Chef’s Map: Jessica Koslow’s Paris
View Jessica Koslow’s Paris in a larger map.
In a new occasional series, chefs reveal the places they love in their favorite cities and neighborhoods.
Jessica Koslow, proprietor of Sqirl jams and its namesake cafe, recently flew to Paris for 3½ days to celebrate her mother’s birthday. “I completely overate!” she says. Here’s her Paris address book:
Blé Sucré, 7 rue Antoine Vollon, Paris 75012, 01 43 40 77 73.
“It’s the Paris version of Proof Bakery [in Atwater Village]. I had an apple tart that was out of this world -- like really, really out of this world. They do a lot of really beautiful patisserie but do a nice job of both well done patisserie and very rustic desserts like the apple tart, which was full of pastry cream and perfectly roasted apples.”
La Crèmerie, 9 Rue des 4 Vents, Paris 75006, 01 43 54 99 30, www.lacremerie.fr.
“The one wine shop you want to go to in Paris. You can taste wines there. But I sadly didn’t get to go because it was closed the two days I went by.”
Le Comptoir du Relais, 9 Carrefour de l’Odéon, Paris 75006, 01 44 27 07 50, www.hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com.
“I went twice, and I had my favorite meal there -- escargots, terrines. I fell in love with the terrines there -- I can’t wait to do some here. And a bottle of incredibly hard to find Jean-Francois Ganevat Cuvee de Garde.”
Du Pain et des Idees, 34 Rue Yves Toudic, Paris 75010, 01 42 40 44 52, www.dupainetdesidees.com.
“The best thing that I put in my mouth the entire trip was there. The was a Sachristain -- a twist [made with palmier dough] with pastry cream filling. So amazing. Mind-blowing. And pain des amis [bread]. I brought a kilo back.”
E. Dehillerin, 18-20 Rue Coquillière, Paris 75001, 01 42 36 53 13, www.e-dehillerin.fr.
“Of course [restaurant supply store] E. Dehellerin. I bought Laguiole butter knives.”
Mariage Freres, 30 Rue du Bourg Tibourg, Paris 75003, 01 44 54 18 54, www.mariagefreres.com.
“It’s the freshness of their teas, not like the actual tea service. The tung-ting [tea] I brought back ... the quality of the Mariage Freres tea is less oxidized, much more elegant. And another very floral, beautiful tea.”
La Cave du Septime, 3 Rue Basfroi, Paris 75011, www.septime-charrone.fr.
“Septime’s new cave is really sweet. They opened a cave a little bit away [from the restaurant]. Why doesn’t this exist in Los Angeles? Just a little place you can pop into and you know you’re getting a phenomenal glass of wine poured by people who know and care about wine. Really, really small plates. You stand at the bar, get a drink and head on your way.”
Le Verre Vole, 67 rue Lancry, Paris 75010, 01 48 03 17 34, www.leverrevole.fr.
“Really special. We were able to procure wines that were really hard to come by. It was very rustic food, but they were still bringing in interesting techniques. The best blood sausage I had on the trip. They were using kasha buckwheat groats -- they’re toasting it and using it as a topping for a cockles dish with pickled onions and squash. On top was this crunch of the buckwheat groats -- just toasted buckwheat. They were implementing things there that seemed -- you know, it’s a rustic place where they were still going the extra mile.”
Vivant Cave, 43, rue des Petites Ecuries, Paris 75010, 01 42 46 43 55, www.vivantparis.com.
“The cave from Pierre Jeancou -- it was everything I wanted in a place. Incredibly fresh coppa -- really fresh meat sliced on a board -- so beautiful and obviously it was the best thing with a fantastic bottle of wine. That’s all you wanted. They had a daube there -- I love daube. This one had beets in it, and the marriage between the stewy meat and the sweetness of the beets was really surprising.”
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