Le Palette Paris

Le PALETTE

PARIS

La PALETTE

I first went to  the La Palette with my buddy Raoul in March of 1999. I went as I heard quite a bit about this bistro from my friend John Lee, who went to Paris once or twice every year. For years. He told me of the bistro which he said was a classic Parisian Bistro on Rue d Seine, just down from St Germain de Pres. He had told me of the owner Jean Marie who, though he was the owner, he dressed and worked as a waiter. John Lee told me that Jean Marie had a reputation as a bit of a hard-ass, but that he took a liking to my him (John Lee). John loved the place, and talked about it all Raoul and I were going to Paris for a week to meet up with Vicky and Raoul's girlfriend who were in the fashion business and going to Paris for the Prete-a-Porter (Ready to Wear) fashion shows in Paris. Vicky worked for Jean Paul Gautier, and Lisa was a editor for Marie Claire Magazine. At the time, I had my restaurant Bar Cichetti on Houston Street in Greenwich Village, and one night when Lisa was there with Vicky, Lisa said to me, "Danny why don't you come to Paris with Raoul and meet me and Vicky?" Lisa didn't have to ask me twice, I'd be there. And so I booked a couple flights on Continetal Air, and Raoul and I flew over. We took a taxi into the city where Lisa was staying at the Hotel Montlalemert. We walked into the hotel and Lisa and Vicky were right there in the restauarant having lunch. Raoul and I joined the girls, I had a Club Sandwich, hung out for a bit, then got a taxi to go and check-in to my hotel, the Hotel Lille on Rue de Lille. I checked in. 

That night we went to dinner at some new trendy restaurant that was not very good. Not my choice, but the Editor in Chief of Harper's Bazzar Magazine, Glenda Bailey. I remember having to wait forever for the cocktail I ordered, and the food was just OK. Not good, but my friends would find out that when it came to me picking bistros and brasseries for us to eat at, I really knew my stuff and they loved my choices.

Each day of this trip, I'd get up early in the morning, have my breakfast, and walk around for about an hour before walking over to the Hotel Montalembert to pick up Raoul who wouldn't get up until 11 am, and I'd meet him at the hotel at 12 noon. We walked out onto the street and Raoul asked me where we were going to eat. I told Raoul that we were going to La Palette, a place recommended by John Lee.

When we got to La Palette, the place was packed, every table was occupied. It was a quite likely scene, and it was getting my charged. Jean Marie greeted us and told us to wait at the bar, and he'd have a table for us in a few minutes. So we bellied up to the bar and I studied the menu. They had Gigot (Lamb Shank), Pate, Bouf Bourguignon and other bistro classics. And when I saw they had Pomme Dauphenoise, I told Raoul we had to have some. We waited just about 10 meinutes, and then Jean Marie brought us to a table. We got a Charcuterie Plate for started, then we both ordered Steak with Pomme Dauphenoise for our mains. I was disappointed when they said they were out of the Daupehnoise, but we could get Pomme Saute instead. We both drank Beaujolais with our meal. The meal was quite tasty, and when Raoul pulled out a couple of Cohiba Cuban Cigars that he bought the night before when we stopped at a cigar bar on Monparnasee, Jean Marie replied, "but of course."

Well we had a really nice time at La Palette. Jean Marie was very nice to us, the food and the ambiance wonderful, and Raoul and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. So the next day when I met Raoul at his hotel, and asked him where he wanted to eat, I shouldn't have been surprised when he said, "let's go to Palette." I asked him, "you want to go there again?" 

"Why not?" Raoul replied. Ok, let's go. It was jumping when we walked in. Jean Marie saw as and smiled, "Hello my Friends! Just a moment." We were in like Flin. Jean Marie liked us, they had great food, and it was a wonderful old Parisian Bistro, where we'd be having another great lunch. Jean Marie even put us at the same corner table we sat at the day before. It was great.

