Les Climats

Wednesday I took went to a press tasting at Les Climats on 41, rue de Lille 75007

This Arts and Crafts building restaurant used to house all the switchboard operators of La Poste in 1905. The dinning room was once the refractory for the workers. Pretty swell no?

Les Climats is an homage to an all-Burgundian wine list with 600-700 choices making the most demanding pinot addict happy. This is where the white Burgundies are kept pitch perfect.

The red Burgundies are in the main dining room.

The bar room is happy to serve you Burgundy by the glass as well as the bottle. Les Climats means parcel of land, a small vineyard. The restaurant has relationships with 350 winemakers.

I drank a delicate, fresh cremente with the starters offered.

Saucisson des d'Aveyron from Maison Conquet.

Earlier in the day at marche Grenelle I was eyeing Ayeron saucisson. I'm making an effort to get familiar with French ingredients - it's a huge undertaking!

Petite gougeres - a typical Burgundy specialty.

A tartine of gibier (with a slice of truffle embedded in the toast!) and foie gras on a marmalade of coings/quince.

The décor is a contemporary version of Arts and Crafts designed by Bambi Sloan, who designed Hotel St. James.

There's a splendid outdoor garden plus a winter garden.

We got mini tastes of the mains/les plats. I had my favorite Saint-Jacques scallops, sitting on a tiny bed of carmelized fennel with a thin slice of very special Italian Parma jambon, culatello resting on top, crowned with an endive leaf.

Richard had braised Bar with a puree of artichokes topped with cepes and tarragon.

Cepes are at the top of my research list so I was lucky Richard let me have a taste.

Did we all have pheasant with marrons as an entrée? I can't remember.

It was a lovely tasting. Chapeau to chef Julien Bosous. See his sketch above.

What to wear to Les Climats? Something sparkly that will co-ordinate with the gorgeous Burgundy wine caves of course. When you get home you can sit on your coquille/shell chaise of course.