Search

home about recipes my books paris restaurants paris pastry shops schedule faqs

« Poule au pot

Chanceux
25 comments - 11.15.2021

A 21 k N G 21
SHARES

BUY THE BOOK

BUY THE BOOK BUY THE BOOK

BUY THE BOOK BUY THE BOOK

The other day, for some reason, the subject about the “decline of French cuisine” which
had been much-discussed and debated about subject a decade ago, came up. At the time,
books were written about it, a Time magazine cover featured a sad mime bemoaning
the end of French culture, newspapers wrote articles bemoaning faltering bistros and
wondering ‘‘Who could save French cuisine?’, and French television reporters rifled
through the garbage of esteemed bistros and restaurants to show empty packages
of pre-prepared and frozen foods that likely had been served to customers. The future of
French cuisine was a subject of international interest.

People asked me to chime in on it, too. It was a rather loaded subject because there were
a lot of issues surrounding any “decline,” but it was also hard to define – “What is French
cuisine?” Yes, it’s Duck confit, Hachis Parmentier, œufs mayonnaise, éclairs, and Paris-
Brest, but the new generation of cooks began recasting the focus of food in France,
get posts and recipes via
putting the quality and diversity of the ingredients first, and supporting local producers
while taking cues from the various regions and cultures in France (which has always been
email
the foundation of French cooking), rather than sticking to a codified script.

Your email here SIGN UP

categories
Baking Ingredients &
Substitutions
Baking Tips
Book and Cookbook
Reviews
Candy and Sweets

BUY THE BOOK Chef & Photographer

Interviews
Chocolate
Global
Paris and France
Cookbook Errata
David's Favorite Posts
Dining & Travel
Asia
Australia
Europe
France
BUY THE BOOK
Italy
Middle East
latest posts New York City
San Francisco
USA
Disclosure Statement
Favorite French Things
French Culture
Hosted Travel & Events
Ice Cream
Ice Cream Making
FAQs
My Food Photography
Chanceux Gear
Paris
Cheese
Chocolate & Pastry
Shops
Food Markets
Restaurants
Travel Tips
Wine Bars
Recipes
Breads
So I was excited when Chanceux opened in my neighborhood recently. I’d met Thomas Cakes
Poule au pot
Lehoux a few years ago, and featured him in Drinking French because he decided to Candies
Cocktails
improve the reputation of French coffee (another hotly-contested issue) and opened
Cookies, Bars &
Belleville Brûlerie, a small-scale coffee roasting company that he founded in Paris with Brownies
his business partners. Custards
Drinks
Extras
French Pastries &
Desserts
Fruit Desserts
Ice Creams and
Sorbets
Roasted Figs
Jams & Jellies
Pickles
Pies and Tarts
Salads
Sandwiches
Savory Dishes
Soups
Spreads, Dips &
Dressings
Thanksgiving
Stories
Chocolate, Tahini
and Buckwheat Uncategorized
Marble Cake with Videos
Chocolate Glaze Whining
Wine-ing

Cheesemaking
Class at Paroles
de Fromagers

Labneh Balls

Many of these concepts – coffee roasters, bean-to-bar chocolate makers, “craft” cocktail
bars, farm-to-table restaurants (which was based on the French concept of cuisine du
marché, or market cooking), earth-conscious butchers, and so forth – were taking hold in
the rest of the world, and as a result, a whole new generation of bonnes adresses
sprouted up in Paris.

Le pommeau de
douche

After pioneering the now-ubiquitous wave of coffee shops around town (the list I posted in
2008 started off with less than a dozen places to find good coffee in Paris, and now is
so big that I stopped updating the list), Thomas opened an épicerie, which he refers to as
a delicatessen, with his personal partner, Farah Laacher, which is indeed a deli of sorts,
that’s also a café, wine bar, restaurant, charcuterie, and an all-around great place to hang
in…all rolled into one.

Farah spent a few years working at various restaurants and cafés in Paris, including one
by the Canal St. Martin, a quartier that has exploded in popularity. The café she worked at
was always packed at mealtimes, and the kitchen was miniscule, but she turned out
hundreds of lunches a day, which gave her the chops to take on her own place and run
her own kitchen. It’s nice to see her talent shine so brightly at Chanceux.

Everything in the shop is carefully sourced, and definitely fait maison.

As part of an initiative in France to let people know the restaurant they were dining at
cooked foods from scratch, the government introduced a Fait Maison symbol a few
years back to assure diners that they were getting what they thought they were. (No
need to rifle around behind the restaurant for tell-tale packages…) But no one needs to
worry at Chanceux and they don’t need any symbols or logos posted on the door; when I
had lunch at Chanceux the other day, fresh produce teetered on my table, and the cheese
and charcuterie cases listed where everything was from, and in some cases – like the
cheese below – the person who made it.

If that name looks familiar, it’s because that chèvre is made by Thomas’ father Bernard,
who is a farmer and makes his own goat cheese, a specialty of the region where he lives,
which is available in different stages of ripeness from very fresh (soft and dewy) to disks
that are sharper and more aged.

