I Prefer Paris

Paris Cafes Reopen

I decided to gift you a bonus post this week in celebration of Paris reopening from the COVID pandemic on May 19. 

I was overjoyed strolling through the Marais yesterday and seeing all the outdoor cafes open and thriving. The sun was peeking through while Parisians were eating, drinking, smoking, laughing, smiling, and people watching. It’s human nature that we take things for granted while we have them and don’t realize how precious they are to our everyday existence when we don’t have them. 

Which is your favorite Paris café? Mine is Les Nemours in front of the Palais Royal on Place Colette. 

 I want to thank everyone for watching my live Rue de Martyrs Food tour last Wednesday and also for your generous tips to my PayPal account. I'm sorry I couldn't thank all of you individually, but know I really appreciate it. CLICK HERE to watch the video and CLICK HERE if you would like to leave a tip in my PayPal account (you don’t have to have a PayPal account), which I would greatly appreciate, as I do these tours free of charge for France.fr  Enjoy! 

Pop-up Dinner with Chef Alison Settle

In mid-October, I received an invitation from Dana McMahan, a freelance travel and food writer from Louisville, for a pop-up dinner with the James Beard nominated chef Alison Settle. Never one to turn down a dinner invitation, especially with an esteemed chef, I emphatically replied YES to the invitation. 

The dinner was organized at Kai's Kitchen, a highly coveted Air-Bnb, mostly occupied by a long dining table and chef’s kitchen in the 11^th arrondissement. (It’s been named one of the top Airbnbs in Paris by Conde Nast Traveler).

Dinner was called for 7:30 pm and it was a very rainy night, so it was a welcome relief when I stepped into the kitchen effusing tantalizing aromas from the stove. The long, wood plank table was attractively set with white dishes, beige cloth napkins, and lovely, fresh flower arrangements. 

Twelve guests were invited, mostly bloggers and travel and food writers, two-thirds Americans and about a third French. Some of them I had met previously, so it was nice to see and catch up with them and meet some new, fun people. 

I could tell by the first course, a festive salad of radicchio, endive, fennel, red onion, Sicilian olives, and blue cheese, which are some of my favorite foods, that the dinner would be a roaring success. 

Next up was duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes and leeks with celeriac cream, a necessary, stick to the ribs dish for the cold rainy night. It was so good, I wanted to have a second portion, but had to pace myself for the upcoming courses. A cioppino with fresh oysters and clams was like a bouillabaisse, but much more robust and in red sauce. Last but not least, the roasted spring Onion and chanterelle Fratelli pasta with pecorino cream was sublime.

A simple fruit plate of prune plums, persimmons with clementine, and lime crème fraiche was the perfect finale, rather than a fussy dessert. 

The whole table cheered and applauded chef Alison, for her fabulous and unique dinner. Alison spoke at length about how she arrived in Paris the day before, hitting the ground running with little sleep and jet lag, going to the Marche Aligre, and a variety of other, specialized food shops, to shop for the ingredients. She spent the day cooking and preparing the dinner, and she also shared about how inspiring and exciting the food markets were and how much less expensive the prices were than in Louisville. Her menu wasn’t planned and she created the menu, as she shopped at the market. 

The good news is that the dinner was such a success, that Alison and Dana are returning next year, most likely in April to create more dinners. I will keep you posted here and, on the link, below when the dates are finalized. 

https://elleferafera.com/get-lost-in-paris/

Photos are courtesy of Panos Achouriotis

 Experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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, Shopping Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, Emily in Paris tours, and Chocolate and pastry tours.

Tours start at 250 euros for up to 3 people, and 85 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 

 

Tekes- Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant

Up until recently, Paris has not been kind to vegetarian and vegan diners, relegating them to a measly selection of time warped, 70s-style vegetarian restaurants with hanging plants or having to eat goat cheese salad again and again. The non-meat/ plant-based food revolution has finally hit Paris, and many restaurants and cafes now serve vegetarian bowls and have vegan selections.

Tekes is a supreme example of how innovation and imagination can create delicious and satisfying vegetarian fare.

Chef Assaf Granit has taken the restaurant scene by storm in Paris with his daring and refreshing Israeli and Mediterranean cuisine with hit restaurants Shabbour and the now defunct, but incredibly popular Balagan. Granit has put female chef Cécile Lévy, who is Israeli but trained in Paris, in charge and she prepares a menu of sophisticated Israeli street food with a generous use of rich and aromatic spices and the freshest produce.

