Comme Chez Maman - Eating at "home" with the best of french/belgian mothers!
As you know from
earlier bogs, we love our neighborhood in the top of the 17th, Les
Batignolles, which used to be outside of Paris proper, and still has the feel
of a village filled with young families and artists, some of whom offer classes
in their studios. In fact, my husband
Kent, a retired psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, started sculpting a year ago at
Atelier Marie La Varande and has produced some amazing pieces.
And right here,
just a little more than a year ago, chef Wim Van Gorp, a Belgian, opened Comme
Chez Maman which immediately became our favorite local restaurant. Wim left Belgium when he was 18 years old and
cooked in the kitchens of some of the very best chefs in the world: Lucas Carton in Paris, Eric Westermann in
Strasbourg, Alain Ducasse in Monaco, Jacques Borie in Tokyo, and Jean-Georges
Vongerichten in New York. So as you can
see, this delightful young man knows what he is doing!!!
Wim wanted a
restaurant where people felt at home eating delicious simple food like the best
of mothers might prepare. He does
classic French food like oeufs mayonnaise (hard boiled eggs with a superb homemade
mayonnaise) and poireaux vinaigrette (the tenderest of leeks with a vinaigrette
sauce). But, most of his classic dishes
have a twist which adds flavor and excitement.
Instead of mussels and razor clams cooked in wine, Wim puts them in a
hot oven until they open and roast just slightly, and then sprinkles them with
parsley and shallots and black pepper. Amazing!
His pot-au-feu
has an Earl Grey tea bag in the broth
and he has created a pot-au-feu de la mer which has the best fish
(salmon and sea bass), scallops, squid, mussels, plus carrots, fennel,
potatoes, leeks and onions in a light cream sauce with fresh basil, parsley,
dill, and cilantro added at the end. I
can’t tell you how many times I have had this dish and it is truly
delicious. I savor every bite!
My husband Kent’s
favorite dish is Wim’s rognons, (veal kidneys on a bed of pureed
potatoes). The rognons are tender and
aromatic and the potatoes work perfectly with this dish.
Comme Chez Maman has a very nice affordable wine list,
with wines by the glass for as little as 3.50 euros at lunch. Yesterday we
enjoyed a red, Chateau de Chamirey 2008 with a cream of asparagus soup and the
coquillages-brule mains. Kent was hungry
for dessert and tried the Tarte citron/fruits rouge. It was different from any
lemon tarte we had ever seen and quite wonderful. The base was a large round shortbread
cookie. On top were three dollops of
exceptional lemon custard on a bed of currents and raspberries.
I recommend that
you go soon and often to Comme Chez Maman.
You will be in heaven.
Recipe
Coquillages
Brule-mains (Broiled Shellfish)
For 2 people
1/2 lb. mussels
1/2 lb. razor clams (or other local clams)
2 shallots, minced
2 shallots, minced
vegetable oil
Wash the shellfish and
debeard.
Rinse and dry the parsley, chop
in large pieces
Put shellfish in a pan lined with
oil
Cook for 4/5 minutes in a very hot oven set to broil until open
Sprinkle the parsley and shallots
on top with some freshly ground pepper and Pimente d’Espelette,
(could substitute hot paprika)
(could substitute hot paprika)
Serve immediately
