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« Devil's Food Cake Recipe 10 Insanely Delicious Things You Shouldn't Miss in Paris August 9, 2007
"We're coming to Paris!"
"What's there to eat that we shouldn't miss?"
How about a pain aux cereales?
Still, I get this question frequently asked and while I'm usually organized (Can you say pastry chef?) with everything listed in the Category box to your left, I still kinda have to point folks there. And...hey, did you know that we're coming up my 500th post here on the blog? I was thinking of having some kind of contest with really cool prizes, like an all-expense paid trip to Tahiti...but then I thought some of you might balk at shelling out money on a nice trip for me. And to be honest, the thought of relaxing somewhere on the beach being surrounded by oily, lithe, tanned bodies with the scent of vanilla lingering in the air while listening to the sound of the surf isn't exactly paradise compared to all the treats I have access to below. Now is it?  Lemon Tartlets from La Fougasse
And seriously, you shouldn't miss them if you come.
I love les macarons and although I still think the classic ones at Ladurée are tops in town, Over at Pierre Hermé, he's always experimenting with unusual flavor combinations so you never quite know what you'll find here. But if you happen to be there and see pastel-orange cookies the color of apricot with a soft, creamy filling oozing out, hiding a nugget of crackly almond croquant covered with fine pieces of pistachio dust, I urge you to try one. Although each time I go in, the amount of filling seems to be increasing to the point of excess, I can't resist popping one in my mouth. And in fact, when I go in now, my favorite saleswoman there instinctively hands me one over the counter. (And people ask me why I live here all the time as well...) One tip: The shop on the rue Bonaparte is usually mobbed and it's difficult to see anything or linger. Head over to the Pierre Hermé shop at 185, rue Vaugirard, which is much more spacious. And while you're there, stop in at des Gâteaux & du Pain at 63, boulevard Pasteur; the pastries and breads are drop-dead gorgeous there as well.
 Les Baguettes Monge from Kayser
If you want to see Parisians eating something messy on the street, with far more flair that I can manage, head over to the rue de Rosiers. Order at the window, and be sure to ask for extra sauce piquante if you know what's good for you. Then retreat with your sandwich to some doorway to chow down. Although I'm told the place across the street is better, if I was seen going in there, I'd surely lose my cred at L'As so I'm not willing to risk it (...if only they'd close for vacation...) Not only is the falafel cheap, but it's good too. If you want to sit down, the main dining room allows smoking and the one next door is non-fumeur, which will all change January 1, 2008 when all restaurants and cafés in France go non-smoking. The only downside is the pricey drinks are about the same price as the sandwich and sometimes the fries could use another minute in the fryer. Oh yes, and avoid the chopped liver which isn't so good. A better bet is the version at Chez Marianne just down the street. Still, you can't come to Paris and not have a falafel at L'As.
 Le Beurre d'Isigny
In a country where 97% of the butter is pretty terrific (even the stuff you buy in the supermarché) after I tasted this handmade butter from Brittany, I'm spoiled for life and won't spread any other butter on my morning toast. M. Bordier makes a few different butters, including one with smoked salt that I'm told is great on fish, and another with seaweed which I'm told is great for making brownies. Ok. Just kidding on that last one. But I cannot tell a lie: The beurre I'm partial to is the salted butter with delicate flakes of salt strewn throughout, which are delightfully crunchy when smeared on a toasted baguette and a drizzle of dark chestnut or buckwheat honey. Bordier butter is available at various fromageries around Paris, and they generally keep it in stock at Le Bon Marché and da rosa.
A Parisian friend asked, "Why do Americans all want cassoulet when they come to France?", and he made a grimace suggesting it was too rich. I thought about it, and deduced that since it's not something one finds easily in the states, like duck confit, it's one of the things we seek out when crossing the Atlantic. There's nothing worse than bad duck confit. Being presented with an greasy, grey slab of meat with flabby skin...is there anything less-appealing? (Well, maybe going to see a double-bill of Carrot Top and Gallagher.) I rarely order it out unless I can get a look at another table's order before making my decision. The version at Au Trou Gascon is a crispy wonder, but its out-of-the-way location and slightly upscale-ness makes it less-accessible than Chez Dumonet, where I've never, ever been disappointed. Be sure to finish your meal with dessert if you go; the Grand Marnier Soufflé must be ordered in advance. I also urge folks to try the mille-feuille too, which is a wonder of puff pastry magic. The exceptional taste of pure French butter magically is trapped between ultra-light layers of pastry dough with a vanilla-scented cream filling is threatening to slide out from beneath. Neither are 'nail-in-the-coffin' rich desserts, so not to worry. And either (or both!) makes the perfect ending to dinner in this classic Parisian bistro.
