I Prefer Paris

Bicarin at Bar Becutti Paris

In 2006, the same year I started Eye Prefer Paris, I was lucky enough to attend the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. A friend of mine from New York sent a group email offering an extra bed in her hotel room near Torino when she was going to the Olympics. I was the first one to answer and voila, off I was to Torino in February of 2006. 

Torino is a charming, slightly beat up Italian city with an old-world feel to it. There were tons of cafes and coffee bars in the old world style, with fine wood and brass counters. While researching Torino, everything I read mentioned becerin, a hot drink consisting of espresso, hot chocolate and hot milk. I remember the first one I tried: it was a remarkable taste of bitter chocolate, and strong espresso with a foam of milk. I couldn’t get enough bicerins that week I, having at least two or three a day while totally getting into the café culture of Torino. 

I’ve long savored the memories and taste of my bicerins for years, hoping I would return to Torino someday. This hasn’t happened but almost something as good did. 

About two months ago I walked by a new café on rue de Rivoli right off of rue du Louvre. I’m not sure what drew me to the café but when I walked in and read the drink menu, I saw they listed bicirin. I was ecstatic of course and ordered one immediately. Out came a clear glass mug with a stem, layered with the hot chocolate and espresso on the bottom with whipped cream on top, dusted with cocoa. Sipping my bicarin, vivid memories of Torino danced in my head, while the delectable liquid warmed me on a cold day.  It turns out Bar Becutti in Paris is a branch of the same café in Torino, so my bicerin was authentic. 

Becutti Bar 

91 rue de Rivoli, 75001 

Metro: Louvre Rivoli 

Please don't forget to RSVP to Pauline Bernard event@hotel-pont-royal for the opening of my photo exhibit on February 5. 

 

Rhum Bar 1802 and MASHA Restaurant

In my younger days, I was a full out disco king, going out to clubs like Studio 54 or Area in New York almost every night of the week. Strutting my best moves on the dance floor, I was stiff competition for John Travolta aka Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever. 

Nowadays, I don’t go out much anymore at night except to have dinner at restaurants. I’ve put my platform disco shoes, shiny shirts unbuttoned practically to the waist, and bell bottom pants into storage and now wear furry slippers, a Snoopy T-shirt and sweat pants at home. I’m in bed by 10PM and addicted to binge watching on Netflix and the new golden age of television. 

Every once in a while, I’m invited to a new club or bar and although I don’t put my disco apparel on, I make an effort to dress myself up. In November, in a rare occasion, I was invited to two events back to back, the opening party of a new bar and the opening of a glamorous supper club and lounge.

Rhum Bar 1802 is the first exclusive rum bar in Paris, opened in November 2018 at the new Hotel Monte Cristo. The name of the hotel is based on the book, The Count of Monte Cristo by legendary French author Alexandre Dumas. Born of mixed race parents, his ancestors produced fine rums in Santo Domingo, where Dumas frequently visited. He returned from his worldwide voyages to Paris with the best rums he could find. The bar is specifically dedicated to Dumas’ passion for the great elixir. 

At the opening, shots of various rums were offered along with explanations and histories of their origins. I don’t really drink straight-up rum but I did have a refreshing cocktail of rum and Champagne. The interior of the bar and lounge has the feel of a the salon of a grand t tropical plantation, decorated with wicker chairs, ceramic plates posted on black walls, tropical plants, and center bar with dark wood and blue and white ceramic tiles. 

The extensive menu offers dozens of rums from around the globe including Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Guatemala. White rum, amber rum, old rum, and spiced rum are the different categories. 1802 invites clients to store their special rum bottles in their cellar. They are also inviting 100 people to join the exclusive Monte Cristo Club where members receive the following perks: four hand selected bottles of rum, free participation at events at the bar including tastings and master classes, 15% discount on hotel rates, and a mixology class for four people. 

