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! 

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

Kimpton Saint Honoré Hotel

Last month I was invited for a tour and lunch at the newly opened Kimpton Saint Honoré Hotel, centrally located on the Boulevard des Capucines, in between the Opera Garnier and Place Madeleine. 

I was immediately drawn to the striking façade of the building with turquoise painted, iron balconies, windows embossed with a geometric pattern in the same turquoise color, delicate decorative flowers, and gold framing. 

Inside the lobby. two other things that caught my eye were the vintage elevator cage of ornate wrought iron and handsome wood and a sweeping staircase of white marble and brass railings, ready for Norma Desmond to make her return.  

I met Camille Blet, the marketing coordinator of the hotel. She asked if I’d rather she speak French or English, and I said French, and I was proud of myself that I understood about 90% of everything she said for the next 45 minutes. 

She explained that the building was built in 1916 in the Art Nouveau style to house La Samaritaine de Luxe, a luxury branch of La Samaritaine department store, which would cater to the wealthy patrons of the nearby Opera Garnier,  Café de la Paix, and the guests of Le Grand Hotel. 

The interior architect Charles Zana, who was hired to design the hotel, had a desire to preserve the essential elements of the original architecture while also updating the design with a contemporary look. 

We viewed several different categories of rooms which had a combination of soothing neutral colors paired with an accent of vibrant red. The Suite Honoré on the top floor was more like a chic and luxurious Paris apartment with a living room with an avocado green, velvet sofa and mustard velvet club chairs, and a black and white geometric pattern rug, a dining room with a round table and white dining chairs in a nubby fabric, and a full kitchen. The spacious bedroom had curved walls and a high ceiling, and the most outstanding feature was the wraparound terrace with rooftop views. 

I’ve visited several newly designed hotels and restaurants in Paris and other locations in France in the past two years and noticed there’s a trend, which I like very much, where the designers use updated Art Deco elements such as clean lines, curved and softened corners and edges on the furniture. and jewel colors, especially sapphire blue, which the Kimpton Saint Honoré Hotel also uses. 

Although it was closed for the moment, I was able to go to the rooftop of the hotel, where the Sequoia restaurant and bar is located. The 360-degree views were some of the best I’ve ever experienced, especially the close up view of the green dome and the gold angels of the Opera Garnier, and Sacre Coeur in the background. I can’t wait to go up there in the spring when it opens for a glass of wine and a snack. 

After our tour, we had lunch at Montecito, the main restaurant on the lobby floor. The airy dining room has high ceilings and tall, glass panels, which give off a nice natural light along with plush banquettes and club chairs in turquoise velvet, and geometrically patterned rugs. 

Inspired by the laid back and healthy California lifestyle, French chef Nicolas Pastot and American Carrie Solomon have created a menu of multiethnic and American dishes, using the best of French produce and ingredients.  

I started with Scallop Aquachile, a refreshing ceviche with bits of scallops, clementines, radish and coriander with a touch of acidity, and Vincent’s green curry soup was a gorgeously presented, abstract mélange of coconut milk, green veggies, lemongrass, galanga, and kaffir leaves served in a ceramic bowl so pretty, I was tempted to pilfer it. (Another trend I am loving these days in Paris restaurants is the use of glazed ceramic plates and bowls in beautiful patterns and deep, rich colors.) The main course of San Francisco Cioppino, with lobster, seasonal shellfish, and chorizo, chestnut pickles and served with a side of garlic bread, was a warming respite from the cold temperatures that day. 

Although we both loved our lunch, Vincent and I agreed the desserts stole the show. The passion fruit cheesecake was dreamy, creamy, and delicious, and the special dessert of the day was a crunchy, praline and chocolate concoction that was rich and light at the same time.  

Other menu choices at Montecito include soba noodles with mushroom and ginger dashi, and purple cauliflower, the Montecito burger with beef from Aubrac, bacon, pickles, and aged French cheddar, and the L.A. style Cobb salad. A three-course lunch menu of starter, main, and coffee is 39€. 

Kimpton Saint Honoré

27 - 29 Bd des Capucines, 75002

https://kimptonsthonoreparis.com/en/

Montecito 

https://montecitoparis.com/

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

Restaurant La Halle aux Grains at Bourse de Commerce

There’s been a lot of buzz about the restaurant, Restaurant La Halle aux Grains inside the new Bourse de la Commerce Museum in the press and from friends and tour clients, who have gone and raved about it. 