 Salted Butter Caramels from my hero, Henri Le Roux
I don't know if it's possible to keep talking about French butter without mentioning Henri Le Roux's extraordinary, stupdensous caramels. Even if you think, "How good can a caramel be?", think again. M. Le Roux's super-duperest of caramels are only available in Paris at Denise Acabo's emporium of hard-to-find candies up near the Moulin Rouge. (He often appears at the annual Salon du Chocolat in Paris, and just opened a shop in Tokyo as well.) You'll need to devote longer than you think if you visit the charming Madame Acabo, since once she gets going, she doesn't seem to want to stop. If you do go, you can also pick up one of his Caramel-Beurre-Salé in a jar, which words can't describe. So I'll stop here. Really.
Yes, everyone comes here for the macarons, which are justly famous. So much so, in fact, that Ladurée sells an astounding 12,000 per day. But it's too bad the morning pastries get overlooked in the macaron.madness. My favorite is the yeasty Kugelhof, which isn't too sweet nor is it dry, since it gets a nice dip in an orange flower water-scented syrup after baking. I think it makes the perfect breakfast. Another outstanding example is at Vandermeersch, which only makes them on certain days but is worth a call to find out which ones they are before making the long journey out to the Porte Dorée.
You don't need me to tell you there tons of bread in Paris. Everywhere you look is a boulangerie, and new ones are opening all the time; some good some not-so-good. But Eric Kayser, which seems to be opening them as fast as he can, manages to keep the quality as high as possible in all of them. I've never had a bread from him I didn't love, including the slender baguette Monge or his hearty, coarse pain au levain. Always on the lookout for a good loaf of hearty, grainy bread in Paris, the pain aux cereales here can't be topped—except maybe by a slab of Cantal or a smear of ripe, pungent brie de Meaux. Light and crunchy, and riddled with lots of millet and sesame seeds, it goes equally well with cheese after dinner as it does for breakfast with some homemade confiture.
 Macarons in the workshop of Gérard Mulot
Most people don't come to Paris for the Asian food. But for those of us living here, it's a nice break from rich Parisian cuisine. Perhaps once a week I head down to the 13th for Vietnamese or Chinese food. This Laotian joint at 105, Avenue d'Ivry, is always packed and most people are feasting on the Toasted Rice Salad, served in a lettuce leaf which is filled with crunchy rice and little bits of meat. Even if you're not a fan of unusual Asian desserts, the combination of coconut milk-based treats, served warm on a banana leaf, are lovely and delicate.
 J'adore!
Did you know you shouldn't fly with chocolate-covered marshmallows? The change in air pressure can cause them to inflate and deflate, cracking the dark chocolate shell. So you shouldn't buy as many as you can to take home. Pity for you...but that means there's more for me.
 La Maison du Chocolat
These are four of my favorite chocolates in Paris. How does one choose? Luckily, you don't have to. And if you visit Paris, c'est obligatoire to stop in at each one. M. Rochoux's bar is a slab of dark chocolate riddled with hazelnut, each individually-caramelized, and embedded within. At Chaudun, he daringly introduces the locals to peanuts in a chocolate-filling, which he told me was a tough sell to ground peanut-averse Parisians...but not to me. I can't get enough of them. And be sure to get a box of his mini-sized chocolate pavés too. What's not to like about caramelized butter mousse, whipped up until light and fluffy, then enrobed in chocolate? At La Maison du Chocolat, they don't both wow-ing the public with new or trendy. Which is a good thing, since if they ever discontinued any of their truly sublime chocolates, I'd stage a one-man strike out front. (And next month strike season starts again...so if you see me soon out there on the sidewalk, I'm supporting the cause.) And at Patrick Roger, I never know what I want when I walk in the door. Except that's a lie: I know that I do want at least one bite of feuillantines, crackly praline cut in a neat square then covered in a thin coating of dark chocolate. But there's so many other things to try, I know I should branch out a bit more. And I promise I will.