Rhum Bar 1802 at Hotel Monte Cristo 

20-22 rue Pascal, 75005 

Metro: Censier Daubenton

https://www.hotelmontecristoparis.com/en/

Open every day 6PM to 1AM 

The next night I was invited to a private dinner by a friend of a friend of mine at a new restaurant and lounge, Masha, in the 16^th arr. near Place Trocadero. 

As I entered the chic lobby café, dressed up in bold black and white zigzag patterned floor, black and white striped wicker banquettes, and teal blue mid-century dining chairs, I knew I was in for a special treat. I was escorted downstairs to the restaurant area, a series of three rooms. 

An extended mural on the wall behind the dining banquettes by Japanese street artist Fan Sack, dominates the space (in a good way) with its sumptuous colors of red and pink. Japanese inspired throw pillows in rich patterns on the cream leather banquette softened the décor of the dining room. 

Our genial host and owner of Masha, Antonin Cornet, invited some of his good friends and colleagues to experience his new venture. He proudly spoke of his new baby and highly praised his Asian chef Takahiro Matsumoto, who formerly worked with Paris chef’s Eric Frechon and Pierre Gagnaire. Matsumoto has conjured up an appealing menu of French classics with a Japanese spin and sushi chef Makoto from Tokyo slices the freshest sushi and sashimi. 

Antonin highly recommended the tuna tartare with caviar as a starter, which I had no objections to and thoroughly enjoyed. Next up was a slow cooked salmon, another recommendation, which was spot on too. Still clinging to a formal French menu, there was a selection of cheeses from la maison Quatrehomme before the dessert course. Desserts were tame compared to the excitement of the other courses but the crème brulee with Hojicha (green tea) was a tad exotic.

After dinner Antonin invited us into the speakeasy for a performance by the camp singing trio of Romain Morian, Lolly Wish, and Charly Voodoo. The wild acting trio sung and joked their way though the room enticing the guests to play along with them. In between their sets, a DJ played some of my  favorite disco hits from the 1970s. I was having so much fun that I didn’t leave till past the Cinderella hour, about 12:45AM. 

Masha

85 avenue Kleber, 75016 

Metro: Trocadero 

www.masha-paris.com

Open for lunch Tuesday to Friday

Dinner Tuesday to Saturday, Sunday for brunch

Moi in my disco days-Dare to dance the Hustle with me? 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you, my insiders, Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

 

Holiday Dinner at La Bauhinia at Shangri-La Hotel Paris

I was invited last week to sample the holiday menu at La Bauhinia Restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel Paris. 

Walking through the lobby, a grand, festive Christmas tree set the mood for our dinner. 

We were seated on the mezzanine of the two-story dining room with an opulent crystal chandelier hanging from a glass-domed roof. The décor is a mix of elegant French; a red velvet circular banquette in the middle of the room and Chinese inspiration; soft mint green velvet chairs and the same color on walls with painted cherry blossoms and birds. 

The first course was the freshest lobster meat with the most delicious ginger lime broth poured over it. I could have downed a quart of the broth right then and there. Medallions of tender, roasted deer was served with sampling of various colored roasted beets. Vincent opted for the regular menu and had an excellent Asian style codfish with a soy and citrus glaze. 

In the beginning November, I was emailed a press release from the hotel about the upcoming holiday events and menus. The thing that made me salivate was a buche de Noel from pastry chef Michael Bartocetti, made with chocolate mousse infused with lemongrass and candied banana and the outside garnished with chocolate and lime truffles, peanut praline and white chocolate. The buche was inspired by Michael Bartocetti’s vivid remembrance of a toy train given to him as a child. In fact, the original buche is in the train shape on display in the lobby.(The train can be ordered through the hotel). 

You can imagine my anticipation for dessert, with the buche still fresh in my mind. 

It went way beyond my expectations on every level, especially mixture of the peanuts, banana and chocolate. 

