Colette is the culinary equivalent of an early warning system or canary in the mine; to mix in yet another metaphor: she can spot trouble in River City. We recently* ate at Thierry Burlot, ex-Quinze, in the 15th and as the meal was ending she said: “This place is finished.” Wow! As we exited she showed me the cushions on the banquette fallen over, that no longer lined the wall, exposing the long-tired Velcro strips, the top four stair-treads on the trip down to the bathroom, denuded of rug or edging and the outdoor door that often banged loudly when guests entered.
We’ve had a long and roller-coastery history with M. Burlot, whom I’ve never met. It goes something like this. We read an announcement that he had announced a new, amazingly-priced, seasonal “menu” and we immediately take off to try it. The first time, it is truly dazzling and the prices are terrific and the product 1st class. The second time we go, it’s a bit pricier, he’s “run out” of the more “interestingly-priced” (read cheap) wines but the quality of product stays high. Gradually over 18 months the prices climb and the quality of product and choices on the “menu” drop. By now, wines begin at 3-star levels. So we stop going. And then 18 months later, when, I presume, the world catches on, he announces, you’ve got it, “a new, amazingly-priced, seasonal ‘menu’” and again you’ve got it, we’re suckered into going back.
The trick, like the stock-market, is not ever going, but in knowing when to get in or out. One must go when he rediscovers cheaper prices, stocks more interesting wines and buys better product and bail out when everything turns in the opposite direction.
Unless the market is about to really crash, which may be the situation now.
Our experience today: We reserve and they get our name wrong, no big problem but with caller ID and our history of many visits, it was disturbing. Then we noted that there seemed to be only one “new” man and one “very new” woman in the salle, replacing the two very practiced and professional women we’ve encountered on prior visits over several years.
We get the menus, not bad, but choices on the “discovery” “menu” that don’t fully interest so I order a la carte, wanting his foie gras again. Then comes the old U-curve problem, that is, great firsts and desserts but a dip for the mains that is inexcusable. The firsts were our old favorite, the bouchons (Asian raviolis) stuffed with chopped shrimp and veggies with soy and vinegared shallots – super. Our mains which arrived after an incredible wait (during which one French
business man waved wildly at the waiter to get served) consisted of a tasteless chicken breast wrapped like a brik and the aforementioned foie gras so niggardly small that the greens on top and three rubbery gambas around it, made it look like it didn’t exist. Then the divine ice cream (only 2 “dollops” now, they used to give three), with salted caramel sauce. They used to leave the divine sauce in a large “boat” on the table, but, alas no more! That’s all folks! For toppers, it was freezing and they never turnedc the heat on and they got the bill wrong as well, undercharging us 28 €, which I brought to their attention and got hardly a thank-you (as opposed to Catherine Guerraz at Chez Catherine who couldn’t thank me enough and never forgot it or me).
It was at this point that Colette looked at me and said – never again, he’s dying.
Now I doubt he really is dying, because by my reckoning he’s still relatively young. And perhaps he has nine lives, anyway, but I suspect the House of Burlot will get a lot worse before it gets better. On the other hand, maybe Colette is correct; it’s dying and that’s sad because after all the talent he’s shown at the Crillon, Cristal Room, Quinze + Thierry Burlot, he and his restaurant deserves a long life.
*My last meal, maybe forever, was on 22 October 2007. Paid for.
©2007 John A. Talbott
Colette is the culinary equivalent of an early warning system or canary in the mine; to mix in yet another metaphor: she can spot trouble in River City. We recently* ate at Thierry Burlot, ex-Quinze, in the 15th and as the meal was ending she said: “This place is finished.” Wow! As we exited she showed me the cushions on the banquette fallen over, that no longer lined the wall, exposing the long-tired Velcro strips, the top four stair-treads on the trip down to the bathroom, denuded of rug or edging and the outdoor door that often banged loudly when guests entered.
We’ve had a long and roller-coastery history with M. Burlot, whom I’ve never met. It goes something like this. We read an announcement that he had announced a new, amazingly-priced, seasonal “menu” and we immediately take off to try it. The first time, it is truly dazzling and the prices are terrific and the product 1st class. The second time we go, it’s a bit pricier, he’s “run out” of the more “interestingly-priced” (read cheap) wines but the quality of product stays high. Gradually over 18 months the prices climb and the quality of product and choices on the “menu” drop. By now, wines begin at 3-star levels. So we stop going. And then 18 months later, when, I presume, the world catches on, he announces, you’ve got it, “a new, amazingly-priced, seasonal ‘menu’” and again you’ve got it, we’re suckered into going back.
The trick, like the stock-market, is not ever going, but in knowing when to get in or out. One must go when he rediscovers cheaper prices, stocks more interesting wines and buys better product and bail out when everything turns in the opposite direction.
Unless the market is about to really crash, which may be the situation now.
Our experience today: We reserve and they get our name wrong, no big problem but with caller ID and our history of many visits, it was disturbing. Then we noted that there seemed to be only one “new” man and one “very new” woman in the salle, replacing the two very practiced and professional women we’ve encountered on prior visits over several years.
We get the menus, not bad, but choices on the “discovery” “menu” that don’t fully interest so I order a la carte, wanting his foie gras again. Then comes the old U-curve problem, that is, great firsts and desserts but a dip for the mains that is inexcusable. The firsts were our old favorite, the bouchons (Asian raviolis) stuffed with chopped shrimp and veggies with soy and vinegared shallots – super. Our mains which arrived after an incredible wait (during which one French 
business man waved wildly at the waiter to get served) consisted of a tasteless chicken breast wrapped like a brik and the aforementioned foie gras so niggardly small that the greens on top and three rubbery gambas around it, made it look like it didn’t exist. Then the divine ice cream (only 2 “dollops” now, they used to give three), with salted caramel sauce. They used to leave the divine sauce in a large “boat” on the table, but, alas no more! That’s all folks! For toppers, it was freezing and they never turnedc the heat on and they got the bill wrong as well, undercharging us 28 €, which I brought to their attention and got hardly a thank-you (as opposed to Catherine Guerraz at Chez Catherine who couldn’t thank me enough and never forgot it or me).
It was at this point that Colette looked at me and said – never again, he’s dying.
Now I doubt he really is dying, because by my reckoning he’s still relatively young. And perhaps he has nine lives, anyway, but I suspect the House of Burlot will get a lot worse before it gets better. On the other hand, maybe Colette is correct; it’s dying and that’s sad because after all the talent he’s shown at the Crillon, Cristal Room, Quinze + Thierry Burlot, he and his restaurant deserves a long life.
*My last meal, maybe forever, was on 22 October 2007. Paid for.
©2007 John A. Talbott