If there's anything I left out, if you have anything to add, let me know in the comments...
Comments Brilliant post! My favorites were the chocolate macarons from Maison Du Chocolat (so much so that I stole my mother's before it could go stale and ate it without telling her), definitely the falafel (sooooo good!) and the steak frites at that restaurant you took us to that I can't recall the name of (blast!), maybe as much for my Dad's huge smile when they gave him seconds. I will be dreaming of Paris tonight! Thank you! Posted by Annie at August 9, 2007 4:00 AM How about the Lemon and Rosemary tartlettes at Pain de Sucre on Rue Rambuteau? I don't think I could ever get tired of them!! Posted by Vicky at August 9, 2007 7:18 AM David, you should write a new food guide to Paris. I'm sure people say so all the time, but I don't think Ms. Wells could possibly be irked when you have recommendations like this up your sleeve. Posted by Figs Olives Wine at August 9, 2007 7:47 AM Annie: You should be ashamed for snitching your mom's macaron, although you do get points for the dad-pleasing steak story. L'Entrecote is a great place for steak frites and I'm glad you like it as much as I do. xx Vicky: Next time you're in there, try the Chocolate-Coconut Marshmallows. They're fabulous! Figs Olives Wine: I did propose a pastry and chocolate guidebook to Paris but it got turned down by several publishers citing that guidebooks aren't big sellers. (Patricia Wells' book is out-of-print, so maybe they're right, but Clotlide's coming out with an edible guide to Paris that I'm sure is going to knock out everyone...I can't wait to see it.) So instead of using all the loads of cash that I would have made from the guide to use for travel to exotic destinations, I stay home eating Chocolate-Coconut Marshmallows and put all the info here on the site instead. Bonne chance for my readers!
Posted by David at August 9, 2007 8:44 AM Saving this! Someday I am coming, and I will completely abandon my South Beach principles while I'm there, no question about it! Posted by Kalyn at August 9, 2007 9:01 AM Great post, but just to pick nits, with the value of the dollar plunging your few euros would buy you even more dollars. Posted by Lisa at August 9, 2007 9:34 AM Solid cheat sheet for Paris. Posted by conor at August 9, 2007 9:54 AM this rules. Posted by annie at August 9, 2007 10:48 AM This is great -- I'm definitely adding this to my Paris travel tips. We've checked out a few of your suggestions in the last few years -- we love walking and stay in the 13th, so we were starting to wonder if the Creperie Bretonne was really worth it and as you get close to the place, it doesn't look like much, but the crepes were great (love the one with the oeuf mollet on top). And we've had the mechoui at Chez Omar -- so much food. Go there hungry, for sure. As for L'As du Falafel, my husband is still raving about it and he's not so much of a veggie guy. There was a huge long lineup the day we went, and we weren't sure if it would be worth waiting, but we'd walked forever to get there so we waited. They had someone come along the line, take orders, and get your money. Paul gave our order, took a piece of paper, paid, saw the guy do a few more in the line and then leave. Just as he started to wonder if he'd fallen for some "dumb tourist" scam, the fellow returned with his change. (As a scam, it obviously could work quite well, no?) Paul was really impressed with how quickly they moved putting together the falafels in production line efficiency so that the large crowd got fed quickly. (I was only impressed secondhand 'cause I was shopping in the nearby fab shops). It started to pour with accents of thunder and lightening and we huddled in a doorway happily munching on our dripping falafel. All because you wrote a great post and I followed your advice! Posted by materfamilias at August 9, 2007 11:03 AM I think I might have to fly out there and kick your ass for posting this. The last thing this pregnant lady needs is to see those gorgeous chocolate covered marshmallows knowing she can't have any. It's a good thing I love you so. Posted by Joy at August 9, 2007 11:17 AM Joy: Now there's an image for my readers...getting my butt kicked by a pregnant woman! Posted by David at August 9, 2007 11:23 AM What a great list! I love it that L'As was #2. That is always our first meal in Paris. Something about jetlag and falafel (and so much of the hot sauce we used all of ours and had to steal some from the table to next to us!). I just heard that Damman's has closed and was replaced by a yucky crepe shop. How sad. Their cerise sorbet is also on my must list. Also on my list, but not really related to food, is all kinds of office and school supplies from Monoprix. The little notebooks that are the right size for a handbag, and the cool folders that are a bit oversize due to the paper size difference and that fold over your work and then have an elastic closure. Why Office Depot doesn't have them, I don't know. But I always bring some back. The new must have for me from you list is the marshmallow. MMMMM. Fluffy wonder.... Posted by Val at August 9, 2007 12:27 PM That's it! I need to get back to Paris. I feel like I barely got to anything last time I was there but I suppose I will always feel like that about Paris. Posted by delphine at August 9, 2007 12:29 PM Thank you for another great list - I am most definitely going to find some of those caramels!