The holiday menu is available through December 30. 

http://www.shangri-la.com/uploadedFiles/Shangri-la_Hotels/New_Website/La-Bauhinia-Diner-de-fete-2018-FR.pdf

Click here to read about my first visit to the hotel

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you, my insiders, Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

Le Camion qui Fume and the Bus Burger

In 2011, California ex-pat Kristin Frederick, started the first food truck in Paris, Le Camion qui Fume (The Smoking Truck). 

In a familiar ex-pat story, Kristin quit her studies in finance and enrolled in the top cooking school in Paris, Ferrandi. Although she loved learning about French cooking, she couldn’t find an up to snuff hamburger in Paris compared to the U.S. Using her newfound cooking skills, she devised a burger using top quality ingredients and her own recipe buns. 

Along with her partner Frédéric Fédière, who was in charge of the marketing and social media, it became an overnight sensation. Patient Parisians, who are usually stubbornly traditional about their food and dining for hours on end, fully embraced the new form of quick food, so much so, they waited in line for hours to try an unknown version of Le Hamburger. At a certain point, Kristin had over 150 customers on line, while single handedly trying to serve all of them. 

Fast forward seven years later to 2018 and Le Camion qui Fume is now a mini-empire, with three restaurants, delivery and takeout service, and three food trucks.  Food blogs and websites, and influencers including David Lebovitz, Le Fooding,  Le Figaro, and the late Anthony Bourdain hailed it as the best hamburger in Paris. 

I had never tried a burger at Le Camion qui Fume because I am not the type to wait on line for hours for food, and pretty much anything else, except maybe for tickets to a Barbra Streisand concert. Last week I was at the right place at the right time; I was finishing up an errand near the Oberkampf branch of Le Camion qui Fume at 12PM, just when they opened. I was the first person in line and I ordered the daily changing formule, a burger with blue cheese and caramelized onions, coleslaw and a bottle of sparkling water for 11.90 €, an excellent deal considering a mediocre burger at a corner café can run anywhere between 14€ and 18€. 

Even though I was having my burger in the restaurant, the presentation was the same as if I was taking it out, very ordinary and unexciting (Notice I didn’t post a photo, as even my great photo skills failed to make it look good). Luckily the taste of the burger made up for the presentation in spades, living up closely to its legendary accolades. Juicy, and flavorful meat, perfectly caramelized onions (not too soggy or burnt) and melt in your mouth blue cheese were stuffed into fluffy bun. The side dish of coleslaw was not too sweet and not overloaded with mayonnaise. As I sat outside cherishing my fantastic burger of the busy intersection of rue Oberkampf and Ave. Parmentier, the restaurant started to fill up and by the time I left the line was six people long. Other appetizing burgers include avocado and bacon, pulled pork, vegetarian (made with mushrooms) and barbeque. 

By some strange happenstance, while I was walking up rue Oberkampf to take the metro home, I saw a big bus parked on the street with a logo that said Bus Burger. Curious to know what it was, I knocked on the door and a young man greeted me. I asked what the concept was, and he said it was a bus with booths and seating that did a two-hour tour of Paris while serving hamburgers.  Was it my lucky hamburger day? 

Maybe I will compete with the Burger Bus and start a foie gras bus. 

https://lecamionquifume.com/ 

https://www.bus-burger.com/copie-de-accueil

Checkout this great New York Times article about the Rungis food market by friend Liz Alderman. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/world/europe/france-rungis-food-market-les-halles.html

My Paris Apartment for Rent –November 18-December 5

I am looking to rent my fabulous Paris apartment in the heart of the Marais near St. Paul metro, anytime between November 18 to December 5 for 7-10 nights. It's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with a large elevator.

The price 7 nights is 165€ per night/1155€, for 10 nights 150€ per night/1500€ Photos upon request.

Please email me at r.nahem@gmail.com if you are interested. 

I am so pleased to have Ann Mah as my guest this week at on A Bite of Paris. We went to Le Mistral, her favorite Paris bistro and had their signature dish, aligot, a rich, creamy mix of whipped potatoes and cheese from the Aveyron region.