I took some tour clients last week to Bourse de la Commerce Museum and they wanted me to select a restaurant to have lunch after, and I thought it would be a perfect place, since they were foodies and had gone to many of the top restaurants during their stay in Paris. 

I had visited the museum when it first opened a few months ago and tried to get a glimpse at the restaurant but you needed a reservation to enter. 

Restaurant La Halle aux Grains is on the top floor of the museum. After we confirmed our reservation at the front desk, we were taken to our table. Along the way was a series of intimate dining salons, each with just three or four tables. They all had startling views facing the Saint Eustache Church, the redesigned Les Halles including the massive metal awning, and the Pompidou Museum. The minimalist design, which was right up my alley, had simple but comfortable black chairs and black café tables, a black and white abstract design, area rug, and my favorite design detail, open metal work drapes and room dividers.

We sat and admired the view since it was a crisp, sunny day with dreamy blue skies and we also admired the place setting especially the china and cutlery, and at one point we all plotted to pilfer at least one item off the table but agreed to behave ourselves. 

First, a little information about Restaurant La Halle aux Grains before I get to our food experience. Head chefs and brothers Michael and Sebastien Bras were inspired by the original use of the La Bourse de Commerce, which was erected in 1763 and was the stock exchange for wheat. They went to the Aubrac region of France to source much of the ingredients for the menu, with a special focus on grains and seeds from their travels around the world. 

I didn’t order a starter but my friends (after our first day of touring we became instant friends) had a whole, roasted celery root, cut into pieces, with black truffle juice, and offered me a taste. It had a potato like texture and the truffle juice gave it a distinct flavor. Next up was a fantastic chicken dish with braised red endive and a sprinkling grains and spices, and the artful presentation looked like a mosaic. We were lucky to have the whole dining room to ourselves and the conversation was fun and lively. Dessert was plump figs roasted in anise flavored butter served with fig leaf ice cream and then the waiter sprinkled some granola on top for extra crunchiness and flavor. 

The impeccable service was gentle and caring but not overbearing or fussy. 

We were having such a great time that none of us wanted to leave but my  friends were leaving the next day and had to get in some last-minute shopping. 

Restaurant La Halle aux Grains has lived up to its hype and buzz and it’s on the top of my list of favorite Paris restaurants at the moment. Best to reserve a few weeks in advance. Restaurant La Halle aux Grains is open for lunch and dinner but also serves coffee, tea, and pastries from 3pm to 7pm. 

Restaurant La Halle aux Grains at Bourse de Commerce 

2 rue de Viarmes, 75001 

https://www.halleauxgrains.bras.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

Private Lunch At Fauchon Hotel

About a month ago, I received an email from the publicist for the Fauchon Hotel on place Madeleine, that the hotel was removing the beds from the rooms on one floor and converting them into private dining rooms. She also mentioned that the hotel manager was using one of the rooms to host private, one on one lunches, with journalists and wanted to know to if I was interested. I immediately said yes, as I was thrilled to actually go out for lunch, which I haven’t done since last summer. 

I arrived at the hotel at 12pm, and met Maud Welter, the director of sales and marketing, who welcomed me to the hotel. We sat in the chicly designed lobby, decorated with sleek velvet club chairs, carpeting with sharp angles, and a streamlined fireplace built into a wall, all in the signature Fauchon colors of fuchsia, black, and white.  Maud shared with me about the hotel and the new ways they were catering to their clientele. One of the first things is the new approach for checking in. Instead of having to wait online and check in at the desk, the hotel now greets their guest upon arrival, and checks them in while sitting down in the attractive lobby. Then they offer the client a welcome drink, either a glass of Champagne, or a non-alcoholic cocktail of their iced tea of the day. I decided to have iced tea, because if I started to have Champagne on an empty stomach before lunch, I would have been done in. The refreshing iced tea came in a stem glass, garnished with a purple flower, a cool touch, along with two macarons. A few minutes later Maud returned and escorted me to the restaurant, which was now converted into a retail shop, offering Fauchon packaged foods, including chocolates, tins of biscuits and cookies, nuts, crackers, teas, and an impressive collection of wines, spirits, and Champagnes. 