My next trip through Paris is a three hour stop between trains for lunch and I shall be racing off to Chez Michel. I pray they have the kouign aman on the lunch menu!
A memorable venue I went to on my last trip was Chez l'Ami Jean (27 rue Malar, 7e). Tiny tables meant that we dined shoulder to shoulder with our neighbours, but the food made up for any unintentional intimacy with strangers! Braised belly, cheek and fillet of pork on lentils was amazing but this paled next to the riz au lait which followed. A tray (longer than the table was wide!) arrived with three bowls on it, one with confiture de lait lightened with whipped cream, another with more thinned down milk jam for drizzling and a GIANT bowl of velvety rice pudding with just a hint of caramel to it in the centre. All eaten with the supplied wooden spoon. Unforgettable! Posted by Lewis at August 9, 2007 1:07 PM David, I am printing this out so I can visit these places the next time I am in town. Thank you! Posted by Lucy Vanel at August 9, 2007 2:19 PM Materfamilias: Yes, Creperie Bretonne is a sleeper. I love the guy who makes the crêpes...he looks like he just stepped out of a Breton lighthouse! btw: There's a new-ish creperie in the Marais, Breiz Café (109, rue Vieille de Temple) which is supposed to be quite good and convenient for people that don't want to venture out too far. Lucy: And you're the first person I'm going to when I visit Lyon. Val: That's funny, because I always bring back notebooks from America since I don't like the grids in French books. They don't have those great folders in America since people don't have to deal with the amount of paperwork that we have to deal with in France ; ) Lisa: I guess it's just wishful thinking... Lewis: L'Ami Jean is great and recently I went with someone who loved the Basque linen napkins...so they gave them to her! Posted by David at August 9, 2007 3:52 PM Oh, my God, l'As at Rue des Roisiers... Now, I've only been in Paris twice, for less than a week both times, during the last years. But I stumbled on the place early on one of my first visits and to me it's already more Paris than the Louvre! Posted by Mar at August 9, 2007 5:18 PM Mar: What's the Louvre? Sounds delicious. Posted by David at August 9, 2007 5:48 PM Those macarons in Gerard Mulot's workshop are so colorful! Thanks for always taking the time to answer these questions we all have! Much appreciated! A friend of mine just came back from Paris, she just missed your great list! Posted by Hillary at August 9, 2007 6:52 PM I'm just about struck dumb with all these goodies! I do love Pierre Herme's Kouign Amman, but then you told me about that... Posted by ParisBreakfasts at August 9, 2007 7:05 PM David..great list...I'm taking my parents to Paris for the first time this October...I have forwarded them this list (although they seem a tad more interested in the non-food related "sights" in Paris (for shame)). Chez Dumonet is a fantastic bistro. We were there on our last trip to Paris..during game season (I had the wild boar, hubby had the "wild 'air" (bunny)). As an aside, Princess Caroline, her hubby and friends were at the table beside ours...they ordered 2 (!!) 1963 magnums of Bordeaux..and proceeded to share the leftovers with bar. So soufflee and 1963 Bordeaux for dessert!! Love you and the site!! Posted by cheryl at August 9, 2007 9:00 PM Patricia Wells' "The Foodlover's Guide to Paris" is out of print? I love that book! I even have it indexed with little tabs that stick out the sides of the pages. And the book has recipes. It's a great book, but the edition I have was printed in 1999, so certainly some things have changed. Maybe it's time now for your version of the Foodlover's Guide? Posted by Linda H at August 9, 2007 10:45 PM Butter? Salted Caramels!!?? Chocolate-covered marshmallows?