When “The Incredible Lightness of Being” is Pure Vapor.

Disclosure: I realize that certain palates are shaped by cultural influences (the Kiwis’ intolerance for spiciness in Indian food, for example), some by experience (oysters, Campari and coffee spring to mind) and yet others by age (note that old folk tend to add more pepper, Tabasco and soy to their food, is so allowed). That said, though, there are fascinating differences in the ways different folks experience the same meals. One of my most loyal eating partners in Paris and I only come close to blows over the refined versus gutsy nature of certain restaurants and dishes. Whereas he’s of the school that thinks that current French cuisine is stuck-in-the-old-boys’-muck and it’s only from Roses/Rosas, Chicago and Kyoto that it can be saved, I think going back to basics (ie Jadis) is much more interesting. When I read the words “heavenly, ethereal, light, refined, or essence” I know I will find the place gutless, tasteless and spineless. I want to touch, smell, taste and savor food not have it escape off my tongue into the ether. Let’s take three meals I had recently. One, at Shan Gout, a new Chinese place in the 12th, was the tastiest, gutsiest and best Chinese meal I’ve had in memory. Now, I’m immediately biased because he uses the Jadis formula for success: find old recipes, cook them using modern products and equipment and don’t screw around with concepts. The next was yam’Tcha, described by one critic as “Asian-inspired” where everything was “delicious, light and almost ethereal” but, but, but still tasty. The first course was cold asparagus (that had been cooked and marinated, I suspect, in a very dilute rice wine); the sauteed foie gras had the incredible lightness of being and the mackerel was most unfishy. Pushing the envelope of lightness but not yet outre. As opposed to Issé, on the other hand, supposedly serving Japanese nouvelle cuisine that was so refined that it was nigh tasteless. Except for the ”spaghetti” of agar-agar that had some taste and shaved Japanese radishes (daikon), that had some bite, the rest was like kissing your sister. Now, my recollection of the introduction of nouvelle French cuisine here involved local fresh ingredients and clever rather that heavy sauces, but no where in the manifesto do I recall, refining taste out of existence. While in this essay I’m dealing with foreign cuisines, I could write it about French ones as well. While Passage 53’s chef is Japanese he serves Hugo Desnoyer’s meat and Alexandre Cammas of Le Fooding calls his food “half-terroir” and while the Reminet, team is reputed to have passed through Polynesia, Madagascar, the Antilles and St Martin, the food is very, very tasty and French. No, I think my fondness for gutsy, full-flavored, old-time oomph vs light and ethereal will have to stand as a given to me, my readers and friends. Ever had a hundred fifty year old cognac? It is sort of cognac, the alcohol is there, the scent is almost there, but the soul is missing. I need soul. Places mentioned above are: Jadis 208, rue de la Croix-Nivert, 15th, (Metro: Felix Faure) T: 01.45.57.73.20 Closed Saturday lunch and Sundays Menu-carte 32 € Shan Gout 22, rue Hector Malo, 12th (Metro: Gare de Lyon) T: 01.43.40.62.14 Closed Mondays A la carte about 30 €. yam’Tcha 4, rue Sauval in the 1st, (Metro: Les Halles, Sentier) T: 01 40 26 08 07 Closed Mondays and Tuesdays Lunch menu at 30 €, tasting menu 65 and dinner 45 €. Issé 45, rue de Richelieu, 2nd, (Metro: Pyramides) T: 01.42.96.26.60 Closed Sundays and Mondays Lunch bento 35 €, dinner degustation 55 €, a la carte 25-40 €. Passage 53 53 Passage des Panorama, 2nd, (Metro: Grands Boulevards) T: 01 42 33 04 35 Closed Sundays A la carte 38-44 €. Le Reminet 3, rue des Grands-Degres, 5th (Metro : St Michel, Maubert-Mutualite) T : 01.44.07.04.24 Open 7/7 Lunch menu 14 €, dinner a la carte 40-60 €. Blog: John Talbott’s Paris ©by John Talbott 2009