Paris is one of the best cities in the world for exceptional food and wine combinations. In a refreshing change of pace, restaurant le Clarisse offers their tasting menus paired with sake in addition to the standard wine route.  Although France’s gastronomic identity is undeniably tied to wine, who doesn’t like to opt for something original from time to time?

Tucked away in the 7^th on a street busy with bar and restaurant options, le Clarisse is an elegant stop offering French-inspired fare prepared with precision and delicacy by a Japanese chef. While the restaurant itself isn’t new, the change in chefs a little over a year ago makes it well worth renewed consideration.  Recently I was invited to taste test the sake-pairing menu and see what kind of revamp resulted from their association with Chef Sadaki Kajiwara.

The regularly changing menu is just the right size for my taste: four starters and five mains to choose from, each of which comes with a recommended wine or sake pairing and can be ordered a la carte or as part of a prix fixe menu. Restaurant director, wine connoisseur and in house sake expert, Jean-Philippe Pluvinet, is on hand to personally walk guests through the beverage pairings.

Pluvinet is responsible for each wine or sake match and does them with aplomb.  Thanks to his expertise, I learned that sake is not just a pitcher of harsh warm hooch served up alongside sushi and noodles – instead each sake can (and should!) be a delicate drink with its own personality. Amateurs will be pleasantly surprised by Le Clarisse’s range of junmai shu sakes that are not as strong as you might have been led to believe if you’ve had inferior sakes in the past.

My light and subtle vegetable ravioli starter was matched with the equally light Honryukarakuchi. My main, wild boar with pureed chestnuts, pomegranates and wasabi emulsion, came with the Kaze no mori, which had more oomph and a slight Poire William finish.  My dining partner started with the Carpaccio of Dublin bay prawns paired with Kokuryu followed by the red tuna in puff pastry and the Daissai 23 with its delicate floral aromas. While I like to diverge from the norm, I rarely stray too far from the cheese plate.  I finished with one and even got a sake that complimented the different cheeses quite nicely.  By the time the meal finished, I had a new appreciation of the range of sake on offer and the way each pairing played off the dish’s flavors.

The combination of good French food and good French wine is a beautiful thing. It’s one of the best aspects of living in Paris. But sometimes it takes an outsider to bring a fresh perspective to familiar things.  And sometimes a slight twist is just the ticket to shake up the familiar enough to make it interesting again. These two things are exactly what make le Clarisse worth a visit.

Restaurant Le Clarisse, 29 rue Surcouf – 75007. Three or five course menus with wine or sake pairings run approximately 100 to 130 Euros respectively.

Related Links:

• Le Telegraphe is another eatery worth checking out in the 7th
• Alexander Lobrano checks out Verjus and still loves it – the buttermilk fried chicken is “superb!”
• If you’re in the mood for non-frenchy fare, Blend is worth the trip for a great Paris burger

Written by Forrest Collins  for the HiP Paris Blog. All images courtesy of Le Clarisse . Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Years into my love affair with Paris, I’m still making ridiculous rookie mistakes. I suppose it’s time to accept that France will always have the upper hand, but it still stings.

My most recent humiliation is horse-related. Or at least, I thought it was.

Please note that I was a horse-obsessed child, so equine-related topics are particularly touchy for me. As a child, I would sometimes dress in riding garb for no reason at all. And while I was waiting for my parents to break down and buy me a real horse (never happened), I would drag garbage cans into the backyard and ride them, periodically switching from one member of the “herd” to the next. On any given afternoon, people in the house could gaze out and see me whipping a particularly stubborn garbage can with my riding crop.

Steak à Cheval (L. Richarz)

So when I first moved to Paris and started noticing “steak à cheval” on menus around town, I was wary. I knew there was a historical precedent of eating horse meat in France, but it seemed quite inhumane in this day and age. Nonetheless,  I assumed it was some kind of trendy gastronomic revival, and who was I to question the local gourmands? So I kept my mouth shut and simply avoided the dreaded horse steak when confronted with it.