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? If only I could cancel my weekend plans and fly over for a few days to indulge....... ah, that would be bliss! Posted by French Laundry at Home at August 9, 2007 10:46 PM Excellent, excellent! I was already starting to raid your archives, but this is exactly what I would have been looking for :) PS> I think Bloglines is having trouble with your feed - it shows last updated Aug. 5th. Posted by Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy at August 9, 2007 11:22 PM I will remember to try all of these things when I go to Paris one day... sigh a girl can dream. The macarons are so colorful, they almost look like little trinkets. Posted by Amy at August 10, 2007 3:03 AM Oh David, you remain (as always!) my hero. What a fab list and lots of new stuff for me to try, despite having been to Paris 7 times. I'm with you on the Berthillon caramel ice cream - my favourite sorbet is definitely the orange sanguine. Sublime. I have to disagree on the Pierre Herme macarons though - the olive and vanilla blew me away and still does (even though the Arabesque is yummy too ;-)). And everyone should buy one Isphahan just to learn what attention to detail really is. I had the best sandwich I have ever eaten from a nondescript little boulangerie near the Jardin de Luxembourg 2 years ago. It was a fresh baguette with a slick of good mayo instead of butter (or, blech, margarine - why does that stuff even still exist??), excellent RIPE vine tomatoes, slices of feta cheese and fresh mint. Incredibly good and I wish I could remember where the place was. They also did fantastic individual tartes au citron and au chocolat. Sigh. I have been tempted by the Pierre Marcolini marshmallows but never gave in - now I know I should have. Love the trivia about what air pressure does to the coating! And that photo of macarons at Gerard Mulot is sheer macaron poetry. Posted by Jeanne at August 10, 2007 7:10 AM perfect timing david, i've just booked a long weekend trip! i'll look in the left panel for other tips too ;) Posted by abby at August 10, 2007 8:33 AM Dude, they are so dumb not to have you write that book. How about the NYtimes or Gourmet, special foodie section? You have the best addresses and know how and taste buds. Makes me want to jump on a plane right now. ps That macaron shot is fabulous! Posted by Riana at August 10, 2007 8:41 AM ---sorry for calling you dude--- that old californian in me rises up out of nowhere sometimes. Posted by Riana at August 10, 2007 8:51 AM In the 7th, on the Rue Amelie, there's a restaurant called Chez Pierrot which is incongruously filled with tourists on a regular basis, often a bad sign - but in this case, rightly so. Order the confit de canard there; I beg of you. It is writhe-in-naked-good duck. Oh, and of course - Christian Parra's Boudin Noir, fried up with a little oil and spread liberally on the finest baguettes in Paris. Posted by Juliette at August 10, 2007 9:41 AM Perfect timing--and much appreciated--this offers a checklist for an upcoming visit. I'll be staying a few doors up from l'Etoile d'Or and now I see that that could be a very expensive thing. (If you want someone to buy your falafel at the 'other' place and bring it to you while you hide round the corner let me know.) Posted by Steve at August 10, 2007 1:02 PM David, I must admit I was sooo close to asking exactly this question from you before making it to Paris for the first time in May 2006! However, even back then your blog was most informative - we did try to check out L'As du Falafel (on a Saturday, stupidly:), and followed your advice on markets. But we obviously need to come again, as most of the things on the list we didn't manage to do. Posted by Pille at August 10, 2007 1:26 PM Relax, David, I can save you the worry that you might be missing something at the place across the street from l'As du Falafel...you're not! Having also heard the rumors, we tried it a couple of months ago and it was nowhere near as good...dry, not enough sauce, altogether much less appealing. Stick to the Ace. And thanks for the reminder about A l'Etoile d'Or, pigtailed ladies and caramel beurre salé...great reasons to go. By the way, I'm trying to get that baguette Monge to leap from the screen to my mouth...fabulous! Posted by Shelli at August 10, 2007 1:32 PM I'm confused! My boss and wife travel to Paris twice annually and rave about Lemon Tartlets. I was certain the big, glorious photo above meant the tarts were mentioned on your Top 10 list, but alas, I can't see that they are. Am I overlooking this item on the list? I even did a "Control F - Find" for the bakery or tart, and nope! Hmmm. Posted by Kate at August 10, 2007 5:50 PM Oh my Lord, what a slice of heaven. Especially the salted caramels - I'm in love with the Fran's sea salt caramels we have in Seattle, but they can't possibly compare. Also, I feel sick and dirty and ashamed that I ate at the Champs-Elysees McDonalds on my sole trip to Paris in 1996. I was young, and stupid. Very, very, stupid. I my defense, I didn't have this delectable list to help me! Posted by Megan at August 10, 2007 7:21 