Certainly, Michelin ratings don’t have the weight they used to, but they’re worth taking into consideration.
With the big awards ceremony only a week and a half away, the guide begins to build interest by announcing some of the results. Today it announced restaurants that will be losing their sole star, and there are three in Paris:
Benoît – this is an historic bistrot in central Paris operated by Alain Ducasse. Based on my one meal there a few years back, I would say it was good, but a star was questionable. I doubt that lack of the star will affect operations.
Louis on rue de la Victoire in the 9th. I went there the first week it opened back in 2015 with my late friend John Talbot and we had an excellent meal – he predicted a star, which eventually came in 2019. For a number of years, it was in my rotation, but then after the star, it seemed to become rather formulaic. To tell the truth, I thought it had closed and the chef, Stéphane Pitré, had gone back to his native Brittany. At any rate, I’m not sure I’ve been post-covid, and if so, just once shortly after.
Shang Palace, 16th arrondissement. Chinese restaurant in luxury hotel. I’ve never been.
