Paris as It Was and as It Is Part 35

ENTReES DE VOLAILLES.

(_Toutes les entrees aux Truffes sont de 15 de plus_).

fr. s.

Caille aux pet.i.ts pois 2 10 Pigeon a la c.r.a.paudine 2 10 Chapon au riz, le quart 2 15 Chapon au gros sel, le quart 2 10 Demi-poulet aux Truffes ou aux Huitres 4 0 Frica.s.see de poulets garnie, la moitie 3 10 Frica.s.see de poulets, la moitie 3 0 Salade de volaille 3 0 Friteau de poulet, la moitie 3 0 Demi-poulet a la ravigotte ou a la tartare 3 0 Marinade de poulet, la moitie 3 0 Le quart d'un poulet a l'estragon ou a la creme ou aux laitues 1 10 Blanquette de poularde 2 10 1 cuisse de poulet aux pet.i.ts pois 2 0 1 cuisse de volaille au jambon 2 0 2 cotelettes de poulet 3 0 1 cuisse ou aile de poulet en papillote 1 10 1 cuisse de poulet a la Provencale 1 10 Ragout mele de cretes et de rognons de coqs 3 0 Capilotade de volaille 3 0 Filet de poularde au supreme 3 0 Mayonaise de volaille 3 0 Cuisses de Dindon grillees, sauce robert 3 0 Le quart d'un Canard aux pet.i.ts pois ou aux navets 1 10 Foie gras en caisses ou en matelote Perdrix aux choux, la moitie Salmi de perdreau au vin de Champagne Pigeons en compote ou aux pet.i.ts pois 2 10 Bechamel de blanc de volaille 2 10 2 cuisses de poulet en hochepot 1 10 Ailerons de dinde aux navets 1 10 Blanc de volaille aux concombres 3 0

ENTReES DE VEAU.

fr. s.

Riz de veau pique, a l'oseille ou a la chicoree 2 0 Riz de veau a la poulette 2 0 Fricandeau aux pet.i.ts pois 1 5 Fricandeau a la chicoree 1 4 Fricandeau a la ravigotte 1 4 Fricandeau a l'oseille 1 4 Fricandeau a l'Espagnole 1 4 Cotelette de veau au jambon 1 4 Cotelette de veau aux pet.i.ts pois 1 10 Cotelette de veau en papillotte 1 5 Cotelette de veau panee, sauce piquante 1 0 Cotelette de veau, sauce tomate 1 5 Blanquette de veau 1 0 Oreille de veau a la ravigotte 1 4 Oreille de veau farcie, frite 1 4 Oreille de veau frite ou en marinade 1 4 Cervelle de veau en matelote 1 4 Cervelle de veau a la puree 1 4 Tendons de veau panes, grilles, sauce piquante 1 4 Tendons de veau a la poulette 1 4 Tendons de veauen macedoine 1 5 Tendons de veau aux pet.i.ts pois 1 5

ENTReES DE MOUTON.

Gigot de mouton braise, aux legumes 1 0 Tendons de mouton grilles 0 18 Tendons de mouton aux pet.i.ts pois 1 5 Hachi de mouton a la Portugaise 1 0 2 Cotelettes de mouton a la minute 1 5 2 Cotelettes de mouton aux racines 1 5 2 Cotelettes de mouton au naturel 0 18 2 Cotelettes de pre 1 0 Epigramme d'agneau 2 Cotelettes d'agneau au naturel Tendons d'agneau aux pointes d'asperges Tendons d'agneau aux pet.i.ts pois Blanquette d'agneau Filet de chevreuil 1 5 Cotelette de chevreuil Queue de mouton a la puree 1 5 Queue de mouton a l'oseille ou a la chicoree 1 5

ENTReES DE POISSONS.

fr. s.

Merlan frit Maquereau a la maitre d'hotel Saumon frais, sauce aux capres 2 10 Raie, sauce aux capres ou au beurre noir 1 10 Turbot, sauce aux capres 2 10 Cabillaud Morue fraiche au beurre fondu Morue d'Hol. a la maitre-d'hotel ou a la Provencale 1 10 Sole frite Sole sur le plat 5 0 Eperlans frits Barbue Turbotin Matelote de carpe et d'anguille 2 0 Troncon d'anguille a la tartare 1 10 Carpe frite, la moitie 2 0 Perche du Rhin a la Vallesfiche Goujons frits 1 5 Truite au bleu Laitance de carpe Moules a la poulette 1 5 Homard 3 0 Esturgeon 2 10

RoTS.

fr. s.