Click here   or link below to watch Ann and I enjoy aligote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiRHIW7Oitw&t=4s 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you, my insiders, Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

Quick, Cheap Eats: Chez Aline

Chances are when a shop or restaurant has a line, it’s either very good and/or cheap. Chez Aline is both. 

Stumbling upon Chez Aline on my way to a friend’s house near in between Bastille and Voltaire, it appeared to be a typical, hole in the wall sandwich shop but upon closer view there was something more to it. 

Grazing the chalkboard menu, scrawled in the usual, almost illegible French penmanship, I was hard pressed to choose one item, as everything made my mouth water. Should I get the smoked haddock with pickles, or chicken pot a feu or zucchini, feta and olive tapenade, all on baguette, or should I get something on a sesame bun? When push came to shove, and it was my turn to order, I blurted out smoked haddock with pickles and dill cream on a fresh made sesame bun, leaving my other choices in the dust. It’s rare having smoked haddock on a menu in general, especially in sandwich form. What the sign didn’t have on it was the wonderful selection of healthy side salads, which I also had difficulty choosing one. 

The sandwich was made to order on the spot, and while I was waiting, I sat on a high stool facing the narrow counter on the wall. The pickled herring and cream sauce were delicious and the fresh roll added an extra layer of taste. My side salad of broccoli and feta tossed with roasted, buttery pine nuts was a perfect accompaniment. I was too full on this rare occasion for the appealing apple crumble for dessert. Organic fruit juices and nectars and artisanal beer are offered.

So good was my lunch that day, I made a special trip a few days later and had the chicken pot a feu on baguette, another winner, plus a terrific roasted beet salad with raspberries. 

I will return to Chez Aline for sure, as I can’t get away from that incredible French bread with fabulous fillings, no matter how hard I try. 

Sandwich prices start at 5€, salads 4€. 

Restaurant Chez Aline Open Monday to Friday, 11:30AM -4PM 

85 rue de la Roquette, 75011

TEL +33 1 43 71 90 75

Metro: Voltaire, Bastille, Bréguet - Sabin

My Paris Apartment for Rent –November 18-December 5

I am looking to rent my fabulous Paris apartment in the heart of the Marais near St. Paul metro, anytime between November 18 to December 5 for 7-10 nights. It's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with a large elevator.

The price 7 nights is 165€ per night/1155€, for 10 nights 150€ per night/1500€ Photos upon request.

Please email me at r.nahem@gmail.com if you are interested. 

I am so pleased to have Ann Mah as my guest this week at on A Bite of Paris. We went to Le Mistral, her favorite Paris bistro and had their signature dish, aligot, a rich, creamy mix of whipped potatoes and cheese from the Aveyron region.

Click here   or link below to watch Ann and I enjoy aligote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiRHIW7Oitw&t=4s 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you, my insiders, Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

Maxim’s

I’ve never been inside of Maxim’s.

Passing it so many times since I moved here, I’ve conjured up elaborate stories about the fabled restaurant, perhaps the most famous in the world. I imagined at the turn of the century the best-dressed women in Paris wearing extravagant ball gowns topped with decadent hats sitting on the red velvet banquets, discreetly taking out ivory fans from their jeweled evening purses, to fan themselves from the heat. Men would be wearing dapper evening suits and top hats, escorting their wives or have their latest mistress on their arm.

I finally had the chance last Wednesday night to enter into the world of Maxim’s, receiving an invitation to a press conference for my friend Diane Pernet’s film festival A Shaded View on Fashion.

The press conference took place in a large room on the second floor, decorated with Art Nouveau style chairs with carved wood backs and red velvet seats, red glass wall sconces, Tiffany lamps, flower patterned carpet and gorgeous etched glass screens. The room was the very essence of the decadent Belle Epoque era of the late 1800s and the figures of my made up story began to fill the room.

