Richard Hesse

Richard Hesse, another long-time Paris resident, is a translator by day and a serial diner by evening. He also likes to lunch. He is joined in these activities by his Scottish terrier, Bertie the Gastrohound, and his girlfriend, Doctor Madame, a London-based freelance historian.

Velly/Villa Victoria

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

For the Love of Tradition Chef Alain Brigant named his restaurant after his great-grandfather. Note (Dec. 31, 2007): Velly has changed owners and is now called Villa Victoria, but apparently has the same chef. Watch this space for an updated … Read More

Spring & L’Ardoise Gourmande

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

A lobster dish at L’Ardoise Gourmande. Spring is specializing in lobster rolls for the summer. This past week I have been back to a couple of places whose praises I’ve sung in the past: Spring and L’Ardoise Gourmande. It’s a … Read More

Christophe

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

Where Chefs Dine The deep-fried langoustine tails were perfectly light and crisp. The restaurant Christophe, metaphorically speaking, had been sitting in the back of my mind for several months, but was recently foregrounded when Alain Pramil of the eponymous restaurant … Read More

Jadis

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

Remembrance of Things Past Jadis’s Guillaume Delage is a chef to watch. The name Jadis has overtones of Proustian nostalgia, of things gone forever. Chef Guillaume Delage, who opened his restaurant scarcely a month ago, a stone’s throw from the … Read More

Les Côtelettes

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

No Mystery for Maigret The homey atmosphere is complemented by the friendly service and good cooking. I’m a trusting soul. At the prompting of a friend who had seen it warmly recommended in a free publication, I recently dragged my … Read More

L’Entêtée

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

Warm-up Canter The simple decor is livened up with designer touches. Julie Ferrault is going places – that much is clear from her startup restaurant near the Rue Daguerre street market in Paris’s 14th arrondissement. At just 30, she must … Read More

La Gazzetta

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

More Light, Less Noise! The isolated tables in the back room are the best bet. Goethe’s last words were reportedly “Mehr licht” (“more light”), pretty much my first thoughts as I was seated by the friendly maître d’ in La … Read More

Clos du Vert Bois

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

Stealth Dining The best way to clear up the mystery of the Clos du Vert Bois is to patronize it. What makes a restaurant click? Why do some take off instantly and others bomb for no apparent reason? Five years … Read More

Racines

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

Wine Whines A curious passerby peeks through the window of Racines. Racines has been getting an unusual amount of attention in the press since its relatively recent opening in one of the most picturesque arcades in Paris, where just about … Read More

le Prince

February 8, 2010 | By Richard Hesse | Archive

Monsieur le Prince serves up beautifully executed French country cuisine. Photo: ParisUpdate.com Until last year, the venerable Chez Maître Paul dispensed Franc Comtois (Alsace, Jura) cuisine to a loyal band of locals. In the last couple of months, it has … Read More