Located on a small side street in the second arrondissement, near rue Montorgueil, Tekes has an open, airy dining space with high ceilings and contemporary furniture and there’s an expanded outdoor terrace and bar in the rear.

I chose the three-course menu/formule – entrée, plat, and dessert- for 35€ and the limited menu has 4 entrees, two plats, and two desserts to choose from. My starter was a smash hit, a combination of gazpacho, peaches, and taboule, with plump walnuts mixed in, beautifully presented in a deep, terracotta bowl. It was so good, I could have eaten another one and skipped the main course.

Next was an interesting pasta made of just white asparagus with pesto and topped with a raw egg, which I liked but didn’t love.

Dessert was a massive mound of chocolate mousse, and the waitperson poured a sizable amount of olive oil on top and then sprinkled coarse salt after that. I thought it was an odd topping but once I tasted it, I got it. The salt and oil gave it a whole new taste sensation, and I may never go back to eating just plain chocolate mousse again.

Some of the other appealing menu choices include a risotto prepared with small peas and a ginger mousse, a Fattoush of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini with a yogurt sauce, and a starter of tzatziki, zucchini, and potatoes.

Tekes

4 bis Rue Saint-Sauveur, 75002

https://www.tekesrestaurant.com/english

CLICK HERE to read my article on Travel Agent Central about other vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Paris.

Amourette Restaurant Passy

The Passy neighborhood in the 16th arrondissement is not a place I often visit, but when I do, it’s lovely and charming with oodles of handsome Haussmann-style buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

A few months ago, I received a text message inviting me to check out Amourette Restaurant Passy and I replied I would visit next time I was in the 16^th. Fast forward to last month when Vincent and I were invited to an art opening nearby and decided to have dinner at Amourette.

Located on a two-block long boulevard near Place Trocadero, the outside was a typical café setting with a gray and white striped awning with scalloping on the bottom and white chairs and café tables. The inside is small and intimate with about 15 tables, tastefully decorated with mint green rattan and bamboo chairs and eclectic lamps, with the ambiance of a restaurant on the upper east side of New York City.

We liked the long list of entrees and plats on the menu because many Parisian restaurants these days offer only four or five dishes in each category. For our starters, we chose foie gras served with mango chutney and grilled eggplant with burrata. The texture of the foie gras was smooth and velvety and the mango flavor was a nice alternative to the usual fig jam and the eggplant was artfully presented. Our mains were sea scallops’ Provençale style, which were rich and buttery in a red, peppery sauce, and Vincent had the chicken paillard, thinly pounded with a tangy lemon sauce. Dessert was outstanding, a house-made clafouti with figs, a perfect warm winter treat.

Other appealing dishes on the French and Italian menu include macaroni and cheese with ham and truffles, risotto with grilled shrimp, butternut squash soup with hazelnuts, escargots from Burgundy, pistachio, and hazelnut crème brulee, and a separate raw seafood menu with clams, oysters, lobster, and crab.

10 Boulevard Delessert, 75016

https://www.amourette-passy.fr/en/

Les Parisiens Restaurant at Hotel Pavillon Faubourg Saint Germain

I stayed at the newly opened, five-star Hotel Pavillon Faubourg Saint Germain at the end of August for one night but unfortunately the Les Parisiens Restaurant was closed at the time for vacation. I loved my stay at the hotel, and had a lovely room decorated in a luxurious, contemporary style, with soft bed linens, and a deliciously comfortable mattress.

The luxurious décor spills over to the dining room of Les Parisiens, with Art Deco curved banquettes in creamy taupe suede, cinnamon color, velvet upholstered chairs, and carpeting embossed with planet like circles. Tables are nicely spaced apart and the lighting is gentle and flattering.

Chef Thibault Sombardier was a finalist on Top Chef France in 2012 and trained in some of the top haute cuisine restaurants and neo bistros in Paris before opening two successful restaurants in Paris, with one of them earning a Michelin star.

Sombardier along with Executive Chef Matthieu Pirola, have created a very appealing and appropriate fall and winter menu and we had a hard time narrowing down our choices.

