Comments on: SUAVE–Vietnamese in the 13th, C+; TERMINUS NORD–An Old Battle Horse of a Brasserie in the 10th, C-/D+ /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/ Sun, 09 May 2010 19:35:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: Tammy /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/#comment-172 Sun, 09 May 2010 19:35:23 +0000 /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/#comment-172 Unfortunately, you are so on target about both the megamarkets and the brasseries. There have been such changes in the quality of food in the shopping bag and on the plate, none of which bode at all well for France’s future.

Living in the countryside, I’m struck by how unlikely it is that while traveling you can just drop into a provincial cafe or restaurant and find anything much more than reheated "industriel".

Remember the stories of Elizabeth David?

]]> By: Alec Lobrano /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/#comment-171 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:34:16 +0000 /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/#comment-171 Megan,

The brasserie problem originates with the fact that most of the legendary Paris brasseries were bought up by either Groupe Flo or the Freres Blanc during the 80s and 90s, with the idea of turning them into money-spinners.

To be sure, brasseries were never places one went for a gastronomic feed, but rather good, simple French food. As the brasseries in the two groups I mentioned stopped doing much real cooking on site, the quality of what they served declined drastically and continues to do so.

I used to love Paris brasseries, but mostly avoid them like the plague these days.

Best, Alec

]]> By: Megan King /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/#comment-170 Sun, 28 Mar 2010 11:58:39 +0000 /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/#comment-170 Alec,

We just came back from Paris, and I wanted to thank you for your superb recommendations. We especially loved La Gazzetta.

What we ended up wondering is why Parisian brasseries are so awful. Do you have an explanation It’d be interesting to know.

Regards, Megan

]]> By: John Mihalec /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/#comment-169 Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:25:03 +0000 /restaurant-reviews/suave-vietnamese-in-the-13th-c-terminus-nord-an-old-battle-horse-of-a-brasserie-in-the-10th-c-d/#comment-169 Very funny, Alec, patiently explaining what Trader’s Vic’s was. Although I suppose you are right: Who under 35 would know With our losing Fess Parker, Peter Graves and Robert Culp this week,I’m moving toward the front of the line. And sorry about Terminus Nord, but you are right. Chez Casimir (or its prettier sister,Chez Michel of course) is the right door to knock on that neighborhood, from my experience.

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