"Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort." -John Ruskin
Man, this was a real treat! Tucked away in a charming neighborhood within Paris' 7th arrondissement, Reed is a quaint 15-seat restaurant specializing in traditional French cuisine and entirely run by chef/owner Catherine Reed. That's right! It's a one-woman operation here. She personally sources in-season ingredients from local markets to ensure the highest quality and hosts all tables while also working her magic in the kitchen. With such control over how this establishment was operated I felt like my entire dining experience was brilliantly orchestrated from the moment I walked in. The enticing aromas + Sinatra playing in the background, every single one of her dishes, personally seeing me off, and even shaking my hand as I left truly added to the experience.
Her menu changes frequently based on seasonal availability of high-quality ingredients at the market. She utilizes a shared menu concept, so the plates are small, similar to tapas. There are normally 10 items on the menu including a soup, a salad, vegetarian options, small dishes, main courses, & two desserts. She additionally offers some side dishes such as a green salad and some potatoes roasted in goose fat.
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-Tomato Tart with Basil and Shaved Parmesan: I'm not entirely sure why I love tomatoes in France more than the tomatoes I find in the US. Is it really the terroir? Or the farming practices? Either way, that's a thing with me and I can't tell you how many times I've swung by the grocery store at home only to be utterly deflated by the low quality of tomatoes. Some were truly tasteless. But I digress! This tomato tart was lovely! The beautiful flavors and nice textural contrast made this a joy to eat. Furthermore, I found elegance in her ingredients' simplicity--a reoccurring theme in her cooking.
-Tian a la Provençale (grilled summer vegetables with goat cheese): Not to be confused with ratatouille which involves preparing each ingredient individually, tian is made by arranging an assortment of vegetables in a dish and baking until done. This was quite nice! Each vegetable shared the spotlight without overshadowing any other vegetable. Moreover, I liked how she broiled goat cheese at the end, so it developed a little bit of a crust on the outside.
-Duck Confit w/ Peach Chutney: I ordered duck confit multiple times during my visit to Paris and the version from Reed is certainly one of my favorites. I mean, it's cured duck drumsticks that are gently/loving cooked in its' own fat! What could be wrong? I admit that I prefer my duck to be a tad bit more succulent, but this was still rather tasty. Additionally, the chutney was interesting as she utilized spices I was not expecting. Went well with the confit.
-Pork Belly & Broad Beans: This dish screamed comfort food and I was all for it. She roasted the pork low and slow for seven hours resulting in a slice of pork belly so tender I don't even think I knife was necessary. The pork belly was certainly the star, but I loved the beans too! No idea why they were so tasty.
-Tarte Tatin: My goodnes! Though I've never actually had tarte tatin before, I am VERY familiar with the combination of caramelized apples with dough and cream. French apples were good, and I loved the puff pastry. Sure, it came out looking a bit dark. But that's flavor, baby!
- White Chocolate Mousse: Served with fresh berries, red currants, and mini kiwis cultivated in southern France. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The mousse was smooth like Michael Jackson on the dance floor and didn't have that weird aftertaste white chocolate sometimes has. The toffee(?) underneath really made the dish. Additionally, she choose some really tasty fruits, particularly the red currants and mini kiwis!
-Cauliflower Soup: My least favorite dish, hence why I am listing it last. The cauliflower was certainly prominent, however, I felt as though it was missing something. She initially provided the option to add blue cheese, but I declined as I actually am not fond of the stuff. I could see blue cheese working well if you actually find that palatable.
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-Dine responsibly! If you make reservations and then decide to cancel, call up the restaurant and let them know! Don't just tell your 3rd party booking service and expect them to notify Reed. Don't be an ass! This is a small operation, so seating is limited. There are folks out there who would love the opportunity to dine at this restaurant but can't because someone cancelled without communicating that to Reed.
-Chef Reed offers classes. Check out her website for details.
Dining at Reed was truly a wonderful experience and I am thankful for the opportunity to visit. Chef Reed cooks beautifully so I am a bit disheartened that she is not receiving as much recognition for this operation as she deserves. Stop by and try! read more