We took the elevator to the top floor, where the dining suites were located. The rooms now had dining tables set up on configurations for two, four, and six people. The décor was similar to the lobby with the same colors, and in addition, couches, and Eileen Gray style side tables. 

We sat for lunch at a table for four, because Maud was joining us with the hotel manager and another journalist who was invited at the last minute. Although I have a dining table at home that I like very much, it was nice to see a table set with a crisp white tablecloth, cloth napkins, china plates, and wine goblets, plus I especially liked the amber colored water glasses. 

The hotel manager, Jerome Montanteme was warm and welcoming, and the other journalist was a French woman who now lived in London. She is a travel and design writer but was also involved in the artworld when she lived in New York for a stint and within five minutes of meeting, we already discovered we had a mutual friend from Manhattan.

We sat for lunch and the table in front of the window had a birds-eye view of the Madeleine church with the symmetry of the great columns surrounding it. 

An appetizing platter of smoked salmon with blinis, was set on the table, and I indulged in the heavenly, slithery texture and smoky taste (Vincent doesn’t like smoked salmon, so we almost never have it at home). 

Next was a house made ravioli with lobster and spring peas, served in a pool of light broth. In between courses, the conversation freely flowed about many different subjects with all of us getting on like a house on fire, almost like old friends, even though we had just met. I was repeatedly offered Champagne and wine, but I don’t usually drink at lunch, because it makes me sleepy later on. However, when my main course of hearty pork poitrine garnished with delicate yellow carrots was served, I knew that it needed a hearty glass of red wine to accompany it. Jerome was so kind, he said let me pick a special wine for you, a Morgon from the region near Lyon, where he grew up. The wine was fantastic and a perfect match for my dish. Jerome went on to passionately share about where he grew up and how great the wines were, and kindly offered to personally escort me to the region for a few days and introduce me to the wine makers he knew. 

Last but not least was the piece de resistance, the iconic bisou-bisou ( kiss, kiss) dessert of a pair of red lips. Inside the famous lips, is a delicious combination of  crunchy almonds, and red fruit with espelette pepper, vanilla and mint cream, which was light and scrumptious. 

We were having so much fun, that we didn’t realize the time was flying by, as I looked at my watch and realized it was 3:30 already, and I had to leave. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and the company, and best of all, I didn’t have to wash the dishes after we were done. 

Here are the details for the private dining rooms. In order to comply with the government issued Covid restrictions, Fauchon Hotel charges 100€ for the room, and considers it a hotel stay, which is legal. Under the current Covid laws, the hotel can’t serve food in its public space, but can deliver food to the hotel guests in their rooms. When you make your lunch reservation, the 100€ room fee is added to your check and you can have up to six people at one table. The program has been very successful and has been sold out for weeks at a time. You can call this number to make a reservation + 33 (0) 187 86 2800. By the way, if you make a reservation, you have to include me as one of your guests. 

CLICK HERE to read my blog post about my visit to the Fauchon Hotel restaurant in 2019. 

4 Boulevard Malesherbes, 75008

Tel. + 33 (0) 187 86 2800 

https://www.hotel-fauchon-paris.fr/

I want to thank everyone for watching my live Marais Tour last week 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. Enjoy! 

Memories of Saint Germain des Pres

Vincent and I were in Saint Germain des Pres last week shooting a new video- more info on that soon- and stopped by Café de Flore to have a coffee, bringing back fond memories. 

Our first trip to Paris together was in the summer of 1978. At that time, Saint Germain was the hip and happening area before it moved to the Marais in the early 2000s. 

We stayed at the Crystal Hotel just a few doors down from Café de Flore on Rue Saint Benoit. At the time, I believe our room was about $50 a night, and now at that time of the year the cost is close to 300€ a night, but the hotel has been updated and refurbished. I have a friend who stayed at the Crystal frequently in the 1950s and early 1960s and he told me many jazz musicians stayed there. 

We would go to the Café de Flore every morning for breakfast and after we ventured to the newly opened and controversial Pompidou Museum, our first visit to Hermes, a pastry stop at Fauchon every day at 4pm- no matter what, walking in the Tuileries, shopped till we dropped, buying a pair of very expensive, woven shoes designed by Stephane Kelian, and dining at Le Train Bleu. 

Here’s a story I am reposting that wrote a few months ago about our funny experience at Café de Flore. 

