Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-19


-. uy winch time We were ready for the
asperges sauce hollandaise, and then came
lucious strawberries, coffee and liqueurs. In
the meantime there were white, red and
golden wines served US; for the Sauternes
were blanche, the Bordeaux rouge and the
champagnes the color of virgin gold.
There are some fine restaurants here in
Paris, ten or dozen, not more, of frst-class
ones, and hundreds in the second and third
class. The first eating place ever
known in this city was established
by 4 man named-now don't Jump
-Boulanger. That was about $50 years
ago, and the fellow was a wit as well as a
good maitre d'hotel, for he took out of his
Bible these words, ''Veni ad me, omnes, qui
stomacho laboratis, ct ego vos restarahp. %
and stuck them up over his front door.
Struck by the word ''restarabo," the inhab-
itants of that part of Paris gave Boulan-
gers place the name of restaurant" and it
soon became the trade mark OF all who were
In the same business.
ARIsToCRATIC COOKS.
OF course eating houses are much better
now than they were then. L should be dis
loyal to some of the chefs know if 1 said
otherwise; and yet there were Vatels in
those other days, also nobIemen and princes
of the blood who deigned to learn how to
cook. and some of them created new dishes,
Was there ever such another place for res
taurants as the Palais Royal used to be?
Why, they were all over it; on the ground
floors, on the first and second stories, even
down in the cellars, and the Caveau, an
underground place, was quite resort when
the opera was over, Just as the Cafe Procope
was for those who went to the Comedie Fran
caise, which was then in the Faubourg St.
German.
1t Was in the Palais Royal that the Trois
Freres ProVincaux was established, and
there Barras and Bonaparte often dined to-
gether. Nearly 100 years Mater branch of
the Trois Freres Provincaux was opened at
the Philadelphia Exposition, anG only two
days ago q friend of mine from San Fran
cisco complained to me of the stiff price he
had to pay for a lunch which himself and
wife eat in it. Another restaurant started
about the same time in the Palais ROYAL
was the Cafe Chartres, now called the Grand
Velour, and where Grimrod de la Reyniere
was regular client. He was the author of
the "AImanack des Gourmands," and his
grandfather died from eating pate de foie
gras 1t was Grimrod's father who built
the house at the corner of the Place de la
Concorde and the Avenue Gabriel that is
now occupied by the Epatants Club, as the
OOuooAAuaASO Al1A1touS anu LII ptIlalS are
called.
AFRAID OF LIGHTNING.
He not only built the house, but he con-
structed in front of it, deep down in the
earth, refuge from thunder storm that
was topped and surrounded with roof and
walls six or eight feet thick. This enor-
nous vault is still in existence and on its
top earth has been laid and grass is growing.
1t serves as a splendid terrace fors the club
members. When Grimro6's father was
quite sure the weather would be fine he
used to wander back and forward on one of
the old bridges, with now and then an oc-
easional peep down into the flowing Seine,
As for the Grand Velour, it is a richly
gilded restaurant, with a tolerably good
Kitchen, and where you can get sole La
sauce Mr.. Mornay to perfection. 1t, how
ever. cannot be classed as among the best in
Paris. OF course, it is rather difficult to
show which is the very best, but L think if
YOU asked the proprietor of any of the first
class places which after his own
4 the best he would name you
the Maison Doree. What makes
II complete is its all round excellence; that
is to say. its wine cellars are well stocked
with the best crus, its chef and head assist
ants are skilled in their calling, and
the service can seldom be complained OF.
I admit that the Cafe Voisin has q much
more famous cellar, and there is no denying
the fact that no other restaurant in the
world can show such a wine list as that old
and splendid house at the corner of the Rue
st. Honore and the Rue Cambon. But
sometimes the cuisine is frst-class and
sometimes Il is not; and there seems to be 9