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Confidence in the Future

Way back on October 24th, 2008, in my blog, I wrote about a small but impressive restaurant in my quartier called Miroir and an article Nicholas Lander wrote and published in the Financial Times July 11th mentioning it, reminding me of a note I made to myself to write something, using that meal as a hook. The note said “Tony young folk at Miroir who know good food and wine.”

What I was referring to was that between the time I arrived (8 PM sharp because I had a morning flight out) and the arrival of other locals, I had the nice-looking, well-dressed and highly-articulate couple in the front room all to myself. I later learned that they were Mathieu Buffet and his partner Charlotte Dupues.

They asked the usual questions: How had I come here? Did I live nearby? Where did I come from originally (detecting just a wee accent)? Etc.

But I also asked them questions in return: how they got there, how business was and what they’re interested in. And they and I went on: about products, goals, wines, etc., indeed Buffet’s exacting standards was demonstrated when he actually poured one wine down the sink that he tasted which I’d never seen done in full view.

I realized several things afterwards:

First, that I really like hearing people who are passionate about providing food to people who are passionate about eating it, talk.

Second, that an incredible number of chefs and owners and chef-owners are highly articulate in explaining what they’re doing: William Ledeuil at Ze, Daniel Rose at Spring, the guys at Clocher Pereire, Gregory Marchand at Frenchie and now Mathieu Buffet and Charlotte Dupues at Miroir, spring to mind.

And third, that French cooking, despite the naysayers like Michael Steinberger, author of “Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France,” really is in very good hands and I’m not worried about its future.

These thoughts were prompted by my thoughts at:
Miroir
94 rue des Martyrs in the 18th, (Metro: Abbesses) 
T: 01.46.06.50.73 
Closed Sunday night and Mondays 
Formula at 18 for lunch and menus at 25 & 32 €.

Blog: John Talbott’s Paris
©by John Talbott 2009