Pirouette in the 1st is another place with both astonishing food and wonderful service, decor and welcome; not to mention great prices. We went today with a same-age (as we) couple from the homeland and an Anglo-Syrian family with two 7 year olds. On entering Thomas Chaput gave us a warm hello and chef Tomy Gousset (ex-Le Meurice, Taillevent and Daniel in NYC) came over to chat, indicating that he could and would whip up special kids' meals - Colette of course insisted on seeing pix of his month-old one himself, yclept Hugo. And he sent over an unexpected amuse - a sort of rice cracker with guacamole/avacado mousse and fish eggs and other mout-watering things that I forget. With a white and red Loire, our meal was off to a great start.
One of us started with the poached egg with lentils, yellow grapes and chives in a bacon/lard sauce while the rest of us had lovely fried mackerel on big slices of tomato with a horseradish sauce and salicorns. So as not to let us feel neglected, the Chef sent us out 8 portions of gnocchi, girolles and at least one toasted mint leaf.
Then my friend from home had the beef with potatoes, many of us had the wonderful pigeon with liver on toast and white under-cooked asparagus and black garlic, one had the turbot and my next door neighbor had the Iberian pork - all we splendid, interestingly garnished and perfectly cooked.
To finish, Colette convinced almost everyone (but one who had the red fruits and me who had a Calva) to go for the rice pudding with caramel which she has deemed the "best in town" since I demur on going back with my begging bowl to L'Ebouchoir, the prior reigning champion.
Our bill for 8, was 344.50 E, thus 86.16 E a couple.
*Now, up above I said that Bernard Loiseau (RIP) and William Ledeuil had or have nothing on Tomy Gousset; all three did or do innovate, push and move the ballon up the field constantly. As evidence, I had not only our fine meal but as I was leaving I found the chef busily reading Niki Segnit's "Le repetoire des saveurs" (FR) aka "The Favour Thesaurus." (ENG) and found him busily at work figuring out the next interesting combos.