Letter XXXVII
Paris, December 21, 1801.
If Paris affords a thousand enjoyments to the man of fortune, it may truly be said that, without money, Paris is the most melancholy abode in the world. Privations are then the more painful, because desires and even wants are rendered more poignant by the ostentatious display of every object which might satisfy them. What more cruel for an unfortunate fellow, with an empty purse, than to pass by the kitchen of a restaurateur, when, pinched by hunger, he has not the means of procuring himself a dinner? His olfactory nerves being still more readily affected when his stomach is empty, far from affording him a pleasing sensation, then serve only to sharpen the torment which he suffers. It is worse than the punishment of Tantalus, who, dying with thirst, could not drink, though up to his chin in water.
Really, my dear friend, I would advise every rich epicure to fix his residence in this city. Without being plagued by the details of housekeeping, or even at the trouble of looking at a bill of fare, he might feast his eye, and his appetite too, on the inviting plumpness of a turkey, stuffed with truffles. A boar's head set before him, with a Seville orange between its tusks, might make him fancy that he was discussing the greatest interests of mankind at the table of an Austrian Prime Minister, or British Secretary of State; while pâtés of Chartres or of Périgord hold out to his discriminating palate all the refinements of French seasoning. These, and an endless variety of other dainties, no less tempting, might he contemplate here, in walking past a magazin de comestibles or provision-warehouse.
Among the changes introduced here, within these few years, I had heard much of the improvements in the culinary art, or rather in the manner of serving up its productions; but, on my first arrival in Paris, I was so constantly engaged in a succession of dinner-parties, that some time elapsed before I could avail myself of an opportunity of dining at the house of any of the fashionable
RESTAURATEURS.
This is a title of no very ancient date in Paris. Traiteurs have long existed here: independently of furnishing repasts at home, these traiteurs, like Birch in Cornhill, or any other famous London cook, sent out dinners and suppers. But, in 1765, one BOULANGER conceived the idea of restoring the exhausted animal functions of the debilitated Parisians by rich soups of various denominations. Not being a traiteur, it appears that he was not authorized to serve ragouts; he therefore, in addition to his restorative soups, set before his customers new-laid eggs and boiled fowl with strong gravy sauce: those articles were served up without a cloth, on little marble tables. Over his door he placed the following inscription, borrowed from Scripture: "Venite ad me omnes qui stomacho laboratis, et ego restaurabo vos."
Such was the origin of the word and profession of restaurateur.
Other cooks, in imitation of BOULANGER, set up as restorers, on a similar plan, in all the places of public entertainment where such establishments were admissible. Novelty, fashion, and, above all, dearness, brought them into vogue. Many a person who would have been ashamed to be seen going into a traiteur's, made no hesitation of entering a restaurateur's, where he paid nearly double the price for a dinner of the same description. However, as, in all trades, it is the great number of customers that enrich the trader, rather than the select few, the restaurateurs, in order to make their business answer, were soon under the necessity of constituting themselves traiteurs; so that, in lieu of one title, they now possess two; and this is the grand result of the primitive establishment.
At the head of the most noted restaurateurs in Paris, previously to the revolution, was LA BARRIÈRE in the ci-devant Palais Royal; but, though his larder was always provided with choice food, his cellar furnished with good wines, his bill of fare long, and the number of his customers considerable, yet his profits, he said, were not sufficiently great to allow him to cover his tables with linen. This omission was supplied by green wax cloth; a piece of economy which, he declared, produced him a saving of near 10,000 livres (circa 400£ sterling) per annum in the single article of washing. Hence you may form an idea of the extent of such an undertaking. I have often dined at LA BARRIÈRE'S was always well served, at a moderate charge, and with remarkable expedition. Much about that time, BEAUVILLIERS, who had opened, within the same precincts, a similar establishment, but on a more refined plan, proved a most formidable rival to LA BARRIÈRE, and at length eclipsed him.