After the press conference, there was a cocktail reception on the next floor, with full access to all the rooms. The fading daylight filtered through the tall windows, highlighting the handsome dark wood floors, gold leaf moldings and the sumptuous aqua blue and pistachio green colored walls.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to photograph the dining room on the main floor. Perhaps I will be invited back to Maxim’s another time to dine.

In the 1970s sex siren, Brigitte Bardot caused a scandal when she entered Maxim’s barefooted.

Maxim’s
3 rue Royale, 75008
Metro: Concorde
https://maxims-de-paris.com/fr/

For episode 9 of A Bite of Paris, I went to Comme a Lisbonne, where they serve pastel de nata, an amazing custard tart from Portugal.

Click here or below to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g-07qy-Wc0&feature=youtu.be

Please remember to hit the LIKE button if you like it and SUBSCRIBE button to subscribe to my channel.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you, my insiders, Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

Ground Control Paris

Last Saturday night Vincent and I met friends for dinner at Ground Control, a summer pop up venue of food and retail stalls housed in a former railroad car hangar. I wasn’t sure what to expect, as my friends didn’t tell us much information before we met them.

After a ten-minute walk from Gare de Lyon, we arrived at an industrial building and climbed up a flight of stairs to a huge outdoor space filled to the rafters with locals enjoying the remains of a most sunny and pleasant day. Most were drinking beer and wine and it was difficult to find our friends in the sea of hundreds of animated Parisians.

On the outside were a number of food stalls in transformed railroad cars but we headed inside the hangar because the outside was too noisy and crowded. About 10 stalls lined with appetizing ethnic food made it hard to choose just one, so we mixed and matched Italian, Syrian and Asian cuisine. Our mélange included Gyoza, mutabal (eggplant and yogurt spread) with parsley salad and pita bread, gnocchi with olive, basil, and anchovy pesto, and thin crust pizza topped with mozzarella, tomato, and anchovies. All were fresh and delicious but the mutabal was the standout and deserved another tasting. Other food stalls included Danish food with smoked seafood specialties, organic crepes and galettes, African fusion, Mexican food, and artisanal coffee. There’s a wine bar and a number of stalls with beer, mixed drinks, and wine.

After dinner, we perused the stores and galleries. One had retro 1960s and 1970s furniture, vinyl 33RPM records (Vincent spotted a Christopher Cross album from the early 1980s) and T-shirts. A gallery specializing in black and white photos also had a photo studio and a photographer was preparing for a family portrait. A ping-pong table had kids and adults fiercely whacking the little white ball to and fro.

When we departed at 9:30 PM the inside was now as crowded as the outside.

Ground Control offers a monthly calendar of different activities including DJ’s, yoga classes, exhibitions and Swing Dancing.

Ground Control
81 Rue du Charolais, 75012
Metro: Gare de Lyon, Montgallet
https://www.groundcontrolparis.com/

LINKS EYE PREFER

Check out new article in New York Times:  Camembert Without Raw Milk? It’s Treason, Connoisseurs Cry

Click here to read

 

Please click here to watch my latest episode of A Bite of Paris with my guest Diane Pernet

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

 

Lunch with Lynn: Oxymore & Lunch on Rue Faubourg Saint Denis: Urfa Durum

I realized in the all the years I’ve had Lunch with Lynn, I’ve never included a pizza restaurant.

Two weeks ago when I went to see the Klimt installation at Atelier des Lumieres, I passed an attractive café and noticed appetizing, hot pizzas straight from the oven being served. After spending almost an hour at Atelier des Lumieres, it was already after 2 PM (way beyond my lunch feeding time) and I was super hungry. I made a beeline to Oxymore, (strange name for a pizzeria) pining for a pizza. They had a lunch formule of any pizza and dessert on the menu for 15€. Sold! I chose the Albertine, topped with tomatoes, Cantal cheese, air-cured beef from the Alps, brebis (sheep’s cheese), Comte cheese aged 18 months, hazelnuts, and basil. Sounds yum already!