Beca.s.se 3 Mauviettes

Poularde fine 9fr. la moitie 4 10 Poulet Normand, 7fr. la moitie 3 10 Poulet gras, 6fr. la moitie 3 0 1 Pigeon de voliere 2 10 Perdreau rouge Perdreau gris 3 10 Caneton de Rouen Caille 2 0 Agneau Veau 1 0 Mouton Levreau Grive

Obergine 1 10

ENTREMETS.

Gelee de citron 1 10 Concombres a la Bechamel 1 10 Laitues a jus 1 10 Pet.i.ts pois a la Francaise ou a l'Anglaise 1 10 Haricots verts a la poulette ou a l'Anglaise 1 10 Haricots blancs a la maitre-d'hotel 0 18 Feves de marais 1 10 Artichaud a la sauce 1 10 Artichaud a la barigoul 1 10 Artichaud frit 1 5 Truffes au vin de Champagne Truffes a l'Italienne Croute aux truffes Navets Carottes 0 18 Epinards au jus 0 18 Chicoree au jus 1 5 Celeri au jus Choux-fleurs a la sauce ou au parmesan 1 10 Macedoine de legumes 1 5 Pommes de terre a la maitre-d'hotel 0 18 Champignons a la Bordelaise 1 4 Croutes aux champignons 1 10 OEufs brouilles au jus 0 15 OEufs au beurre noir 1 0 Omelette aux fines herbes 0 15 Omelette aux rognons ou au jambon 1 0 Omelette au sucre ou aux confitures 1 5 Omelette soufflee 1 10 Beignets de pommes 1 10 Charlotte de pommes 1 10 Charlotte aux confitures 2 0 Riz souffle 1 10 Souffle aux pommes de terre 1 10 Le pet.i.t pot de creme 0 10 Macaroni d'Italie au parmesan 1 5 Fondu 1 4 Plumpuding 1 10 Eorevisses 2 0 Salade 1 0

DESSERT.

fr. s.

Cerneaux 0 15 Raisins 1 5

Fraises Cerises Groseilles Framboises Abricot 0 8 Peche 0 12 Prunes 0 3 Figue 0 5 Amandes 0 15 Noisettes 0 12 Pommes a la Portugaise Poires 0 8 Pomme Compote de verjus epepine Compote d'epine-vinette Compote de poires 1 4 Compote de pommes Compote de cerises 1 4 Nix Vert 0 10 Meringue 0 8 Compote de groseilles 1 4 Compote d'abricot 1 4 Compote de peche 1 4 Confitures 1 4 Cerises liquides 1 4 Marmelade d'abricots 1 10 Gelee de groseilles 1 4 Biscuit a la creme 1 8 Fromage a la creme 1 10 Fromage de Roquefort 0 10 Fromage de Viry 0 15 Fromage de Gruyere 0 8 Fromage de Neufehatel 0 5 Fromage de Clochestre ou Chester 0 10 Cerises a l'eau-de-vie 0 12 Prunes a l'eau-de-vie 0 12 Abricots a l'eau-de-vie Peches a l'eau-de-vie

VINS.

fr. s.

Clarette 6 0 Vin de Bourgogne 1 15 Vin de Chablis 2 0 Vin de Beaune 2 5 Vin de Mulsaux 3 0 Vin de Montrachet 3 10 Vin de Pomard 3 10 Vin de Volnay 3 10 Vin de Nuits 3 10 Vin de Grave 5 0 Vin de Soterne 5 0 Vin de Champagne mousseux 5 0 Vin de champagne, mousseux 4 0 Tisane de Champagne 3 10 Vin de Rose 5 0 Vin de Silery rouge 6 0 Vin de Silery blanc 6 0 Vin de Pierri 5 0 Vin d'A 5 0 Vin de Porto 6 0 Latour 6 0 Vin de Cote-Rotie 5 0

Vin du Clos Vougeot de 88 7 4 Clos St. Georges 6 0 Vin de Pomarel 6 0 Vin du Rhin 8 0 Vin de Chambertin 5 0 Vin de l'Hermitage rouge 5 0 Vin de l'Hermitage blanc 6 0 Vin dela Romanee 5 0 Ronflante Conti 8 0 Vin de Richebourg 5 0 Chevalier montrachet 6 0 Vin de Vone 5 0 Vin de Bordeaux de Segur 5 0 Vin de Bordeaux Lafite 5 0 Vin de Saint Emilion 5 0 Bierre forte ou porter 2 0 Bierre 0 10

VINS DE LIQUEURS.

fr. s.