After a lapse of almost eleven years, I again find this identical BEAUVILLIERS still in the full enjoyment of the greatest celebrity. ROBERT and NAUDET in the Palais du Tribunat, and VÉRY on the Terrace des Feuillant dispute with him the palm in the art of Apicius. All these, it is true, furnish excellent repasts, and their wines are not inferior to their cooking: but, after more than one impartial trial, I think I am justified in giving the preference to BEAUVILLIERS. Let us then take a view of his arrangements: this, with a few variations in price or quality, will serve as a general picture of the ars coquinaria in Paris.
On the first floor of a large hotel, formerly occupied, perhaps, by a farmer-general, you enter a suite of apartments, decorated with arabesques, and mirrors of large dimensions, in a style no less elegant than splendid, where tables are completely arranged for large or small parties. In winter, these rooms are warmed by ornamental stoves, and lighted by quinquets, a species of Argand's lamps. They are capable of accommodating from two hundred and fifty to three hundred persons, and, at this time of the year, the average number that dine here daily is about two hundred; in summer, it is considerably decreased by the attractions of the country, and the parties of pleasure made, in consequence, to the environs of the capital.
On the left hand, as you pass into the first room, rises a sort of throne, not unlike the estrado in the grand audience-chamber of a Spanish viceroy. This throne is encircled by a barrier to keep intruders at a respectful distance. Here sits a lady, who, from her majestic gravity and dignified bulk, you might very naturally suppose to be an empress, revolving in her comprehensive mind the affairs of her vast dominions. This respectable personage is Madame BEAUVILLIERS, whose most interesting concern is to collect from the gentlemen in waiting the cash which they receive at the different tables. In this important branch, she has the assistance of a lady, somewhat younger than herself, who, seated by her side, in stately silence, has every appearance of a maid of honour. A person in waiting near the throne, from his vacant look and obsequious carriage, might, at first sight, be taken for a chamberlain; whereas his real office, by no means an unimportant one, is to distribute into deserts the fruit and other et ceteras, piled up within his reach in tempting profusion.
We will take our seats in this corner, whence, without laying down our knife and fork, we can enjoy a full view of the company as they enter. We are rather early: by the clock, I perceive that it is no more than five: at six, however, there will scarcely be a vacant seat at any of the tables. "Garçon, la carte!"—"La voilà devant vous, Monsieur."
Good heaven! the bill of fare is a printed sheet of double folio, of the size of an English newspaper. It will require half an hour at least to con over this important catalogue. Let us see; Soups, thirteen sorts.—Hors-d'œuvres, twenty-two species.—Beef, dressed in eleven different ways.—Pastry, containing fish, flesh and fowl, in eleven shapes. Poultry and game, under thirty-two various forms.—Veal, amplified into twenty-two distinct articles.—Mutton, confined to seventeen only.—Fish, twenty-three varieties.—Roast meat, game, and poultry, of fifteen kinds.—Entremets, or side-dishes, to the number of forty-one articles.—Desert, thirty-nine.—Wines, including those of the liqueur kind, of fifty-two denominations, besides ale and porter.—Liqueurs, twelve species, together with coffee and ices.
Fudge! fudge! you cry—Pardon me, my good friend, 'tis no fudge. Take the tremendous bill of fare into your own hand. Vide et lege. As we are in no particular hurry, travel article by article through the whole enumeration. This will afford you the most complete notion of the expense of dining at a fashionable restaurateur's in Paris.
BEAUVILLIERS, RESTAURATEUR
Anciennement à la grande Tavernede la République, Palais-Egalité,
No. 142, Présentement Rue de la LOI, No. 1243.
