The launch of Michelin Tokyo Guide 2009 (Photo by Junko Kimura/Getty Images)

A new Michelin Tokyo Guide will be on sale this weekend and at the launch/photocall it is revealed that Tokyo is now the new world capital of gastronomy. Oh la la. C’est catastrophe pour Paris?

According to the new guide, Tokyo now has 11 3-stars restaurants compared with 10 for Paris. Not only that, Tokyo has also garnered a whooping total of 261 stars, shared by 197 restaurants. In comparison, Paris is looking at 70 restaurants which share 106 stars between them.

This is really quite a change of gastronomic fortune for the Japanese capital. The first Michelin guide to Tokyo was published a mere two years ago, in 2007. After some controversy over the use of non-Japanese inspectors (”how can they adequately judge Japanese cuisine when they’re not Japanese?”) Michelin said that for this latest edition, only Japanese inspectors were used.

Now, before detractors of French cuisine try to score some points based on this guide, remember that Tokyo is much bigger than Paris and it also has four times more restaurants (some 160,000 in Tokyo versus about 40,000 in Paris). Furthermore, France overall still have more 3-stars restaurants than any other country, with 25 compared with Japan’s 18.

Come on Paris – let’s up our game before the next French Michelin guide in March 2010! ;)

But now archeologists have found new evidence in Nanterre (while digging to build a highway) that things may not have been this way: among the remains and items that were found, some hint that, at the location of modern day Nanterre, there might have been a big Gallic city, bigger then what might have been on the Ile de la Cité and around.

So now nobody can be sure of anything: were there 2 cities? Which one is the Lutetia mentioned by Cesar in his writings to the Senate? Etc. etc. There is still lots of mysteries to be solved for sure.

I wonder whether they’ll start digging like crazy around Nanterre now?

For all I know, the scientists have known these questions for a long time already, I’m only just finding out through an article in LeMonde…

The full story in French here.

On a slightly related note:
“Les grands monuments de Lutèce” is an exhibit at the Crypte archéologique du parvis de Notre-Dame until the 31st of January 2010 about the main Roman buildings in the city.

Tilt-Shift Maker works best with panoramic-style overall shots, transforming the location into seemingly a miniature model while enhancing the colours. Unfortunately I love taking photos in close crop most of the time, making it difficult for me to find something suitable. Nonetheless, I’ve grabbed a few shots randomly, taken in Paris and in other places within Provence in the south. I uploaded them to Tilt-Shift Maker for quick manipulations, and save them again. Have a look (click on image to enlarge it) and tell me what you think of them ;-)

The triumphal arch of Paris

The Eiffel Tower at sunset

Dining al fresco in Castellet

The port of Marseille

The waterfront of Cassis

I must admit, while it’s exciting and all to fake the tilt-shift, the end result made me a tad envious. More specifically, why do I not have the skill to produce photos that are at least as bright and beautiful as the faked versions, even if I can’t manage the tilt-shift myself (considering there are special lens required and my baby point-and-shoot can never compare).

Oh well… and I used to think the photos I took was pretty good. Putting them side by side to manipulated ones, they look dull, dull, dull. *sigh* Now you know why proper photographers get paid so much. They can produce miracles instantly that us mere mortals can somewhat reproduce via Photoshop and various other softwares.

Have no fear, my frenchie fiends; Lelle is here!

This is a guide to the types of food establishments to be found in Paris, with a brief overview of typical fare, service type, location, and price.

Café
Yes, you’ve heard of Parisian cafes, alright- after all, the very idea of a place to sip a coffee languorously and people watch embodies the very essence of French. But don’t be fooled; a café in Paris is a very different matter fro a café in the U.S, or in Britain. French cafés, Parisian cafes especially, carry the typical coffeehouse beverages, but also offer a full menu. The menus vary from café to café, but you can expect a low to mid price range, from 1-2 euro croissants to 9-12 euro salads. You can either sit down and be served by waitstaff, or you can go straight to the bar and order, which is usually cheaper. Cafes often have indoor, terrace, and outdoor seating, so depending on the weather and on your tastes; there are a multitude of options. Flexibility is the key thing to remember here- whether you want to spend hours lingering over a good book with a café crème or want a quick espresso at the bar before heading to the Champs-Elysees, a café will do the trick.

