ~  10/10 

Breizh Café seems to be the hottest Creperie in Paris nowadays,  and many foodies have been carrying this on their lips.  The brand also has outlets in Cancale in Brittany,  and also in Japan.    The menu planning is sensational indeed,  carrying anything from the freshest of Brittany or Normandy oysters,  to the most exotic of ingredients to put on their galettes and crepes.   You should make reservations at least 2-3 days beforehand,  don’t count on walking in.  Unfortunately however,  on the day of my visit the base buckwheat base for the Galettes de Sarrasin was too hard and had too little buckwheat taste,  I have had slightly better.  (Then again, the finer grades of the Buckwheat Soba noodles in Japan also have less buckwheat taste when they only eat the core bits,  so it doesn’t mean I am right in my own preference.)



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Fougeraise Galette, 
"La Coglaise" Andouille Chitterling sausage, 
with Bordier Farmhouse Creme Fraiche mixed Mustard Sauce - €11,80
The chitterling sausage in this cross-section guise seemed packed together than rounded in appearance.  The taste is NOT strong.  It will suit those who dislike pig organs smell and uric acid.   I am somewhere in between however so I found this too weak.   The buckwheat crepe likewise,  was too hard and eating this made my jaws fell sore after a few bites just like eating too many stale nachos.   The buckwheat flavour was also very weak.  A little disappointed overall ~  6.9/10

Carrement Sarrasin - €7,50
Buckwheat Crepe (sweet),  Buckwheat Honey,  with Buckwheat Ice Cream.  
The trifecta combo of buckwheats,  and the first time I have eaten a buckwheat crepe as a dessert dish.   Unfortunately once again,  the crepe was too hard and also missing buckwheat flavour.  The Buckwheat honey fared better,  and also the ice-cream.   In the end I thought this sounded more promising than it delivered in the flavours.    ~  7/10

Bordier Salted Caramel -
Wish I could carry these back to my friends,  but don’t think they will last before they melt away.  Actually quite good indeed.  But I think I have had better at say Caprice or Jacques Genin or somewhere else...    ~  7/10

Salted Caramel Butter by Bordier -
It is quite good indeed,  actually I liked this better than the above Salted Caramel candy itself.  I can so buy a plain crepe and spread this on top.  Or put it into a toasted sandwich !

Francois Sehedic Apple Cider from Fouesnant, Brittany -  €12,50
This is of the drier,  almost farm house like style.   Very utterly good and more concentrated than the Gold Medal winning bottle Cidre Fermier du Pays de Broceliande I drank at Creperie Suzette,   real artisanal stuff and worth the price tag.   ~   9/10  


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Overall was very slightly disappointed with the execution of the Sarrasin buckwheat crepes here as they were quite hard but not having much buckwheat taste either, unlike my favourite Josselin.   3 out of 5

Dalloyau is one of the most oldest and traditional style French food shops dating back to 1682,  but seems to have dropped off the radar or lost its lustre during recent years.  They’re not making much noise lately.  Yet, they continue to garner a big following in it’s Japan outlets but I was more keen to revisit the Paris stores instead – once again I chose the bigger one of their shops in Bastille which carried the best range.    This store runs as both as deli as well as a Tea Salon,  which definitely suited my purpose.   There are to be No Photos allowed,  but somehow I took a lot of them before I got told off again,  just like my experience at Pierre Herme.


- Dalloyau Opera Cake -
This is their famous Dalloyau Opera Cake,  which everyone else in the world copied from!  Although not my 1st time trying it,  it’s always good to revisit it a few years down the track.   Invented as the Opera cake in 1955 by Cyriaque Gavillon from Dalloyau,  this cake borrowed ideas from similar sliced cakes and created to show visible layers of various ingredients, to be eaten in a single bite to release the various layers in taste.   Joconde biscuit is soaked in coffee liqueur,  then layered with coffee buttercream and then there are 2 layers of chocolate ganache in between.  

- Canele - 
Trying a traditional Canele de Bordeaux here makes sense.  The exterior crust on this was spot on, slightly caramelised but not hard crispy.  The inside was slightly hollow in the middle,  but at least not wet like the one in Laduree Paris.   This didn’t have as much rum and vanilla taste though but was still detectable,  but had a good egginess instead.   It’s not perfect – but it is better than most that I could grab on a regular basis!   ~   8/10

- Salted Caramel & Cognac Champagne Remy Martin Macarons
 I liked the Cognac Champagne version more,  with just a hint of Cognac spiking the macaron sandwich.   It was decent.  You can find prettier macarons out there,  but this passed the taste test.  The Salted Macaron one was also good but a little too sticky and chewy. ~  7/10