PRIX DES METS POUR UNE PERSONNE.—LES ARTICLES DONT
LES PRIX NE SONT POINT FIXES, MANQUENT.
| POTAGES. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Potage aux laitues et petits pois | 0 | 15 |
| Potage aux croûtons à la purée | 0 | 15 |
| Potage aux choux | 0 | 15 |
| Potage au consommé | 0 | 12 |
| Potage au pain | 0 | 12 |
| Potage de santé | 0 | 12 |
| Potage au vermicel | 0 | 12 |
| Potage au ris | 0 | 12 |
| Potage à la julienne | 0 | 12 |
| Potage printanier | 0 | 15 |
| Potage à la purée | 0 | 15 |
| Potage au lait d'amandes | 0 | 15 |
| Potage en tortue | 1 | 10 |
| HORS-D'ŒUVRES. | ||
| Tranche de melon | 1 | 0 |
| Artichaud à la poivrade | 0 | 15 |
| Raves et Radis | 0 | 6 |
| Salade de concombres | 1 | 10 |
| Thon mariné | 1 | 10 |
| Anchois à l'huile | 1 | 5 |
| Olives | 0 | 15 |
| Pied de cochon à la Sainte Mènéhould | 0 | 12 |
| Cornichons | 0 | 8 |
| Petit salé aux choux | 1 | 5 |
| Saucisses aux choux | 0 | 18 |
| 1 Petit Pain de Beurre | 0 | 4 |
| 2 Œufs frais | 0 | 12 |
| 1 Citron | 0 | 8 |
| Rissole à la Choisy | 1 | 0 |
| Croquette de volaille | 1 | 4 |
| 3 Rognons à la brochette | 1 | 0 |
| Tête de veau en tortue | 2 | 5 |
| Tête de veau au naturel | 1 | 0 |
| 1 Côtelette de porc frais, sauce robert | 1 | 0 |
| Chou-Croûte garni | 1 | 10 |
| Jambon de Mayence aux épinards | 1 | 5 |
| ENTRÉES DE BŒUF. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Bœuf au naturel ou à la sauce | 0 | 15 |
| Bœuf aux choux ou aux légumes | 0 | 18 |
| Carnebif | 1 | 10 |
| Rosbif | 1 | 5 |
| Filet de Bœuf sauté dans sa glace | 1 | 5 |
| Bifteck | 1 | 5 |
| Entre-côte, sauce aux cornichons | 1 | 5 |
| Palais de Bœuf au gratin | 1 | 4 |
| Palais de Bœuf à la poulette ou à l'Italienne | 1 | 0 |
| Langue de Bœuf glacée aux épinards | 1 | 0 |
| Jarrets de veau | 0 | 15 |
| ENTRÉES DE PATISSERIE. | ||
| Pâté chaud de légumes | 1 | 5 |
| 2 petits Pâtés à la Béchamel | 1 | 4 |
| 2 petits Pâtés au jus | 0 | 16 |
| 1 Pâté chaud d'anguille | 1 | 10 |
| 1 Pâté chaud de crêtes et de rognons de coqs | 2 | 0 |
| Tourte de godiveau | 1 | 0 |
| Tourte aux confitures | 1 | 5 |
| Vol-au-Vent de filets de volailles | 2 | 0 |
| Vol-au-Vent de Saumon frais | 1 | 10 |
| Vol-au-Vent de morue à la Béchamel | 1 | 5 |
| Vol-au-Vent de cervelle de veau à l'Allemande | 1 | 5 |
| ENTRÉES DE VOLAILLES. | ||
| Toutes les entrées aux Truffes sont de 15 de plus. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Caille aux petits pois | 2 | 10 |
| Pigeon à la crapaudine | 2 | 10 |
| Chapon au riz, le quart | 2 | 15 |
| Chapon au gros sel, le quart | 2 | 10 |
| Demi-poulet aux Truffes ou aux Huitres | 4 | 0 |
| Fricassée de poulets garnie, la moitié | 3 | 10 |
| Fricassée de poulets, la moitié | 3 | 0 |
| Salade de volaille | 3 | 0 |
| Friteau de poulet, la moitié | 3 | 0 |
| Demi-poulet à la ravigotte ou à la tartare | 3 | 0 |
| Marinade de poulet, la moitié | 3 | 0 |
| Le quart d'un poulet à l'estragon ou à la crème ou aux laitues | 1 | 10 |
| Blanquette de poularde | 2 | 10 |
| 1 cuisse de poulet aux petits pois | 2 | 0 |
