Ask (we did), and you shall receive: S. Irene Virbila doles out her official review of Anisette today, and it's everything expected. The space is gorgeous, Balthazar-esque; she loves the bustle; she can't pass up a good plateaux de mers; wines are acceptable; the service is "intelligent." Still, although this is her four-star Alain Giraud, things aren't perfect, and Miss Irene cuts the chef tons of slack.
To be honest, I expected more from Monsieur Giraud, who we know can cook like a dream. Chefs all over Paris have reinvigorated the form with exciting contemporary bistros and brasseries. But this effort doesn't go far enough. And it's something of a mystery. Giraud is there day and night, so commitment isn't the issue…He just may not have a feel for this kind of cooking, which, after all, is not what he was trained to do.
The menu isn't "personal" enough, but maybe that's because the restaurant is open from breakfast through dinner, which has "its challenges." Anisette gets two stars. Today the "S." stands for "submissive." [LAT]
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