Tour d'Argent
Paris
Few places in the world are better for smoking a cigar than the Tour
d'Argent restaurant in Paris. It's breathtaking to sit at one of its
tables six floors above the Seine and gaze out at the skyline of the
city. You'll want to smoke at least a double corona at the end of your
meal to prolong the experience as long as you can.
Tour d'Argent is one of five restaurants in Paris with three stars in
the Michelin Guide, the gastronomic bible that rates nearly all
the great restaurants in France. Tour d'Argent first received the
honor in 1923, and things have evolved slowly ever since. The
evolution appears to have placed the restaurant in the '70s now in
terms of style and cuisine. The starchy food and ambience definitely
seem out of place by today's standards. Don't let that turn you off.
A Sunday lunch at Tour d'Argent with the Seine and Notre Dame below
and a hearty bottle of '86 red Burgundy from Henri Jayer within an
arm's reach can be blissful. The magnificent view of the sun sparkling
off dark-gray-slated roofs and the wakes of barges making their way up
the Seine is simply captivating.
Service at Tour d'Argent is superior. The army of waiters and
sommeliers are omnipresent yet you barely notice them. Your every hope
and desire as a customer are fulfilled without any form of intrusion
as in so many other top-class restaurants around the world.
The wine service is particularly outstanding. Head sommelier David
Ridgway, a Briton whose knowledge of great French wine is unequalled,
is a well-established feature of the restaurant and he offers fabulous
advice on what to drink from the restaurant's phone-book-sized wine
list. He presides over the labyrinth of cellars (ask for a tour after
your meal) filled with more than 400,000 bottles. Tour d'Argent
received a Wine Spectator Grand Award for its wine list in
1986; it remains one of the greatest in the world. Although the
restaurant has hundreds of selections of the finest Bordeaux in a
range of vintages, this remains the best place to drink red or white
Burgundy. Ask Ridgway for advice.
The food is completely overshadowed by everything else about the
restaurant. A good starter is a light puff pastry filled with scallops
in a rich cream sauce, followed by a main course of pressed duck. Duck
is a specialty of Tour d'Argent and is always good. This is a
restaurant where it is advisable to stick with the house specialities,
especially those on the simple side. You have a better chance of not
being disappointed. Don't expect nouvelle cuisine here. Owner Claude
Terrail, whose family has owned the restaurant since 1910, is
steadfast in maintaining the quality of the food whether it seems
dated or not. He's even been known to fire chefs who try to update the
cuisine.
But who cares about the food anyway? The view and the wine are what
you came for. Don't forget a cigar. The restaurant's cigar selection
is more than ample with a range of sizes and brands including Hoyo
Epicure No. 1, Partagas 8-9-8, Hoyo du Gourmet, H. Upmann Petit Corona
and Montecristo Nos. 1 and 3 and Joyitas. If you want a big cigar,
bring your own, especially if you prefer a Hoyo de Monterrey Double
Corona. There were few large stogies available other than Romeo y
Julieta Churchill.
Sip a glass of vintage Armagnac (there's a massive selection of
Cognacs and Ports) and puff away on a Havana. You could find few
better places to spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon.
-- James Suckling
Tour d'Argent
15 quai Tournelle
75005 Paris
Phone: 33-143-54-23-31
Fax:
44-07-12-04
Lunch and dinner:about $120 to $200 per person with
wine
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