| 1 cuisse de volaille au jambon | 2 | 0 |
| 2 côtelettes de poulet | 3 | 0 |
| 1 cuisse ou aile de poulet en papillote | 1 | 10 |
| 1 cuisse de poulet à la Provençale | 1 | 10 |
| Ragoût mêlé de crêtes et de rognons de coqs | 3 | 0 |
| Capilotade de volaille | 3 | 0 |
| Filet de poularde au suprême | 3 | 0 |
| Mayonaise de volaille | 3 | 0 |
| Cuisses de Dindon grillées, sauce robert | 3 | 0 |
| Le quart d'un Canard aux petits pois ou aux navets | 1 | 10 |
| Foie gras en caisses ou en matelote | ||
| Perdrix aux choux, la moitié | ||
| Salmi de perdreau au vin de Champagne | ||
| Pigeons en compote ou aux petits pois | 2 | 10 |
| Béchamel de blanc de volaille | 2 | 10 |
| 2 cuisses de poulet en hochepot | 1 | 10 |
| Ailerons de dinde aux navets | 1 | 10 |
| Blanc de volaille aux concombres | 3 | 0 |
| ENTRÉES DE VEAU. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Riz de veau piqué, à l'oseille ou à la chicorée | 2 | 0 |
| Riz de veau à la poulette | 2 | 0 |
| Fricandeau aux petits pois | 1 | 5 |
| Fricandeau à la chicorée | 1 | 4 |
| Fricandeau à la ravigotte | 1 | 4 |
| Fricandeau à l'oseille | 1 | 4 |
| Fricandeau à l'Espagnole | 1 | 4 |
| Côtelette de veau au jambon | 1 | 4 |
| Côtelette de veau aux petits pois | 1 | 10 |
| Côtelette de veau en papillotte | 1 | 5 |
| Côtelette de veau panée, sauce piquante | 1 | 0 |
| Côtelette de veau, sauce tomate | 1 | 5 |
| Blanquette de veau | 1 | 0 |
| Oreille de veau à la ravigotte | 1 | 4 |
| Oreille de veau farcie, frite | 1 | 4 |
| Oreille de veau frite ou en marinade | 1 | 4 |
| Cervelle de veau en matelote | 1 | 4 |
| Cervelle de veau à la purée | 1 | 4 |
| Tendons de veau panés, grillés, sauce piquante | 1 | 4 |
| Tendons de veau à la poulette | 1 | 4 |
| Tendons de veauen macédoine | 1 | 5 |
| Tendons de veau aux petits pois | 1 | 5 |
| ENTRÉES DE MOUTON. | ||
| Gigot de mouton braisé, aux légumes | 1 | 0 |
| Tendons de mouton grillés | 0 | 18 |
| Tendons de mouton aux petits pois | 1 | 5 |
| Hachi de mouton à la Portugaise | 1 | 0 |
| 2 Côtelettes de mouton à la minute | 1 | 5 |
| 2 Côtelettes de mouton aux racines | 1 | 5 |
| 2 Côtelettes de mouton au naturel | 0 | 18 |
| 2 Côtelettes de pré | 1 | 0 |
| Epigramme d'agneau | ||
| 2 Côtelettes d'agneau au naturel | ||
| Tendons d'agneau aux pointes d'asperges | ||
| Tendons d'agneau aux petits pois | ||
| Blanquette d'agneau | ||
| Filet de chevreuil | 1 | 5 |
| Côtelette de chevreuil | ||
| Queue de mouton à la purée | 1 | 5 |
| Queue de mouton à l'oseille ou à la chicorée | 1 | 5 |
| ENTRÉES DE POISSONS. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Merlan frit | ||
| Maquereau à la maître d'hôtel | ||
| Saumon frais, sauce aux câpres | 2 | 10 |
| Raie, sauce aux câpres ou au beurre noir | 1 | 10 |
| Turbot, sauce aux câpres | 2 | 10 |
| Cabillaud | ||
| Morue fraîche au beurre fondu | ||
| Morue d'Hol. à la maître-d'hôtel ou à la Provençale | 1 | 10 |
| Sole frite | ||
| Sole sur le plat | 5 | 0 |
| Eperlans frits | ||
| Barbue | ||
| Turbotin | ||