Recently, I was visiting my boyfriend’s family in Brazil. One night, we sat down to dinner and I was presented with a traditional dish called bife a cavalo (in Portuguese), which translates to “horse-riding steak” or “steak à la horse.”

“Horse?” I asked, panic rapidly setting in.

“No, it’s like steak à cheval in France,” G explained.

“Sooo….. horse?” I wondered again.

It was at this point that I realized I’d been operating under a serious misapprehension, and it took the collision of three cultures for the truth to surface.

Tyrolian Andy

No wonder the French had seemed so lax about all that presumed “horse-eating”—they weren’t eating horse at all. It turns out that steak à cheval (or bife a cavalo) is merely a cut of beef with a fried egg on top. It turns out the French aren’t as barbaric as I thought! And it turns out I’m kind of an idiot.

I shudder to think what other misconceptions I’ve been carrying around all this time, but I have a feeling the truth will win out. Paris will see to that.

Related Links:

• Mark Bittman has his ideas about the best steaks in Paris
• Looking for non-steak options in Paris? Check out David Lebovitz’s handy guide (and the useful links below!)
• If you’re in the mood for a burger in Paris, check out Lindsey’s (Lost in Cheeseland) review of Blend

Written by Tory Hoen for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Fresh off the plane and bleary-eyed with two kids in tow, we set out for our first family meal in Paris. Surely in this city of more than 8,000 restaurants, finding a suitable spot would be simple enough, non?

After passing snug bistros and lively brasseries, we spotted a red neon sign that seemed to scream, “Kids Welcome Here!” We made a beeline for Hippopotamus, the kid-friendly chain with outposts all over the city. Without dwelling on the gastronomic disappointment (and pricey menu) of that evening, we learned some early lessons about eating out with kids in Paris. Number one? Don’t eat at Hippopotamus.

Ready for a fancy French meal (Juliet)

In the months since, we’ve tried many restaurants with our children (ages four and six). Here are some tips and sure-fire hits when you venture out to eat en famille.

Not where but when: Successful family dining is about knowing when to go. Many wonderful restaurants will welcome kids if you go at off-peak times. Sunday déjeuner is a big one for family meals in Paris. Friday and Saturday nights? Not so much. For mid-week lunches, go earlier or later than the business crowd and you’ll likely be met with a smile. Bustling brasseries and service continu restos will suit you better than dinner at 9:00 at the cozy corner bistro.

Picnic-ing and playing on the Champs de Mars (Markus Bollingmo)

Know your kids. Know the French: French children are trained to sit quietly and eat like little adults. French parents are strict and never more so than around the table. Crying, screaming and crawling under the table are not tolerated and will prompt vocal disapproval and the not-so-subtle “oh la la.” Adjust your restaurant choices accordingly to avoid a miserable meal for all.

Picky preschooler or gamin gourmand? What foods kids enjoy varies widely. After being weaned off hot dogs and mac n’ cheese, mine now love escargot and Epoisses. Many restaurants offer a Menu Enfant including a plat, boisson and dessert for under 10 euros. And even if they don’t, most will do a simple steak haché (bunless burger), pasta with marinara or omelet for your little one.

Emmanuel Avetta

With these tips in mind, here are some of our family favorites. Bon appetit!

Le Comptoir du Relais: After our early mishap at Hippopatamus, we decided that eating out with the kids wasn’t worth it unless we could eat in real Paris restaurants. A favorite (en famille or à deux) is Le Comptoir, headed by bistro maestro Yves Camdeborde. The food is delicious, the atmosphere lively. They don’t take reservations (hence the queue out front) but take the family around 6:00pm and you’ll have no problem nabbing a table. The servers are kid-friendly and their croque-monsieur with vache qui rit is a no-brainer for the tots.

Le Relais de l’Entrecote: The formula at this Paris classic is simple: juicy steak grilled to order with their signature sauce, a salade verte and mound of crispy frites. That’s it. That’s all they serve. And when it’s this good, who needs anything else?

