Your Private Paris Restaurant: La Tete Dans les Olives
June 29, 2011
Forest Collins
When a table is consistently booked out at least three months in advance, it probably doesn’t need any extra press. However, I’m so tickled by Tete dans les Olives that I can’t help but tell all. After having made a reservation earlier this year I was left wondering if this elusive eating experience could really live up to the hype it’s received over the past year or so. But, as soon as I arrived at the charming doorway, I knew I was in for a treat.
So, just what’s so special about this address? By day, it’s a tiny epicerie whose owner, Cédric Casanova, works with small producers in Italy to stock his shelves with the best of artisanal products. You’ll find pungent cheese, sundried tomatoes, an array of pasta, fragrant herbs, and plenty of other seasonal goodies. But, as the name implies, the biggest draw is the olive oil. Pristine silver vats of the stuff fill the shelves of his delightful shop, each baring the name of both the type of olive and the owner of the parcel of land where it was grown. Word is that some of Paris’ best-known chefs pop in to sample and shop. But the real fun starts when the store closes and a tiny table for five is set for receiving.
Kim Laidlaw Adrey
Arriving guests are welcomed into the minuscule space by the hospitable staff – for our visit, it was Marco. While waiting for the rest of our party, this friendly Sicilian (who is also a student of philosophy) talked about the products, their origins and the concepts behind the store and its Table d’Hôte. He uncapped one of the olive oil jugs to offer a whiff of the fragrant goodness inside and filled the tiny table with samples of olives, oil, tapenade, sundried tomatoes and bread. We squeezed around the rustic table, backs nearly pressed against the overflowing shelves and started the meal while Marco popped open a bottle of champagne we had brought. In fact, we had brought a variety of wines to match up with courses, as this is strictly a BYOB operation.
Kim Laidlaw Adrey
As we nearly licked the bowls of oil clean, a wooden board arrived on the table with the vegetable course: mushrooms filled with wild oregano, mint stuffed carrots topped with freshly grated cheese and juicy oranges topped with salty anchovies. The quality of the ingredients shines through in the final product as these relatively simply prepared bites pop with fresh flavor. With no individual plates set out, we helped our selves with fingers and forks, which only added to the companionable aspect in these close quarters. Continue Reading »
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