| Matelote de carpe et d'anguille | 2 | 0 |
| Tronçon d'anguille à la tartare | 1 | 10 |
| Carpe frite, la moitié | 2 | 0 |
| Perche du Rhin à la Vallesfiche | ||
| Goujons frits | 1 | 5 |
| Truite au bleu | ||
| Laitance de carpe | ||
| Moules à la poulette | 1 | 5 |
| Homard | 3 | 0 |
| Esturgeon | 2 | 10 |
| RÔTS. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Bécasse | ||
| 3 Mauviettes | ||
| Poularde fine 9fr. la moitié | 4 | 10 |
| Poulet Normand, 7fr. la moitié | 3 | 10 |
| Poulet gras, 6fr. la moitié | 3 | 0 |
| 1 Pigeon de volière | 2 | 10 |
| Perdreau rouge | ||
| Perdreau gris | 3 | 10 |
| Caneton de Rouen | ||
| Caille | 2 | 0 |
| Agneau | ||
| Veau | 1 | 0 |
| Mouton | ||
| Levreau | ||
| Grive | ||
| Obergine | 1 | 10 |
| ENTREMETS. | ||
| Gelée de citron | 1 | 10 |
| Concombres à la Béchamel | 1 | 10 |
| Laitues a jus | 1 | 10 |
| Petits pois à la Française ou à l'Anglaise | 1 | 10 |
| Haricots verts à la poulette ou à l'Anglaise | 1 | 10 |
| Haricots blancs à la maître-d'hôtel | 0 | 18 |
| Fèves de marais | 1 | 10 |
| Artichaud à la sauce | 1 | 10 |
| Artichaud à la barigoul | 1 | 10 |
| Artichaud frit | 1 | 5 |
| Truffes au vin de Champagne | ||
| Truffes à l'Italienne | ||
| Croûte aux truffes | ||
| Navets | ||
| Carottes | 0 | 18 |
| Epinards au jus | 0 | 18 |
| Chicorée au jus | 1 | 5 |
| Céleri au jus | ||
| Choux-fleurs à la sauce ou au parmesan | 1 | 10 |
| Macédoine de légumes | 1 | 5 |
| Pommes de terre à la maître-d'hôtel | 0 | 18 |
| Champignons à la Bordelaise | 1 | 4 |
| Croûtes aux champignons | 1 | 10 |
| Œufs brouillés au jus | 0 | 15 |
| Œufs au beurre noir | 1 | 0 |
| Omelette aux fines herbes | 0 | 15 |
| Omelette aux rognons ou au jambon | 1 | 0 |
| Omelette au sucre ou aux confitures | 1 | 5 |
| Omelette soufflée | 1 | 10 |
| Beignets de pommes | 1 | 10 |
| Charlotte de pommes | 1 | 10 |
| Charlotte aux confitures | 2 | 0 |
| Riz soufflé | 1 | 10 |
| Soufflé aux pommes de terre | 1 | 10 |
| Le petit pôt de crème | 0 | 10 |
| Macaroni d'Italie au parmesan | 1 | 5 |
| Fondu | 1 | 4 |
| Plumpuding | 1 | 10 |
| Eorevisses | 2 | 0 |
| Salade | 1 | 0 |
| DESSERT. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Cerneaux | 0 | 15 |
| Raisins | 1 | 5 |
| Fraises | ||
| Cerises | ||
| Groseilles | ||
| Framboises | ||
| Abricot | 0 | 8 |
| Pêche | 0 | 12 |
| Prunes | 0 | 3 |
| Figue | 0 | 5 |
| Amandes | 0 | 15 |
| Noisettes | 0 | 12 |
| Pommes à la Portugaise | ||
| Poires | 0 | 8 |
| Pomme | ||
| Compote de verjus épépine | ||
| Compote d'épine-vinette | ||
| Compote de poires | 1 | 4 |
| Compote de pommes | ||
| Compote de cerises | 1 | 4 |
| Nix Vert | 0 | 10 |
| Meringue | 0 | 8 |
| Compote de groseilles | 1 | 4 |
| Compote d'abricot | 1 | 4 |
| Compote de pêche | 1 | 4 |
| Confitures | 1 | 4 |
| Cerises liquides | 1 | 4 |
| Marmelade d'abricots | 1 | 10 |
| Gelée de groseilles | 1 | 4 |
| Biscuit à la crème | 1 | 8 |
| Fromage à la crème | 1 | 10 |
| Fromage de Roquefort | 0 | 10 |
| Fromage de Viry | 0 | 15 |
| Fromage de Gruyère | 0 | 8 |
| Fromage de Neufehâtel | 0 | 5 |