 

The Bar at La PALETTE

Rue de Buci

PARIS

 

Yes we had quite a good time on the trip. We had dinner one night at La Coupole and a great lunch one day at Brasserie Lipp. We hung out Cafe Duex Magots, and went to Hotel Costes. We were having a great time until Lisa and Raoul had a fight, and then a pick-pocket stole Raoul's wallet when we were at Cafe Select. Raoul wasn't feeling it and wanted to go home, so we cut our trip a couple days short, 5 instead of 7. Anyway we had a good time when we were there, and as you see here, I have fond memories of the trip.

 

Brasserie Lipp

Blvd. St Germain

PARIS

 

Me at Cochon L'Orielle

PARIS

1999

Me in CAPRI 2019 ITALY

Me in CAPRI

2019

WATCH The VIDEO

Me in CAPRI

SUMMER 2019

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London and Italy Very Expensive

BACK in CAPRI

STILL LOVE IT !

LONDON ? NOT SO MUCH ?

Me at The TOWER BRIDGE

LONDON

August 2019

"LONDON is  VERY CROWDED & VERY EXPENSIVE"

Not Worth The Money and Energy

In Fact "IT'S a RIP - OFF" !!!

$30 Dollars to Go into WESTMINSTER ABBEY ?

A CHURCH?

This is SACRILEGE

"ROCKY" The RAVEN

The TOWER of LONDON

There are always a group of at least 6 Ravens in resident at The Tower of London. Their presence is believed to protect The Crown and The Tower, a superstition holds that "If the Tower of London Ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall ad Britain with it."  

Some historians, including the Tower's official historian believe the "tower's raven mythology is likely to be a Victorian flight of fantasy".  The earliest known reference to captive ravens at the Tower is an illustration from 1883.

Well, I was appalled at the insanely high-price of admission to enter the Tower of London, which at 27.5 British Pounds, came to about $35 Dollars. An exorbitant amount, but there I was in London, and I really wanted to see this spot along with the Crown Jewels of Great Britain, so I begrudgingly paid the outrageous fee to get in. 

I enjoyed seeing the Tower of London, and all the many well preserved aspects of it, along with the Crown Jewels. The best part was the 45 minute tour from one of The Towers 37 Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters). We had #BeefeaterDave, and he was just great,and quite enjoyable. However, London is a rip-off, and I think it's absolutely and positively awful. 

BEEFEATER DAVE

Me and YEOMAN WARDER DAVE

aka #BeefeaterDave

AT The TOWER of LONDON

London, England

PROCIDA

Procida is a beautiful little island in the Bay of Naples that is not very well known, as its sister islands of CAPRI and ISCHIA. Never the less, its lovely and worth a visit.

Procida is noteworthy is the setting of the famous and hugely popular Italian Film "IL POSITINO" that features the renowned Chilean Poet Pablo Neruda as one of the main characters in the film.

The movie "The Talented Mr. Ripley" starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Palthrow was also shot on Procida.

FISHERMEN'S CATCH

A COUPLE FISHERMEN in ISCHIA BRINGING THEIR CATCH IN

SUNDAY SAUCE

RECIPES

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Me at Galatoires

   

GALATOIRE'S RESTAURANT on Bourbon Street in NEW ORLEANS  ... Since 1905

One of Galatoire's long-time Waiters

John Fontenot  ... Since 1967

Yes I have a love affair with that storied old restaurant down in The Big Easy                          of New Orleans Louisiana ... The restaurant is Galatoire's, one of the Grande Old Dames of the great city of New Oreleans. Galtoire's is not the oldest of these grand old restaurants of The Cresent City, no Tujague's is the oldest and Antoine's after that. Then there's Arnaud's which I well love also, and the newest grande dame of them all, Commander's Palace out in the Garden District ...

