Réveillon at the Pré Catelan

I received in the mails the menu for the New Year's Eve
Revillon at the Pré Catelan. Since we did this revillon once
years ago I am writing from experience, estimating the total
real cost of celebrating the new year at this level of restaurant.

This is a long dinner, with dancing and a private fire works show at
the end, in an elegant restaurant located in the Bois de Boulogne.
This is a multi-starred Michelin Restaurant and that evening
a lot of people will show up in the chauffeur driven cars
ètc. However, you will see people from the provinces,
notarires or the upper middle class. And a few foreign
tourists.

Dress: Ties, of course but lot of the men will be in tuxedos, although
the provincials will wear dark suits. The women
will be dressed appropriately.

Don`t arrive before 9PM, close to 10 is preferred. Some will show
up at 10:30.

The people will be mostly older, having money and may
have brought along their adult children. The younger
will be those dancing. However, in France it is not exceptional
for people of "modest" incomes to save up for the year to
attend this kind of reveillon. It is an unforgettable experience
which is worth something.

OK, now down to details

Cost; 400 euros per person 300 up front as a deposit.
400 is for the food, not the booze, which is extra.
Champagne is normal and so add another 100 for than, plus
a 5% tip. So figure, per person somewhere between 500-600
NOT 400. A couple means over a 1000 euros. I'd count
on 1200.

When your arrive by car, the voiturier will take your car,
you gotta tip him on coming out. That is only around $10 euros.
On entering, you coats will be taken, and on exiting that
is another tip.

You will be led to you table and you will sit down.
You may order a drink, might as well start out with champagne.

The menu I have in hand has as

1) the first plate-- l'Etille, prepared in its shell, cold
with a cream of aspergas sauce. This is a small crab, little
red ones. These portions are small, so one does not
end up with the stuff-goose feeling at the end.

Note that since one is going to eat a number of dishes no particular
dish is a lot, and the meal will be stretched out a couple of hours.

2) the second plate-- La Langoustine-- croustillante, créme battue
au parfum de paprika-- there is a seafood place up by St. Lazare,
Garnier's, which has langoustines prepared tempura style (which is
croustillante).

3) the third plate--- Saint-Jacques, cook in the shell, celeri sauce
with truffles. These are known in English by the less elegant word
scallops. They are never deeped fried in France. They are best
with their eggs.

4) the 4th plate-- Homard, or "Maine" Lobster (from Bretagne) , roasted.


5) the 5th plate-- Volalille Fermière-- supréme pouché stuffed with
foie gras-- that is specially raised farm chicken although they don't
mention Poulet de Bresse, probably the equivalent quality.

6) the cheese plate-- Fourme d'Ambert, with nuts, parfumé with
Armagnac, toast melba. This is a blue cheese, one of the oldest
in France, dating, it is said, from Roman times.

7) A dessert whose description escapes me named "St Honoré, wih
"petits choux croquants, créme Chiboust vanille." The petits choux
are certainly not cabbage (one can call one`s lover "choux", it is
a term of affection.

followed by coffee. and a selection of chocolates.


If one arrives and starts eating around 10 PM one will come close
to finishing by Midnight, at which time people put on silly hates
and throw cotton balls at one another. One might leave are
2 AM. Presents are handed out at the end, the chef circulates
in the restaurant asking clients if they liked the meal. One is
usually effusive with praise.

Smoking? Great cooks hate people who smoke between plates,
you might get meat axed as a bad example! The chefs take
this personally, tobacco smoke destroys your taste. None of
the info I have said that the restaurant is "non-smoking".

The biggest clue is the presence or absence of ash trays.
No ash trays means they have sent a message. I suspect
they have somebody with a box of special cigars who will
come and let you select one if you wish one, at the end
of the meal.

Earl