Patrick Pignol’s « Le Relais D’Auteuil (31 Boulevard Murat, 75016, tel 01 46 51 09 54) is a small place with “grande cuisine”. You can be sure to leave always happy when you dine in this 2 Michelin stars restaurant in the 16th. (Update February 2007. This year it has…

The name of Jacques Le Divellec, the owner of one-star Le Divellec, is a synonym for superb and high-quality seafood. Besides of extremely fresh oysters, Le Divellec is one of those few Parisian fish restaurants which bake turbot filets how they have to be – thick and juicy. This time…

The highly anticipated Pierre Herme’s creations for the holidays season: “Macaron chocolate and foie gras” (the red one) and “Macaron églantine, figue foie gras” (the golden one). The sucré-salé aspect ( salty foie gras and sweet chocolate) is particularly strong in the chocolate macaron. Tastewise, I thought Herme would manage…

Le Clos des Gourmets (16 av Rapp, 75007, tel 01 45 51 75 61) is the right place for those who would like to feel the bourgeoise spirit of the 7tharrondissement, but still eat something relatively light and with themodern twist. The CV of the chef Arnaud Pitrois speaks for…

Maroccan is one of those few non-French cuisines which have really fluorished in Paris and in France generally. No surprise why- good couscous can be a real joy… Le Timgad (21, Rue Brunel,75017) is one of the best Maroccan in Paris. Couscous and tagines are fine and the dramatic…

Sormani (4, Rue du General-Lanrezac, 75017) is one of the best Italian in Paris (if not the best) and a living proof that Italian cooking simplicity and French cuisine sophistication can cohabitate. Also, Sormani is all about truffles like, for example, “lasagne a la truffe noire et au foie gras”…

The Pierre Herme’s fetish of the moment is nothing else but… vanilla… “J’aime la vanille pour la pureté de son goût!”,-writes Herme about his “Infiniment Vanille” pastry line. (Only available from 14th to 26th of November). And indeed, vanilla has been banalized and industrialized by all these giant companies who…

Nowhere in the world, you can have better cakes than in France… I love cakes and the French “pâtisserie” is something of another level… What is amazing, that at least in Paris, you can buy a fantastic cake from a “boulangerie” on almost every corner! And then there are these…

“La buche de Noel” by Philippe Starck and Lenotre pastry chefs. I bet it doesn’t taste like wood!

To be honest, I have always had “something personal” against cupcakes. For me, a cupcake is rather a boring dessert that is made of dry cake and “too sweet”, even vulgar frosting. And, frankly, I have passed by the Magnolia bakery (401 Bleecker Street (cross street: 11th street)) dozens of…