PM Laduree: I can't get past the salted-butter-caramel macaron. It is every time my gateway taste of Paris (which my husband tolerates only because he has already had a banana-Nutella crepe from the creperie around the corner...). Posted by maryn at August 10, 2007 11:35 PM Mmmm. :-) Things I like to have when in Paris include a liquorice macaron from Ladurée, not only because it tastes very good, but also because a black macaron looks cool, and a tartelette Ispahan from Hermé, because one can never have too much rose-flavoured pastry. Lucky they're on the same street, and close to the Jardin du Luxembourg. Posted by Véronique at August 11, 2007 4:21 AM the sandwich shop attached to the cafe de la place, just across from the edgar quinet station - it's owned by joseph and he makes the best sandwiches i had in the city. he made me one with chicken and figs that was spectacular, but it's not on the menu. to be honest, i was not that impressed with the duck confit at chez dumonet. maybe that was just because i was alone and american and they turned their noses way WAY up at me. you left off a cheese plate at fromagerie 31; perhaps not the most exciting place to eat but always friendly and a great place to try new cheeses and actually remember what they are. do you know, david, do any of the chocolate places ship things? I was traveling in spain after paris so all the chocolate would have melted, but o! i so miss rouchaux! Posted by sarah at August 11, 2007 11:31 AM What a timely post! I'm taking my first ever trip to Paris in a week and I am glad to take ALL of your recommendations. Merci. Posted by lindsay at August 12, 2007 2:43 PM Great googly moogly...this entry almost made me cry tears of happiness and joy and joyful happiness. This will be my guide next time I go to Paris. Thanks! :) Posted by Robyn at August 12, 2007 8:49 PM I'm totally craving duck confit right now. ... Superb photo of the macaroons. Posted by cocoaloco at August 12, 2007 9:31 PM At Laduree the fruit tart is amazing. Framboises, fraises, et bluets! Amazing! The only thing I REFUSE to share food-wise. Posted by SamMoi at August 13, 2007 9:46 AM Caramel Eclairs at Maison du Chocolate. I'm not usually one who goes for the eclair, but being a caramel freak I decided to try it. Seriously one of the best pastries EVER! Such great burnt sugar flavour, not soggy, just perfect. Posted by TamiM at August 13, 2007 1:21 PM I am at the tail end of a week in Paris, staying in the 6th. I have eaten my way through several tablettes du chocolat, many croissants, tartes and all manner of sweeties and breads. The highlight, I must say, was the Laduree macaron made with orange flower water. It beat out the other seven flavors I tried and even the half dozen assorted pastries I got at Gerard Mulot on pas de la Mule. The other highlight of the trip was seeing Juliette Binoche buying mini quiches at the marche biologiques on Blvd Raspail on Sunday morning. Oh yes, I found this insanely delicious yogurt at the Bon Marche. It comes in a little glass pot and is called La Ferme du Manege. Try the hazelnut (noisette). Crazeee!! Posted by Nelle Gretzinger at August 13, 2007 1:47 PM I just made your caramel ice cream and it was outstanding. However, my new Cuisinart ICE-50BC ice cream maker was a disappointment. I know you said you have good results. After 60 minutes I just had a soup mixture with no chill. I think I have a machine that is not working. This was my first use of the machine so I thought I would check with you regarding the response I should expect from this machine. Sorry for posting this comment here but I could not figure out how to post it with the original article. Posted by Murray at August 13, 2007 5:52 PM David, What a wonderful site!! I wanted to surprise my wife and children next week when we are zipping around Paris, by scheduling a context chocolate tour with you, but wanted to check with you first if you would be okay (and thought it okay) for a tour with an 11 yo girl, 9 yo boy, and 6 yo girl. They are sort of typical precocious little jewish new york kids, and all (especially my wife) LOVE all things chocolate. But before I jumped in, I wanted to check with you. Posted by Eric Friedfeld Gebaide at August 14, 2007 6:36 PM Now do you think it's fair to post about Paris Posted by Savvy Savorer at August 15, 2007 2:22 AM thks david for the exhaustive list but how does a vegetarian(no fish too!) eat in Paris? i have endured 5 courses of just different coloured