The steak frites at Relais de L’Entrecote (Marko)

Café de Flore / Brasserie Lipp: Head to Flore for a surprisingly warm welcome for all. It’s loud and the waiters are friendly, a strong combination for happy eating with kids. They’ll do omelets, pasta or an ever-reliable croque-monsieur to please any pint-sized palate while you take in the beau monde. Feeling a bit braver? Try Brasserie Lipp across the boulevard. This art deco gem offers service continu so come early to beat the Parisian dinner crowd who flocks here for their classic Alsatian dishes like choucroute.

Les 400 Coups: When you’re looking for a place that truly caters to the under four-foot set, Les 400 Coups, near the park Les Buttes-Chaumont, has something for everyone. It offers a seasonal menu with veggie options plus play spaces for kids. It even has scheduled story times and special kids’ ateliers.

Pique-nique, Crepes & Berthillon: You’ll never go wrong with an outdoor picnic or warm crepes made to order. My family has picnicked all over the city from the banks of the Seine to Pere la Chaise cemetery. Grab gourmet provisions at the Grande Epicerie de Paris or simple sandwiches from any boulangerie. For dessert, no child (or parent) can resist Paris’ beloved Berthillon ice cream on the ever-charming Ile St. Louis.

What’s better than a hot crepe on a cold day? (Henrik Berger Jørgensen)

Related Links:

• More kid-friendly restaurants over on Babyccino
• What to do with kids while you’re here that everyone will enjoy
• Jenny at Dinner A Love Story shares her list of where to eat and what to do
• Hilarious stories of living in Paris with kids over at La Mom

Written by Paige Bradley Frost for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Christmas is four days away et bien sûr, I am quite tardy in purchasing some very special gifts for the very special people in my life.

Since I work for a company that rents boutique Parisian flats, I do tend to gift friends and family with French-inspired goodies, items that will inject the everyday life with a bit of la vie française. Better yet, if those goodies can be French food-inspired, I’m practically guaranteed une note de gratitude before the ball drops on New Year’s.

Alas, time is of the essence and a quick trip to Paris is not in the cards before Christmas. But I can still be the belle of their hearts and kitchens by gifting an old standby: a favorite French cookbook, with all the most delicious recipes well-marked, and a quickly-assembled glass jar of sel de mer, glistening and studded with herbs de Provence.

Drying Herbs (Porter Palmer), Salt (Little Brown Pen)

If you’re also delayed in holiday shopping, I don’t mind if you take my idea and make it your own. In fact, I’ve got your back with my favorite French-inspired cookbooks of 2011. Just don’t say I never gave you anything…

1.  Based on the sweet boutiques in San Francisco, Miette: Recipes from San Francisco’s Most Charming Pastry Shop is a darling cookbook filled with scalloped pages of classic tart, cake and cookie recipes. I can imagine gifting this girly book with everything needed to make owner, chef and author Meg Ray’s famous Tomboy Cake, pictured on the book’s cover.

Miette (Yuichi Sakuraba, A Baked Creation)

Miette (Violet Blue)

2. I was at a gala celebrating Jacque Pepin’s contribution to culinaria recently and while he had a last minute hiccup that prevented his appearance, his new cookbook Essential Pepin: More Than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food stood in for him proudly. Delivered with some very good chocolate to make his version of Chocolate Mousse, this cookbook would be a prized possession.

Chocolate (Honey + Jam)

3. I made a new friend this year. Food stylist and photographer Beatrice Peltre is as delightful in person as she is on her blog, La Tartine Gourmande, and her new beautifully-photographed book, La Tartine Gourmande: Recipes for an Inspired Life, delivers the sort of healthful recipes that look, sound, and taste quite rich, but are filled with whole, gluten-free ingredients. She suggests many flour substitutes that add more heft to your foods, and I suggest gifting this book with a trio of quinoa, millet and buckwheat flours.