My First Time at Café de Flore 

My first visit to Paris was in June of 1976, and I couldn’t wait to return. I met Vincent in 1977, and he had never been to Paris or Europe. In July of 1978, we took a grand tour of Europe and we went to London, Paris, Rome, Florence, and Venice. 

When we arrived in Paris, we stayed in a small, inexpensive hotel, The Crystal, on rue Saint Benoit, just a few doors down from Café de Flore, in the heart of Saint Germain des Pres. At that time, Saint Germain was the hip and happening area of Paris, much like the Marais is today.

My brother had recommended the hotel, and he also said we must have breakfast at Café de Flore. 

So the next morning, we went to Café de Flore, and sat outside on the classic wicker, café chairs. The warm and sunny day was perfect weather for Vincent to experience his first visit to a Paris café and my first visit to the legendary Café de Flore. 

In the early 1970s, when my parents visited Paris for the first time, I remember when they returned home, my father raved about how wonderful the Paris cafes were because you could stay there all day and no one would bother you,  but exclaimed “ Could you believe it, they charge almost  a dollar for a teeny cup of coffee, with no refill” ( a big cup of coffee in New York at the time was 15 cents.) Keeping that in mind, we carefully budgeted for cafes and restaurants. 

After we sat down, we noticed a basket full of croissants on the table and we thought it was odd, but then we naively thought, Wow, isn’t that nice of them to offer free croissants. We loved the café au lait, served in the oversized cups resembling bowls with the green Café de Flore logo on them, and the sensation of steamy foam and hot milk on our lips, so much so, we each ordered two cups. 

At that time, Café de Flore was not as touristy as it is now, so we marveled at the chic and well- dressed Parisians sipping their morning café and reading the newspaper. We also thought how cool it was that people could bring their dogs to the café. 

Two-hours, four café au laits, and six croissants later, we finally asked for l’addition, one of the only French words we knew besides merci and solde. 

The waiter scrawled a bunch of almost undecipherable numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to me. After squinting at it for a long time, I figured what his French hieroglyphics numerically translated to in French francs. Now remember, there was no pocket calculators in 1978, so when I got the bill, I took out my little notebook, and converted the francs to dollars by hand, and the total was about $16. I thought this was wrong, as how could four coffees be so expensive. Finally, I sheepishly, asked the waiter to explain the bill, and with a few big body and hand gestures, and a combination of French and broken English, he pointed to four cups of coffee and six croissants. 

Flabbergasted and sticker shocked, I paid the bill and realized we blew our lunch budget for the day, so instead of having lunch at a Parisian bistro, all we could afford was fromage and jambon on baguette, which in the end, was perfect and delicious. 

So, the lesson to be learned here is that not only is there no such thing as a free lunch, there’s no such thing as a free croissant at Café de Flore. 

I don't remember the croissants being that big in 1978

From 1981- three years later

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

Du Jardin des Ifs in Gerberoy, France

I received a press release about a month ago about a garden and restaurant in the French countryside and I followed up with the publicist, asking her if I could visit. She was happy to arrange the visit and said that I could get a ride with the owner’s husband, who would be driving there from Paris on Friday morning. 

I had not been out of Paris, except for when I went to France Miniature in the beginning of July, since the end of February, so I was beyond excited to leave the city and have an opportunity to visit the French countryside. 

I went with my friend Rosemary Flannery, and we met Gilles in his car. Gilles was friendly and easygoing and told us the story of the property plus the history of the surrounding area. The property is in a small village, Gerberoy, located about 90 minutes from Paris in the Picardie region, near Beauvais. 

Gilles' wife, Delphine Higgonet, recently inherited the house and garden, which her mother bought in 1969 for the family. The garden and the house is traced back to 1744, when the owner was the gouvenour or the “Vidame'' of the area. The garden was planted the century before with pruned yew trees, which are rare in France, and boxwood. Topiary gardens were the rage in France in the 1600s and 1700s for the royals and nobility, sprouting up all over France. Andre Le Notre incorporated topiaries in his garden design for Versailles in the 17^th century. The garden still retains the original trees and they are trimmed annually. It’s the only historic garden in Gerberoy open to the public. The multi-tiered garden has won numerous awards and the grounds also contain a vegetable and herb garden. 

