French onion soup - Paris
Aug 24th, 2007, 06:04 PM
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French onion soup - Paris
Does anyone have a recommendation or a favorite place to get a good meal of French onion soup in Paris? Not looking for elegance, necessarily - just a place to have an authentic and filling onion soup with gruyere (or whatever cheese is the most savory) ... we will be in Paris in early November.
Aug 24th, 2007, 06:48 PM
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I don't want to disappoint you, but I had French onion soup in a restaurant on the Champs Elysee in November 2005 and it wasn't all that great. It was not a big, fancy restaurant or anything, but I was expecting it to be much, much better than it was. I know there are better places to eat it in Paris, so I also would like to hear some suggestions. I personally prefer the French onion soup in the States at Panera. Just my opinion, of course.
Aug 24th, 2007, 07:01 PM
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Pannera Bread for Onion soup? Sacrilege.
That is like suggesting Olive Garden for Italian Food. :'(
I tried Onion Soup once at Pannera and it was salty and I swear I could taste the Bovril. Just my opinion of course.
A lot of people recommend Au Pied de Cochon.
http://www.pieddecochon.com/
That is like suggesting Olive Garden for Italian Food. :'(
I tried Onion Soup once at Pannera and it was salty and I swear I could taste the Bovril. Just my opinion of course.
A lot of people recommend Au Pied de Cochon.
http://www.pieddecochon.com/
Aug 24th, 2007, 07:04 PM
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The best onion soup I've had was from a street vendor on a very cold December morning. She's not there all the time-- I think she's a friend of the owner of the bakery at the corner of Rue Cler and rue du Champ de Mars and occasionally sets up a table outside the bakery, wearing a thick fur coat, to sell onion soup served in to-go cups with a separate little bag of freshly grated cheese. Great breakfast for a winter morning.
Aug 24th, 2007, 07:06 PM
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It is only my opinion that Panera has good French onion soup. Not everyone has to agree. Also, I found a great recipe for French onion soup a couple weeks ago and made it and think I have it down now. But it is only my opinion, I know.
Aug 24th, 2007, 07:14 PM
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The best onion soup in France is my onion soup - with the secret ingredient my neighbor and caretaker Mme Lacoste passed down to me - a cup of tart apple cider added to the beef broth and the onions.
Ever since I got her recipe I can't stomach restaurant onion soup. It's all so..so..so..faux
I've had the onion soup at Au Pied de Cochon and my reaction was ...weh!
Ever since I got her recipe I can't stomach restaurant onion soup. It's all so..so..so..faux
I've had the onion soup at Au Pied de Cochon and my reaction was ...weh!
Aug 24th, 2007, 07:21 PM
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Best recipe we have found is from the 2006 Gourmet Magazine.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/236714
We get raves about it and claim it as our own.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/236714
We get raves about it and claim it as our own.
Aug 24th, 2007, 07:36 PM
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Not sure when I'll next be in résidence in the Dordogne, but for sure you are all invited for dinner..and I mean that, if any of you are around when next I am there, and will let you know when I am.
I LOVE cooking for a crowd! And onion soup is easy if you've got good onions and good Gruyère and the right cider/apple juice.
I LOVE cooking for a crowd! And onion soup is easy if you've got good onions and good Gruyère and the right cider/apple juice.
Aug 24th, 2007, 07:44 PM
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the best onion soup I have ever had was in Trento, Italy. Thru my husbands spanish and the chef's husbands spanish and alot of hand gesturing, I got the recipe from her. It is based with chicken stock and has bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in it. It was a really tasty change from the beef-stock version. She browned about 3 sliced onions til carmelized, added chicken stock, carrots(chopped) garlic and simmered and then stirred in one cup fresh chopped tomatoes, one cup fine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Served with a crouton (large) and more cheese on top. MY daughter ate 3 bowls the first nite and we went back for more.
Aug 24th, 2007, 07:49 PM
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Well, StCirq - we will be in Paris for our first time in early November. If you happen to be in residence then, we will look forward to your cider-y onion soup. Otherwise, we may have to conduct our own search ... thanks for all the info, everyone!
Aug 24th, 2007, 08:22 PM
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Try it at Le Luxembourg on the Blvd. Saint Michel very close to the gardens. I hope to get to Capucine to try their version.
Mlle Fifi, we will be staying on the rue du Champ de Mars next month; what a treat it would be to find the woman with the soup stand.
Mlle Fifi, we will be staying on the rue du Champ de Mars next month; what a treat it would be to find the woman with the soup stand.
Aug 24th, 2007, 10:26 PM
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<<I tried Onion Soup once at Pannera and it was salty and I swear I could taste the Bovril>>
Not to mention no cheese topping and the dreadful "croutons"!
kerouac is correct << but I would suggest looking for "soupe gratinée à l'oignon">>
For one thing, "French onion soup" is not a "good meal", and every venue lists theirs as "authentic".
I'm with StCirq - the version I make at home cannot be surpassed in Paris.
The Champs Elysee is, generally speaking, awful and overpriced.
The best French onion soup is anywhere you happen to sit down and order it on a chilly and rainy day after you've been running all over and you could not be more famished and have no care of the price.
Just like your positive amazement at how ridiculously refreshing that €6 Coca Cola (without ice cubes) satisfies you even though you could swill down an entire litre at home for $.99.
Not to mention no cheese topping and the dreadful "croutons"!
kerouac is correct << but I would suggest looking for "soupe gratinée à l'oignon">>
For one thing, "French onion soup" is not a "good meal", and every venue lists theirs as "authentic".
I'm with StCirq - the version I make at home cannot be surpassed in Paris.
The Champs Elysee is, generally speaking, awful and overpriced.
The best French onion soup is anywhere you happen to sit down and order it on a chilly and rainy day after you've been running all over and you could not be more famished and have no care of the price.
Just like your positive amazement at how ridiculously refreshing that €6 Coca Cola (without ice cubes) satisfies you even though you could swill down an entire litre at home for $.99.
Aug 24th, 2007, 10:51 PM
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"The best French onion soup is anywhere you happen to sit down and order it on a chilly and rainy day after you've been running all over and you could not be more famished and have no care of the price."
I couldn't agree more! This past March my daughter and I stopped in a cafe because it was a cold, wet day and we just wanted something to warm us. We noticed other people eating onion soup that looked wonderful. So we ordered that and hot chocolate. It was outrageously expensive. But oh so enjoyable!
I think it was Cafe St. Severin. If you really care, you can check my trip report "A Tale of Two Trips: Ireland as a Visitor, Paris as a Tourist". I'm sure I named the cafe in it.
I couldn't agree more! This past March my daughter and I stopped in a cafe because it was a cold, wet day and we just wanted something to warm us. We noticed other people eating onion soup that looked wonderful. So we ordered that and hot chocolate. It was outrageously expensive. But oh so enjoyable!
I think it was Cafe St. Severin. If you really care, you can check my trip report "A Tale of Two Trips: Ireland as a Visitor, Paris as a Tourist". I'm sure I named the cafe in it.
