BUZZ: Open in August

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BUZZ: Open in August
Located opposite the Rodin Museum, Alain Passard‘s Arpège would be my first choice. “I stay open in August because that’s the best time for vegetables, herbs and fruits from my potagers”, he explains. There’s only a few weeks to taste and admire his home grown melons, stuffed, cooked, raw, with a slice of Fourme d’Ambert cheese: crushed in sorbet: To savour “couleur, saveur et dessin des jardins/Jardinière Arlequin, acidulée au géranium carotte jaune du Doubs, haricot cupidon”/Cucurbitacées en fin velouté, read, a type of squash, crème soufflée au hareng fumé/Ecailles ou plumes, read, scales or plumes according to the market/Collection caprine de Malicorne sur Sarthe/ferme de la Souche. Passard’s advises rosé wine with his summer dishes. “It’s mostly new to us, every day”, shrug Arpège staff when pressed for ingredients or descriptions.  Passard has deconstructed his classic roots and created a cuisine unique to him. “The seasons, it’s all about the seasons”, insists the man who loves legumes. At Auberge Flora, “the accent’s on sunny Mediterranean dishes with a modern spin, served all day, every day”, says Flora Mikula who honed her craft chez Passard. Sablé au thym, légumes grillé, burrata fondue washed down with a chilled flute of Auberge Flora champagne (5€) Thierry Breton’s crusty bread at lunch, olive bread by Flora at dinner. Le foie-gras mi-cuit chutney mangue. The dishes of the day, say, Suprème de Pintade farcie au chèvre, galette de Polenta aux olives. Book well ahead, and stay in one of the 21 “gourmet themed” rooms from 110€. La Cour Jardin, Plaza Athénée, is a rural idyll in the centre of Paris where chef Christophe Marleix interprets Alain Ducasse’s Mediterranean concept with a light touch. Nicolas Merkelbagh, the discreet Restaurant Manager explains that Summer 2012 sees a nod and a wink to Monsieur Ducasse’s 3-star Louis XV, Monte Carlo, celebrating its’ 25th anniversary. As in, “Chilled Blue Lobster with Caponata and Coral Vinaigrette”. “Mediterranean red mullet, tender new potatoes, courgettes and bouillabaisse jus”. Deserts, headed Les Fruits du Temps, by Christophe Michalak and Jean-Marie Hiblot include plump Cerises Burlat, cheesecake ice-cream and macaron de Biarritz. Cheese from Maĭtre Affineur René Pellegrini for the toy-boy and, complete your staycation attitude, get a room/suite at the Plaza! In August, Monsieur Ducasse shuts his eponymous Plaza A restaurant, however there’s endless in-house options. The summer’s “it terrace” is located on avenue Montaigne behind a discreet hedge. “Terrazina” serves Italian specialities from 8.30pm. Chef Philipe Marc suggests you kick start the evening with a Bellini Piscina cocktail.  Open daily from 10h-2h Mini-Palais is a great location on the Triangle d’Or, just behind the Grand Palais. Fantasy décor by Gilles&Boissier. Eric Frechon & Stéphan d’Aboville create breakfast, lunch, ice-cream parlour (miel-romarin please), champagne bar, ze beautiful pipole to watch. Only snag, there’s no chambres or we’d stay for plusiers jours. At Dome du Marais, choose lunch, dinner, tea-time daily, or Sunday brunch.Tartare de daurade, citron vert, gingembre et salade d’herbes: Tartare de bœuf bio au couteau façon Loc Lac: Paris-Brest maisonOpen: 7/7 Christian Constant needs no introduction to BUZZophiles. Le Violon d’Ingres, Les Cocottes and Café Constant, his three Paris restaurants, are open in August. Gilles Epié is just back from Thailand, of course he’s open. Expect a burst of Asiatic flavours but also epic Epié dishes such as Homard, épinards-oignons doux, lait de coco et douceur de wasabi: Thom Albacore cuit rosé, foie gras, girolles. Souffle au chocolat: Divine. Shut Sat-Sun. Chez Georges, Porte Maillot, is the perfect addy if you want to tap into the zeitgeist of a genuine Parisian bistro. Luscious beef cheeks in red wine (Mon), Roast beef (Tues) Liver and onions (Wed) Pot-Au-Feu(Thurs) Haddock poached a l’anglaise (Fri) Osso-Buco (Sat) Roast chicken (Sun) There’s also tartare of beef, AAAAA sausage from chez Duval with moutarde à l’ancienne, casserole of kidneys. Or just pop by for a platter of Oysters or dish of steamed vegetables followed by Quatrehomme cheeses, mille feuille à la graine de vanilla, baba au rhum or the finest Oeufs à la neige you’ll ever taste, wash down with Lacoste Borie Pauillac 2003 (35€). Glou, is that achingly hip must-go- to bistro, opposite Musée Picasso. It’s an awfully big adventure for Julien Fouin (of Cuisine TV, ex- editor of Régal magazine) and entrepreneur Ludovic Dardenay.  Big accents on organic-sourced products which seems to attract the likes of Carole Bouquet and Jean Paul Gaultier. Open 7/7 The garden terrace at Auberge Dab is a favourite with Parisiens. Sea-bream tartare, red-fruit roasted duck and strawberry tart with candyfloss ice-cream. Excellent wine list. And note that the brasseries in this group, owned by the Joulie family, are all excellent addys: Le Congrès Maillot (80 avenue de la Grande Armée à Paris 17ème )Les Grandes Marches (6 place de la Bastille, 12eme)Le Sébillon (20 avenue Charles de Gaulle à Neuilly)Le Congrès Auteuil(144 boulevard Excelmans à Paris 16ème)Chez André (12 rue Marbeuf à paris 8ème)Le Mouton Blanc ( 40 rue d’Auteuil à Paris 16ème)Le Bœuf Couronné (188 avenue Jean-Jaurès à Paris 19ème)Le Montparnasse 1900 (56 boulevard du Montparnasse à Paris 6ème)Le Bar de la Mer (20 avenue Charles de Gaulle à Neuilly)L’Européen (21 bis boulevard Diderot à Paris 12ème)Le Bouillon Chartier (7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre à Paris 9ème) Bar a Huitres has excellent reviews. Garry Dorr continues the family fish based tradition with a modern spin. Montparnasse, Saint Germain, Place des Vosges and Ternes. If you can’t make it to the incredible brasseries visit the wild and wacky David Guetta rock n’roll website. It’s i-pad attitude. “But I need a hamburger and fries!” Blend, darling, for…
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More in Alain Passard, arpege, Auberge Dab, Auberge Flora, Bistro et Cie, Blend, Cantine California, Chez George, Christian Constant, Dome du Marais, Glou, Jean Franҫois Piege, Mini Palais terrace, Paris restaurants, plaza athenee, Willis Wine

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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 !