Vincent had a beetroot hummus, which had a smooth, rich texture and spread beautifully over warm bread. My starter was three, delicate quenelles filled with lobster, bathed in cauliflower soup with hazelnut butter. The quenelles were light and fluffy, and the rich soup was perfect for the chilly fall weather. I’ve always liked pigeon but don’t like to fuss with the bones, so when I found out it was deboned and served in a pastry crust, I was all in. It was served with a tad of foie gras, which didn’t overpower the gamey, venison like texture of the pigeon and there was also a layer of cabbage, to give it some green. Roasted, farm raised chicken in a coconut milk stew with watercress and served with roasted potatoes was very much to Vincent’s liking.

A glass of Médoc, Chapelle de Potensac, 2016 from Chapelle Potensac was full bodied and an excellent pairing with the cuisine.

As much as I was savoring the food so far, the Poire William souffle knocked the meal out of the park. The warm, perfectly crafted souffle along with the Poire William sorbet was remarkable.

Dinner is a la carte but at lunchtime there’s a formule, a main course with either dessert or an appetizer is 34€ and for all three courses it’s 39€.

Les Parisiens

5 rue au Pré-aux-Clercs, 75007

https://en.pavillon-faubourg-saint-germain.com/restaurant-les-parisiens-bar-james-joyce

Le Bistrot Flaubert and Zoe Leonard: Al Rio

My friend Carolyn Campbell, who lives in Los Angeles, emailed me last month to tell me she was visiting Paris in November for the first time since 2018, and she wanted to meet me in person. I met Carolyn online in 2020, when she generously offered a copy of her bestselling book, City of Immortals: Pere-Lachaise Cemetery Paris, to giveaway to one of my blog readers. She also sent me a copy, and I loved the beautiful photos and the fascinating history and mystery of the famed cemetery. (CLICK HERE to read the blog post including my interview with Carolyn about the book). 

 In her email, she asked if we could go to a sumptuous restaurant and/or see something special the both of us haven’t seen before.

For the sumptuous restaurant, I decided upon Le Bistrot Flaubert, a new bistrot in the 17^th arr. near Parc Monceau, that I read about on another website that reviews restaurants.

 I arrived a few minutes early, and immediately warmed to the handsome dining room painted in sage green with rich, Art Nouveau decorative details such as stained-glass wall panels, dark bentwood chairs with black leather seat cushions, and a Daum-style glass and metal chandelier. The back wall with shelves displayed a combination of books bound in red leather, condiments and spices in glass jars, wine bottles, and a portrait of an elegantly dressed woman in a black dress and hat, which looked to be a character straight out of a Flaubert novel or story.

Perusing the menu, I was salivating at the appealing dishes, and couldn’t wait for Carolyn to arrive. She finally arrived, and we ordered tout de suite. Our starters, ravioli stuffed with smoked beets and roasted cepe mushrooms in a beef broth with raisins, were sublime, and the presentation in a ceramic glazed bowl and earthenware platter made them look like art pieces. For the main course, we both chose the daurade fish with intense lemon and fresh cheese topped with crispy, delicious wontons in a button shape. My dessert was a strange concoction of a panna cotta like firm custard with pureed apricot preserves and Jerusalem artichoke flavored ice cream, which didn’t really work. Carolyn’s chocolate tiede served on a layer of a chocolate butter cookie was what I call a real dessert.

 I have only complaint about Bistrot de Flaubert: the portions are too small. Although I appreciate their restraint in not serving oversize plates where you eat until you burst and you have to practically roll out the restaurant when your done, these portions were too puny and precious, and my taste buds was begging for more, because the food was so good.

It was a crisp, sunny fall day and after lunch we walked to the Arc de Triomphe and down the Ave. d’Iena, lined with the formidable limestone buildings until we reached the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris. My friend from New York, Zoe Leonard, is having a major show at the museum of close to 300 photos from her journey of the Rio Grande River dividing the U.S. and Mexico. I thought Carolyn would appreciate the show since she’s a photographer and we marveled at the pristine and gorgeously printed photos, impeccably and simply hung on unadorned white walls.

Le Bistrot Flaubert

10 Rue Gustave Flaubert, 75017

https://www.bistrotflaubert.com/

Zoe Leonard: Al Rio

Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris

11 Ave. President Wilson, 75116

https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-show-exhibition/272592/zoe-leonard-al-rio-To-the-river

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

https://eyepreferparistours.com/

 

Trip to Venice: Ca Di Dio Hotel and Fiola at Dopolavoro Restaurant

Two of the highlights of our trip to Venice at the end of August was a gorgeous hotel and a very special restaurant experience. 