La Tartine Gourmande, the book, and the author Béatrice Peltre (White Loft Style)

4. In 2011, I stumbled upon Stephane Reynaud and now I want every one of his books. Released in 2009 but new to me, French Feasts: 299 Traditional Recipes for Family Meals & Gatherings feels like a homemade cookbook, ripe with big photos of one-pot wonders. Share this cookbook with a side gift of a big Dutch oven or perhaps a whole free-range chicken, so the recipient can make Stephane’s poulet roti and remember all of France in one bite.

Home Made by Yvette Van Boven (Maggie Battista)

5. While Yvette Van Boven calls Amsterdam home, she spends many weekends in her Paris pied-a-terre. We met virtually sharing our love of the city of light and I now associate her new cookbook Home Made: The Ultimate DIY Cookbook Featuring Over 200 From-Scratch Recipes with being just a little French. Regardless, it’s entirely homemade and acts as a map to building your own homemade pantry. I’d gift this beautifully designed and illustrated book with a big jar of her Homemade Muesli.

A page from Home Made, Homemade Muesli (Anouk Stricher)

Related Links:

• Parisian expat David Lebovitz picks his favorite cookbooks of 2011
• 15 Cooking tip and tricks from The Kitchn
• And in this time of holiday cheer, Joanna Goddard shares the proper wine etiquette

Written by Maggie Battista for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in London, Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

I got my first Opinel pocket knife at age seven—the age of reason, my parents must have thought—during a summer vacation in the French Alps. Each member of my family had one, and they got plenty of use during mountain hikes: my father’s to carve intricate pattern on his walking stick, my mother’s to butter the baguette sandwiches when we stopped for the midday picnic.

I was thrilled to get my own, a tiny, child-size replica of the classic Savoyard pocket knife, with its glossy wood handle, its pointy steel blade, and the rotating ring that locked it all into place.

Twenty-five years later, this miniature Opinel is much too small for me to use, but I have a grownup’s version now, which I’m sure to take with me on any walk in the wild, and especially on mushroom foraging trips: not to brag, but that Opinel has seen its share of porcini.

Kaspar Metz

Opinel pocket knives make for wonderful gifts, too: they’re not at all expensive, they’ll last a lifetime, and they’ll accompany the recipient on their outdoor adventures—even if it’s just an improvised picnic in the park. Just be sure to have them give you a coin (any small piece of change will do) in exchange for the knife: French superstition states that if you give away a knife without getting anything in return, you risk severing the friendship.

Related Links:

• Order Opinel knives online from the States here or on Amazon
• For fantastic recipes and foodie inspiration, check out Clotilde’s great blog
• Clotilde is also mad for Laguiole pocket knives, the other famous French knife.
• Making a trip to Paris? Pick up her book, Clotilde’s Edible Adventures in Paris, and let her guide you through her all-time favorite Paris food experiences.

Written by Clotilde Dusoulier for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in London, Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

David Lebovitz, food writer, blogger and author of The Sweet Life in Paris, is kicking off our series (thanks, David!) and we hope you’ll stay tuned to the Hip Paris Holiday Gift Guide. We love helping you spend your hard-earned argent… in the right places, bien sûr. -Maggie

Most are familiar with Maille, whose cute little shop in the Place de la Madeleine dispenses mustard from a line-up of spigots into little earthenware pots. Maille is also available in just about every supermarket in town, and for those who don’t care about crockery, you can begin a wine glass collection with every pot you purchase.

But Amora is the brand that locals seem to prefer. Shortly after I arrived in Paris and was stocking my petite cuisine, I got on the bus carrying my bulging bag of groceries, filled with basics. I had picked up a hefty jar of Amora mustard, mostly because the glass had graduated lines on it, noting its future use as not a wine glass, but a more practical measuring cup. (Although sometimes in Paris, I find myself using one more than the other.) The woman next to me on the bus looked into my sack, smiled, and said, “Monsieur, c’est très, très fort, mais très bon.” – “It’s very, very strong, but very good.” And I knew I had made the right choice.

