Thoumieux Restaurant, Paris

With Miri at conference and Drew on dialysis I decided a brisk walk south from the hotel and across the river to my old haunts in the 7th Arrondissement followed by a spot of lunch would be a perfect tonic for the previous two days of over indulgence. There is nothing more designed to uplift the spirits than a good walk on ones own across Paris, ogling the architecture and streetscape, enjoying the sounds and smells, with the knowledge that a good scoff at ones final destination is the reward for all this solitary exercise. One of my favourite restaurants in Paris is the Thoumieux on the Rue St Dominique, in the heart of this very bourgeois district. A neighbourhood known for it's quiet elegance, leafy streets, and the many embassies in the area. You know by the clientele what sort of district this aspires to. The men, all in their 50's and 60's attempt a slight foppish arrogance and the women (of a certain age) all sport that bullet proof hair-doo, slightly bobbed and lacquered to within a inch of its life (so favoured by well-off matrons) accompanied by a channel suit, pearls and a way of looking down their nose that intimidates even the most powerful of Maitre'des. I first visited this restaurant in 1984, when I spent some time living around the corner with an old friend in the Passage Jean Nicot. The Thoumieux, with its robust Gascon menu, very quickly established itself as a great favourite, especially during the chilly months of winter when robust and unsubtle is the order of the day. The Thoumieux does not have a grand Belle Époque dining room like so many other restaurants of this standard have in Paris. But its understated simplicity is part of its attraction. And it is elegant in its own way, with starched white tablecloths and napkins, fading paint, mirrored walls, low lights and good professional staff. I started with a light salad of soft lettuce leaves, Avocado, prawns and grapefruit segments doused in creamy vinaigrette. A lovely way to sharpen the tongue for the assault that was to come. The restaurant has its own label vin du table rouge, which is good enough to accompany such strong flavours - I ordered a bottle - drew breath and prepared myself. I ordered the restaurants signature dish, their famous cassoulet, which by the way shows a complete lack of imagination on my part, as I've consistantly ordered the same dish when ever I've been lucky enough to visit the Thoumieux during the last 20 years.

Now I know for many of my friends and fellow gastropods this cassoulet offers up a slight dilemma - For many years I have always cooked my cassoulet creamy and thick, using the back sheet of pork rind in the bottom of the casserole to stop the beans from burning during the many hours in the pot. But more importantly the rind imparts an unctuous creaminess from the collagen and fat that thickens the sauce as it's slowly released during the cooking. For years this is also how I've been served this dish in many regional restaurants in France and I know a lot of my friends like it this way as well. Many of them would be dissapointed if you couldn't use what was left over as wallpaper paste. The cassoulet the Thoumieux offers is much more separate in its consistency with a not-so-thick sauce, almost a broth, accompanied by distinct (as opposed to mushy) haricot beans and a very fresh flavour. I'm now convinced that this is the way all cassoulet should be served. As well as being much lighter to eat and therefore not requiring a lie down for two days to get over it, the separate tastes in the dish can actually be identified. The duck confit tastes of duck confit, the saucisse tastes like saucisse etc etc.

Now that I’ve had my damascene moment about cassoulet, I’m firmly convinced this is one of the best ones I’ve ever had. Of course there was no room after all this for pudding, which brings me to my only disappointment of the lunch. I thought I’d finish with a short coffee and a single malt. All they had at the bar was Johnny Walker, not the most erudite of drinks, and a surprising omission from such a good restaurant.

Thoumieux Restaurant
79, rue St. Dominique
Paris, France 75007
+33 1 47 05 49 75

La Fontaine de Mars restaurant

Another one of my favorites tucked away on one of the least touristy streets in the very smart 7th arrondissement. The La Fontaine de Mars was the choice for Drew and I to tuck into some hearty basque bistrot food. I have been here a number of times over the years and the first impression on entering is how warm and cosy the classic bistro dining room is especially in winter. In summer you can sit outside on the terrace right beside the rather large statue of the god of war that the restaurant is named after. The restaurant is full of well-heeled residents from this posh quartier, and is also very popular with the business crowd for lunch, especialy the arty producers, directors and presenters from one of the large TV studios just around the corner. Its always a good thing here to take notice of the Plat du Jour, it can be a real surprise at times. If nothing suites from the daily special menu then try from the list of old favorites like the Magret de Canard, the Volaille Champignons, the boudin noir or (in winter) the cassoulet. Duck and Foie Gras Terrine

Supreme of Chicken with Morels

Cod with very yummy sauce

The French will always tell you that they will choose their food - and then choose their wine - to suit. Drew and I decided to be a pair of philistines and do the opposite. I spotted a wonderful Chateaux Segla 1999 on the wine menu, we then ordered our food to suit the wine. Drew started with a refreshing but very filling block of raw salmon served with finely sliced pickled onion. I choose a selection of very pungent charcuterie, including the one (I've forgotten the name) that smells like month-old cow dung and tastes gamey and fantastic. Its made up of intestines, tripe, liver and all sorts of offal. Its an aquired taste but one worth cultivating. Drew moved onto a superb fillet steak with hand made chips for his main course and I decided on a Cote du Pork accompanied by Potato dauphinoise. The one thing I love about French Bistro cooking is you get what it says on the menu - nothing more and nothing less. My dish arrived with one pork chop in the middle of the plate, but it was an inch thick and on the bone - succulant and perfectly cooked. No room for pudding so we finished with coffee, while we watched the diner next to us scoff an entree of fresh fried foie gras with caramalised peaches. I'll be trying that next time.