The first two nights in Venice we stayed at the newly opened Ca Di Dio Hotel, which was originally built as a palace dating back to 1272. We took a boat transfer from the airport to the Arsenale stop, and after fumbling with Google maps for a moment, we realized the hotel was right in front of us facing the lagoon, which already made us smile. The lobby, with towering ceilings, was decorated with curved couches in a soft taupe along with pine green velvet chairs and Murano glass vases and lamps. Looking up, there was a stunning chandelier with strands of cascading clear crystals. 

Our spacious room on the second floor had dreamy views of the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. We almost didn’t want to leave the handsomely appointed room with an unbelievably cushy bed with a headboard trimmed in linen, leather straps, and two green and gold Murano glass lamps, wood beam ceilings, two chestnut suede club chairs, and a marble bathroom with a rain shower. 

The next two mornings we enjoyed breakfast with strong Italian espresso and an extravagant buffet with local specialties and home baked pastries, in a quiet courtyard garden with manicured grass lawns, and an ancient well juxtaposed with contemporary outdoor furniture. 

Our main purpose of going to Venice was to attend the Venice Biennale, and Ca Di Dio was an ideal location, just a five-minute walk. Another thing we liked about the hotel, was that it wasn’t in a crowded, tourist area but just a seven-minute walk to San Marco square, and not more than twenty minutes by vaporetto to all the attractions we wanted to visit. 

Ca Di Dio Hotel

https://vretreats.com/en/ca-di-dio/

After we checked out of Ca Di Dio, we were whisked away by a small, wood boat to the J.W. Marriott Venice, which is located on a private island reserved only for the hotel. We were given an extensive tour of the sprawling 40- acre complex, which was originally a man-made island built to house a hospital, and it included olive groves (they make their own olive oil), vegetable gardens, fruit orchards, gardens, a spa and gym facility, a rooftop pool, a cooking school, and four restaurants including a pizzeria and Italian style deli. 

As we were walking through the vegetable garden with the PR and marketing director Andrea, he introduced us to Michael Cusumano, who is the executive chef of the Fiola at Dopolavoro Restaurant in the hotel. He spoke perfect English, without a trace of an Italian accent, and thought he could be American, but didn’t bother to ask during our brief introduction. 

After relaxing at the spa overlooking the water, we checked into our fabulous duplex room with a living room and dining area on the ground floor and the bedroom suite upstairs. 

That evening we dined at Fiola at Dopolavoro Restaurant, which has a subdued ambience in an intimate and luxurious dining room. The first course was light as air ravioli stuffed with luscious lobster and subtle hint of ginger, followed by Branzino fish, with polenta, delicately poached in olive oil with a light broth of mussels. One dessert was tiramisu, which was one of the best I’ve ever had, served in a white china cup, and topped with a big scoop of dark chocolate ice cream. Just when I thought they couldn’t top the tiramisu, a dark chocolate terrine with sea salt, and crystallized pineapple, with a dollop of pistachio gelato, outdid it.  

During our extraordinary dinner, Michael the chef came to the table to greet us and to ask how we liked the food. After profusely praising him for his culinary gifts, we got to talking and it turns out my hunch was right: Michael is Italian American, and we almost knocked over the table when he told us he grew up in New Jersey just a few towns from where Vincent grew up. After the Jersey boys bonded, we spoke to Michael at length about how he made his way to Italy, by working summers when he was in college and eventually worked his way up the ladder, working beside top Michelin star chefs in different regions throughout Italy. Michael moved back to the U.S. in 2016 to Washington D.C. as the chef de cuisine under the helm of Fabio Trabocchi, and the pasta restaurant Sfoglina. Last year Michael moved back to Italy and was again named the chef de cuisine at Fiola at Dopolavoro Restaurant. 

After our long chat, Michael excused himself to get back to the kitchen, but in the meanwhile he kept sending out additional dishes for us to try, and each one was more of a culinary masterpiece than the other. 

I was so stuffed from the incredible meal, I had a food hangover the next day, only eating salads and light dishes. 

