kuniku

Hi,

Serious New York foodies headed to Paris next week. We realize we probably can't go wrong in most cafes we wander into, but also super keen on trying some of the city's universally lauded specialty eats - the kinds that seem to appear on numerous top 10 lists and are just undeniably sensational. I.e. in NYC we really enjoyed Dominque Ansel's kouign-amann and are excited to try the best reccs in Paris. Read about Pierre Hermes macarons & Maison Georges Larnicol has come up a lot. Please advise on your top reccs.

We are staying in the 2nd arron. 10min walk to Le Marais.

1. Would appreciate any breakfast/lunch/dinner reccs in Le Marais - mouthwatering food with pretty lively ambiance. Do we need reservations?

2. Any breakfast/lunch/dinner reccs with delicious speciality food AND stunning city/Eiffel views?

3. Michelin starred restaurants that are totally worth the hype/price?

4. top places for delicious huge Croque Madames?

5. Fois Gras? (loved Jean Georges in Central Park)

****
HUNT FOR THE BEST PARIS PASTRIES:

1. Reccs for top universally lauded chocolate almond croissants and ham and cheese croissants in Paris?
2. top caneles?
3. top kouign-amann?
4 frites or any other kind of speciality food I'm missing?
5. I love milkshakes or fancy sweet coffee drinks with nutella etc - anything really unique to recommend? Not sure the dark thick hot chocolate at Angelina's would be my cup of tea

PalenQ

Maybe not your cup of tea but maybe...

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...estaurants.cfm

Christina

You can actually go wrong in many cafes, if you are expecting top-level gourmet food, absolutely. Most of them have the same cartes and serve pretty routine stuff.

I have never seen a ham and cheese croissant in Paris or anywhere, when would you eat that? Maybe I'm out of the loop, a croissant is a pastry and is served at breakfast. I've never seen one that is anything but plain or the almond ones and I've shopped in a lot of bakeries/patisseries. rarely I see a chocolate and almond croissant. Then there are a few "pains" like pain au chocolate or raisins. Here is one of the best name bakeries in Paris, you see nothing like that in their store (cheese and ham in a croissant):

http://www.maison-kayser.com/fr/produits/viennoiseries

This is another excellent boulangerie near where I've stayed a couple times, you don't see anything like that on their order form
http://www.b-lemarie.com/97-viennoiseries


You must know some of the special French dishes, if you are a foodie, you should have your favorites, such as fois gras, perhaps? I like sole meuniere, but it's expensive. I adore profiteroles for dessert, but fewer and fewer restaurants will serve that (too much work, I think, at least if you have fresh pastry and keep the chocolate sauce warm). I mainly eat regular foods, like foie de veau, not something special. Not a fan of Southwest or Alsacienne cuisine or lots of organ meats (other than liver). OH, I also really like good potatoes Dauphinoise, but that's getting harder to find also. I really good lamb done well (gigot d'agneau) also, as that isn't as common to find at US restaurants. I rather dislike duck but others like it, of course. I don't like confits, either. But those are some specialties.

I can't think of anything like a milkshake in Paris (except at non-French places). Of course there are various ice cream sundae type things at cafes. I don't drink sweet concoctions like you and hate sugar in my coffee so maybe someone else knows of some sugary coffee drink, I don't.

Here's a famous Patisserie/salon de the in Paris, there are a couple, one right near Luxembourg Gardens.
http://www.dalloyau.fr/nos-boutiques...e/saint-honore

They don't have any drink like what you are seeking.

I don't like hot chocolate either, but I think I've tried it at Angelina's and found it literally disgusting. It's really just like they melted a chocolate bar in a cup. I don't like really sugary and fatty things, though, but to me, that isn't a beverage, it's something like icing on a cake.

janisj

>>3. Michelin starred restaurants that are totally worth the hype/price?<<

You are there <i>next week</i> and expect to get into places "worth the hype"? Most need pre-booking seriously ahead.

AJPeabody

David Lebovitz has a highly regarded pastry finding app:


http://www.davidlebovitz.com/paris-p...travel-france/

AJPeabody

John Talbott has an excellent food blog with pictures and menus and a critical eye. Check it out:

http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com...albotts_paris/

AJPeabody

Ooops. Pastry App no longer available.

suze

What Christina said. There is plenty of mediocre food in Paris! No not every cafe is great.

As far as what not to miss... some of my most enjoyable foods were simple ones. The way they do "hot dogs" on the street (excellent sausage on a split baquette with amazing cheese melted on it). The chicken salad sandwich on whole grain bread from a bakery window. Like that.

StCirq

In all my decades of visiting and living in France, I have never seen or heard of a ham and cheese croissant. I haven't seen a chocolate-almond one, either, come to think of it.

A croque madame is not what I would call a "foodie" food. It's ham with béchamel melted on toast with an egg on top.

You're probably way too late to get reservations for a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Frîtes aren't a specialty food. Canelles are from Bordeaux. Kouign-amman is from Bretagne. Milkshakes aren't French. Sugary coffee drinks aren't, either.