salad leaves; a terrible meal in a well recommended veg french restaurant; a plate of small portions of various boiled lentils arranged in a nice circle(if that made it any better)..the list is long i would love to hear your recommendations and i prefer not eating indian while in Paris; i like to experiment with various cuisines even fusion-that would be great actually! i dread my yearly sept trip to Paris foodwise... Posted by dhruti at August 15, 2007 6:03 AM dhruti: Paris isn't exactly, um...vegetarian-friendly. I sometimes eat at a vegetarian Chinese place on rue Chemin Vert so I might suggest searching for Asian options like the place I mentioned in the 13th. Murry: I hope the suggestions I emailed to you help you out. Nellie: French yogurt is great, isn't it. I'm a 'plain' kinda guy, but your description may convert me! TamiM: Anything at La Maison du Chocolat is excellent, and next time I stop by, I'm getting an eclair for sure! (SamMoi:I don't share anything! Is that wrong??) Sarah: I'm pretty sure Patrick Roger ships (as does La Maison du Chocolat and Henri Le Roux). Véronique: Merci! They're so close, but thanks for the correction. And I've even been to St. Malo. Megan: I love Fran's sea salt caramels too! Don't worry about going to the McDo's on the Champs-Elysées—you were probably surrounded by Parisians! And thanks for reminding me about Fromagerie 31 (31, rue de Seine). I do recommend them to a lot of visitors, since it's one of the few places you can just get plates of cheese (and wine, bien sûr!) to taste. And they're really nice too : ) Posted by David at August 15, 2007 11:58 AM I have to admit, I didn't find Pozzetto worth the trip all the way across the city last summer, not with Amorino stores being far more prevalent. And Amorino's yoghurt is my favorite -- couple that with their dark chocolate or l'initimable (Nutella, I think) and it's a real winner. Posted by Fr Chris at August 15, 2007 3:02 PM Le sigh ... But you forgot to mention the additionally yummy item at L'As -- les hommes! What a bunch of cuties at that place, at least the day we were there. Posted by Sean at August 15, 2007 8:12 PM When in Paris, I eat gorgeous, delicious, and not-too-sweet pastries from Sadaharu Aoki. I think they should be on your list, too! Posted by Estelle at August 16, 2007 11:28 AM I love this list! I'll add a réligieuse for my husband's sake. He loves those and always gets one straight off the plane. Of course, I always get one, too, and the rest of the patisseries in the shop while I'm at it. It's that reaction of the famished. He loves Kouign Aman, too, but I am less of a fan. If you have any tips on where to find a really good one of those in Paris, please let me know! Posted by Blame It on Paris at August 16, 2007 2:54 PM hi David, I have also put your blog on my food blogroll. love linda x Posted by linda at August 17, 2007 8:16 AM I've had similar trouble to Murray with my refurbished Cuisinart ICE-50BC from amazon... It does pretty well if I halve ice cream recipes, but it I try to make a whole quart it usually doesn't freeze all the way through. I know something can't be right as we have the same model at work and it makes perfect ice cream every time... On another note, can anyone recommend a decent place to stay if you're traveling alone, a student, and speak very rudimentary french? I keep fantasizing about a trip to Paris, but I keep worrying I'll get off the plane and feel totally lost. Posted by Lisa at August 17, 2007 8:26 AM Hi Lisa: You can find a great list of tips for the first-time visitor to Paris here. In spite of their reputation, most Parisians are helpful and friendly, and even the smallest budget hotels, the desk clerks almost invariably speak English since it's either the first or second language to a lot of visitors. (Still, it's nice to learn a couple of words in French to be polite, bien sûr...) Sean: I haven't forgotten about them at all— I was keeping them a secret...didn't want there to be a stampede on the rue des Rosiers! Blame it On Paris: Although not authentic, the one at Pierre Hermé and Ladurée isn't bad. I've heard at some of the outdoor markets there are Breton people selling them (don't buy a pre-packaged one, though) but I don't know which market. If anyone knows, let me know too! Fr Chris: Pozzetto now has 3 locations, although they aren't as convenient as Amorino. There's a new gelato shop in the rue des Martyrs called Caramella that's worth checking out. Posted