We arrived at about 11am and Gilles parked in the public lot at the foot of the town. As we walked up the road, I was already enchanted by the abundance of flowers and plants adorning the lovely houses and cottages. Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers, especially since I moved to France because undoubtedly French hydrangeas are the most beautiful and vibrant, I’ve ever seen. Almost every house had hydrangea bushes overflowing and I was in hydrangea heaven. 

A few moments later, we arrived at the courtyard of Du Jardin des Ifs, which had the barn, horse stable, and outer buildings, made of brick with thatched roofs. There were two immaculate topiaries and a row of outdoor tables with white umbrellas for the restaurant. I was already impressed. 

Gilles gave us a tour of the house. The main floor had two rooms dedicated to the restaurant, and even though it was summer, it was a bit nippy that day, and there was a roaring fire going in the original fireplace. We were also shown the living quarters and I admired the finely carved woodwork all over. 

We were finally at the piece de resistance, the garden, and what a sight it was. The grand topiary bushes all lined up and at the entrance were a pair of rounded hedges with dome shaped tops.  Two others resembled enormous, wide-brimmed hats, surrounded by boxwood hedges. The main attraction is a cave constructed from the trees with a hole in the center, just big enough to walk through. Inside the cave, were two benches, and I could imagine holing up there on a blazing summer day enjoying the shade. 

On the lower level of the garden was the vegetable and herb garden, and a lovely, round pond decorated with yellow flowers on the perimeter. 

The landscape of the topiaries against the blue sky dotted with white clouds looking like cotton puffs was breathtaking. In a pleasant optical illusion, the clouds seemed to have risen from the ground, rather than hanging in the sky. 

Even though it was a bit chilly, we decided to have lunch outside in the courtyard and took a table under one of the white umbrellas. We finally met Delphine, who was taking care of the restaurant that day and she told us that she opened the restaurant five years ago, hired a chef and built a commercial kitchen in one of the buildings in the courtyard. She also shared that the lettuce and herbs served in the restaurant was directly from the garden (talk about farm to table!) and that the vegetables were sourced locally, within just a few miles, as well as the meat. 

For an appetizer we selected the house specialty, Feuillete de Rollot, puff pastry stuffed which was Louis XIV’s favorite cheese Rollot. The pastry was delicate and flaky, and the taste of the distinct cheese mixed with sautéed mushrooms was excellent. It was served with lettuce, fresh from the garden in a light dressing. Vincent has been doing all the cooking in the last four months, preparing mostly vegetarian, fish, and chicken dishes, so when I spotted duck on the menu, I ordered it immediately. Rosemary had a whole roasted sea bass and it looked fabulous on the plate. The rare cooked duck was tender and juicy, with a sweet sauce, which I could not detect the flavor of. Dessert was house made chocolate mousse served in a ginormous bowl with a big spoon. Gilles put on an apron and helped out at the restaurant, serving us a more than generous portion of the mousse. To contrast the mousse, we also had two scoops of locally produced sorbet. I so appreciated having lunch in this beautiful, serene setting and enjoying well prepared, French food with top notch ingredients. The restaurant also offers a tea and pastry menu in the afternoon. 

After lunch we strolled through the rest of Gerberoy, and I will write about that on Thursday. 

Du Jardin des Ifs

3, impasse du Vidamé, 60380 Gerberoy

Open from June 10 to September 30, from 11am-12pm, 2:30pm to 6pm, from Wednesday to Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday.

The restaurant has two lunch sittings, 12:30pm and 1:45pm 

https://www.lejardindesifs.com/

Delphine and Gilles 

I am happy to have the prolific author John Baxter as my guest on A Bite of Paris. John has written many books about Paris including The Most Beautiful Walk in World, We’ll Always Have Paris, and books about the neighborhoods of Paris. Montmartre, Saint Germain des Pres, and Montmartre. John has also written two books about food in France, The Perfect Meal and Eating Eternity. 

John and I had coffee outdoors at the pastry shop and café, Gerard Mulot, in Saint Germain des Pres. 

Please watch the video at this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpPCLR-6ACg

For more about John and to purchase his books go to https://www.johnbaxterparis.com/

Please share this video and don’t forget to subscribe to my You Tube channel.

 

 

 

 

 

J.K. Place Hotel Paris

Walking down the quiet, residential street rue de Lille, in the upscale, 7^th arrondissement, you could easily miss the entrance to the new J.K. Place Hotel Paris. 

The subtle entrance way is marked with a doormat signed with the letters J.K. and emerald curtains, which made me think of the The Wizard of Oz. 

