Casual Eats in Paris

Paris is one of my favorite eating destinations in the world. In addition to the high concentration of Michelin star restaurants, it is filled with neighborhood shops and restaurants offering all kinds of edible treats – savory and sweet.

Macarons: I looooooooove these sweet and colorful confections. After having coffee and pastries at the famed Dalloyau, I stopped by their downstairs shop to admire their beautiful displays. I couldn’t resist their wide variety of macaron flavors – I had to get one of each! They were wonderfully light and chewy underneath the delicately crisp exterior.


Soufflé: I should have known that with a name like Le Soufflé, the restaurant would have a lot of tourists, but it was still a decent place for large, hearty soufflés at wallet-friendly prices. I liked the cream of chicken and mushroom soufflé – although it was quite heavy for a soufflé, I enjoyed the warm, rich sauce drizzled inside the fluffy dome. For dessert, I tried the chocolate and the Grand Marnier soufflés – neither were very interesting. I’ve had much better versions of both in the U.S.
Baguette: It is so simple, yet so enjoyable - a crispy baguette with cheese. There is nothing like picking up a loaf of fresh baked bread and spreading rich, creamy cheese over it….Mmmm.
Pastries: Éclair, pain au Chocolat, fruit tart, mille-feuille…these are some of my favorite dessert pastries. I dream of their decadent fillings and flaky layers.
Pâté: After walking around the crowded Marché Buci, B and I were pleased to stumble upon Da Rosa while walking down a quiet street. It’s a hip little delicatessen with legs of cured jambon in the windows and a few tables on the side walk. Since this was supposed to be a “light snack”, we ordered a salad (which contained a deliciously fresh and sweet mozzarella), sliced jambon, and pâté. I’ve never had pâté do me in, but this was *the* largest mound of pâté I’ve ever had. It had nice rustic and meaty texture and a fatty, peppery taste.

Ramen: Yes, ramen! After several days filled with lots of wine and heavy French food, my palate was screaming for something different. The huge bowl of hot soupy ramen from Higuma offered a nice break to reset my taste buds…and the perfect hangover cure!


BITE METER:
Dalloyau - 3.5 bites (out of 5)
Le Soufflé - 2.5 bites (out of 5)
Da Rosa - 4.0 bites (out of 5)
Higuma - 3.0 bites (out of 5)