I've been all around the World, several times at that, and I've eaten at many famous and wonderful restaurants, and ones quite low-bro, yet great all the same ... Galatoire's is not low-brow by any stretch of the imaginations and along with the more so-called well-heeled tourist who make it there Galatoire's is a bastion of the those in-the-know and those of whom might be considered well-heeled and educated .. The restaurant was a bastion of the likes of; Tennessee Williams, Huey Long, and other luminaries .. Tennessee Williams even included Galatoire's in a funny passage in his great play A Streetcar Named Desire ...

“Galatoire’s is a restaurant with traditions that have been preserved with little change through the decades. There has, however, been a slight modification of the restaurant’s once impenetrable policy of no reservations. Known for years by its characteristic line snaking down Bourbon Street, patrons would wait for hours just to get a table — especially on Fridays.”

The folks at Galatoire’s love to tell the story of the Friday when President Reagan placed a call to Sen. J. Bennett Johnston, who was waiting in the line outside. The senator went in, took the call and then returned to his place in line.    

Me in one of my Happiest kind of moments. Eating Lunch at Galatoire's

February 2007

Shane Mitchell wrote a piece for Saveur Magazine that goes like this; “No one hands me a menu. It’s just not done on Fridays. Friday lunch at Galatoire’s … starts in the morning, with bourbon milk punch at the upstairs bar. One floor below, a congenial crush of locals clutch cocktails in the foyer. They wait until manager Melvin Rodrigue, in pressed powder-blue seersucker, opens the doors to the dining room of the 105-year-old institution. It’s 11:30 a.m. “He guides the crowd to their regular tables. The gentlemen hang their Panama hats on brass hooks beneath forest-green wallpaper flocked with fleurs-de-lis, the revived symbol of the city’s fortitude since Hurricane Katrina. A table of ladies in dime-store tiaras and serious diamonds toss confetti into the air. Jacketed waiters bear large platters as they weave between bentwood chairs. “One of them, Peter or Homer or John or Shannon, recites the specials and brings, without anyone seeming to have asked, orders of the twice-fried souffle potatoes, puffed like starchy zeppelins, with a dose of tarragon-scented bearnaise. Next, a side of fried eggplant sticks.” Mitchell goes on to describe Friday lunch at Galatoire’s as a “genteel riot.” That’s as good a description as any.

Cafe du Monde New Orleans

Waiter at CAFE du MONDE

NEW ORLEANS

Gonna give a little "Shout Out" to The Big Easy, New Orleans and one of the World's Great cafes, Cafe Du Monde. Thee one place that everyone goes to more than any other when in New Orleans, whether you're a visitor or you live there, you go to The Cafe Du Monde for their great Beignets and Cafe Creme, and, and the show and the ambiance that is thee "One and Only" Cafe Du Monde.

The Place is open 24/7 364 days a year, closed on just Christmas day, i do believe. Situated right upon the Mighty Mississippi River at The French Market in the French Quarter across the street from Jackson Square. This is one of thee hearts of New Orleans if not thee number one one.

   I always make at least one or two visits whenever I'm in New Orleans. You get a nice cup of Coffee "Cafe Creme" and the cafes justly famous Beignets, all for just about four bucks. And you get to sit in a lively cafe where just about everyone goes to. 

       You might want to head down the Decatur Street for a tasty Muffuletta Sandwich (Best in New Orleans) at The Central Grocery. A Muffuletta Sandwich at Central Grocery is a must have when in Nola, then you can go to the Cafe Du Monde for dessert and coffee. After these two stops, if your in the mood for a nice libation, it's just a few steps down Decatur to Tujague's, one of new Orleans oldest restaurants, like Cafe  Du Monde they opened around 1862.. Go to the stand-up bar Tujague's for a cocktail, and if you like, order a grasshopper, this is where it was invented.

