Paris Fashion, Hotel Monge and Dog Poop
May 17th, 2005, 05:25 AM
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Paris Fashion, Hotel Monge and Dog Poop
My first time to Paris! Wow! Nothing could prepare me for this experience - even Fodors forum. However the advance preparations that we made, thanks to all you Fodorites, are fantastic. Yes there is dog poop occasionally on the sidewalk - we saw two instances our first day on Sunday but this may have been due to the lack of weekend clean up.
For the ongoing fashion discussion - we have seen very few women over 25 years of age wearing jeans. We are staying in the Latin Quarter and with the students, any kind of clothes go. Black is the way to go and add scarves. All ages dress up their outfits with colored scarves.
Hotel Monge is perfect for us. The rooms are small - ours is about 10x10 and has a double (not queen) sized bed, a desk, 2 night tables, a closet and a seperate washroom. Showering is similar to being in a phonebooth so if you are 6 foot, don't drop the soap. There isn't enough room to bend down to pick it up. But this palce is clean, clean, clean. new linen daily.
I am doing this from a cyber cafe so will hope this isn't lost. I will post the important details (restaurant report) on another post.
For the ongoing fashion discussion - we have seen very few women over 25 years of age wearing jeans. We are staying in the Latin Quarter and with the students, any kind of clothes go. Black is the way to go and add scarves. All ages dress up their outfits with colored scarves.
Hotel Monge is perfect for us. The rooms are small - ours is about 10x10 and has a double (not queen) sized bed, a desk, 2 night tables, a closet and a seperate washroom. Showering is similar to being in a phonebooth so if you are 6 foot, don't drop the soap. There isn't enough room to bend down to pick it up. But this palce is clean, clean, clean. new linen daily.
I am doing this from a cyber cafe so will hope this isn't lost. I will post the important details (restaurant report) on another post.
May 17th, 2005, 06:38 AM
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Sounds like you are off to a good start! Would you consider posting all of your comments on this thread? That way your report will stay together and we can read it all without someone missing part of it!
Enjoy Paris!
Enjoy Paris!
May 17th, 2005, 06:23 PM
#7
Happy to see you recognize Paris as a "Wow, " robjame, maybe not what area you were in but, I have seen the over 25 wear jeans but they look younger than than they are compared to us, but I see also trim older woman wear than when going daily markets.
May 18th, 2005, 04:32 AM
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Buisson Ardent - a small intimate Bistro in the Latin Quarter. If we went to Jules Verne for the ambience and the sights rather than the food, this place is the opposite. Slightly tired, it is across from the university science faculty but what appears to be a university football stadium. But the food and the value. Ooh la la.
We had the degustation menu at €45 - €35 for the food plus an additional €10 for the glass of wine (4) matched with each course. What a deal for 10 extra Euros.
We did pay extra for a bottle of mineral water and this wonderful and unique apéritif of 'Kir royal a la truffe'. Rather than the usual Cassis, this drink was made with champagne and a wine infused with truffles. I loved it - not so sweet and cloy as the typical cocktail. Also my first introduction to truffles (tomorrow night at La Truffiere will change that).
-----------------------------
The amuse bouche was an
Olive and anchovy tapinade (paste) with buckwheat baguette slices. Amuse bouche - what a great idea! Let the chef show off a bit and experiment. This one was mundane and not indicative of the meal to follow.
Entrée -Assiette de foie gras cuit au vin rouge, confiture d'oignons rouges et chutney de mangue . A generous slice of foie gras with a mango chutney and a red onion relish served with a small endive salad. I am hooked on foie gras -firm,buttery smooth! You could make a meal out of this 'cause it has all the food groups. The house choice of a glass of medium sweet white wine suited. Anything drier would not work.
Fish course - Noix de Saint Jacques poelee et juliennes de legumes au cumin.Four pan fried scallops on a nest of vegetable slivers with a cumin sauce. Scallops are so delicate and who would think of pairing them with cumin. It was delicious. A slightly sweet white (Giverny ?) accompanied.
Main course - Caille farcie au foie gras et etuvee de choix vert. Half a pigeon stuffed with that fabulous foie gras on top of chopped choice vegetables. 'Etuvee' is cooking method by smothering. This isn't a way of 'offing' the bird but rather dry cooking in a sealed pan with little water. A nice change from the typical French undercooking, the meat fell off the bones - perfect for fowl. With the strong red wine gravy, it needed the glass of red Bordeaux although a fuller-bodied one would have been better.
Dessert - Terrine de pain d'epices a la mousse praline et fruits secs, crème anglaise a la lavande. Imagine a slice of bread pudding made with a fruit bread dotted with candied fruit, sprinkled with toasted almonds, swimming in an English cream, topped with a mint leaf. This was no Hostess Twinkie. IMO the his best creation. Thank god they give you a spoon and a fork. Most interesting was the sauce was less sweet than the terrine. Fantastic change. A glass of sparkling, sweet, white, grape cider was unusual and fine.
The petit delice choolat was a shot glass sized portion of chocolate Grand Marnier mousse. It needed more of the liquor but it was anticlimatic after the dessert anyway.
Frequented by locals and families, it is a find. We had a good conversation with a French history professeur and his wife. Known for his lamb, the degustation with wine is a good first-time decision.