| Fromage de Clochestre ou Chester | 0 | 10 |
| Cerises à l'eau-de-vie | 0 | 12 |
| Prunes à l'eau-de-vie | 0 | 12 |
| Abricots à l'eau-de-vie | ||
| Pêches à l'eau-de-vie | ||
| VINS. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Clarette | 6 | 0 |
| Vin de Bourgogne | 1 | 15 |
| Vin de Chablis | 2 | 0 |
| Vin de Beaune | 2 | 5 |
| Vin de Mulsaux | 3 | 0 |
| Vin de Montrachet | 3 | 10 |
| Vin de Pomard | 3 | 10 |
| Vin de Volnay | 3 | 10 |
| Vin de Nuits | 3 | 10 |
| Vin de Grave | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de Soterne | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de Champagne mousseux | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de champagne, mousseux | 4 | 0 |
| Tisane de Champagne | 3 | 10 |
| Vin de Rosé | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de Silery rouge | 6 | 0 |
| Vin de Silery blanc | 6 | 0 |
| Vin de Pierri | 5 | 0 |
| Vin d'Aï | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de Porto | 6 | 0 |
| Latour | 6 | 0 |
| Vin de Côte-Rôtie | 5 | 0 |
| Vin du Clos Vougeot de 88 | 7 | 4 |
| Clos St. Georges | 6 | 0 |
| Vin de Pomarel | 6 | 0 |
| Vin du Rhin | 8 | 0 |
| Vin de Chambertin | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de l'Hermitage rouge | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de l'Hermitage blanc | 6 | 0 |
| Vin delà Romanée | 5 | 0 |
| Ronflante Conti | 8 | 0 |
| Vin de Richebourg | 5 | 0 |
| Chevalier montrachet | 6 | 0 |
| Vin de Vône | 5 | 0 |
| Vîn de Bordeaux de Ségur | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de Bordeaux Lafite | 5 | 0 |
| Vin de Saint Emilion | 5 | 0 |
| Bierre forte ou porter | 2 | 0 |
| Bierre | 0 | 10 |
| VINS DE LIQUEURS. | ||
| fr. | s. | |
| Vin de Chereste, demi-bouteille | 4 | 0 |
| Vin de Malvoisie, idem | 4 | 0 |
| Madère sec id. | 4 | 0 |
| Malaga | 3 | 0 |
| Alicante id. | 3 | 0 |
| Muscat | 3 | 0 |
| Le petit verre | 0 | 10 |
| Vermouth | ||
| Chipre | ||
| Calabre | ||
| Paille | ||
| Palme | ||
| Constance | ||
| Tokai | ||
| Le petit verre | 1 | 0 |
| LIQUEURS. | ||
| Anisette d'Hollande | 0 | 15 |
| Anisette de Bordeaux | 0 | 12 |
| Eau-de-vie d'Andaye | 0 | 10 |
| Fleur d'Orange | 0 | 10 |
| Cuirasseau | 0 | 10 |
| Rhum | 0 | 10 |
| Kirschewaser | 0 | 10 |
| Eau Cordiale de Coradon | 0 | 15 |
| Liqueurs des Isles | 0 | 15 |
| Marasquin | 0 | 15 |
| Eau-de-vie de Dantzick | 0 | 15 |
| Eau-de-vie de Coignac | 0 | 8 |
| Casé, la tasse 12s. la demie | 0 | 8 |
| Glace | 0 | 15 |
One advantage, well deserving of notice, of this bill of fare with the price annexed to each article, is, that, when you have made up your mind as to what you wish to have for dinner, you have it in your power, before you give the order, to ascertain the expense. But, though you see the price of each dish, you see not the dish itself; and when it comes on the table, you may, perhaps, be astonished to find that a pompous, big-sounding name sometimes produces only a scrap of scarcely three mouthfuls. It is the mountain in labour delivered of a mouse.