   Or if you gotta sit down when you drink, head just a couple blocks away to

Napoleon House, one of the World's Great Bars. Napoleon House was built by The Mayor of New Orlean's, Mayor Girod for Napoleon Bonaparte to leave his exile in Elba and come to live in New Orleans in this home Girod had built for him. Napoleon died and never made it, but you can make it there and have a Bourbon old Fashion, a Sazerac, Ramos Fizz, or their House Specialty Cocktail a "Pimms Cup."

   And I must say as someone who has traveled all around the World, from paris to Rome, Capri to Amsterdam, Buenos Aires to Rio de Janiero, LA to Hong Kong to Saigon to Havana, Cuba, New Orleans is one of The Coolest Cities in The World. I Love it.

     And as a lover of New Orleans and as a New Yorker and concerned American, I'm surprised and astonished to why more New Yorkers don't go down and spend a few wonderful days in New Orleans They love it, but I don't see many New Yorkers going there and they should. For one, new Orleans is one of the Coolest Places in the World, with great restaurants, Awesome Food, wonderful architecture, and some of the World's Best Music, it's everywhere. And the people? They're wonderful. Also, since Hurricane Katrina, the town and the people of New Orleans could use new Yorkers and all Americans supports, and I don't see it. So do yourself a favor, go down and spend a few fun filled days in The Big Easy, New Orleans, I assure you, "You'll be glad you did."

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

.

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

RECIPES

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Napoleon House Bar New Orleans Louisiana

NAPOLEON HOUSE

One of New Orleans Best Examples of FRENCH COLONIAL Architecture 

The first time I set foot in the  Napoleon House in New Orleans, was way back in the Summer of 1995. I flew down to Houston Texas, to visit my brother Michael. After a couple days in Texas, it was off to New Orleans. We arrived in New Orleans and Michael had booked us into the Marriot on Canal Street in the French Quarter. We didn't know all that much about the town back then, and so we were winging it. We heard about a few places like Mother's, Commander's Palace, Antoine's and Galatoire's. I can't remember if I had read about Cage du Monde, Tujague;s, or the Napoleon House before we went to or saw these places on that first trip. Yeah, I don't think I had heard of Napoleon House before, but when we walked by, it looked like a cool place to me, and so we went in. We sat down, ordered some Gumbo and had a couple of drinks. As we sat there in Napoleon's I took it all in, looking around the room and getting a feel for this wonderful New Orleans Institution that had been built for the Emperor Napoleon by the Mayor of New Orleans, to come and live in, in exile. The building was built in 1894 and was enlarged in 1814. Mayor Girod wanted Napoleon Bonaparte to come and live there in exile, but Napoleon died in 1821 and never made it to the Crescent City.

The building was Girod's home until his death in 1840. The building housed an Italian Grocery store for years until it was turned into a restaurant in 1914, and remains o this very day. The now famous "Pimm's Cup" cocktail (The House Drink) was first served in the early 1940's.

Now back to me and The Napoleon House. Well first off, I fell in Love with the place at first sight. You don't come by to many places like this, especially in America. The place is filled with its own special charm and tons of history. I've loved every little thing about the place, since that very first trip. I went to the bathroom, and to do so, you have to go into a little courtyard and then to the bathroom. And when I did so, I just loved the little courtyard. Their was a couple sitting there at a table, drinking cocktails and eating Jambalaya. The courtyard had all the usual plants that you see in New Orleans courtyards and such, like Ferns and Banana Trees, Magnolias, and what-not.

We had a wonderful time that first time. We had Gumbo and Muffaltetta Sandwiches which we enjoyed. I didn't know that Napoleon's was famous for their Pimm's Cup cocktail, but I'd find that out at a later date. Of course, I have had a number of them their. And now I always drink Pimm's Cups in Napoleon House, and though the Sazerac is the official cocktail of New Orleans, I'm not that crazy about them, and prefer to drink Bourbon Old Fashioned Cocktails when in New Orleans, and I'm not at Napoleon House, but having one or two at Antoine's, Galatoire's, or Arnaud's.