Fiola at Dopolavoro Restaurant is open from late March until mid-October and to the public. Reservations can be made online. There’s a free private boat shuttle from San Marco square to take you to and from the restaurant, about 12 minutes away.

https://www.dopolavororestaurant.com

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/vcejw-jw-marriott-venice-resort-and-spa/overview/

 

Mimosa Rue Royale Restaurant

When the Hotel de la Marine opened last year, they added a café, Café Laperouse, an outpost of the romantic Paris restaurant, and Mimosa Rue Royale restaurant. Both are located inside the grand courtyard and are gorgeously designed.

At the end of August, one of my tour clients, who has become a friend, was in Paris and wanted to meet for lunch. He and his partner like fine dining and I thought they would enjoy Mimosa Rue Royale. 

The executive chef at Mimosa Rue Royale, Jean-François Piège, has racked up numerous Michelin stars and chef awards for restaurants such as his namesake, Jean-François Piège, La Poule au Pot, Les Ambassadeurs at the Hotel Crillon, and the restaurant at Plaza Athenee Hotel, plus he won the much-coveted Ordre national du Mérite.

 For Mimosa Rue Royale, he has taken a lighter and more casual approach, celebrating the energy and flavors of the south of France and Mediterranean cuisine, which ironically, he has never done before, considering his cooking origins were cooking at restaurants in Monaco and Saint Tropez.

It was a warm, sunny day and we dined on the delightful outdoor terrace decorated with white, scalloped awnings, blue and white striped canvas cushions on the banquettes, and white metal chairs. One of the menu specialties is eggs Mimosa, an updated version of deviled eggs or the classic oeufs mayonnaise, with eclectic fillings such as tarama, lobster, anchovy, caviar, and salmon with horseradish. We chose the lobster and caviar, and they were light, fresh, and delicious. For the main course, I had the red tuna burger on a light as air brioche, cleverly presented on a round butcher block, and served with crispy fries and my friends savored their authentic Nicoise salad.

For dessert we shared their dessert specialty, a tiramisu cake, an extraordinary creation of micro thin crepe layers with heavenly tiramisu in between.

The service was gentle and relaxed, and we leisurely enjoyed our lunch.

After we finished, I checked out the festive indoor dining room with emerald velvet banquets and red and green striped velvet dining chairs. 

Mimosa Rue Royale

2 Rue Royale, 75008

https://mimosa-rueroyale.com/en/home/

Please note : Reservations way ahead of time are strongly advised especially at dinner.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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.

https://eyepreferparistours.com/

 

The Common Café at Hotel Rosalie

As I mentioned on Monday in the Parc de Choisy post (CLICK HERE to read if you missed it) that I was in the 13th arrondissement to check out a new hotel and outdoor terrace last weekend. 

I was intrigued when I read about a new garden terrace, The Common, near Place d'Italie, on Vogue.fr 

 

Always looking for new things to write about here, I decided to check it out last Sunday for lunch. Place d'Italie is a busy circle/hub with many metro lines, much like Columbus Circle in NYC. Getting off the metro Vincent and I had to make our way through about 6 intersections until we arrived at a quiet, dead-end street, Avenue de la Sœur Rosalie. I was curious about the odd name, and I did some research, and found out it was named after Sister Rosalie in 1868, a selfless nun who cared for the poor.

Walking through a narrow passageway, we arrived at what looked like a handsome, new building made of stone, with some neo-classical touches and Roman-like, stone female statues on the top floor. The Common was on the lower level of the hotel and the outside garden terrace was a delight, decorated in cheerful, navy and white, wide striped couches and chairs, slatted, aluminum dining chairs, metal tabletops in leaf green, white fringed, canvas parasols, and a beautifully planted garden with ferns, flowers, ivy, and moss. We arrived at about 1pm, thinking the place would be full for Sunday lunch, but it turned out we were the only ones there. It was probably a combination of the hotel only being three months old plus it was a day short of being August, when the Parisians take their vacances.  

The appealing menu had a choice of lunch/brunch specialties leaning on the vegetarian side (the ingredients are all organic) and included a quinoa bowl, red lentil dal, and Chakchouka baguette, a baguette with red pepper cream, zucchini, eggs, melted cheddar and coriander. We ordered the Veggie Open Sandwich, and the Colorful Salad to share, and savored the calmness of the garden while we waited for our food. A few moments later the dishes arrived, prettily presented on a royal blue, oval ceramic plate, and a clear glass bowl with scalloped edges. The sandwich had a mound of arugula sprinkled on top with thin slices of red peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and feta underneath and it was so good, I could have eaten a second one. The salad was equally good with greens, radishes, sweet, cherry tomatoes, and sweet potato rounds topped with grilled goat cheese, which was such a clever idea, that I will make them as an appetizer for my next dinner party. The food was excellent and super fresh, but our only complaint was the portions were too small, and we craved more. 