Yet most of the “Dijon” mustard sold in France – and the rest of the world – isn’t necessarily made in Dijon anymore, but produced elsewhere. Edmond Fallot Mustard is made by a company which was founded in 1840 in Burgundy, where the soil conditions are favorable for mustard seed cultivation. Nowadays, most other companies get their seeds from elsewhere in France, or from as far away as Canada.

In Paris, upscale supermarkets carry it as well as épiceries around town, and it doesn’t cost more than a few euros a jar. Specialty stores in America carry it and you can find it online. In Paris, I buy it at my very favorite food shop, G. Detou, that carries just about every flavor they make.

I have a friend, my first editor who lives in New York City, and nothing makes her happier than when I bring her a plain yellow plastic bottle of Amora. (Hey, she was my first editor – I told you she had good taste). For those traveling between here and there, the French have made it easy for you to take a squirt of their mustard home, to give to friends as holiday gifts, although I keep a tube, jar, or measuring cup – or even a stem of it – on hand for myself, too.

Related links:

• Lovely ways to use mustard glasses by David Lebovitz (Wine, anyone?)
• Fashion insider Melissa Skoog Dunagan of On My Plate shares her favorite Parisian food discoveries
• Dark Chocolate Lava Cake with Molten Maille Dijon Mustard and Honey Center recipe by Fig & Cherry in Sydney, Maille celebrated 30 years of retailing there last week
• Roast Pork and Carrots with Mustard Sauce from Girls’ Guide to Paris

Written by David Lebovitz  for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

One of the latest hot items in the Paris food and wine world, Au Passage has been garnering more than a bit of blogger buzz lately. It also just snagged the 2012 Prix Fooding d’amour, confirming its status as Paris’ newest foodie darling.  In the evenings, this low-key wine bar and tapas joint is jam packed with patrons partaking in small plates of munchies, various wines by the bottle and a bit of respectably rowdy foodie fun. Things take a different turn at noon with the (thankfully) limited lunch menu: one entrée, two choices of mains, one cheese, one dessert.  With kitchen talent coming from Spring and Le Verre Volé and carefully selected market-fresh fare, this spot is turning out some seriously savory meals.  I stopped in recently with three other food and drink-minded bloggers  ( Kasia/Love in the City of Lights, Caroline/Sweet Caroline in Paris and Erica/HiP Paris) to see how the lunch stacks up to the hype.

Mid-day ambiance:

Kasia: The decor takes simplicity and minimalism to a new level of chic.

Erica: This is my kind of place. Laid back and casual. Wood, red paint, bistro chairs, parquet floors, hipster servers and chalk board menus. Unpretentious and fun.

Caroline:  I LOVE the old leather chairs, and appreciate the great mix of comfy seating, proper tables, and bar stools.

Forest: At lunchtime, it’s filled to (and sometimes beyond) capacity with local business owners and loyal fans trekking from across town to check out the latest lunch menu in a laid-back, bric-a-brac ambiance.

Lunch Menu:

Kasia: Presentation is creative and refined; flavors are fresh and plentiful. Wines to compliment.

Erica: Short, sweet, and to the point. Fresh, pretty, and tasty. The sheer opposite of standard American menus with endless possibilities.

Caroline: Yum! Light, fresh, market-friendly, sustainable, seasonal choices. All of my favorite words. And, well, the wine…

Forest:  Seafood is always perfectly cooked, and the staff is not afraid to forgo easy wine pairing options to offer interesting and appropriate suggestions.

Quality/Price ratio

Kasia:  Utmost quality for the lunch prix fixe.

Erica: From 9€50 – 19€. From just a main to a four course meal. A deal in my book, and a delicious one at that.

Caroline: Here’s the kicker–the lunch deal is an amazing value. Go for lunch. Just do it. Now.

Forest: Best lunch deal in town, hands down.

Neighborhood:

Kasia: Discreetly hidden down an alleyway in the 10th, a destination in itself.

Erica: Funky, hip and off the beaten track, but not too far off. Just close enough to the Merci store for a quick pop-in after a meal and a stroll on to the Marais from there.