Vin de Chereste, demi-bouteille 4 0 Vin de Malvoisie, _idem_ 4 0 Madere sec _id._ 4 0 Malaga 3 0 Alicante _id._ 3 0 Muscat 3 0 Le pet.i.t verre 0 10 Vermouth Chipre Calabre Paille Palme Constance Tokai Le pet.i.t verre 1 0

LIQUEURS.

Anisette d'Hollande 0 15 Anisette de Bordeaux 0 12 Eau-de-vie d'Andaye 0 10 Fleur d'Orange 0 10 Cuira.s.seau 0 10 Rhum 0 10 Kirschewaser 0 10 Eau Cordiale de Coradon 0 15 Liqueurs des Isles 0 15 Marasquin 0 15 Eau-de-vie de Dantzick 0 15 Eau-de-vie de Coignac 0 8 Case, la ta.s.se 12s. la demie 0 8 Glace 0 15

One advantage, well deserving of notice, of this bill of fare with the price annexed to each article, is, that, when you have made up your mind as to what you wish to have for dinner, you have it in your power, before you give the order, to ascertain the expense. But, though you see the price of each dish, you see not the dish itself; and when it comes on the table, you may, perhaps, be astonished to find that a pompous, big-sounding name sometimes produces only a sc.r.a.p of scarcely three mouthfuls. It is the mountain in labour delivered of a mouse.

However, if you are not a man of extraordinary appet.i.te, you may, for the sum of nine or ten francs, appease your hunger, drink your bottle of Champagne or Burgundy, and, besides, a.s.sist digestion by a dish of coffee and a gla.s.s of liqueur. Should you like to partake of two different sorts of wine, you may order them, and drink at pleasure of both; if you do not reduce the contents below the moiety, you pay only for the half bottle. A necessary piece of advice to you as a stranger, is, that, while you are dispatching your first dish, you should take care to order your second, and so on in progression to the end of the chapter: otherwise, for want of this precaution, when the company is very numerous, you may, probably, have to wait some little time between the acts, before you are served.

This is no trifling consideration, if you purpose, after dinner, to visit one of the princ.i.p.al theatres: for, if a new or favourite piece be announced, the house is full, long before the raising of the curtain; and you not only find no room at the theatre to which you first repair; but, in all probability, this disappointment will follow you to every other for that evening.

Nevertheless, ten or fifteen minutes are sufficient for the most dainty or troublesome dish to undergo its final preparation, and in that time you will have it smoking on the table. Those which admit of being completely prepared beforehand, are in a constant state of readiness, and require only to be set over the fire to be warmed.

Each cook has a distinct branch to attend to in the kitchen, and the call of a particular waiter to answer, as each waiter has a distinct number of tables, and the orders of particular guests to obey in the dining-rooms. In spite of the confused noise arising from the gabble of so many tongues, there being probably eighty or a hundred persons calling for different articles, many of whom are hasty and impatient, such is the habitual good order observed, that seldom does any mistake occur; the louder the vociferations of the hungry guests, the greater the diligence of the alert waiters. Should any article, when served, happen not to suit your taste, it is taken back and changed without the slightest murmur.

The difference between the establishments of the fashionable _restaurateurs_ before the revolution, and those in vogue at the present day, is, that their profession presenting many candidates for public favour, they are under the continual necessity of employing every resource of art to attract customers, and secure a continuance of them. The commodiousness and elegance of their rooms, the savouriness of their cooking, the quality of their wines, the prompt.i.tude of their attendants, all are minutely criticized; and, if they study their own interest, they must neglect nothing to flatter the eyes and palate. In fact, how do they know that some of their epicurean guests may not have been of their own fraternity, and once figured in a great French family as _chef de cuisine_?

Of course, with all this increase of luxury, you must expect an increase of expense: but if you do not now dine here at so reasonable a rate as formerly, at least you are sumptuously served for your money. If you wish to dine frugally, there are numbers of _restaurateurs_, where you may be decently served with _potage_, _bouilli_, an _entree_, an _entremet_, bread and desert, for the moderate sum of from twenty-six to thirty _sous_. The addresses of these cheap eating-houses, if they are not put into your hand in the street, will present themselves to your eye, at the corner of almost every wall in Paris. Indeed, all things considered, I am of opinion that the difference in the expense of a dinner at a _restaurateur's_ at present, and what it was ten or eleven years ago, is not more than in the due proportion of the increased price of provisions, house-rent, and taxes.

