Peachy Picks Paname Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
The succulent New York Shell Steak au Confit D'Echalottes of Paname
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Oooooh la la it's time to take a trip to Paris to Paname with Mademoiselle Peachy and our new friend Monsieur Bernard, the owner and founder! Paname was first featured last year in Terrific Takeout, and today we are proud to say it has joined the ranks of Peachy's Picks. We believe our friend Madeline (go see her now at the NY Historical Society!) would love Paname as well, especially all of the homemade french sauces which are made on premises! Bernard greeted us with a contagious joie de vivre and a warm French welcome as soon as we walked in to Paname, his eighth restaurant venture since he arrived in North America. Born in Nice, Bernard grew up in Paris. Paname is slang for Paris in French.
Domaine des Cantarelles Rose proved to be a superb companion to our edible selections for the evening, and we suggest you try it as well on your virtual journey to Paris on Second Avenue just south of 57th street. (Our other favorite French wines are by Mover and Shaker David and Alex Milligan.) Bernard is a Parisian native, and he first came to this side of the pond in 1967 at the Montreal World's Fair, and in 1969 he moved to New York. Le Cocu on 152 East 55th Street between 3rd and Lexington was Bernard's first restaurant opened in 1970, and later he opened Le Deauville at 408 East 64th Street. Bernard was on Madison and 30th for 17 years with his restaurant Meli Melo (unrelated to the one with the same name in Connecticut). It is your good fortune that a year ago on July 14, 2013 that Paname opened, so do congratulate him on his 1st anniversary when you see him. Paname is a French Bisto bien sur, with high standards.
Please meet the amuse bouche. Red pepper and beets danced in a party of gorgonzola to our pleasure. Paname gets high points for presentation which is well above average, even for Manhattan. When something that tastes great looks incredible, it tastes even better. Not everything we've eaten has been runway-worthy even if the taste and quality was fantastic, as you know from the pictures we take.
As an appetizer, Peachy Deegan tried the Baby Octopus with Haricots Blancs. A smashing summer selection, this evidences that Paname knows how to properly prepare octopus, and it was a generous portion. Not one bit rubbery! Magnifique, Bernard. Bernard goes to the fish market every day he tells us. Note if you are a French brand you bear the good fortune of Peachy's education in this language; she took six years of it (years ago) and started it because French Canadian hockey players taught her for fun when she was a Petite Peachy. At Paname, television at the bar is in French!
We love how the French make steak and Peachy often orders steak frites. At Paname, we tried the New York Shell Steak au Confit D'Echallotte. Look at how creative that lattice work is in red; Bernard makes it out of potatoes. Portion size is in control here; remember French women Don't get Fat.
Here's its close-up:
The steak was succulent and juicy as you can see, but what you really want to do is taste it. We ordered it medium. Vegetables joining the party were fresh and crisp and added nice color and nutrition; the onions on the steak were amazing. Peachy is an advocate of garlic and onions.
Everything we tried at Paname we liked, but the most incredible course was dessert!
All-American Peachy was not ordering Apple Pie because she transformed into a Parisian; she tried the Apple Tarte:
We cannot say enough about the extraordinary presentation, and every bite de pommes along with the ice cream, caramel and honey was delectable! We would definitely like to be eating this now.
We also tried the fruit tarte which was highly laudable.
Our esteemed panelist adds:
With an owner who hit Paris via Nice, there are bound to be touches of the South of France in Paname’s offerings. This is a classic bistro, a place to come and be comfortable, sharing a bottle of wine and talking over the week with your friends. Make that a bottle of Vin du Pays du Gard 2012, and you’ll be in a place of happy. Amuse-bouches come all by themselves to the table: beets, gorgonzola and a red pepper sauce were the offerings the night we dined at Paname. It’s a generous way of the owner to whet the appetite and stimulate the palate, and it works.
On to the escargots, gently tucked into tiny fingerling potatoes. The potatoes offer a cushion for the seasoned escargots, and provide a totally different presentation and taste. The beurre d’escargot, a mayonnaise with fines herbs, is delicate and filled with the scent of the herbes adding a gourmand finish to the dish. Just an aside: at the bar, there are 12 french channels for your perusal and viewing pleasure, so Paname is the place to bring your French friends so they feel at home. Or to brush up on your own French. Improve your French as you munch, as it were.
One must is the Bouillabaise. Just seafood in a wonderful tomato sauce ladles over succulent shrimp, tender mussels and flaky fish. Of course a spoon is provided to finish every drop, and with the crispy french bread, you can sop up any leftovers. Paname is filled with Erte-esque paintings, in an atmosphere of chic modernite. The food is Old World, but for today: flavor that abounds.
Peachy Picks Paname!
Paname is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
Paname is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