Bistro
The entire concept of a bistro, a small, moderately priced restaurant, was developed in the city of love; our dear Paris. The bistro is often referred to as a cross between a café and a full fledged restaurant. One can order the typical café fare, but also order more savory and complex dishes. Bistros are often rather…cozy, meaning that the space is not exactly plentiful. I should mention that this is true for most food establishments in Paris with the exception of higher end restaurants. Do not be afraid of the change in personal space- embrace it! When in Rome, as they say. There is usually only one menu, served throughout the day.

Brasserie
The Brasserie can be thought of as a more professional Bistro; like the bistro, it is often a cross between a café and a restaurant, but will almost always have a printed menus and often more attentive service. There is usually one menu served throughout the day, but look out for daily specials.

Bar
Relatively self explanatory; you order drinks (avec alcool!) at this type of establishment, though some may offer platters of meats, cheeses, and bread or other types of simple fare. Bars differ considerably in Paris, like they do anywhere else in the world. Don’t be afraid to peek in the window and see if the atmosphere is what you’re looking for, because Paris has absolutely no shortage of bars for the night owl.

Crêperie
These little shacks of sweet deliciousness can be found all over Paris, often in the more touristic areas. They often serve two types of crepes, dessert crepes (crêpes sucrées) that are filled with nutella, whipped cream (chantilly) other sweet items, and more meal-like crepes (crêpes salées) that are filled with items like ham and cheese.

Salon de Thé
When wandering the streets alone, a Salon de Thé is a wonderful place to have a cup of tea, coffee, or dessert. They are much less common that the cafes, but can be quite charming and often have a more relaxed environment than other types of establishments.

Buvette
The scenario is familiar ; you’re walking through the garden Tulieres, enjoying a nice, Spring day, and suddenly you realize that you’re completely and utterly famished. You are in luck ; the many gardens of Paris are often peppered with Buvettes, stands which sell drinks, sandwiches, and ice cream. They often have patio like furniture for their patrons to sit and relax for a bit. These stands are not necessarily expensive, but they are not necessarily the best deal as far as quality and price in the Paris region. However, one can’t argue with their functionality !

Restaurant
Here we are, you think ; a concept I understand at last ! But be cautious, my traveling friend, because the restaurant in Paris is tricky in the fact that it’s often the most difficult to pinpoint. There are so many different types of menus offered at restaurants that it can be mind boggling. Here are the most common variations :

Menu prix-fixe: just about every restaurant in Paris will offer a meal that has a fixed price, that often consists of four courses. Each course has a choice of dishes for the patron to pick from, and may include wine. There are often a number of set price menus that vary in price, quality, and quantity. Along with the menu prix-fixe, there might be a menu du jour (a menu of the day) that is often of the best quality.

Menu dégustation/menu surprise: this is essentially a tasting menu, where a number of small servings are served. If it is a surprise menu, it is chosen by the chef. However, watch out: everyone at the table must have the menu, which can be restrictive at times.

La carte: everything else; essentially, ordering off the menu. The dishes are usually more expensive. Sometimes you can find a plat du jour- a dish of the day, which can be a good bargain.

One important thing to keep in mind about the Parisian food scene is that more often than not, ‘types’ of establishments are combined; café-bar-brasseries, café-tabacs, etc. Be prepared to share your space with customers buying cigarettes at the Tabac if it is a joint café-tabac. Always keep in mind that the many areas of Paris have different general price ranges, and often different specialties (for instance, St. Michel is known to have many Greek establishments).

Eating in Paris is a joy; don’t forget that, and you will be golden. Bon Apétit, mon amis!

À bientôt,
Lelle