After our yummy meal we were so looking forward to dessert and were disappointed that they were already out of most of the desserts on the menu. (I never understand that irritating thing at French restaurants when they tell you they are already out of things, even though we were the only people in the restaurant). By default, we chose the silky, tofu chocolate mousse, expecting some chalky, tasteless concoction but we were pleasantly surprised by the silky, smooth texture and strong chocolate taste.

 

 

 

 

 

When we finished lunch, I requested a tour of the hotel and one of the staff members kindly showed me a compact room on the top floor which extended the garden motif of the hotel with cheerful, flower-patterned wallpaper and carpeting and stunning views of the rooftops and the city. 

On the fourth floor was a delightful roof garden, only available to the guests of the hotel, similar in design to the terrace at the restaurant.

The Common also has an indoor dining room and is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm, and Friday and Saturday until 10pm, for breakfast, brunch, and lunch.

8 bis Avenue de la Sœur Rosalie, 75013

https://www.hotel-rosalie.com/en/

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3 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.

https://eyepreferparistours.com/

Kebi Restaurant

I am always eager to try new neighborhood restaurants, especially those that are close to my apartment. For years, there was a mediocre Italian restaurant on rue de Turenne, but it recently closed.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a beautifully designed new restaurant, Kebi, which celebrates and updates the ancient middle east dish kibbeh, replace the rundown Italian place.

As many of you know I am of Syrian descent and by mother and my aunts would make kibbeh for special occasions and for Friday night sabbath dinner. It consists of ground bulgur, which is formed into a round or torpedo shape, then stuffed with ground meat, pine nuts, chopped onions, all spice, cinnamon, and coriander spices, and finally deep fried. Kibbeh is found mostly in Syrian and Lebanese cooking and there are many variations on it, including kibbeh neyeh, which uses raw, ground lamb, much like a French tartare.

I met the owner Marc Naaman, a charming Lebanese man with a winning smile and he explained the concept of the restaurant. He said he wanted to modernize and play with the standard kibbeh dish by offering imaginative new versions with unusual ingredients.

The menu offered eight, enticing variations of kibbeh, and we narrowed it down to five selections.

While we waited for our food, we relaxed in the well-designed dining room with contemporary furnishings. A few minutes later, five beautifully plated dishes arrived on brightly saturated, ceramic plates, which we found out were from the superstar, Israeli chef Yottam Ottolenghi. Each plate has three kibbehs, with the top one cut in half. The foie gras kibbeh with dates, nuts, and sage was a brilliant and winning combination, the sweet potato with butternut squash, caramelized onions, yogurt, and mint, was light and refreshing but still had an intense flavor, and chicken with tarragon and mushrooms, was piquant and delicious. Other kibbeh dishes on the menu include salmon tartare, potato, calamari, and shrimp.

Kebi also offers appetizing sides to go with the kibbeh, including sauteed spinach with sumac and peanuts, roasted eggplant, and a salad of pine nuts, greens, and molasses.

Marc recommended a dessert kibbeh of banana, roasted hazelnuts, and melted chocolate but we were too stuffed and satisfied, all the more reason to return to Kebi.

I also told Marc I had just tasted the Lebanese ice cream a few days before at Baltis,(CLICK HERE to read my blog post)  and Marc not only knew about Baltis, he said it was on their dessert menu.

Kebi

3 rue de Turenne, 75004

Metro: Saint Paul

https://kebi-restaurant.eatbu.com/?lang=en

 

 

Restaurant Le Sergent Recruteur

A publicist I know recently moved to a new company and she sent me her new client list.  Le Sergent Recruteur, a restaurant I always wanted to go to, was one of her clients. She kindly invited Vincent and me to have lunch one day earlier this month and to meet the chef. 

