8.0 Les 110 de Taillevent, 195, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore in the 8th (Metro: Ternes), 01.40.74.20.20, open 7/7 is a place I've had on my famous or infamous "list" ever since it opened last summer and hesitated to visit due to its price of 75-95 E a la carte and conceit of 110 wines. But when my favorite cookbook writer/blogger/expert on all things foodish said it was on her list to review for a guidebook, I signed up. PS The wall mural above right shows Chat. Margaux says she.
I took a look at the carte and decided in my head I'd go for the calamari on the plancha and blanquette de veau - it was that sort of a day - but she said "Hey, look at the menu (39 E), it's pretty interesting." So quick reverse and indeed it was.
She had the escabeched sardines in a croustillant dough, like langoustines often are prepared, with a lovely sauce and giant lima beans; and I had an almost Mondrianesque bloc of pot au feu with big chunks of carrots, leeks, etc. We were both wowed and knew we were in the hands of a real chef (whom (Emile Cotte) we later learned came from Pre Catalan, Tailevent, Savoy and Meating).
Then she had the quenelles which again came with lots of veggies as well as a superb side-dish of spinach and I had a melt-in-your-mouth paleron of beef with an equal-sized cabbage leaf stuffed with greens (even though the menu said briased lettuces)- terrific both.
Finally I ordered the farm St Nectaire which was room temperature and neither too young nor too old but perfect; and she had the one "ordinary" dish of the day, a cheesecake with raspberrries and fromage blanc sorbet.
She, having written at least one award-winning book on wines, declared the whole bottles over-priced and thus we chose glasses - she a Valois fondant and me an Anjou Villages. The bill with two 14-cl and one 7-cl glass, a Chateldon and a coffee, was 112 E. BTW the decibel level was a surprising 77.2 dB.
Go? Better to ask will I bring Colette and the answer is "You betcha."
