Café Culture

I joined friends for dinner accompanied by live jazz the other night at a little place called "Les Bouches Oreilles", a typical parisien bistro near Place l'Italie. Our friend Jérome Tricoire was on keyboard joined by the lovely and talented Sophie Alour on tenor sax. The ambience here is warm and welcoming. When I say "typical" I could also say cliché, it's decor a hodgepodge of utilitarian diner furnishings in formica and vinyl, the obligatory silk plant and random posters of upcoming cultural events taped to the window. Along one end of the room is the brasserie where the non diners stand and sip a beer and discuss the news of the day before heading home from work. The dinner hour really begins after 8, never before 7, the peak hour for the french being between 8:30 and 10 p.m. This is why it is essential to stop for that little pick me up of a café, crèpe, or pain au chocolat around 5 -but I digress. Café culture is an intregal part of life in Paris and one of the 5 "Grand Plasirs". It is where friends connect, lovers flirt, and intellectual debate charges the atmosphere with a vibe that is uniquely french. On January 1, 2008 the landmark smoking ban went into effect, which for a non-smoking native Californian such as myself was a dream come true. One can now dine free from the acrid stench of the dreaded cigarette - indoors at least. The delicious irony of the ordinance is this: Excepting dead of winter, terrace seating is prime location, like having Anna Wintours front row seat to the Chanel show at Paris Fashion Week. This is also now the designated smoking section, outdoors in the best seats! Ha! The french LOVE irony and they love contradiction, and this is a great example. The menu varies slightly in the typical eatery in Paris, "confit du canard" (leg of duck), "poission" (fish -usually trout, salmon, or scallops-known as "St. Jacques"), "entrecote" (the toughest steak you will ever attempt to chew), or "poulet" (chicken). Of course you can have "frites", or if you prefer your potatoes steamed, "pommes vapeur". For dessert it is "Crème Brulée", "glace" (ice cream or sorbet), or the "Tart du Jour" (usually apple or pear). The house wine (verre du vin) is cheap and usually quite decent. Cheese (frommage) is always offered after dinner as a "digestif", the riper the better is the french way. First time visitors to Paris should note that when ordering water in a restaurant, the savvy diner requests a "carafe d'eau", which is drawn from the tap and free for the asking. The water supply is fed by artisian springs around the city so it is a decent source. If you ask your server for water, his or her response will be "Gaz or still?" This refers to sparkling (gaz) or non sparkling bottled water. Unless you specifically want a bottled water such as Pellegrino or Badoit I recommend the carafe d'eau as the bottled variety will cost you more than a glass of wine or a beer, plus it leaves a huge carbon footprint! One of the great myths about France is that the food is the best in the world. The pastry, yes. The chocolate sublime. The wine, well the wine speaks for itself. But the cuisine is hit and miss. Having experienced adventures in dining in New York and San Fransisco, from divey little all night diners to upscale haute cuisine, I never had a meal I didn't like. If bad food exsists in those two cities I haven't found it. So imagine my suprise as I discovered the chefs of France, so touted the world over as the supreme leaders of gastronomic skill hadn't the slightest clue how to cook a steak! There are many good places to eat, but choosing wisely is an art form. It requires a sharp wit and heightened senses. If the proprietaire is standing ouside the door making eye contact and attemting to lure you in, DON'T GO! If it looks like it is packed with parisians around 9:00, consider trying it. The cuisine at Les Bouches Oreilles is always good, the service friendly. There is a laid back barman with a Lou Albano inspired goatee who greets you with a smile and service that is quick and effecient, a luxury here. And what a joy to be with friends, practice my french and laugh at the misunderstandings that occur as a result, and listen to my amie play the piano as I sip a glass of Bordeaux and enjoy a good meal. A "Grand Plasir" to be sure! To join me for a moment of Café Culture at Les Bouches Oreilles use this link to my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcMdyKPHXDc You can visit Jérome on MySpace at www.myspace.com/jrme.tricoiretrioquartet and Sopie at www.myspace.com/sophiealour Bon Appetit!