The difference the most worthy of remark in these rendezvous of good cheer, unquestionably consists in the company who frequent them. In former times, the dining-rooms of the fashionable _restaurateurs_ were chiefly resorted to by young men of good character and connexions, just entering into life, superannuated officers and batchelors in easy circ.u.mstances, foreigners on their travels, &c. At this day, these are, in a great measure, succeeded by stock-jobbers, contractors, fortunate speculators, and professed gamblers. In defiance of the old proverb, "_le ventre est le plus grand de tous nos ennemis,_" guttling and guzzling is the rage of these upstarts.

It is by no means uncommon to see many of them begin their dinner by swallowing six or seven dozen of oysters and a bottle of white wine, by way of laying a foundation for a _potage en tortue_ and eight or ten other rich dishes. Such are the modern parvenus, whose craving appet.i.tes, in eating and drinking, as in every thing else, are not easily satiated.

It would be almost superfluous to mention, that where rich rogues abound, luxurious courtesans are at no great distance, were it not for the sake of remarking that the former often regale the latter at the _restaurateurs_, especially at those houses which afford the convenience of snug, little rooms, called _cabinets particuliers_.

Here, two persons, who have any secret affairs to settle, enjoy all possible privacy; for even the waiter never has the imprudence to enter without being called. In these asylums, Love arranges under his laws many individuals not suspected of sacrificing at the shrine of that wonder-working deity. Prudes, whose virtue is the universal boast, and whose austerity drives thousands of beaux to despair, sometimes make themselves amends for the reserve which they are obliged to affect in public, by indulging in a private _tete-a-tete_ in these mysterious recesses. In them too, young lovers frequently interchange the first declarations of eternal affection; to them many a husband owes the happiness of paternity; and without them the gay wife might, perhaps, be at a loss to deceive her jealous Argus, and find an opportunity of lending an attentive ear to the rapturous addresses of her aspiring gallant.

What establishment then can be more convenient than that of a _restaurateur_? But you would be mistaken, were you to look for _cabinets particuliers_ at every house of this denomination, Here, at BEAUVILLIERS', for instance, you will find no such accommodation, though if you dislike dining in public, you may have a private room proportioned to the number of a respectable party: or, should you be sitting at home, and just before the hour of dinner, two or three friends call in unexpectedly, if you wish to enjoy their company in a quiet, sociable manner, you have only to dispatch your _valet de place_ to BEAUVILLIERS' or to the nearest _restaurateur_ of repute for the bill of fare, and at the same time desire him to bring table-linen, knives, silver forks, spoons, and all other necessary appurtenances. While he is laying the cloth, you fix on your dinner, and, in little more than a quarter of an hour, you have one or two elegant courses, dressed in a capital style, set out on the table. As for wine, if you find it cheaper, you can procure that article from some respectable wine-merchant in the neighbourhood. In order to save trouble, many single persons, and even small families now scarcely ever cook at home; but either dine at a _restaurateur's_, or have their dinners constantly furnished from one of these sources of culinary perfection.

But, while I am relating to you the advantages of these establishments, time flies apace: 'tis six o'clock.--If you are not disposed to drink more wine, let us have some coffee and our bill.

When you want to pay, you say: "_Garcon, la carte payante!_" The waiter instantly flies to a person, appointed for that purpose, to whom he dictates your reckoning. On consulting your stomach, should you doubt what you have consumed, you have only to call in the aid of your memory, and you will be perfectly satisfied that you have not been charged with a single article too much or too little.

Remark that portly man, so respectful in his demeanour. It is BEAUVILLIERS, the master of the house: this is his most busy hour, and he will now make a tour to inquire at the different tables, if his guests are all served according to their wishes. He will then, like an able general, take a central station, whence he can command a view of all his dispositions. The person, apparently next in consequence to himself, and who seems to have his mind absorbed in other objects, is the butler: his thoughts are, with the wine under his care, in the cellar.

Observe the cleanly attention of the waiters, neatly habited in close-bodied vests, with white ap.r.o.ns before them: watch the quickness of their motions, and you will be convinced that no scouts of a camp could be more _on the alert_. An establishment, so extremely well conducted, excites admiration. Every spring of the machine duly performs its office; and the regularity of the whole might serve as a model for the administration of an extensive State.

Repair then, ye modern Machiavels, to N 1243, _Rue de la Loi_; and, while you are gratifying your palate, imbibe instruction from BEAUVILLIERS.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.