However, if you are not a man of extraordinary appetite, you may, for the sum of nine or ten francs, appease your hunger, drink your bottle of Champagne or Burgundy, and, besides, assist digestion by a dish of coffee and a glass of liqueur. Should you like to partake of two different sorts of wine, you may order them, and drink at pleasure of both; if you do not reduce the contents below the moiety, you pay only for the half bottle. A necessary piece of advice to you as a stranger, is, that, while you are dispatching your first dish, you should take care to order your second, and so on in progression to the end of the chapter: otherwise, for want of this precaution, when the company is very numerous, you may, probably, have to wait some little time between the acts, before you are served.
This is no trifling consideration, if you purpose, after dinner, to visit one of the principal theatres: for, if a new or favourite piece be announced, the house is full, long before the raising of the curtain; and you not only find no room at the theatre to which you first repair; but, in all probability, this disappointment will follow you to every other for that evening.
Nevertheless, ten or fifteen minutes are sufficient for the most dainty or troublesome dish to undergo its final preparation, and in that time you will have it smoking on the table. Those which admit of being completely prepared beforehand, are in a constant state of readiness, and require only to be set over the fire to be warmed. Each cook has a distinct branch to attend to in the kitchen, and the call of a particular waiter to answer, as each waiter has a distinct number of tables, and the orders of particular guests to obey in the dining-rooms. In spite of the confused noise arising from the gabble of so many tongues, there being probably eighty or a hundred persons calling for different articles, many of whom are hasty and impatient, such is the habitual good order observed, that seldom does any mistake occur; the louder the vociferations of the hungry guests, the greater the diligence of the alert waiters. Should any article, when served, happen not to suit your taste, it is taken back and changed without the slightest murmur.
The difference between the establishments of the fashionable restaurateurs before the revolution, and those in vogue at the present day, is, that their profession presenting many candidates for public favour, they are under the continual necessity of employing every resource of art to attract customers, and secure a continuance of them. The commodiousness and elegance of their rooms, the savouriness of their cooking, the quality of their wines, the promptitude of their attendants, all are minutely criticized; and, if they study their own interest, they must neglect nothing to flatter the eyes and palate. In fact, how do they know that some of their epicurean guests may not have been of their own fraternity, and once figured in a great French family as chef de cuisine?
Of course, with all this increase of luxury, you must expect an increase of expense: but if you do not now dine here at so reasonable a rate as formerly, at least you are sumptuously served for your money. If you wish to dine frugally, there are numbers of restaurateurs, where you may be decently served with potage, bouilli, an entrée, an entremet, bread and desert, for the moderate sum of from twenty-six to thirty sous. The addresses of these cheap eating-houses, if they are not put into your hand in the street, will present themselves to your eye, at the corner of almost every wall in Paris. Indeed, all things considered, I am of opinion that the difference in the expense of a dinner at a restaurateur's at present, and what it was ten or eleven years ago, is not more than in the due proportion of the increased price of provisions, house-rent, and taxes.