A small chain of luxury hotels in located in Capri, Florence, and Rome, J.K. Place has recently opened an outpost in Paris, their first venture outside of Italy. 

The J.K. Place brand of hotels prides itself on understated luxury and privacy, conveying the experience of staying in an elegant home away from home rather than a splashy, grand hotel. 

I went with my friend Diane Pernet of A Shaded View on Fashion blog,  we were given a tour of the hotel and the rooms. 

Walking through the public rooms on the first floor, I felt I was in a beautifully decorated home, with a series of stylishly designed rooms. Designer Michele Bonan has sourced the Paris flea market and used custom Italian furniture to attain the eclectic yet harmonious look. The handsome barroom has black lacquered tables with espresso velvet chairs and banquets, and the three-dimensional, white plaster walls with cutouts, are inspired by Picasso.

The hotel has only 29 rooms and one grand suite. One of the larger rooms has a fabulous four-poster bed with retractable curtains surrounding it for total privacy. I loved the color choices of the deep purple, velvet couch offset with white trim and the forest green carpet with white, geometric patterns. 

After our tour, we had lunch at their restaurant Casa Tua. Although the restaurant is designed close to a solarium, you still feel as though you are in a formal dining room, rather than a casual, outdoor space. Again, the mix of flea market antiques- Chinese silk screens and porcelain statues and soup tureens-against the dark teal blue, velvet chairs and black and white patterned, marble floor worked well together. 

Casa Tua is also another outpost, like the hotel, with restaurants in Miami and Aspen. My first course house-made ravioli with spinach and ricotta was as good as any I’ve had in the best restaurants in Italy. Surprisingly, I have rarely had a great piece of fresh tuna in Paris, but the tuna at Casa Tua was outstanding. Seared on the outside with a sesame seed crust, and deep red, almost raw on the inside, it was meaty and succulent. The garnish of carrot puree and fresh blueberries made the flavor of the dish soar. Dessert was a well-executed tiramisu, and a wreath of tart citrus bits with sweet cream. 

The hotel has an indoor swimming pool and a Sisley Spa on the lower level.

J.K. Place Paris 

82 Rue de Lille, 75007 

https://www.jkplace.paris/it/

If you are homebound during the virus crisis and looking for films to watch, please watch my partner Vincent's film After Louie with Alan Cumming

Here's link to view it on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/After-Louie-Alan-Cumming/dp/B079YF22TZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QUP7FWXTGL6K&dchild=1&keywords=after+louie&qid=1584273762&s=instant-video&sprefix=after+louie%2Caps%2C202&sr=1-1

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.

 

 

 

Lunch with Lynn/Under 20 Eats: J.J. Beaumarchais

I hadn’t seen Meredith Mullins in a long time, as she was frequently traveling, so she surfaced in mid-December and asked if I wanted to go a new restaurant discovery for an under 20€ lunch. 

In the last 10 years the Boulevard Beaumarchais, which runs from Bastille towards Republique, has come a long way from a sleepy boulevard lined with camera shops to main artery for shopping, restaurants, and food shops, including the Bobo concept store Merci, and the chic market and café, Maison Plisson. 

J.J. Beaumarchais looks like a typical Parisian bistro on the outside and inside, without much distinction. Luckily, the food speaks for itself. 

The straightforward lunch menu, two courses for 20€ and three for 22€, offers a selection of three starters, two main courses, and one dessert. 

I chose the coconut soup with pimento oil and the presentation in a ceramic bowl lined in a soothing aqua color, and the sting of the pimento rounded out the flavor of the sweet coconut.  

Meredith’s starter, a soupy concoction of a poached egg with truffle cheese and chestnuts, served in a bowl, was like eating a new type of comfort food. 

In selecting my main course, I wasn’t in the mood for fish, so I reluctantly ordered the bavette. I find the meat on bavette steaks is usually tough and stringy, and I am not usually satisfied. The bavette arrived camouflaged in a heap of twisted, stemmed greens, with a pool of foam on the bottom. Once I cleared the greens away, a healthy looking bavette appeared. Cutting into it was easier than usual, which was a good sign, and it was tender, juicy, and cooked just right. The roasted Jerusalem artichokes with a texture similar to roasted potatoes, were a hearty enough accompaniment to the steak and the foam served as a flavor enhancement.