Caroline: Ok, I may be biased, but this is one of my favorite ‘hoods in Paris these days (no, I don’t live there). Convenient from Republique & Bastille, but still on a quiet passage. What more could you ask for?

Forest: With neighbors like Grazie, Candelaria and l’Entree des Artistes, the area is fast becoming a foodie favorite while still retaining its own sketchily quirky feel.

Desert: Chocolate ganache with figs and hazlenuts

Au Passage: 1bis passage Saint Sébastien – 75011 Paris  - +33 (0)1.43.55.07.52

Open: Mon 11am – 1am, Tue – Fri 11am – 2pm, Saturday 6pm-2am

Related links:

• Kim from I Heart Paris also visits Au Passage
• If you like Au Passage, you may also like L’Office
• For more delicious Paris restaurant choice

A peek at the dinner menu

Compiled by Forest Collins for the HiP Paris blog. All photos Erica Berman. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

A square in Montepulciano (Stefano Piemonte)

Yesterday I drove up to Montepulciano to meet (in person) Erica Berman of Haven in Paris and her friend Mattia after literally years of email and skype exchanges.  I’ve guest blogged on her popular HIP Paris blog, and we list a few of her flats on Cross-Pollinate, but we’d never actually met in person.

Bagno Vignoni near Montepulciano where Erica was staying for a night (Elena Vataga)

She was coming from Genova to Bagno Vignoni (above) to see some flats in Tuscany for her site, so we decided to meet nearby.   I checked my trusted Osterie d’Italia published by Slow Food Italia, which has NEVER let me down, and we placed our bet on Acquacheta in Montepulciano.

Giulio Ciolfi, owner of Osteria Acquacheta

They were very insistent on us being there at 12:30 sharp. They will only accept reservations at 12:30 or 2pm, and they were passionate about giving us only one glass per person for both wine and water (per tradizione, apparently). The food was good – started with some amazing pecorino cheeses, one aged in walnut leaves, one with black truffles.  Without a doubt, the closer you get to Pienza, in Tuscany, the better the pecorino.

The kitchen at Osteria Acquacheta, alleyway in Montepulciano (Jean-François Gornet)

We then had pici pasta (thick, eggless noodles) with porcini mushrooms.  Then some sautéed zucchine with pecorino and a salad of green radicchio with a sauce called “aglione”, a cross between garlic and leeks.  For dessert I had a baked whole pear covered in chocolate sauce.  Mattia was adventurous with a spuma di mascarpone, flavored with local white truffles.  Erica, at that point, was stuffed.

Chef Giulio of Osteria Acquacheta with a lot of mushrooms!

As it was nearing 2pm we left them their table and wandered up the monochromatic streets with nothing but tourists (Italian and foreign) to a central piazza where we sat in the sun and talked shop.

At that point I’d taken no pictures.  Not of the food.  Not of the views.  Not of the town.  Zilch.  Erica had to point out that even though it might be commonplace for me to jump in the car and spend the afternoon in a picturesque, medieval hill-town in the lush Tuscan countryside, for others it’s the stuff of dreams.

Scenes from Montepulciano (Patrick Keogh, Quotta)

We said goodbye and as I walked to my car, I realized she’s right.  But I don’t take the beauty of Italy for granted.  I just don’t think to take pictures, or to write about it, as it’s been the constant backdrop of my life for so many years now.

Before my car was a lookout point over the countryside.  So I stopped and took out my iphone.  Snapped a shot outward toward those famous rolling hills and back at the town behind me, and realized that of all the things one could be spoiled by, Italy is a pretty good one.

Osteria Acquacheta di Giulio Ciolfi: Via del Teatro 2, 53045 Montepulciano Siena – Partita iva: 00846290526 (+39) 0578 717086 (tel & fax).