It was a sunny day, so I sat outdoors on the busy but not too noisy rue Saint Maur, patiently waiting for my pizza. When it finally appeared, not only was the smell intoxicating, it also looked beautiful. One thing I don’t like about the way pizza is served in France is it’s not pre-sliced, and I always have to struggle with a fork and a knife that’s not that sharp enough to cut it. It was the same case at Oxymore, but all was forgiven once I tasted it. I have to say it was the best pizza I’ve eaten in Paris since I moved here in 2005. The combination and the freshness of the ingredients were superb, and the crust was thin and crispy in the middle, and puffy on the ends. Also the portion size was more than generous and I was stuffed by the time I was finished.

Interestingly enough, the owner who is French, proudly markets his restaurant as a French pizzeria, sourcing only top quality ingredients from France including meat from Aubriac region and crème fraiche from Issingny; He makes no reference to its Italian origin. You can absolutely taste the difference and you can clearly recognize the flavor of each ingredient. Although I love classic pizza with fresh or buffalo mozzarella, I could easily forgo it, and have Oxymore be my go-to pizza place.

Even though I was stuffed, I miraculously had room for dessert. The pistachio and raspberry cheesecake was smooth and feather light, a perfect complement to the revelatory pizza.

Oxymore also has a cocktail bar.

Oxymore
60 rue Saint Maur, 75011
Metro: Saint Maur
Open 7 days

Lunch on Rue Faubourg Saint-Denis: Urfa Durum

Last month when I ate at 5 Pialles, I met the owner who was Turkish. Since there’s a barrage of Turkish restaurants and take away food shops on Rue Faubourg Saint-Denis, I asked him which were the ones he recommended. A Kurdish sandwich shop across the street was on the top of his list.

I had passed the sandwich shop many times but my timing was always wrong because there were big lines and I didn’t want to wait.

I planned my visit at 11:30 AM after my haircut, so I could avoid the lunch hour rush. Approaching the restaurant, I saw through the window a woman studiously rolling out the pizza-like dough for the sandwiches by hand and also topping them with tomato sauce and vegetables before they were put in the oven. The menu was simple and straightforward; six varieties of stuffing’s, including ground meat, lamb, organic chicken, vegetarian and plain.

At the back end was a grill where marinated kebabs were being cooked on a stack of hot coals and on the front counter, metal baskets with fresh garnishes of tomato, red onion, salad greens, and flat parsley. The freshly baked breads from the front were transferred to the back counter, where they were stuffed with the cooked kabobs and closed up by hand.

There were a few peculiar low-slung stools outside and awkwardly portioned myself on one. The sandwich was fresh and the meat tender, and even though red pepper flakes were added, the sandwich didn’t have much flavor, bordering on bland. The hot doughy bread was excellent, making up for the lack of taste of the ingredients inside. Perhaps the lamb and ground beef have more spices added to them, so I will give them a try in future visits.

By the time I left, the line was already out the door.

Urfa Durum
58 rue Faubourg Saint Denis, 75010
Metro: Chateau d’Eau

If you missed last week's episode of A Bite of Paris, Click here to watch me taste the BEST HOT CHOCOLATE in Paris. 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

 

Lunch at La Table du Connétable at Hotel Auberge du Jeu de Paume

At the beginning of February, I was invited for lunch at La Table du Connétable at Hotel Auberge de Jeu du Paume to try the menu by their newly hired executive chef Julien Lucas.

I took the 33-minute train from Gare Saint Lazare and arrived at about 11:45 AM. I met my friend Nicole Wilms who’s the sales manager at the hotel and she greeted me warmly. We had a lot of catching up to do because I hadn’t seen Nicole in ages and she told me about the changes at the hotel since my last visit.

