| The Paris Is Pricey, But Holds Promise | ||
| By Anne Wilson -- Special To The Tribune | 01/18/2002 | |
| A hundred years ago, Salt Lake City was full of neighborhoods where housing and commerce co-existed. Now, you can list those places on one hand. That is what restaurateur Eric DeBonis wanted, though, so when a space became available, he jumped at the chance to create chemistry with food and people. The Paris has been mobbed since it opened at an east-side Salt Lake City intersection a month ago, testament to DeBonis' belief that neighborhood eateries satisfy more than physical hunger. "For me, it's creating this experience and people embracing it, embellishing their lives with something I've been fortunate enough to experience in Europe," says DeBonis, who owns two other restaurants, Park City's Olive Barrel and Mercato Mediteraneo. "It's bringing friends and family together and consecrating life. That's what dining is about." The Paris' instant popularity may also be due to diners' penchant for flocking to a restaurant the instant it opens. Usually, this isn't a good idea, since it takes weeks or months to work out the kinks. While The Paris certainly has its share of bumps, this pretty cafe holds promise, especially if you buy into DeBonis' idea that the city would benefit from more neighborhood businesses that encourage walking. The 15th and 15th corner is perfectly suited for this. Surrounded by distinctive houses, the block is already home to a nice collection of restaurants and shops. DeBonis took a space occupied long ago by a grocer and reclaimed it as a neighborhood food source, a combination French bistro-style cafe, market, bakery and deli with ready-made meals. It is a work in progress: while the cafe is open and everything on the menu is available for takeout, the bakery is not yet done. What is finished is full of beautiful detail. The warm yellow walls, rich wood trim, multiple wall mirrors and antique light fixtures recall an earlier time, when going out to dinner was worth dressing up for. The waiters wear black vests, ties and long white aprons, and every linen-covered table has its own pepper grinder, salt cellar and mustard pot. It is a small place, crowded with tables (some too close), and it is noisy. By design, The Paris is not intended for privacy and quiet conversation. DeBonis envisions a place where strangers will get to know each other. The a la carte menu is eclectic, although many of the dishes have French names. It has nice variety, from pizza and gnocci to several duck dishes and steaks, all made with quality ingredients and expertly seasoned, but some items are overpriced. The delicious seafood bisque, for example, costs a startling $6.95 for what is, at most, an eight-ounce cup. Even the lobster puree that goes into it doesn't justify that. The Paris salad ($7.95) is another example -- an overly large bowl of mixed greens topped with candied walnuts and goat cheese and moistened with a lovely lemony dressing. It's a great signature salad -- it just needs downsizing. The food isn't fussy in presentation. An appetizer "Napoleon" of goat cheese and tomatoes comes only loosely structured, nearly filling a small plate with creamy cheese and a spicy tomato spread that diners layer on crisp croutons ($6.95). It is a generous enough serving to take the edge off four appetites. Fillet of lamb ($22.95) comes as two tenderloins (cooked past their ordered medium rare), paired with thinly sliced potatoes cooked with cream and cheese. Seafood linguine (overpriced at $17.95) is pasta with a creamy tomato sauce, topped with shellfish and chunks of salmon and white fish. The mussels are nice, but the tiny clams in their shells were difficult to maneuver. Fewer, bigger clams would be better. Pepper steak with pommes frites, the French version of fries, is meat and potatoes. But it's a good steak, tender and done to order, and the thin fries are crisp. At $16.95, the price is right. So is the duck confit ($15.95), a rustic dish of marinated bird, cooked meltingly tender and presented with potatoes and carrots. The serving was generous and the duck delicious; the only problem was the lentils so enticingly described on the menu were missing. This was only one of a series of service lapses, including slow beverage service and cold coffee, telltale signs of a restaurant still in the maturation process. But the bones are good: beautiful space, nice wine list and delicious food. Over time, it may yet evolve into DeBonis' true vision. The Paris 1500 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City; 486-5585 Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Prices: Entrees from $8 to $25 Liquor: Beer and wine Reservations: Recommended Child's Menu: No Takeout: Yes Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Outdoor Dining: No Parking: Rear lot, street Credit Cards: All major Anne Wilson is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Wilson welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at wilwrite99@aol.com. |
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