A few years after that first trip to Napoleon's, I'd see the place in Oliver Stone's film JFK, when Kevin Costner, playing New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison. I don't know how accurate this portrayal is, but in the movie, Kevin Costner (DA Garrison) and his associates go into Napoleon House to watch the TV New reports after they heard that President Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas. The scene is well done, and I believe it to be true.

Anyway, as you know by now, I Love the Napoleon House, and I go there every time I'm in New Orleans. And I've been around the World 3 times over, and I count the Napoleon House of New Orleans as one of my favorite bars in the World, and it gets my vote as one of the World's Best (Bars).

Basta !

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

The Bar

NAPOLEON HOUSE

NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans Old Fashioned Cocktail Bourbon Whiskey

An OLD FASHIONED Cocktail

NEW ORLEANS

An Old Fashion and New Orleans. Two things this guy loves dearly. And drinking Old Fashioned Cocktail in New Orleans and Bourbon Old Fashion's to be more specific is a favorite pastime of mine, especially at such fine Bars as Napoleon House, The Long Bar at Tujague's, at Arnaud's or Galatoire's.

    The first thing I order from my waiter at my beloved Galatoire's is a Bourbon Old Fashioned. They make them perfectly here, muddling an Orange Slice with sugar, Maraschino Cherry, Soda, and Angostora Bitters before filling the glass with Ice and adding my Bourbon. The waiter brings my Old Fashioned Cocktail and I'm in my element, quite satisfied. I'm at Galatoire's in New Orleans. It's one of my favorite restaurants in the World. I have my drink, sitting in the main dining room looking the menu over, filled with Blissful feelings as I should be at Galtoire's New Orleans.

What to have for lunch. Shall I get a Gumbo, Raw Oysters, or Oysters Rockefeller to start? Decisions, Decisions! And my main Course? Trout Almondine (a House Specialty), Shrimp Clemenceau, or Filet Mignon topped with Fried Oysters and Hollandaise. Think I'll go for a Cup of Gumbo, followed by the Oysters Rockefeller  and Trout Almondine for my main. They should go with my Bourbon Old Fashion quite nicely.

  What, "No Wine with Your Meal," you ask, knowing what a Wine freak I am.

"No, not in New Orleans my friends." I do not drink wine in the Cresent City. It's all pretty much Cocktails when I'm down there, maybe a Beer or two, but no Wine what-so-ever in New Orleans for me. Hey it's the way to go in New Orleans. That's what you do down there, Cocktails are preferred to wine, with your meal when you're down in the Big Easy, New Orelans, Louisiana. And this is all by me. It just seems to go better. My Bourbon Old Fashioned Cocktail and all the fine Creole Cuisine. I Love it.

   So, if you're ever down there, in that wonderful city on the Mighty Mississippi, New Orleans, go to Galatoire's, Antoine's, Arnauds's. Order yourself a nice Lunch or Dinner, and don't forget to get a couple Bourbon Old Fashioned Cocktails to go with your meal. It's a match made in Heaven, Creole Food  an Old Fashion and New Orleans, "Do it."

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

My Waiter Reinhart ...

 Galatoire's, New Orleans, Louisiana

Lunch at Galatoire's

We did

"I Love It!"

The first time I set foot in the  Napoleon House in New Orleans, was way back in the Summer of 1995. I flew down to Houston Texas, to visit my brother Michael. After a couple days in Texas, it was off to New Orleans. We arrived in New Orleans and Michael had booked us into the Marriot on Canal Street in the French Quarter. We didn't know all that much about the town back then, and so we were winging it. We heard about a few places like Mother's, Commander's Palace, Antoine's and Galtoire's. I can't remember if I had read about Cage du Monde, Tujague;s, or the Napoleon House before we went to or saw these places on that first trip. Yeah, I don't think I had heard of Napoleon House before, but when we walked by, it looked like a cool place to me, and so we went in. We sat down, ordered some Gumbo and had a couple of drinks.