I brought a friend with me from Paris and when we were seated in the restaurant, I remember how spacious and luxurious the dining room was. It was so nice to be able to spread out comfortably at the table and not be cramped for space and practically in your neighbor’s lap like the restaurants in Paris. The table was set impeccably with a starched white tablecloth, an attractive charger plate with a metallic crisscross pattern, a rolled white napkin with red piping across the top and a mélange of white flowers and greens.

On the top of the menu was an illustrated map of the region encompassing the hotel and restaurant with the different foods from which chef Julien Lucas sources his ingredients from; endive and mushrooms from Orry-la-Ville, hares, deer, and chestnuts from the forestland surrounding Chantilly, wild seafood from Picardie waters, shellfish and saffron from the Bay of Sommes, and lamb from pré sales.

Already impressed, I scrolled down to read the menu with many appealing choices.

First to appear was four amuse bouches artfully presented. The most intriguing one of among the delicate bites was a lollipop with parsnip black truffle dusted in cocoa.

My appetizer, a gorgeous mosaic of Saint Jaques with layers of root vegetables was light but intensely flavorful. The chef was in a generous mood that day and sent out an additional appetizer of pan-fried foie gras with endive, which was succulent and rich.

The maître d Stephen was quite knowledgeable in describing the various foods arriving at the table. His delivery was warm and sincere, not pretentious at all or trying to show off, and his genuine passion and pride for the food was infectious. When he set down a handsome cutting knife and I admired it, he shared with us about the specialty of the knife, the manufacturer, and how they were produced.

For the plat, my friend had perch with local Portobello mushrooms and hazelnuts. Stephen brought a gray lacquered box to the table and upon opening it, inside was a layer of the most delectable fresh mushrooms. He proceeded to thinly slice the mushrooms on my friend’s plate.

I had the venison and again the Stephen showed his culinary expertise by presenting a whole butternut squash encrusted with salt and then dug out the orange flesh of the squash and delicately mashed it and then shaped it into little torpedoes.

Glancing at the dessert menu, I noticed there was an odd description: gran cru chocolate with Picardie endive. I know there’s been a recent trend in mixing chocolate with savory or vegetable flavors, so I was curious to try this new combination.

When it came out, it appeared to be a whole endive on a bed of chocolate crumbs but upon closer look, it was a sculpted, candied shell painted like an endive. I hesitantly broke the endive with my spoon and inside was an intensely rich, gooey mousse or perhaps ganache flavored with coffee and chocolate.

Towards the end of the meal chef Julien Lucas, the handsome but modest chef, introduced himself. We effused on how much we loved his food, presentation, thoughtfulness, creativity, and imagination.

I received an email from Nicole the following week telling me that Julien had retained the Michelin star it had previously garnered, in the short time he has been at the hotel. Bravo Juline, it's very well deserved.

Le Table du Connetable at Hotel Auberge du Jeu de Paume


4 Rue du Connétable, 
60500 Chantilly


Lunch Friday and Saturday, dinner Tuesday to Saturday


http://www.aubergedujeudepaumechantilly.fr/en/restaurants/la-table-du-connetable

Stephen, the happy maitre d

The amazing endive- before and after

 I am very excited to announce the launch of my new video series A Bite of Paris, on my You Tube channel, Eye Prefer Paris.
The format of the series is every week I visit either a restaurant, food shop or food market to taste my favorite French foods.

Click here to watch the latest episode and please hit the red subscribe button when you watch it.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tour

 

 

 

Re: A Bite of Paris, My New Video Series

Dear Subscribers,

I’m not sure all of you were able to watch my new video A Bite of Paris yesterday, so click here to watch the video if you weren’t able to see it. Please don’t forget to click on the red SUBSCRIBE button when you view the video, so you can receive future videos in the series.

Thanks for your kind comments and feedback and I look forward to sharing my next episode of A Bite of Paris.

A Bite of Paris is a weekly series on my YouTube channel Eye Prefer Paris, where I visit a local restaurant, food shop or food market to taste my favorite French foods.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN-dUj82JoE&t=55s 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshes