Mar 11th, 2010 by haveninparis
Text and Photos by Maggie Battista
I attended my first Paris party last week, and arrived with this apple and rhubarb tart from Les Petits Mitrons. (More on that Paris party in another post soon.) I was so enraptured by the crunchy crust, glazed apples and tender rhubarb that I fell in love on the spot. I carefully prepared for its purchase, visiting the shop a few times to ensure I’d find a fresh one on the day of the party. It was lovingly nestled into this pretty pink box.
The tart was so lovely on this delicate plate, provided by the hosts. No one wanted to cut into it, but everyone wanted a bite.
Continue Reading »
Tags: bakery paris, croissants, fruit tart, Les Petits Mitrons, maggie battista, Montmartre, Paris parties, patisserie paris
Posted in HiP Eats | 2 Comments »
Mar 10th, 2010 by haveninparis
Text and photos by: Meg Zimbeck
I panicked, on a recent winter night, when some friends asked me to organize a dinner. Choosing a restaurant is something that I usually enjoy, but the guests for this particular occasion were a couple of chefs. And not just any chefs, but senior chefs working in three-star restaurants.
My anxiety subsided as soon as I remembered Les Papilles. This homey little spot near the Jardin du Luxembourg is a favorite among food and wine insiders. I think it’s something to do with the simple and honest cooking, the well-priced wine selection and the likability of owner Bertrand Bluy. Continue Reading »
Tags: Bistrot Dining, Dining, Left Bank Restaurant, les papilles, meg zimbeck, paris restaurants, prix fixe
Posted in HiP Eats | No Comments »
Mar 8th, 2010 by haveninparis
Text and Photos by Tory Hoen
It’s easy to eat well in Paris, but to truly eat like a local is a whole different endeavor. At the heart of the Parisian culinary experience are the city’s markets, and eating like a Parisian means knowing where to get the “best” of everything—the freshest produce, the most interesting wines, the best baguettes, the most unique specialty products. The preparation of a perfect at-home meal is a nuanced process that involves the assembly of carefully selected puzzle pieces—not to mention the actual cooking, plating, presentation and consumption rituals.
Luckily, there is a short-cut in the form of Paule Caillat’s Promenades Gourmandes: personalized culinary excursions that allow anyone—from novices to gourmands—to access the pleasures of French home-cooking done right. Continue Reading »
Tags: cooking classes paris, David Lebovitz, French recipes, market tours paris, paris cooking, paule caillat, Promenades Gourmandes
Posted in HiP Eats, Tours and Classes | 2 Comments »
Feb 28th, 2010 by haveninparis
Text and Photos by Tory Hoen
I don’t remember life before Sacha Finkelsztajn. Ok, that’s not entirely true, but I’m certainly enjoying it more now that I’m a convert. For members of this club, the mere utterance of the word “Sacha” can induce profound hunger fits, and the sight of the boutique’s bright yellow facade literally has a Pavlovian effect on me (drool and all).
I’m referring, of course, to Sacha Finkelsztajn, Paris’ most famous Jewish bakery, located on the rue des Rosiers in the Marais. The bakery has been family owned and operated since 1946 and Sacha, the current owner, still whips up recipes passed down from his grandparents (the original founders of the bakery). Continue Reading »
Tags: deli and paris, jewish district paris, restaurant marais, Rue des Rosiers, sacha finkelsztajn
Posted in HiP Eats | 4 Comments »
Feb 22nd, 2010 by haveninparis
paris-hotel-lautrec.com
Text by Tory Hoen
If you’ve spent even a small amount of time in Paris, you know that the macaron is ubiquitous. And in a city of fastidious eaters, it’s significant that a single dessert has managed to win the hearts and minds of so many. But the debate rages on: who produces the best macaron of all? While Dalloyau and Lenôtre both make a commendable run at it, everyone knows that there are only two real contenders.
In one corner, we have the elegant and established Ladurée, which has been turning out sweet confections since 1862. And in the other corner, we have upstart Pierre Hermé, the enfant terrible of the dessert world who worked at Ladurée before setting out on his own. (Word on the street is that the “oppressive” traditions at Ladurée were preventing him from exploring the crazy flavor combinations for which he is now world famous). Naturally, we wanted to get in on the debate, so Sarah (another Hip Paris blogger) and I gathered some friends last week for a comprehensive taste test. Two boxes of macarons later, we reached a nearly unanimous verdict! Continue Reading »
Tags: dalloyau, dessert paris, french desserts, Ladurée, lenotre, macaron, macarons, paris macaron, Pierre Hermé
Posted in HiP Eats | 21 Comments »
Feb 18th, 2010 by haveninparis
Carrot Cake at Rose Bakery: rachelwoodmassey.files.wordpress.com
Text Erica Berman
After all the great things I have heard about Rose Bakery on rue des Martyrs, and the number of times I have tried to go there but never made it for some reason or another, I finally made it for lunch yesterday at their new (well not so new anymore) location on rue Debelleyme in the Marais. I was fairly certain, being somewhat of a pessimist at times, that after all the fab reviews I had heard, I might be disappointed. Wrong. Rose Bakery was all it’s touted to be, and more. Continue Reading »
Tags: 3eme, 9eme, Marais, Restaurant Paris, rose bakery, rue de Belleyme, rue des Martyrs
Posted in HiP Eats, Parisian Living | 2 Comments »
Feb 9th, 2010 by haveninparis
Erica Berman
Text by Maggie Battista
My first week in Paris has been hard. I don’t know the language and my French classes aren’t making me a master anytime soon. I don’t know the city at all, and the Metro system has felt nothing like the subway systems of New York or Boston, probably due to all those darn French words I just don’t understand. My neighborhood in the 18th is fine and my apartment is sweet, but they just don’t feel like home.
(I know, I know. I’m super lucky to be spending three glorious months in the City of Light, but sympathize with me for a few more paragraphs, okay?)
Yesterday, I wanted to pack it in, give in to this beautiful but totally foreign city. I was about to shut myself away in my little apartment and venture out only when I had to finally get to French ecole (school) on Monday morning. Working against the little voice inside my tête (head), I forced myself out into the city. And with sore feet from all these vicious hills and rough pavement, I found myself completely lost.
Then, my phone rang. Continue Reading »
Tags: Glou, maggie, Marais, Restaurants Paris
Posted in HiP Eats | 7 Comments »
Feb 3rd, 2010 by haveninparis
littlebrownpen.com & flickr.com/photos/danske
Meg Zimbeck at Girls’ Guide to Paris knows a thing or two about Paris restaurants. Below, she gives us the rundown on the many options available at neo-bistro Chez Michel: an adventurous diner’s paradise. According to LeFooding.com, it’s one of Catherine Deneuve’s favorite eateries. We’re already impressed!
Text by Meg Zimbeck
In a city with so many incredible restaurants to try, repeat visits are a sure sign of love. Until this week, I could count on one hand the places to which I’ve returned more than three times: Spring, Frenchie, l’Avant Comptoir, Le Baratin and the crêperie Josselin. Chez Michel, the Breton bistro near Gare du Nord, has just joined the ranks and forced me to open a second hand.
My fourth visit on a frozen December evening was nearly perfect. Having arrived early, I waited for my friend with a glass of Cerdon—a sparkling pink wine that’s rarely seen in restaurants (6 euros). The extra time was devoted to studying both the printed menu and the lengthy chalk-drawn list of specials.
photobucket.com
Chez Michel is a single restaurant with many different ways to dine. The foundation of any experience is the prix fixe menu, with three courses for 32 euros. It includes plenty of good pork and seafood options, with eight starters, six mains and seven desserts. You could stick to the plan and be very happy with a good fish soup and a stellar brandade de morue, plus the famous 36-hour Paris-Brest dessert. I don’t know anybody who does this.
Continue Reading »
Tags: breton cuisine, chez michel, gare du nord, girls guide to paris, meg zimbeck, neo-bistro, Paris restaurant, prix fixe
Posted in HiP Eats | 1 Comment »
Jan 13th, 2010 by haveninparis
Gerard Lavalette – Pariscool.com; Cartier-Bresson
Text by Tory Hoen
I like a trendy hotspot as much as the next blogger, but it’s always more rewarding to discover a place that is un-cool, un-trafficked, and uniquely yours. La Maison, tucked away on the Place St. Ferdinand in the 17th, is one of my closely guarded Parisian secrets, but as I’m feeling particularly generous today, I’m willing to share. Continue Reading »
Tags: bernard-henri levy, bhl, cafe creme, coffee paris, cotes du rhone, la maison, lunch paris, place st. ferdinand, restaurant la maison, tory hoen, zinc bar
Posted in HiP Eats, Parisian Living | 1 Comment »
Café des Musées – MatinSoir
Le Miroir – Maggie Battista