What’s in a Name – Part 4

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As I mentioned before, there’s a “new” eating establishment nearby my home that has an awning outside proclaimed it to be La Timbale – Brasserie Bistro Restaurant Café Bar. In prior essays I’ve discussed the differences between and among and the evolution of brasseries and bistrots and zincs, bistrots and bars and the subcategories of bistrots and restos. Let’s delve a bit more into other definitions. Again going back to my early days in France in the ‘50’s, there were a limited number of types of places in which to eat; Gastronomic temples (La Tour d’Argent), Restaurants (Lucas-Carton), Brasseries (Lipp), Bistrots (Allard) and corner bar/cafes (often recognizable more by their beer-label awnings than names). Since then, however, all sorts of new types have arisen. In no particular order they include: Tea Salons, the most well-known of which is probably Mariages Freres serving a few light plates in addition to infusions. Wine bars, for example, Les Papilles, with racks of wine on the wall from which to choose and a few dishes on a blackboard or plates of cheese and/or charcuterie. Fish bars, like that at l’Ecailler de Bistro, where one can stand and have a few bivalves and a glassa. Fish bistrots, like the Bistro du Dome, with a full array of bivalves, fish, desserts and wines. Gastro-bistrots, like the Americans fave La Regalade, which even with Bruno Doucet replacing M. Camdeborde, retains its blend of the gastromonic and bistrotish and serves everything from terrines to duck to hearty desserts. Neo-bistrots, which some people think are merely the small places opened by big chefs (eg Chez Michel) but others assess as edgier, newer, more daring (l’Ourcine). Neo-troquets, that represent the evolution of the corner/neighborhood bar to the moderately fancy place like Le Troquet. Theme restos, that specialize in one ingredient (Pomze, Rouge, Coco & Co), one or two tricks (soups and salads) or one truc (Dans le Noir). Ethnic restos (which are much more than your father’s Viet namese or N. African or Italian) whose ethnicity spans the globe. American bars, which sure don’t look “American” to me, but then bistrots in Alabama don’t resemble their French namesakes either. Auberges, which have evolved from the actual widebeamed wood décor to faux farms. Chez’s and Ami’s which were once (one of my French colleagues informed me) cheap places – try that at Chez Pauline or l’Ami Louis. Fusion places, which started largely as Japanese-French ones, as in Carte Postale, but have blossomed everywhichway. So back to my theme Bistro Brasserie Resto Café Bar: What’s in a Name? We’ve gone in some 55 years from a relatively simple palette to a complex kaleidoscope of color, and like so many other cosmopolitan cities, you can get pretty much what you want, albeit not always when you want it. My favorites from the above remain: Les Papilles 30 rue Gay Lussac, 5th (RER: Luxembourg) T: 01.43.25.20.79 Closed Sunday and Tuesday and Thursday nights Menu 28.50 €. Le Troquet 21 Rue Francois Bonvin, 15th (Metro: Volontaires) T; 01.45.66.89.00 Closed Sunday and Monday Menus: 23 € lunch, 30 € dinner, 37 €. A la carte 45-55 €. l’Ecailler du Bistrot 22, rue Paul-Bert, 11th (Metro : Faidherbe-Chaligny) T: 01 43 72 76 77 Closed Saturday noon and Sunday A la carte 25-30 €.
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