We had the degustation menu at €45 - €35 for the food plus an additional €10 for the glass of wine (4) matched with each course. What a deal for 10 extra Euros.
We did pay extra for a bottle of mineral water and this wonderful and unique apéritif of 'Kir royal a la truffe'. Rather than the usual Cassis, this drink was made with champagne and a wine infused with truffles. I loved it - not so sweet and cloy as the typical cocktail. Also my first introduction to truffles (tomorrow night at La Truffiere will change that).
-----------------------------
The amuse bouche was an
Olive and anchovy tapinade (paste) with buckwheat baguette slices. Amuse bouche - what a great idea! Let the chef show off a bit and experiment. This one was mundane and not indicative of the meal to follow.
Entrée -Assiette de foie gras cuit au vin rouge, confiture d'oignons rouges et chutney de mangue . A generous slice of foie gras with a mango chutney and a red onion relish served with a small endive salad. I am hooked on foie gras -firm,buttery smooth! You could make a meal out of this 'cause it has all the food groups. The house choice of a glass of medium sweet white wine suited. Anything drier would not work.
Fish course - Noix de Saint Jacques poelee et juliennes de legumes au cumin.Four pan fried scallops on a nest of vegetable slivers with a cumin sauce. Scallops are so delicate and who would think of pairing them with cumin. It was delicious. A slightly sweet white (Giverny ?) accompanied.
Main course - Caille farcie au foie gras et etuvee de choix vert. Half a pigeon stuffed with that fabulous foie gras on top of chopped choice vegetables. 'Etuvee' is cooking method by smothering. This isn't a way of 'offing' the bird but rather dry cooking in a sealed pan with little water. A nice change from the typical French undercooking, the meat fell off the bones - perfect for fowl. With the strong red wine gravy, it needed the glass of red Bordeaux although a fuller-bodied one would have been better.
Dessert - Terrine de pain d'epices a la mousse praline et fruits secs, crème anglaise a la lavande. Imagine a slice of bread pudding made with a fruit bread dotted with candied fruit, sprinkled with toasted almonds, swimming in an English cream, topped with a mint leaf. This was no Hostess Twinkie. IMO the his best creation. Thank god they give you a spoon and a fork. Most interesting was the sauce was less sweet than the terrine. Fantastic change. A glass of sparkling, sweet, white, grape cider was unusual and fine.
The petit delice choolat was a shot glass sized portion of chocolate Grand Marnier mousse. It needed more of the liquor but it was anticlimatic after the dessert anyway.
Frequented by locals and families, it is a find. We had a good conversation with a French history professeur and his wife. Known for his lamb, the degustation with wine is a good first-time decision.
May 20th, 2005, 08:07 AM
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Hey, robjame, we must have been at the Monge along with you! We just got back on May 18th (also arrived on Sun. the 15th; will post a trip report eventually).
We actually found that we could get wifi in our hotel room -- it was apparently some free local network called www.toiledequartier.org. It just popped up when we turned on our laptop, and we were able to connect with no problem.
Our room was on the 5th floor, and did have a little balcony. Basic place, no frills, but very nice and clean, and Julie at the desk was quite helpful.
We actually found that we could get wifi in our hotel room -- it was apparently some free local network called www.toiledequartier.org. It just popped up when we turned on our laptop, and we were able to connect with no problem.
Our room was on the 5th floor, and did have a little balcony. Basic place, no frills, but very nice and clean, and Julie at the desk was quite helpful.
May 20th, 2005, 05:35 PM
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I am glad/sad to hear that others liked Hotel Monge. We stayed there in April and found Julie to be a gem. The rooms were incredibly clean and the location was great for getting everywhere. I don't have a lap top to travel with, but it's good to know about wi-fi; who knows, next year I might take a computer! But now everyone will know about this hotel and it will be booked next time I go!
Regarding dog poop, we didn't see too much of it, BUT... there was a couple on Rue Monge who had just come out of another hotel. They were standing on the sidewalk, facing the street, deciding where to go when he took a couple of steps forward without looking and BAM into the only pile of poop on the block. It was one of those times where you see a second ahead of time what is going to happen but you are powerless to stop it. I felt really sorry for him but had to get out of there fast because I was laughing so hard. (Bad me!)
Regarding dog poop, we didn't see too much of it, BUT... there was a couple on Rue Monge who had just come out of another hotel. They were standing on the sidewalk, facing the street, deciding where to go when he took a couple of steps forward without looking and BAM into the only pile of poop on the block. It was one of those times where you see a second ahead of time what is going to happen but you are powerless to stop it. I felt really sorry for him but had to get out of there fast because I was laughing so hard. (Bad me!)
May 21st, 2005, 07:30 AM
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nonnafelice - too bad we hadn't known. There must be a way to identify other fodorites
Margie &
starrsville - i have moved all food reports to Robjame Paris Food Reports
Beatchick, Scarlett & ira - thank you
statia - a balcony on second floor facing street
alisonm - good one - I would have laughed too
cigal - you're right - first impressions only
Margie &
starrsville - i have moved all food reports to Robjame Paris Food Reports
Beatchick, Scarlett & ira - thank you
statia - a balcony on second floor facing street
alisonm - good one - I would have laughed too
cigal - you're right - first impressions only
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