http://www.barbraaustin.com Eating, drinking, and writing Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:22:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2012/03/hong-kong-local-produce-and-hello-kitty/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2012/03/hong-kong-local-produce-and-hello-kitty/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:22:30 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=2117 Naturally, I bought it.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2012/03/hong-kong-local-produce-and-hello-kitty/feed/ 6 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/10/vivant/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/10/vivant/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 07:26:05 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=2085 Back in July I had a dessert at Vivant that I still think about: A slippery peach, juicy and fragrant, served well by a dollop of lightened mascarpone and crushed almonds. When I told Pierre Jancou how much I liked it, he immediately and ardently deflected all credit to the fruit, the grower, and the location of the orchard. I probably blushed.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/10/vivant/feed/ 1 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/09/la-compagnie-de-bretagne/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/09/la-compagnie-de-bretagne/#comments Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:55:36 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=2062 Of all the foods in the world to deconstruct, the galette complète, that perfect all-in-one meal of egg, ham, and cheese in a hot buckwheat envelope, seems like an unlikely candidate, and yet that's exactly what I was faced with at La Compagnie de Bretagne, the new upscale crêperie in the Sixth.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/09/la-compagnie-de-bretagne/feed/ 9 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/07/septime/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/07/septime/#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2011 06:38:53 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=1993 My first meal here, in early May, was an utter pleasure, not least because of the good company, or that it began with a coupe of Lassaigne at the bar. We were seated in front of the pass at the open kitchen, radishes and butter arrived, and we required no coaxing to commit to the five-course menu.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/07/septime/feed/ 11 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/06/frenchie/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/06/frenchie/#comments Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:36:57 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=2015 We started with a foie gras torchon, an hors-formule, 14€ add-on to the three-course, 38€ menu. It was outstanding, perfectly textured, dusted with coarse salt and pepper and getting a jolt from a few very boozy cherries.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/06/frenchie/feed/ 5 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/06/le-severo/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/06/le-severo/#comments Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:27:38 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=2004 There was a côte de veau for two, and sweetbreads with purée, asparagus and girolles on the menu at Le Severo, but the reason I traveled almost the entire length of line four was to eat steak. And not just any, but what might be some of the best in Paris.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/06/le-severo/feed/ 3 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/05/lemon-posset/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/05/lemon-posset/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 10:18:06 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=1966 I've been wanting to attempt this dessert since having it at Le Bal Café a few weeks ago, and Friday's nuptials seemed like a good occasion to try a little bit of British dessert cookery.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/05/lemon-posset/feed/ 6 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/easter-at-jean-charles-rochoux-and-patrick-roger/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/easter-at-jean-charles-rochoux-and-patrick-roger/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:34:44 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=1958 No matter what your religious beliefs or disbeliefs may be, I think the best time of year to visit Paris chocolate shops is around Easter.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/easter-at-jean-charles-rochoux-and-patrick-roger/feed/ 4 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/le-bal-cafe-again-and-again-and-again/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/le-bal-cafe-again-and-again-and-again/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 07:18:15 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=1887 two of the last three three of the last four Sundays, for several reasons. First, there is the coffee, about which much has been written already. Then there are the scones. ]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/le-bal-cafe-again-and-again-and-again/feed/ 8 http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/lorient-dor/ http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/lorient-dor/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:47:07 +0000 Barbra http://www.barbraaustin.com/?p=1898 The day after dinner at Q-Tea, my dining partner sent me a heavily-researched dossier of Chinese addresses in Paris (this friend happens to be an academic), mostly culled from this blog, but also from the lengthy list of I've-always-wanted-to-try-that places he keeps in his head, one of which, L'Orient d'Or, was praised by the mystery blogger and also, recently, by Alexander Lobrano. Done.]]> http://www.barbraaustin.com/2011/04/lorient-dor/feed/ 6