There is plenty of bad food in Paris, at Angelina for example. Maybe you'd like their hot chocolate, as it's really thick and sweet, but I can't even look at it.

There is foie gras on many a menu in Paris. If you can find the real thing from the sudouest, like Godard or Rougié or Valette, so much the better.

DebitNM

Lunch or dinner here. Great views of Eiffel Tower. Make reservation, ask for window table. Prix fixe lunch are excellent deal. Excellent food.

http://www.cieldeparis.com/en/

Traviata

Highly recommend Restaurant H in the Marais...excellent food, presentation, and service. I would call right now for a reservation......not easy to get.

And yes.....Pierre Herme for macarons.....!

kuniku

Thank you everyone!

Yikes, again I said something "wrong" on a travel advice forum lol. Really no need to call me out please - I appreciate gourmet street food, hole in the wall finds, and Michelin starred restaurants but maybe I'm not a real "foodie" or used the wrong word. Gotta be so careful on this forum .

It's actually so good to know that chocolate almond and ham and cheese croissants are not a thing in Paris. I guess it's another silly American adaption. But I have to say, those combos can be absolutely delicious and are sometimes sold in top gourmet places in NYC.

Also good to know about the Michelin starred restaurants reservations - it's no biggie, just was curious about the best ones. I mean, we'll save em for the next trip so no need to berate us and assume we EXPECT TO get into hype places, we just ppl like you .

So sorry I included a non foodie food like a croque madame while also parading around under the false guise of foodie - it's just something I adore and wanted to try a yummy one in France. Same for caneles, Kouign-amman, frites, european sugary coffees, etc - I actually realize these items are not FROM Paris but I have had yummy ones far away in NYC and since this will be our first time in France, just figured Paris would have better ones than NYC...

Would love to hear people's top 3-5 food reccs for Paris . Foods that will change your life so to speak hehe ). Because why not.

suze

I will follow this thread with interest. Because I had no life changing foods in Paris. I guess I could use the advice too!

Christina

<<It's actually so good to know that chocolate almond and ham and cheese croissants are not a thing in Paris. I guess it's another silly American adaption. But I have to say, those combos can be absolutely delicious and are sometimes sold in top gourmet places in NYC. >>

You will see chocolate and almond ones at times, but not as often as regular ones, of course, or just almond croissants (which I do really love). And sometimes there will be some chocolate in one, but the sign will just say "croissant aux amandes". But it's hit or miss, you'll just have to see what's available wherever you are. It's just that so many bakeries serve almond croissants that I wouldn't go anywhere special to buy one, I just buy one near where I am staying. I have never seen a cheese and ham croissant anywhere, not even in the US, so maybe that's a NY thing or just not something I've noticed.

Frites is a French term, some say that dish was invented in Belgium but either way, that is French. I believe the comment above was that it wasn't a specialty item, but I think that's a matter of definition. I would say it's a specialty of France, it's certainly common. The other things you name are also French pastries, of course they are, but I just think many places make good ones so can't name one place in all of Paris you should go for one (like a canele). Now caneles are a specialty of another region originally, but they are French.

I rarely eat such fatty things as a croque anything, but if I did, it's just the mr I eat, not the mme as that adds an egg on top of ham which I personally think is gross. I know you don't and lots of others apparently don't also, I feel the same way as I do about adding butter on top of a fatty steak. People aren't eating enough fat and cholesterol as it is, so you have to add it? Anyway, I've never paid much attention to fried sandwiches and have just had them occasionally at lunch wherever I am.

okay, if you want a suggestion, I do often eat at the Cafe des Phares at place de la Bastille (near you). They serve a decent croque whatever. I sort of think that place has gone downhill in recent years, though, but you can't worry that much about a sandwich that sometimes is only on the kids' menu. Or, try le Nemrod brasserie in St Germain, but it may not be what you are wanting.
this guy does a good foodie blog, you might enjoy it
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/le-nemr...fe-restaurant/


Bon Appetit, as they say

Macross

http://www.thebeast.fr/ I am a bbq lover and these people know how to do it.

STOHRER - PÂTISSIER TRAITEUR
Magasin au 51 rue Montorgueil 75002 Paris

You will love Rue Montorgueil I promise.
I don't know if you found your hotel with a balcony but buy a rotisserie chicken from a butcher and some little potatoes and a bottle of wine to eat and drink on your balcony. So good.

suze

<I have never seen a cheese and ham croissant anywhere, not even in the US, so maybe that's a NY thing>

Uh, no, we have them in Seattle too.

scunnychu

<I have never seen a cheese and ham croissant anywhere, not even in the US, so maybe that's a NY thing>

They sell 'em in Starbucks everywhere ppl.

scunnychu

Also it's not going to be impossible to get into a Michelin starred restaurant, even now. A cursory check on Le Cinq's website has plenty of open spots for next week. Le Cinq is one of the finest restaurants anywhere.

PalenQ

And tipping unneccesary or discretionary but voluntary -not expected as Service of 20% or so will be included in the bill.

kuniku

@Macross - thank you so much, your type of advice is why I still post despite an odd amount of negativity . And you are so sweet to ask, yes, I did find my dream little balcony in Paris .