Although I wasn’t in the mood for fish that day, upon having a taste of Meredith’s main dish, steamed ling fish (similar in texture to cod fish) with mushrooms and cabbage, I would definitely return to J.J. Beaumarchais for this dish. 

Crumbles are a staple on Paris restaurant menus and as much as I like them, they are becoming boring. The elevated version of at J.J. Beaumarchais with poached pears, a smattering of caramel, and crunchy, cookie-like bits, was familiar but certainly not a bore, as our spoons fought each other for the last bite. 

Meredith and I sat at a quiet table at the front, and we were able to catch up without being interrupted, with the efficient but not intrusive service. 

The tasting menu at night costs 40€ per person for four dishes, and 55€ for five dishes, so the 20€ lunch was definitely a bargain for cuisine of this caliber. 

J.J. Beaumarchais 

92 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75011

http://jjbeaumarchais.com/

Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner 

Sunday for lunch 

May in Paris- My Marais Apartment for Rent May 12 to May 23

I am renting my Marais loft from  May 12 to May 23. May is one of the nicest months in Paris, with temperatures in the low 70s Fahrenheit during the day and low 60s at night. All the gardens and flowers are in bloom, the outdoor cafes bustling, and lots of cultural events. 

Minimum rental period is 7 days/one week, price 1500€ for 7 days/one week,1900€ for 11 days-May 12-23. 

Conveniently located by the Saint Paul metro, in the heart of the Marais, the apartment is a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft  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

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

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.

 

Cooking Dinner at Le Troisieme Café

So the big day arrived on Thursday for my return to the kitchen. 

I was at the Le Troisieme Cafe at 4:30PM to cook dinner for 30 people and start serving at 7:30pm. 

I was already a little ahead of the game because I baked the dessert at home, so all I had to cook was the appetizer and the main course. Even with that advantage, I found myself prepping until almost 7:30. Things went pretty smoothly, and I had two excellent volunteer assistants Evagn, and Natalie (who was the original owner of the wine bar/bookstore La Belle Hortense in the Marais). They were efficient and easy to get along with, which I appreciated so much. There was no way I could have done all the work myself in time. 

Most of the guests arrived between 7:30 and 8pm and enjoyed some wine and beer before dinner was served. Twelve people were a combination of friends or blog readers and 10 others made reservations from the café’s website. 

The interesting part about cooking at Le Troisieme, was I realized I had never cooked in a restaurant before and also never cooked in an open kitchen with people watching me. It was a bit of an adjustment at first, but then I liked the idea of not being isolated in the kitchen and to be able to talk to people while I was cooking. After serving the main course, I took a break for a while and talked to my friends in the dining room. 

This was the menu: 

Appetizer

Tomato leek soup with Middle Eastern Spices

Main course 

Spinach and Emmenthal cheese gratin 

Zucchini and Emmenthal cheese gratin

Chickpea rice with cumin and caramelized onions

Cucumber and yogurt salad with Zaatar 

Dessert 

Coconut American-style macaroons with fresh mandarin orange 

When I was growing up, every Thursday night was dairy night at my house and my mother would frequently serve the main course dish. I eventually incorporated it into my catering menu as a vegetarian option and it was a big hit. 

The coconut macaroons were my most popular dessert when I was a caterer, and at one point I was selling them to Dean & Deluca in Soho. 

The night ended at about 10pm and many of the guests thanked me for the experience. It was a fun and fulfilling night for me and it reawakened my cooking and baking skills. In fact, I’ve been mulling over the idea of introducing Parisians to my coconut macaroons by possibly selling them to food shops and cafes. I’ll let you know if I do. Meanwhile it’s back to blogging, touring and photography for now, but leaving room for the possibility of cooking again. 

Le Troisieme Cafe serves a three-course lunch for 10€ and a three-course dinner for 12€. 

Le Troisieme Cafe 

16 rue de Beauce, 75003

https://troisiemecafe.org/

Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner

Cash or check accepted, no credit cards 

I am pleased as punch to have my friend Lisa Anselmo as my guest on A Bite of Paris. Lisa is the founder of Save the Paris Cafe/www.savethepariscafe.com, a website which celebrates the Paris café and the preservation of them, which in recent years has been threatened by rising rents and cultural changes. 

Click here to watch video or link below 

https://youtu.be/Jyt4wx3K8ZQ

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.