The pâtés and terrines are made in-house by Farah, and I liked that in their refrigerator
case, they limited their selection to just one butter (and a great one at that!); Bellevaire
raw milk salted butter with crunchy crystals of salt in it.

Right now they are open from 10am to 7pm, but that may change in the future. Lunch
was busy when I went and is served from Noon to 3pm. To start off, Thomas made me an
incredible mocktail, as he described it. (Another thing that’s changed in France is that
people don’t habitually drink wine with lunch as they have to get back to work.) He pulled
out a citrus press and began squeezing Satsuma tangerines and limes, then adding
apple/quince juice as well as fait maison Makrut lime syrup to the glass. It was beautiful
to behold, and so good that I finished it quickly.

While scanning the chalkboard menu, the cecina (dried beef) sandwich with onion confit,
dried tomatoes and arugula sounded really good, but when I asked about the Brioche
Hokkaido, both Thomas and Farah, the fellow working in the kitchen with her, all nodded
vigorously that that was what I should order. So I did.

Even though Farah has sent me a slice of rabbit-fig terrine with pickled rhubarb and
onions (shown at the top of the post) to taste, which was terrific, I wasn’t prepared for
the copious “Brioche” that landed in front of me.

The picture I took of it doesn’t quite do it justice, so how do I say this? It was
outstanding. I was surprised when I took my first mouthful and discovered the brioche
wasn’t as rich or as dense as I was expecting, but was feather-light, topped with an
explosion of fresh ingredients and flavors. I don’t know how she mixed so many flavors,
such as roasted hokkaido (kuri) squash, pickled chiles, fresh cheese with shallots, girolles
(wild mushrooms), charred leeks, buckwheat, fresh herbs, and preserved egg yolk, to
work together so well, but boy, did they ever.

When I asked Farah how she got everything to taste so lively, she said that she was a big
fan of seasoning with lemon and using fresh herbs (my kind of cheffe!), which is
something I think more restaurants could be bolder about. Even when the food is well-
prepared with good ingredients, making sure a dish has a little bit of acidity, and the right
amount of salt, can be the difference between something that is just okay, and something
that squarely hits the mark. Fortunately like most food shops these days in Paris,
Chanceux does take-out, so I took half of the hearty lunch home. But if you go and it’s on
the menu, I recommend it.

I didn’t indulge at lunch, but Chanceux does have a well-edited selection of natural wines,
which is another checkbox of the younger generation of cooks and wine bar proprietors in
France. Natural wines can be divisive but when I have a good one, I really like discovering
the unique identity of the wine, which is more easily discernable when the wine hasn’t
been over-manipulated nor is it filled with additives. When Alice Fiering told me about all
the additives that can be added to wine, and Pierre Jancou published a list of them
in the EU, I began to choose wine a little more carefully.

Sometimes (on their Instagram page) Thomas will announce a bottle of very special
wine that he’s opened that’s available by the glass. Recently there was a Château-
Chalon vin jaune, one of the most sought-after sips in the world, made in the Jura
region. To make this special wine, the juice from late-harvested grapes is slowly
fermented under a veil of yeast, which gives it a particular, almost sherry-like flavor. It’s
nutty and unique, and even comes in a special size bottle…and it’s not inexpensive, so it’s
nice to be able to get just a taste of it, which is rarely offered in restaurants.

Thomas gave me a taste of a vintage Bénédictine that I was eyeing, which had become
toasty and malty and rich over the years it waited patiently in the bottle. I thought it’d be
perfect with the speculoos (spice cookies) I eyed on the shelf of the épicerie.

For vintage spirits hunters, Thomas has a shelf of them on offer, which are all rarities. It’d
be interesting to see how they evolved as well, like the foods and flavors coming out of
the constantly emerging talents in France, too.

Chanceux
57, rue Saint-Maur (11th)
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am to 7pm (Subject to change)

A 21 k N G 21
SHARES

you might also like

Some Thoughts on Bistro Bummer Five Books on French

French Cuisine Cuisine

categories: Dining & Travel France Paris Restaurants

tags: bar a vin Benedictine cafe charcuterie cheese cheffe delicatessen epicerie Fait maison
Farah Laacher figs French Cuisine fromage goat cheese mocktail Paris sandwich terrine
Thomas Lehoux vin wine wine bar

25 comments
kathy Rowe November 15, 2021 8:51am

Thanks for this. I will definitely be there during the 4 weeks I have left in this amazing
city. Sooner than later. Reply

David November 15, 2021 9:25am

It’s a great place for sure. It isn’t large so if planning to go for lunch you might
want to get there before 12:30 when more people start arriving. Say hi for me!
Reply

Kiki November 15, 2021 9:02am

OMG, I can’t even begin to praise, or my day is over. This place is exactly what it’s all
about. I was sold by the time I saw those espressi! And on and on it went.
May we also just pause to mention the joie de vivre and natural beauty of owner and chef
cook? It’s all together a picture of rare delight, written by my now favourite food hero in
all the world. Thank you especially for your considering, kind and in-depth writing at all
times. Every article and book is proof of a truly special human being. Reply

