BUZZ Extra Mini Palais in Paris with video

25 January 2012 by Margaret Kemp    1425  
BUZZ Extra Mini Palais in Paris with video
Margaret Kemp
By Margaret Kemp
Mini Palais dining room. Publicity photo. When Eric Frechon was asked to create and become Chef Conseil at the Mini Palais he didn’t hesitate. Located just behind the Grand Palais and Le Petit Palais, Mini Palais has incredible décor by ex-Christian Liagre disciples Gilles et Boissier under the watchful eye of Alain-Charles Perrot, architecte en chef des monuments historiques de la Ville de Paris; it’s now one of the most beautiful buzzing restaurant spaces in Paris. Look up at the metallic ceiling, admire the neo-medieval patchwork wall-covering by Gilles Cenazandooti and smile at the plaster reproductions of plaster of Paris museum pieces and broken relics on the shelves. Then look outside at the wide terrace with elegant Greek columns and majestic orange trees. Are you ready to order? Eric Frechon (3-star Michelin at Le Bristol) seized the challenge to create a luxury product but without the eye-watering prices. “I’m a simple lad at heart and I’ve created dishes that I’d like to eat in this setting,” he said last week. “Also, this gives me the opportunity to showcase my favorite artisans.” So he gathered Jean-Yves Bordier for his exceptional Beurre Bordier butter; Philippe Camdeborde for traditional homemade charcuterie that Lady Gaga would love to wear; Frédéric Lalos for his incredible variety of breads at Le Quartier du Pain, served in hessian sacks; mareyeur (fishmonger) Claude Raffin for his line-caught fish; and he also tapped into the resources of Mr Good Fish to ensure that no endangered fish are used in the bright new kitchens. Stéphane d’Aboville, who says he’s 30 but looks much younger, is in charge of the kitchens. He was at Le Bristol as second and premier responsable du Restaurant Gastronomique to Frechon for eight years. “And I love him, and he loves me,” grins Frechon. “He’s a good boy.” Before Le Bristol this boy from Tarbais (where the beans come from) learned his craft at L’Ambroisie, Tarbes (1-star) then Bayonne, then Drouant with the legendary Louis Grondard. In 2002 he joined la brigade d’Eric Frechon. Drink, say, a white Chablis Le Finage de Chablienne 2007 (42€) or a well-structured Beaujolais Morgan, Domaine Marcel Lapierre 2009 (38€). Bar at Mini Palais. Publicity photo. After visiting Grand Palais or shopping on the Golden Triangle why not pop in for a snack: Sardines à l’huile, Bordier beurre aux algues (16€); Planche de Charcuterie “Lady Gaga” (14€), Planche de fromages affinés (8€), Club Sandwich de langouste (35), Tartare de boeuf taillé au couteau cru ou poêle (19€). The menu is seasonal and market driven. Freebie gougères (feather-light cheese puffs) served as mini-soufflés are the perfect intro to discover a talented cutting-edge chef. Delicious choices include: Slightly smoked Corrèze ceps batter pudding Pil-Pil squids Snails in cherry tomatoes, browned with almond butter Yellow wine, cheese-crusted sweetbreads Pearly cod, with coriander and citronella perfumed stock Tandoori pork pluma, candied onion, straw potatoes Giant rum baba, light vanilla cream for two. Chouquettes and expresso ice cream, hot chocolate fudge Chefs Frechon and d’Aboville are bien in their baskets. Take a half a minute to get the vibe via video by Jason Fist: PRACTICAL INFORMATION: Mini Palais Avenue Winston Churchill, Paris 8th at the Grand Palais by Pont Alexandre III Métro: Champs Elysées-Clemenceau, Tél: 01 4256 4242 Lunch Formula 28€ – Average Spend 45€ + wine Glass of wine 7€ Open 7/7 10am-midnight Valet Parking 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. Please click on her name to see her weekly on-the-scene reports dating back to 2003 . . . et merci, Margaret. You are reading an excerpt from PREMIUM CONTENT sent first to Premium Members who read our Sunday BUZZ column for the latest top chef news, restaurant openings, trends and happenings in Paris, London, Nice, Cannes, New York and other international destinations. If you’re a culinary traveler, please consider an annual Premium Membership with exclusive content and members-only benefits.   Subscribe for FREE weekly newsletters with subscriber-only content. BonjourParis has been a leading France travel and French lifestyle site since 1995.   Readers’ Favorites: Top 100 Books, imports & more at our Amazon store We daily update our selections, including the newest available with an Amazon.com pre-release discount of 30% or more. Find them by starting here at the back of each section, then work backwards page by page. Click on image for more info about these Paris restaurant guides and the French Brasserie Cookbook.  
Previous Article Chinese New Year Parades 2012 in Paris (with video)
Next Article Le Figaro in English France News of the Week for January 28

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 !