Located on rue Saint Louis en L'Ile, on the Ile Saint Louis, the black facade of Le Sergent Recruteur is a bit daunting but once we were inside, we were warmly greeted by the staff members. The front of the restaurant had a cozy bar area, and the contemporary but comfortable décor of the long, narrow dining room is lined with banquettes, black club chairs in soft leather, and wood topped tables. 

The wait person handed us our menus and on top was printed Pour with my name handwritten next to it, which was a nice, personal touch. 

The menu descriptions were so appealing and seductive, I had a hard time narrowing down what I wanted. It was a cold, blustery day and I thought sauteed foie gras with roasted mango and ginger, infused with vanilla, lime, and pineapple would be satisfying and filling. The taste was sublime, with the soft texture of the foie gras melting in my mouth along with the sweet and acidic mango. Another sublime creation was polenta with shaved truffles, that Vincent had and which I tasted. 

For the main course, I had the special of the day, Saint Jacques (sea scallops) with a foam of Chardonnay wine and enoki mushrooms. The scallops were sweet and tender and the flavorful foam rounded out the full bodied but subtle taste. 

 Dessert was an updated version of the classic Paris Brest, with a crunchy, light as a feather. choux pastry, filled with an espresso flavored cream, and the taste and the gorgeous presentation of the chocolate and ginger with cacao sorbet with gold painted chocolate leaf was sensational. 

We were later introduced to the handsome chef Alain Pegouret, who had a warm smile and was the epitome of calm, unlike the temperamental and harried chefs you see on the cooking shows and restaurant documentaries. Pegouret, who grew up in Cannes, first developed his appreciation of food starting at age 12 and is a veteran chef of the Paris restaurant scene, having worked with Michelin star chefs Joel Robuchon, and Christian Constant at the Hotel Crillon, and then an 18-year stint at Laurent in Paris. He’s now come into his own at Le Sergent Recruteur, having already earned a well-deserved Michelin star.  

The exquisite cuisine is delicate without being precious and although elaborate in its description and long list of ingredients in each dish, it’s never pretentious. Pegouret’s mix of sometimes unusual or odd pairings of flavors works beautifully and he is at the top of his craft. 

Le Sergent Recruteur offers an excellent value at lunch with 39euros for entrée/plat or 49euros for entree/plat/dessert or the an à la carte menu. They also offer

 a seasonal, five-course tasting menu for 98€ per person and accompanied with matching wines is 158€ per person. 

If you have a special occasion you want to celebrate with family and friends, Le Sergent Recruteur has a beautiful private dining room on the lower level that seats 12. The chef can also design a custom menu. 

41 rue Saint Louis en L'Ile, Ile Saint Louis, 75004

https://www.lesergentrecruteur.fr/en/

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards with the Doors of Paris. 

I am excited to launch a new series of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards with the Doors of Paris. 

The limited-edition series of Eye Prefer Paris Door Collection Postcards are available three different ways.

18 cards: 3 Red Doors, 3 Blue Doors, 3 Green Doors, 3 Wood Doors, 3 Iron Doors, and 3 Door Knockers. 

Cost: $65- Free shipping 

9 postcards: 3 Red Doors, 3 Blue Doors, 3 Green Doors.

Cost: $35 plus $5 shipping 

9 postcards: 3 Wood Doors, 3 Iron Doors, and 3 Door Knockers

Cost: $35 plus $5 shipping 

Each postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock, that enhances the vibrancy of each image. Eye Prefer Paris Postcards come in classic postcard size (6”x 4.25”), perfect for collecting, framing, or sending to that special someone. 

Each order is specially hand wrapped with love from Paris and mailed in an elegant, French blue envelope. Postcards take about 4- 7 days to arrive in the U.S. 

Just in time for the holidays, the Eye Prefer Paris-Paris Door Collection make a perfect gift for your Francophile friends and family, and I can write a handwritten note for you and include it in the envelope. 

CLICK HERE to order 18 cards: 3 Red Doors, 3 Blue Doors, 3 Green Doors, 3 Wood Doors, 3 Iron Doors, and 3 Door Knockers. 

Cost: $65- Free shipping 

CLICK HERE to order 9 postcards: 3 Red Doors, 3 Blue Doors, 3 Green Doors.

Cost: $35 plus $5 shipping 

CLICK HERE to order 9 postcards: 3 Wood Doors, 3 Iron Doors, and 3 Door Knockers

Cost: $35 plus $5 shipping 

Green Doors

Blue Doors

Metal Doors