Sushi in Paris

My Parisian friends craved Japanese food so we tried Moshimo near the Gare de Lyon. It was very reasonably priced for a Japanese place that served a bit of everything so close to a central transportation hub. It was a decent choice to fulfill a craving, but I would not go out of my way to find the place or go back. Compared to choices in Los Angeles, it was definitely limited and lacking in many aspects. As you can see from the sashimi platter for 16 Euros, the choices of fish were very limited and the presentation was not skilled.

They offered potstickers for 5 E 50 that were on par with ones that you could buy frozen and make yourself.

The avocado and tempura dragon roll for about 10 Euros was drizzled with unagi sauce ?!?!? 

The standard tuna and avocado roll for 5 E 50 was a much simpler and better choice.

We also tried the yakitori skewers, ranging from salmon to scallops and shrimp, averaging between 4-6 Euros per pair. All were slightly overdone and not very flavorful.

 Even the grilled zucchini were bland and boring with no seasoning.

The highlight of the meal were the coconut balls of mochi that were likely store bought, but offered a nice sweet ending to an evening spent with friends.

Tartare Warning

Some places are fun even if the food is not great, just because the service is fun and the ambiance is lively. I have one serious concern regarding Chez Paul but I am writing this to highlight both the wonderful points and to warn about places that may be popular but also not properly adhering to proper temperatures and food handling practices; this particular warning applies to EVERY place.

Chez Paul is a few blocks from Bastille, in a lively neighborhood with not shortage of bars and bistros, so when my friends and I settled on giving this place a try it was because the location offered wonderful streetlife entertainment, old world charm, and the place was packed with a mix of locals and visitors.

Six escargots for under 10 Euros were done perfectly with bubbling butter, parsley, and garlic, and toasted baguette for dipping.

The steak tartare at 18 Euros was obviously machine ground as opposed to knife cut, and this was the dish that gave my friend diarrhea all night long. Having eaten three steak tartares during my 2 weeks, I knew not to order this one when I saw the plates coming out of the kitchen, but my friend was craving the dish so ignored my warning. 

ANY machine cut/ground steak tartare is a dangerous bacteria breeding ground because no one cleans the machine after every grind, so you are grinding any meat, that serving may be contaminated with all the other meat that was ground previously. This is especially dangerous on a warm evening when when you have no idea how long or at what temperature the raw meat has been sitting out. I will ONLY eat steak tartare at a place where it is knife cut. PERIOD. Being knife cut doesn't mean the meat is great, or was stored at a proper temperature, but it considerably lessens the likelihood of cross contamination. This is exactly why ground beef is a major cause of e coli illness, even in the USA where we rarely eat beef tartare.

The scallops with pasta and a tomato sauce were decently done and a very generous portion.

 The duck confit for 19 Euros was my choice and again a copious portion.

The tarte tatin at 8.50 Euros was large enough to share between three of us and ended our evening on a sweet note.

French Buildings Old and New

It was wonderful to see old familiar buildings like the Hôtel de Ville

 and of course Notre Dame,

 even though the grande dame is undergoing some renovation after the fire.

 The renovation is finally complete at the Chateau of Saint Germain-en-laye,

 while the renovation at La Défense seems to be everlasting....

the buildings are just like human bodies, needing maintenance and repair to remain in working order ;)

Parisian Apéro & Crêpes

When Americans think of an apéritif, they are likely envisioning a cocktail before dinner. In France the apéro is an afternoon gathering that includes cocktails, food, and friends in a social gathering that easily segues into evening. It's the French version of happy hour, but it may be at someone's home, a park, by a canal, or at a bar or bistro. 

A few steps from the Place des Vosges is the Royal Turenne whose apéro offers both incredible deals and delightful fresh flavors on a perfect people watching corner. With very efficient servers, a lovely terrace for the rare days when Parisian weather is perfect. 

You may choose a light albacore tataki, 

 or traditional fish and chips made with haddock,

 or a wok stir fried Asian inspired sautée of chicken and vegetables. Two glasses of wine, coffee, and all three bites during their apéro, came to under 50 Euros.

Another French classic bite is the crêpe, which may also have a completely different connotation than what you may find in the US. Savory crêpes are called galettes and always made with buckwheat flour, whereas actual crêpes are made with flour, egg, milk, and sugar (like cakes). For a quick bite or a full meal at nearly any time of day, you may pick one up at a street vendor or enjoy an inexpensive meal at a crêperie all over France.

Les Embruns serves classic buckwheat galettes with the usual suspects of ham, cheese and egg and is an easy 2 blocks away from the Gare de Lyon, so many people stop by before or after a trip to get a satisfying meal served by very competent staff in a tight but light filled space. They have lunch specials for around 15 Euros, and nearly every item on the meal is not only well executed, but in some cases very very copious!

The biggest salad I have ever seen in Paris (they are famous for them); seriously this herring salad was big enough for a family of four to share!

Dessert was a lemon and sugar crêpe at another crêperie Au Beurre Salé about 2 blocks away.

 With a digestif of calvados ;)

I made meals out of "snacks" throughout the day because between jet lag and my shrunken Californian appetite, I couldn't handle a large meal most days. Apéros and crêpes were both good ways to socialize, eat, and drink very well nearly any day of the week!