View of the Tuscan countryside from Montepulciano Bruno Conquet

Related links:

• Where to stay in Italy? Steve Brenner’s company Cross-Pollinate can help.
• Jack Dancy of Truffle Pig shares some Tuscan food advice
• Over a Tuscan Stove – Divina Cucina shares her delicious Italian recipes

Written by Steve Brenner. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

I’m a museum junky. I love nothing more than passing a day wandering through endless corridors of art and antiquities, but after a few hours standing on hard marble, I’m usually in need of cold drinks and some serious snacks. Unfortunately, most museums suffer from what I like to call “Disneyland Dining”, overpriced, poor-quality food with limited options, usually served cafeteria style.  And that’s not the worst of it! With food in hand and nowhere to sit, hungry patrons usually have to stalk fellow diners to snag a (very dirty) table the second someone stands up – not exactly my idea of fun.

Café Richlieu-Angelina at the Louvre

There are, thankfully, a few exceptions to the rule. Lucky for me, they can also be found in some of Paris’ best museums. Delicious, well-prepared meals in beautifully decorated (and often historic) dining rooms; impeccable service and (gasp) clean tables… heaven!

Here are four of my favorites:

The Richelieu-Angelina Café at the Louvre:
You can find this little oasis right next to the entrance to the Napoleon III apartments. The white and grey interior is usually offset with huge bouquets of beautiful fresh flowers, contributing to the serene atmosphere. All of the Angelina favorites are on the menu, including gourmet salads and sandwiches. My favorite snack is a glass of wine, the cheese plate, and one of their decadent deserts. In the winter, I always order the famous hot chocolate to sip as I gaze at the fabulous view of the famous glass pyramid.

Musée d’Orsay (yellowmo) and the Café at the Jacquemart-André (umami88)

Le Café Jacquemart-André at the Musee Jacquemart-Andre:

I always have a hard time deciding whether to sit in the gilt dining room or on the grand terrace overlooking the small, walled garden at this special little museum. I usually order one of their salads leaden with gourmet toppings along with a decadent dessert (which rival those of Laduree in my opinion; the citron meringue tart is to die for). The Sunday brunch is a great option too.

Les Ombres at Quai Branly (Hotels Paris Rive Gauche, Guillaume Sautereau)

Les Ombres at the Musee Quai Branly:
This café is one of those serious, fine dining restaurants that caters to the movers and shakers of the Parisian business world. Suits abound here, but the hint of stuffiness and high prices are easy to overlook once you catch a glimpse of the amazing view of the Eiffel Tower from the glass ceiling dining room and the huge rooftop terrace. The food is always delicious and well executed, but the bonus dessert plate of mini treats you get with your bill wins my heart (and makes the expensive check a little easier to swallow)

Les Ombres at Quai Branly (Hotels Paris Rive Gauche)

Restaurant at the Musee D’Orsay:
Sure, there’s a cafeteria upstairs, but you won’t regret allowing yourself to be transported in this stunning dining room, complete with crystal chandeliers and sumptuous ceiling frescos. The main menu is traditionally French, but the chef always adds some specials inspired by the museum’s temporary exhibits.
What about you? If you know of any great places to eat before or after a museum visit, please let us know in the comments below!

Dining room at the Musée d’Orsay (yellowmo)

Related Links:

• For more Arty Eats, check out Amy Thomas top Paris museum restaurants here
• Amy also has a nice roundup of Paris street art
• The NY Times also found some great places to eat in Paris museums.
• Looking for more things to do in Paris? My Mélange has a great compact guide to her favorite Paris haunts

Written by Ariel Kocourek for the Hip Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

The possibilities for private dining experiences in Paris continue to expand with yet another new addition: New Friends Table. This ‘secret eating and meeting club’ appeared on the scene last spring thanks to a multi-national group of friendly and fun, food-minded locals.  With my penchant for new and unusual eating experiences, I requested a booking as soon as it popped up on my radar.

Cozy ambiance at the New Friends Table

To secure an invitation, you introduce yourself by email with some basic background information such as food preferences, interests and what languages you speak.  While some might consider the necessity of introducing themselves a nuisance, it’s completely in line with the principles of this club.  New Friends Table is about more than just putting something tasty in your belly. It’s about conversation, interaction, getting to know your fellow diners, and hopefully even fostering new friendships.