by David at August 17, 2007 10:33 AM Hi David, Posted by Paula at August 19, 2007 8:44 AM I'm going to be in Paris for five days at the end of September, staying at the Agora Saint-Germain. Posted by aptronym at August 20, 2007 8:45 PM A Nutella-banana crepe from a street vendor. (Sorry if someone's already mentioned it -- I didn't want to torture myself by reading all the comments -- I have an empty pantry right now.) Posted by class-factotum at August 20, 2007 9:24 PM I was so excited to read the article about you in The Boston Globe. In May 2008 I'll be spending two weeks in Provence and four days in Paris. This will be my second time in Paris. I'm so excited to discover your blog. Any suggestions about Provence? Every time I see or hear anything about Paris I get goose bumps. I love it! Posted by Barbara at August 22, 2007 1:27 PM My husband and I dined at Chez Dumonet last night and we have to say "C'est Magnifique!" What an incredible way to spend our last night in Paris (although we may return after running the Marathon du Medoc this Saturday). The duck confit was sublime, the seared foie gras was spectacular. However, we thought we were being Punk'd when the herring arrived. Granted, you DID warn that the dish was enormous, but seriously -- I couldn't imagine ordering it with fewer than 4-6 people. I'm not as enamored of smoked fish (other than the salmon we get in the Pacific Northwest), but my husband -- who's of Norwegian descent -- managed to make the best of it. However, he called "uncle" after eating about 6 of the fillets (I swear there were at least 12 of them!). And the souffle? Again, incredible, but it was definitely one to be shared. We ordered a bottle of Barsac to go along with our desserts (my husband ordered the millfeuille), but after one bite of the souffle I questioned our decision -- one could easily get drunk off of the dessert! If the walk back to our hotel in the 5th didn't work off the calories, I'm sure the marathon will. Thank you again for your suggestions! (In addition to Chez Dumonet, we also got to try the falafel at L'as). Posted by Ovens to Betsy at September 6, 2007 1:02 PM Just read yours for the first time. It's going to be another fun one. Wherever did I find it? Thanks. Posted by mbash at September 11, 2007 11:42 AM David, Thanks so much for your blog and newsletter. I feel like I can just about taste the goodies you write about and I love "The Perfect Scoop" - first try was the Vietnamese Coffee ice cream - in my cheapie Cuisinart ice cream maker - it came out perfect and didn't get icy even after several days! Posted by Karen at September 12, 2007 4:24 PM Hi Karen: The most authentic cannelés in Paris are at the Gare Montparnasse (yes, the train station.) There's a kiosk that sells them from a place in Bordeaux called 'Ballardain' (my spelling may be off.) Other places like Laduree and Pierre Hermé have respectable ones as well, but many places in Paris have them. Just go for the darkest ones—they're the best! Posted by David at September 12, 2007 4:50 PM We just came back from France last week. Spent a few days in Paris then went to Nice and Provence. We went to Chez Dumonet one evening. My wife tried the duck confit and felt that it was a little too crispy... I had the beef bourguignon which was fantastic. The souffle was great and so was the millefeuille that my wife had. We also ate at Le Bambou which was a nice break from all the french cooking... But we felt our best meal in Paris was at Le Timbre. It's a very small restaurant run by an English guy. The lone waitress was friendly and helpful. The meal was great especially the millefeuille for the dessert.... it was unbelievable. We didn't have one bad meal while in France, but if we had to pick our favourite, it was our lunch at La Reserve in Nice. If you're in that neighbourhood, you have to go. The view and the food was spectacular. My wife had an amazing seafood risotto and I had a fantastic nicoise salad and some grilled shrimps.... Posted by Steve at October 14, 2007 11:53 PM Thanks a lot for your blog. It is extraordinary. I just came back from a low fat yoghurt+figue cone at Pozzetto in rue de Roi du Sicile. The figue tasted soooo gooood!. I asked and they will probably not have them on the menu for too long. You'd better check it out before it is too late....I actually had a small figue cup after that, just in case Posted by Jered at October 16, 2007 4:20 PM |
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