Parisian Air BnB

When you book far enough in advance, the deals you can find are amazing, like this lovely Air BnB for under $120 per night for 50 m2 (540 Sq Ft) apartment with a charming bilingual host. She even stocked the fridge with essentials like juice, water, and eggs, and also had coffee and tea in the pantry, and laundry detergent in the cupboard! With a view of the Canal St. Martin, two major transportation hubs just 3 blocks away, and a big supermarket 2 blocks away, this was an easy location to live in, and if you wanted to party, the cafés along the canal were buzzing all night long with partiers. 

The calm courtyard and not having neighbor's windows facing one side of the building made for a quiet and peaceful retreat after a day out and about. The only things about this place that might put off a renter are that like most Parisian apartments, there is no elevator, so the two flights up may be a challenge, especially if you are lugging heavy suitcases or groceries. The only other caveat is the small step between the hallway and the living room which I kept tripping over until marking the step with a bright red tag :)

It was spacious enough to invite several friends over for apéro and chocolates, and an easy enough place to find that every LeCab came right to the building or the corner (if there was heavy traffic). 

It was pleasure to "live" in Paris again, and even though I was prepared for the wet weather, the good sized umbrella left by the door by the owner Bathilde, was very much appreciated:)

Very large and light living room area.

 Lots of seating for friends to come over for a visit.

 A large bed (for France).

 Well equipped kitchen with full sized oven

 dishwasher, and washing machine!

 Big bathroom and bathtub!

3 Passages in Paris

When friends whom I've known for decades, come in from other countries to spend time in Paris with me, it is a given that we eat at a French bistro:) One surprise guest from Tahiti, two from Belgium, and one American who got to spend the day getting a taste of life in Europe with Europeans and expats:)

The coordinator of our lunch and our subsequent visit to Atelier des Lumieres (2 blocks away) chose 3 Passages based on reviews and the reviews were spot on, because not only was our meal fantastic, but our serveuse was as personable and funny as everyone at our table :) 

I love steak tartare and I was so happy to find that my order was knife cut, using quality meat and served with fresh accompaniments befitting this classic French dish.

My American friend ordered the pasta special with quality ham and cheese unlike what would be served in most American restaurants.

One of my Belgian friends devoured the saucisse that was as hearty and savory as it looks in the picture.

The Tahitian guest chose the vegetable fish dish served in a crusty wrapping with a light tomato sauce.

The menu at lunch offers two courses for only 14 Euros or three for 17 Euros, so the prices are wonderfully reasonable for the quality and skill offered, not to mention the fun service!

Our wonderful serveuse who took our picture and entertained throughout our meal :)

Madame Shawn Thai in Paris

Madame Shawn is a Thai restaurant that has a branch in Bangkok and four in Paris, so if you are craving something spicy in Paris, I highly recommend that you stop by and savor the flavors that are a rarity in Paris where anything spicier than pepper is met with shocked and frightened looks by the locals ;)

Luckily my friends are not afraid of spice and love to travel by both palate and plane, so we went to the Madame Shawn next door to my favorite Boulangerie Du Pain et des Idées in the 10th. I had discovered Madame Shawn because it was next door to the bakery and I was too hungry to just eat bread for a meal. they offer lunch menus from 14-19 Euros  and their dinners are fantastic!

Their 18 Euro sampler of appetizers will give you a taste of all the variations of taste they offer.

Their #47 with rice noodles and chicken was a delicious version of pad see ew in Los Angeles with vegetables and a citrus spark.

The #321, a spicy vegetarian stir fry with tofu, was a nice piquant plate to add to our assortment for 13 Euros.

Their #306 for 18 Euros was a beautiful coconut presentation with  creamy lemongrass flavored shrimp.

 This is the plated view of that curry :)

 Desserts ranged from sorbets and ice cream for 7.50 euros,

 to the best mango and sticky rice I've e er tasted for 8.50 euros. 

You may not crave Thai food while in Paris, but if you do, you won't be disappointed by Madame Shawn.

Montée Michelin Star Birthday Dinner

Milestone birthdays should be celebrated, and what better way to celebrate than to enjoy a Michelin star meal in Paris? Especially when the person has never eaten at a Michelin star restaurant and loves food :) 

Montée is a tiny 15 seat restaurant in the 14th, and before it became a starred place, it was my favorite place to eat in Paris. It is now under the helm of Takayuki Nameura and the evolution of status in the culinary world is very well merited. They offer a lunch or dinner menu that is set by whatever is is in season and / or ignites the chef's creative fire. Dinner is 10 courses, but they served 2 additional amuse-bouche and because it was a birthday celebration, they also presented us with a birthday plate.

I chose a lovely 2014 Graves that was mid range priced to accompany the meal and we took Le Cab there and back so that we could enjoy the entire bottle :)

I neglected to take a picture of the veal/spinach schnitzel, probably because it was one of my favorite courses and I enjoyed it so much I completely forgot about documenting it, but that is a good sign of living in the moment, rather than seeking to preserve it.

Enjoy the feast for your eyes until you can get there to feast your palate on these incredible flavors.

Multi layer amuse bouche

another amuse bouche with candied walnuts, dried shitake, and puff pastry

tomato ice and corn souffle

 blue lobster, cashew, and caviar

 foie gras, banana, and smoke

 cod, potato, and sorrel

 white asparagus, almond, and chives

 flounder and leek

 amazing veal, spinach and schnitzel,

 

then this apple, cider and saffron dessert

 chocolat

 crisp powdered sugar oreillettes

 fabulous wine

 and a lovely birthday plate :)