Off-shoots, bistrots-d’a cote, etc., update

While not a historian, I’ve been around the food scene long enough to remember when chefs had but one restaurant, there was Bocuse or the Troisgros’s or Point (leaving out the Flo group and Hippopotamus) – until Michel Rostang came up with the idea of a relaxed bistro beside his elegant restaurant, called the Bistro d’a Cote (bistro on the side) in 1978.  Eventually he had so many of them spread out all over the city that he had a Carte de Fidelité they clipped like those in a coffee shop.  Others, notably Guy Savoy, Jacques Cagna, Joel Robuchon, Thierry Breton and Bernard Loiseau followed suit. But now, I would maintain, in the wake of the Great Recession and despite both Rostang and the Loiseau Company’s pulling back, we’ve seen the return of the older style bistrots besides or across from the main restaurant. In the last two years, several notable places have opened. As you might guess, Ze Kitchen Galerie bis would have my vote for most exciting new offshoot: William Ledeuil’s ability to infect his kitchen and front-room staff with his concept of how a place should run is palpable.  I never cease to be amazed at how he moves calmly around, touching this and that while being totally aware of everything that’s happening within range.  I’ve also seen him up on a step-ladder fixing an electrical glitch after a blackout; he’s a guy I’d trust to lead me into a combat situation or an O.R., he’s that totally in control. Another impressive new offshoot, in my opinion, is the La Cantine du Troquet, where Christian Etchebest’s hand in the food selection and preparation is as evident as it is at the mothership – Le Troquet.  It is, however, gutsier food, closer to his Basque roots than at the Francois-Bonvin location.  However, make no mistake, Etchebest is often here, scootering over to make sure everything’s OK. Yet another is Rodolphe Paquin’s Cartouche Café, sister to the Repaire de Cartouche.  I think some of my dishes were better here than at the mother-ship.  No one who’s in Paris for under a week will go unless they’re headed to the monster Cine-Cite or Cinematheque afterwards and that’s a shame.  It damned good, straight, no nonsense food that would qualify as “best bisto” stuff by John Whiting. Then there’s Zinc Caius, an offshoot of Caius, which while tiny (16 covers) serves really nifty food running the range from lentil salad to boudin and fish to meat.  It’s reasonable and like most bistrots d’a cote a la carte. And finally, in a slightly different category is Thierry Burlot’s wine bar with 10 food items, called La Cave Edmond across the street from his primary place which keeps changing its name and awning. Not to be forgotten (as Le Figaro would say), however, are several notable others; Thierry Faucher’s (l’Os a Moelle) Barbezingue in Chatillion, the Benard group’s (Les Zingots + Que du Bon) Les Cotelettes in the 4th not to be confused with Christian Constant’s (another cool, in the neat not frigid sense, customer) third offshoot Les Cocottes, l’Ecailler du Bistrot (Paul Bert) not a smaller version of Paul Bert but a fishy offshoot and the Bis de Severo, sister of Severo, itself step-mothered by Hugo Desnoyer. This week, my top-top favorites are: Kitchen Galerie bis 25, rue des Grands Augustins, 6th (Metro: Saint Michel) T: 01 46 33 00 85 Menus at lunch: 27 & 34, a la carte 50-70 €. Closed Sundays and Mondays. La Cantine du Troquet 101, rue de l’Ouest, 14th (Metro: Pernety) No telephone/no reservations Closed Sunday nights and Mondays A la carte from 30-40 € Cartouche Café 4, rue de Bercy, 12th (Metro: Cour St Emilion) T: 01.40.19.09.95 Closed Saturday noon and Sundays A la carte about 30 € ©2009 John A. Talbott