Homemade parmesan chips and cocktails - Forest Collins

Dinner locations rotate and each meal varies depending on what’s fresh, who’s coming and who’s cooking.  On this visit, I was welcomed into a cozy loft decorated with fun brocante curios by our hostess for the evening, a friendly Englishwoman.  Our group was a mix of Americans, French, English and Italians, with an even split of locals and visitors.  We settled into sofas and chairs and started to get to know each other over an apero of negroni sbagliato (Campari, martini rosso and cremante d’alsace)  accompanied by homemade Parmesan biscuits edged with poppy seeds.

The Beautifully set New Friends Table

After cocktail hour, we were invited to move to an exquisitely set table where we were seated apart from those we came with to encourage us to chat with our ‘new friends’ for the night. Our group of eight (nine when our hostess had a moment to join us) was large enough to allow for intimate, one-on-one conversations, but still small enough for group table talk as well.  To my left I was entertained by a friendly traveling American – who occasionally broke off to translate for two of the Italian guests – and to my right I was charmed by a delightful Englishman.

Stuffed mini-pumpkins at Erica’s new Friends dinner

The meal began with an amuse bouche of lamb kidneys braised in sweet Madeira celery leaves, quail eggs and a warning from our hostess that this would be the last “small” dish we’d see for the night. Keeping with the convivial spirit of the dinner, the next courses were served family style.  First was the salad of rocket, fleshy figs, fresh Ewe’s milk ricotta and ‘wet’ walnuts served with a Medoc wine.

The next course shook things up a bit with a smoked mackerel paté alongside an orange and grapefruit salad paired. The dish was paired with a somewhat sweet Gewurzttramminer, and I admit to being surprised at the switch from red to this particular white, but the resulting flavor combination was impressive. Back again to red wine, the meat-and-veg girl in me devoured the next course of polpette (veal and pork meatballs) and stewed fresh cannelini with tomato and basil.

New Friends Table and new friends at the table

Always my favorite course, the cheese plate did not disappoint with a nice hunk of comte and charouse fermier served up with a 2009 Brouilly. I generally pass up the sweets for savory, but my curiosity was piqued by warm pitchers of sauce, freshly whipped English jersey cream and cake that appeared on the table as I was greedily taking one more ‘tiny’ cheese slice. I had never had sticky toffee pudding before.  Why had I never had sticky toffee pudding before? I have no idea. It was a blissful experience that made me regret missing out on this treat for so many years.

Interesting people and conversation at the New Friends Table

After I inhaled my substantial portion of sticky toffee pudding (ceremoniously leaving one little bite untouched so as not to appear a glutton – which my dinner date then happily finished off for me), tea and coffee were served with silky, dark truffles laced with Campari and lime. The wink to our aperitif cocktail brought our meal full circle, a gesture meant to echo the meal’s seasonal symbolism: we enjoyed the last of summer’s bounty while welcoming fall’s new offerings.

As much as I enjoyed the meal, the biggest draw for me was meeting new and interesting people, and I fully expect to spend a bit of time in the future with some new friends I made that evening. During the meal I even got word of an entirely different private dining experience in Paris, but I’ve promised to keep mum on that one for the moment. In the meantime, solo diners, curious gourmets and open-minded folks seeking new food fun in Paris, with a healthy dose of socializing on the side, should seek out this Table for tasty family style meals.

Forest Collins

New Friends Table; suggested donation: approximately 50 Euros (prices may vary depending on meal)

Related Links:

• Prefer a quick bite to a complicated meal? This Paris butcher is serving house-made meals up on his butcher counter
• For a comprehensive list of Paris’ best private dining options, check out Bryan’s article on HiP Paris here
• If you’re confused by the dining options in Paris, check out this comprehensive guide from Parisien Salon

Written by Forest Collins for the Hip Paris Blog. All photos by Erica Berman unless noted. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.