David November 15, 2021 9:26am

They’re extremely nice people. I knew Thomas from before and he’s very
excited about his new place, and it shows, and Farah is amazing. I didn’t know
her beforehand but we had a great chat and I feel like we could be BFF. She’ so
talented. Glad you enjoyed the article! Reply

James normile November 15, 2021 9:15am

This keeps asking me to subscribe but I already have. Reply

David November 15, 2021 9:29am

Hi James, There is a slide in that comes up when you’ve reached the end of the
post for people to subscribe, and get my free Paris Pastry guide. It’s designed to
be not very intrusive but I’ll see if it can be toggled not to include people
who’ve already signed up. Reply

Andrene November 15, 2021 1:03pm

Wish I was there!! As soon as daylight comes this morning (it’s 4 am here in
California), I’m going to pull out my copy of Drinking French to revisit your comments
about Thomas and coffee. Thank you for all your great publications! Reply

Janet November 15, 2021 9:37am

Re physaus…
Exactly what are they? I’m currently in Spain and had one yesterday. Thanks! Reply

David November 15, 2021 9:40am

Physalis are sometimes called cape gooseberries or ground cherries. You peel
away the papery skin and there is a tangy, golden fruit inside that has the
texture of a ripe tomatillo. They’re often used for decoration but they are tasty
(although you likely wouldn’t want to eat a lot of them in one sitting.) Reply

Judy Christianson November 15, 2021 10:01am

We used to grow ground cherries (Pacific Northwest) that had the texture of a
cherry tomato, but tasted like pineapples. So delicious and fun to garnish dishes
with. Is that the flavor these have? Reply

Kiki November 15, 2021 11:49am

I love them for their slightly sour and tangy taste. They ‘offset’ usually brilliantly the
sweetness of a dessert. Reply

Audrey Joubert November 15, 2021 2:48pm

They make a delicious jam! Reply

Albert Premier November 15, 2021 3:03pm

Oh but I for one DO like to eat a lot of them. Often!

Here in the Netherlands they are hardly known beyond as decoration on “galettes”.
They are sold in tiny packets in the bioshops here where they cost “les yeux the la
tête”. Which is strange since they are easy to grow in the garden but beware: they
tend to become invasive. Reply

Janet November 15, 2021 3:19pm

Thanks David! I did eat the one decorating my plate! Reply

Jennifer November 15, 2021 10:08am

Oh, thanks so much for this lovely piece. Such beautiful fare on offer. I am so anxious to
get back to Paris, but alas covid is roaring back in Poland, where I live, and I just can’t
see my way to traveling anywhere at the moment. “Being” in Paris with you will have to
do fo now! Reply

Lisa Miller November 15, 2021 12:01pm

Thank you for this! I won’t be in Paris until next year , but I’m collecting all of your great
advice. This sounds like the perfect place to go. Reply

Christine H November 15, 2021 1:45pm

What a great “pick-me-up” to see your post in my inbox, i always look forward to reading
them and am never disappointed. Have never been to France (would love to one day!) but
seeing the pics and reading your story just makes my day. Love what you do, thanks!
Reply

Martin Fietkiewicz November 15, 2021 1:52pm

I went down a wormhole with that garbage-rifling video (which confirmed my worst
fears), and down among the French comments found reference to L’Aile ou la cuisse (Wing
or Thigh), a Louis de Funès comedy sending up the restaurant industry back in 1976. Will
have to watch this ASAP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axAgYk_NSuk Reply

Joann Habermann November 15, 2021 1:56pm

I wish that you would post a recipe/article for those beautiful marinated and briefly
roasted? Goat cheese medallions. I was drooling. Reply

David November 15, 2021 2:04pm

They’re fresh goat cheese rounds in olive oil and seasoned with red pepper
powder, thyme, and what looks like coriander seeds, dried chiles, and probably
some pepper. It’s not baked so it’s easy to recreate at home. Reply

Susan November 15, 2021 4:40pm

What a glorious feast for the senses! Thank you for sharing this. It’s made my day, even if
it’s going to be a while before I can get back to France. Reply

Nan Slaughter November 15, 2021 5:02pm

It all sounds so lovely, wish I could go right this minute. Any chance you got the recipe for
the Brioche?!? Reply

Giselle M November 15, 2021 5:37pm

Beautiful people making the world a better place through delicious food. What a nice start
to my morning. And now I need to find a solid recipe for speculoos… Reply

Charlene November 15, 2021 6:40pm

What a joy to read your blogs. I have been challenged lately with the daunting task of
finding a new car. OM G. Not fun at all. So many twists and turns. After another
disappointment, I read your blog and I am optimistic, lam smiling, your talent is a gift to
us all. Reply

Helen November 15, 2021 7:27pm

Thank you for this great post; all my senses were engaged. This foodie and armchair
traveler from the Northwest of the USA was right there with you and your engaging
writing. Reply

leave a comment
comment (please read the comment policy)

name

email (will not be visible)

website (optional)

notify me of follow-up comments by email.

SUBMIT

David Lebovitz © 2021

Links Disclosure Statement Comment Policy Restaurant Write-Up Policy Privacy Policy Terms of Service Design by cre8d