Dinner with Drew - The highlights.
2 lillet Rouge 12.00 euro
1 Marine de saumon 13.00 euro
1 Cochonnaille 15.00 euros
1 Fillet Grill 28.00 euro
1 cote de cochon 20.00 euro
1 Segla Marguax 1999 44.00 euro

total for two 142.00 euros

La Fontaine de Mars
129 Rue St.Dominique, 7th
Phone: 011 33 1 47 05 46 44

Paris in the Autumn

Paris is one of those cities that just seems to draw you back time after time. It may feel like you know it well but everytime you visit you find something new and exciting to see, eat or indulge in. It really is a beautiful city. London (which is over twice the size) might be the hippest city in Europe with a sub-terrainian energy that produces great street fashion, world class architects, the best media, the grooviest clubs and night life, but in terms of old-fashioned substantial beauty, no city in the world comes close to Paris. With wide tree-lined streets, immaculate belle epoque buildings and a certain graciousness it's a city that has always been close to my heart.Arrived from Nice on the Easyjet shuttle to Orly and RER'd it to Auber and a short walk to the fabulous Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel on the Place Opera. The Entrance Drive at Le Grand Hotel

The hotel is in the grand Parisian/Hausmann style and is so over the top in terms of decoration, curlicues, sycophantic staff and restaurants, that you get the distinct feeling you entered some very camp broadway musical set.The Garden Room Conservatory in the Middle of the Hotel

It helps that the famous Cafe de la Paix is part of the Hotel complex with its famous oyster bar and restaurant.The Chefs Table at the Cafe de la PaixThe bedroom of room 3304

Dan and Selina in Nice on honeymoon

Months of planning, tactical negotiations with caterers, in-laws, bus companies and electively helpless friends as the wedding approached it apogee left “Team Rivers” slightly jaded and a little frazzled. Honeymoon time was about relaxation, gathering strength, and driving the hairdressers car around the Mediterranean. Of course eating and drinking for Britain also played a major roll in this tranquil "grand tour" of Southern Europe. In a rather déclassé, inebriated and generous moment during the wedding reception I offered Dan and Selina the meal of a life time if they made their way to Nice. Much to our delight they took up the invitation and came to stay. Already immersed in the beauty and existential one-ness of a perfect marriage Dan surprised us by sporting a lovely black eye and a split lip. We thought it best not to ask. The promise of fine dining prompted a discreet visit to the bank to re-mortgage the apartment as we had decided to take the love-struck youngsters to one of Nice’s most famous seafood restaurants – the Boccaccio, just off the Place Massena. Dan decided to go for the bouillabaisse after one of our American friends who had tried it in the past declared - “this isn’t a bouillabaisse this is a theme park” and in fact that’s what it turned out to be. Dan getting into the Riviera swing of things ordered 6 bottles of wine, undid his top buttons revealing his masculine chest for all to admire and promptly tucked his napkin in and went swimming.

Bordeaux wedding and finding a house

Two Lambs on the spit at the reception

A Hedonistic afternoon at Francois' villa

Francoise, obviously in need of sucking up to the bosses invited tristan and myself over for a barbarque (French Style) at his house on the slopes of Mt Boron. You couldn't really get a better position on the coast - looking down over the bay of Villefranche and further over to Saint-Jean-cap-Ferrat. Tris asked if he could bring his new girl friend and she asked if she could bring her girlfriend who was in town from Milan for a couple of days. Enough to warm the cockles of an old mans heart.

Francoise' beautiful baby had an outing in the middle of the afternoon - waking up a bit grumpy but very quickly getting into the party mood. Decided that choclate ice cream in 36 degree heat was just to sticky and enjoyable to only go in the mouth. After what seemed just seconds the entire end of the table, dad, the baby and part of yours truly was covered in a lovely brown quick setting slurry of over-heated ice cream. Doesn't get better - trying to look elegant and sophisticated around the pool on a lazy Saturday afternoon while the youngest member of the party is knocking our vanity and sense of cool for six. After a superb lunch of parma ham and melon to start followed by wood grilled rib eye of beef the pool beckoned and while yours truely lounged with a cocktail, the young'ens slipped into the water for a lazy paddle. Tristans girl Kath is an art curator in Milan and her girl friend Christy, a lovely fun canadian girl, also works in the same business. She had never been to Nice before and like most people fell head over heals in love with the place. And is now contemplating a full time move. Meanwhile Kath is still commuting from Milan to see Tris for two days a week. Ahh young love.

Sunset dinner at Castel Plage

Mike and Paola made it down from London for another short break in Nice and as usual did everything in great style. Aiden and Frank also made the trip to Nice from Cap Ferrat for a fabulous evening on the beach. Lots of champagne and good food whiled away the hours as the sun went down over Castel Plage the famous beach club opposite the Old Town in Nice. Erudite, charming and sophisticated dining companions, although Aiden still hasn't come to grips with the "knife and fork thing" as you can see and prefers eating straight from the table.