The "Hidden Kitchen" -- review

Braden and Laura, the fabulous duo

http://hkmenus.com/

Reviewed 6/25/10
1-3 scoring
Food:  2.7
Ambiance: 3
Service: 3
Price: Donation



French tapas in Paris, who knew?

The “Hidden Kitchen” has had some phenomenal write-ups and reviews since they opened more than 3-years ago and highly recommended by so many people that I was concerned that all this hype would unconsciously make my expectations so high that they couldn’t realistically meet it. Most people starve themselves in preparation for a large meal, amateurs!  Since I am an eating pro, I prepared that afternoon by eating practically a whole baguette to stretch out my stomach;  after all, we are going to have 10-courses.

Restaurant Review -- Le Régalade

TWO LOCATIONS:

La Régalade
123 Saint Honoré
75001 Paris
 website
tele: 01-42-21-92-40

9 Avenue Jean Moulin (orginal location)
75014 Paris
Phone: 01 45 45 68 58

Updated, reviewed 10/30/12:

After almost 2-years since it opened on Rue St. Honoré, we had an opportunity to return.  All I can say is the food and service has dramatically improved. We went for lunch and they had a Pre-fix menu for 35€.  The menu still had their signature dish of the "poitrine de cochon" still my favorite dish; however, the dish was much lighter since it was served atop of wilted cabbage and some carrots. We had the Coquilles St. Jacque served over a nice vinaigrette, a tuna confit, which was excellent. And, some cheese at the end. Only minor complaint I had was the salad accompanying the cheese had a dressing that was extremely sour.

The service is much better than I had remembered, with very nice and amicable wait staff.  I would definitely go back.

New Ratings:

  4- Star...............................................................€€...................................................................2 - Bell



Reviewed 6/23/10
1-3 scoring
Food:  1
Restaurant: 1.5
Service: 2.5
€50 pp for dinner with wine


There's been so much fanfare and hype about this new restaurant location that we were quite excited to go and check for ourselves. We were 4-people, all seasoned "foodies" -- two had been many times to the Le Regalade in the 14eme and liked it. I did my homework, and found a very "mixed" bag of reviews. But with an open mind we entered anew.

The atmosphere was quite minimalist, with the exception of red hanging pendant lights and tall ceilings, it lacked any real color or charisma. I felt like donating a few "modern" paintings to give it some soul, oh well.

We were treated with a complimentary glass of white wine of L'haurault. It was quite refreshing and excellent since it was quite a warm evening. We checked out the specials, but I already knew what I wanted, since they're known for the poitrine de porc (literally means porc chest, but often referenced as porc belly).

Up, up, and away--but dinner first

Friday: Our last night in SF, went out with friends for dinner at La Mar, a Peruvian restaurant specializing in Seafood. Our reservations were quite early, 6:15, since it was the only allotted slot time. The restaurant sits on pier 1 1/2. It is HUGE. Inquiring minds want to know how can they fill the tables with so many people and turn them over so quickly? It was a beautiful day and the view was spectacular.

Bar at La Mar

We got our proverbial apéros, or should I say cocktails of real martini. Remember, martinis in France are like sweet vermouth over ice, and one of  the only times that the bartenders in France will ever serve you ice without asking for it. We were joking with our waiter, I started asking him in Spanish what were some of the Peruvian specialties? he laughed, and said he was Mexican. He asked where I lived, and I told him Paris, and he had a huge grin on his face, then someone at the table told me that the Mexicans beat out the French in the world cup finals, like I really care, but being the good sport, excuse the pun, I congratulated him.

Incanto Restaurant (SF) Review

Although I normally write about my experiences in Paris and in particular Europe, I will occasionally write about my food experiences in the US as well.  Taste is subjective, and this is my personal review of this restaurant.

Incanto
1550 Church Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 641-4100
www.Incanto.biz

Reviewed 6/17/10
1-3 scoring
Food:  2.5
Restaurant: 2.5
Service: 3
$55 for dinner with wine

Comments: When you walk into the restaurant, it reminds you of a very, very large French bistro. The restaurant was spacious and has very tall ceilings. The restaurant’s Chef Constantino, is known for his no-nonsense use of parts of an animal normally thrown away (e.g., trotters). His meals are heavy on the meat and pasta, but strong on flavors.  First we were given an array of breads with one of the most delicious tapenades I have ever tasted, albeit a bit salty.

For our first course I had the piglet salumi, a cornucopia of various sausages from the pig, plus a slow roasted garlic for the copious amounts of bread you get.  The variety was great, but I’m not use to such large portions. The other appetizer we had was the baby beets, hazelnuts, mustard greens and ricotta salata. This too was very good. The beets were delightfully paired with hazelnuts. The contrast  was excellent.

Tips and Tricks when visiting Paris

Many Americans will most certainly want to head to Europe. And, many of you will probably no doubt head out to Paris, which is the most visited city in the world and centrally located to other great European cities.

My first year of living in Paris was a series of trial and error. I’ve learned a lot of tips and tricks through the years. Once you understand how it works and the cultural differences, it becomes a place of interest and fascination. Here are a few tips and tricks that might be helpful when visiting the “City of Lights.”

Let's start all over fresh

I’ve tried to capture and download my previous missives but have lost most of 2009 and 2010 due to an old laptop mishap, it crashed. So, there will be a slight gap.  I’m resuming as of today.