The difference the most worthy of remark in these rendezvous of good cheer, unquestionably consists in the company who frequent them. In former times, the dining-rooms of the fashionable restaurateurs were chiefly resorted to by young men of good character and connexions, just entering into life, superannuated officers and batchelors in easy circumstances, foreigners on their travels, &c. At this day, these are, in a great measure, succeeded by stock-jobbers, contractors, fortunate speculators, and professed gamblers. In defiance of the old proverb, "le ventre est le plus grand de tous nos ennemis," guttling and guzzling is the rage of these upstarts. It is by no means uncommon to see many of them begin their dinner by swallowing six or seven dozen of oysters and a bottle of white wine, by way of laying a foundation for a potage en tortue and eight or ten other rich dishes. Such are the modern parvenus, whose craving appetites, in eating and drinking, as in every thing else, are not easily satiated.
It would be almost superfluous to mention, that where rich rogues abound, luxurious courtesans are at no great distance, were it not for the sake of remarking that the former often regale the latter at the restaurateurs, especially at those houses which afford the convenience of snug, little rooms, called cabinets particuliers. Here, two persons, who have any secret affairs to settle, enjoy all possible privacy; for even the waiter never has the imprudence to enter without being called. In these asylums, Love arranges under his laws many individuals not suspected of sacrificing at the shrine of that wonder-working deity. Prudes, whose virtue is the universal boast, and whose austerity drives thousands of beaux to despair, sometimes make themselves amends for the reserve which they are obliged to affect in public, by indulging in a private tête-à-tête in these mysterious recesses. In them too, young lovers frequently interchange the first declarations of eternal affection; to them many a husband owes the happiness of paternity; and without them the gay wife might, perhaps, be at a loss to deceive her jealous Argus, and find an opportunity of lending an attentive ear to the rapturous addresses of her aspiring gallant.
What establishment then can be more convenient than that of a restaurateur? But you would be mistaken, were you to look for cabinets particuliers at every house of this denomination, Here, at BEAUVILLIERS', for instance, you will find no such accommodation, though if you dislike dining in public, you may have a private room proportioned to the number of a respectable party: or, should you be sitting at home, and just before the hour of dinner, two or three friends call in unexpectedly, if you wish to enjoy their company in a quiet, sociable manner, you have only to dispatch your valet de place to BEAUVILLIERS' or to the nearest restaurateur of repute for the bill of fare, and at the same time desire him to bring table-linen, knives, silver forks, spoons, and all other necessary appurtenances. While he is laying the cloth, you fix on your dinner, and, in little more than a quarter of an hour, you have one or two elegant courses, dressed in a capital style, set out on the table. As for wine, if you find it cheaper, you can procure that article from some respectable wine-merchant in the neighbourhood. In order to save trouble, many single persons, and even small families now scarcely ever cook at home; but either dine at a restaurateur's, or have their dinners constantly furnished from one of these sources of culinary perfection.
But, while I am relating to you the advantages of these establishments, time flies apace: 'tis six o'clock.—If you are not disposed to drink more wine, let us have some coffee and our bill. When you want to pay, you say: "Garçon, la carte payante!" The waiter instantly flies to a person, appointed for that purpose, to whom he dictates your reckoning. On consulting your stomach, should you doubt what you have consumed, you have only to call in the aid of your memory, and you will be perfectly satisfied that you have not been charged with a single article too much or too little.
Remark that portly man, so respectful in his demeanour. It is BEAUVILLIERS, the master of the house: this is his most busy hour, and he will now make a tour to inquire at the different tables, if his guests are all served according to their wishes. He will then, like an able general, take a central station, whence he can command a view of all his dispositions. The person, apparently next in consequence to himself, and who seems to have his mind absorbed in other objects, is the butler: his thoughts are, with the wine under his care, in the cellar.
Observe the cleanly attention of the waiters, neatly habited in close-bodied vests, with white aprons before them: watch the quickness of their motions, and you will be convinced that no scouts of a camp could be more on the alert. An establishment, so extremely well conducted, excites admiration. Every spring of the machine duly performs its office; and the regularity of the whole might serve as a model for the administration of an extensive State. Repair then, ye modern Machiavels, to N° 1243, Rue de la Loi; and, while you are gratifying your palate, imbibe instruction from BEAUVILLIERS.