Paris favourite sandwich / sandwich place?
 

For our trip in June, it looks like the primary casualty of the loonie / euro battle (loonie = CAD $ :-) ) will be restaurant meals. The boys (aged 8, 11, and 40ish...) are not particularly foodie to start with, and we were always going to be picnic and apartment meal oriented anyway, but now figuring it will be even more so!

The boys are more in the "baguette jambon" sandwich audience, but I am going to be looking for something more interesting and creative...

Do you have a place where you got a particularly memorable sandwich in Paris?

thanks!

We just returned from a month on Paris...see trip report 29 nights in the City of Light for all recommendations. But far and above the best sandwhich we had was at a covered market that is open all days except Monday. It is called Marche des Enfants Rouge. There is a sandwhich/crepe vendor there (the only one) who makes the most incredible sandwhiches. A far warning they are huge, but really well priced at 5 euros! The gentlemen who owns the stand is a joy and the incredients he uses are the freshest possible and his seasonings are superb. Grab the sandwhich then eat across the street in the Temple Square Park.

JenG - thanks for your reply! Your trip report and the description of the sandwich guy with the "20 or so spices" was actually one of the things that triggered my question (but I couldn't remember exactly which post it was in!) I have now made a concrete note on that one...

Unfortunately, I can't tell you the name of the sandwich shop. But two years ago, my daughter and I stayed at the Hotel de Turenne at 20, Avenue de Tourville in the 7th. A couple of doors down was a little hole in the wall shop that we really enjoyed. The frites they served with their sandwiches were so good! When you ordered a sandwich (a variety of hot sandwiches including a gyros type one, shish kabobs, hamburger patties, etc.) you chose one of three or four sauces which they then put on your sandwich as well as giving you a puddle of it in which to dip the frites. Heaven! And quite reasonable. Seems to me that for both of us, the sandwich, frites and a drink from their cooler was about 12 or 13 Euro.

I was thoroughly amazed at how cheaply (and well!) we were able to eat in Paris. I suspect your boys will enjoy the crepes from the street stands too. Not only the sweet ones, but the ham and cheese ones. Wow, do I miss those!

Have a great trip!

CAPH, my kids get sandwiches all the time from that place when we're in Paris. It's one of those places you'd never notice the name of, though.

Thanks so much - these are exactly the kinds of suggestions I'm looking for! Crepe question... my 11 year old and my husband are not big cheese fans (I know... I know... my youngest and I make up for it though!) Do savoury crepes pretty much all come with cheese, or are there no cheese options?
Thanks again!

Exactly, St. Cirq! I don't think I forgot the name, I just never noticed it to begin with!

I hope someone else has a better answer to your crepe question. However, there was a great crepe stand on Rue Cler (as we were waiting, someone said it's the best in Paris!) that put egg, onion, etc. on their crepes. With all of that other stuff, it might be possible to leave off the cheese.

I adore baguette with sliced hard boiled eggs, tuna, lettuce and mayo. Available all over.

JenG - Get off at the metro stop Mabillon and walk a very short way up rue Mabillon/Cnr.rue Clement, and you will come to Marche St-Germain, immediately recognisable by the dozens of archways all around the huge square building. This is an old (looks very modern) covered food market opened in 1818 taking over the site from a former fairground.
Today it has loads of take-out meals, shops and wine sold by the glass out on the patio from Nicolas wine store.
A hop-skip & jump away in rue des Ciseaux on a corner with rue Gozlin is Vesuvio Pizza.
All just off blvd Saint Germain opposite the famous church ( where you will also find a crepe stand).

If you like chinese I can direct you to several with menus for around 8 euros.

Yikes! I meant "tomato," not "tuna." They have them with tuna as well, but it interferes with the delicate flavors too much.

Just seen your crepe question and have to tell you about Creperie Beaubourg, 2 Rue Brisemiche - Next to George Pompidou Centre. It's a big place and serves up every kind of crepe you can imagine! Has a large terrace and indoor seating with a view over the fountain and St.Merri church.

The Boulangeries Paul chain has a good lunch menu including a very cheap children's menu that includes a sandwich, frites, choice of pastry and drink. The adult menu is good too. It's a good option if you want to eat your sandwich at a table...and pick up a few more delicious pain au raisin to go.

great post, canada v!

and thanks for the crepe suggestion, tod. that place is right next to the apt we'll be staying in june! yumm!

<B>PLEASE POST THE LOCATION OF YOUR RECOMMENDED SANDWICH VENDOR AT FOODIELAND</b>

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...8da201&t=h&z=6

I hope we can build up this map to a really comprehensive guide to good food everywhere.

Really been unimpressed with sandwiches in Paris. Mostly seen sandwiches with ham and butter early on.

There were few making them with "crudites."

If they had something like Subway (or better yet, Quiznos but they don't go international like Subway), I'd probably check that out first. But Subways in places like Vienna and Sweden are not that cheap either.

Best sandwich I ever had in France was some place in the Loire, a bakery I went to because I was famished. They made it to order and I couldn't believe how good it was, with this light mayo (which I normally don't take). Fresh tomatoes and plenty of other crudites.

Can't remember the name or place though...

<<If they had Subway......>> OMG, surely this is a joke? Squishy rolls and mayo-loaded tuna over a baguette with good Italian tuna, a dab of good mayo and fresh lettuce and tomato? The mind boggles. I don't mind the occasional Subway or Quiznos, but they're not in the same league at all.

There are great sandwiches all over Paris, IMO (including pretty decent ones at the train stations). I don't think it's even necessary to hunt a particular one down - surely wherever you are there will be a good sandwich somewhere nearby. But it's good to have the info here in case you find yourself somewhere near one of the ones mentioned when hunger strikes.

No not joking at all.

If you can get authentic jambon du pays or in Spain, ham from Serrano, great.

But if you feel like chicken or don't want to pay up the nose for "authentic" prosciutto with reggiano on a hard piece of bread and no other garnish, then it's a nice change of pace.

OK Robes I see how it all works! Sorry to be so dumb on your other post!! But PLEASE tell me how to put co-ordinates into my Garmin.
We use it when travelling but punch in the address NOT co-ordinates.
Thanks.

Sorry, Garmin not spoken here.

you won't have a problem finding sandwiches in paris! however, for a safe bet, there is a chain called "paul" (mostly take away) and they have many sandwiches for around 4 euros. you can find them in most neighborhoods.

<B>CORRECTION</b>

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...8da201&t=h&z=3

Sorry - wrong zoom factor on the previous post.

Tod, search for Garmin browser plugin.

Then you can search for wherever you need to go, either address or GPS coordinates, into Google Maps. When it finds the place you want, you have an option to send that location to your Garmin GPS.

You have to have the Garmin hooked up to your computer via the USB port.

Then you go to Favorites in your Garmin and you should find that place. You can make sure you have phone numbers for the place too and that should transfer.

scrb - Many thanks! I will gibe it a go.

Prosciutto with reggiano? In Paris? Never seen that, but I've had yummy poulet crudités and jambon du pays with or without cheese sandwiches all over.

For anyone who really wants a chain, didn't I read here that Cosi originated in Paris?

Tod, did you have crepes at Creperie Beauborg? I saw the YouTube thing on TA, and it sure looks as though it has great crepes.

For the Subway lover, there are already at least 30 Subway locations in Paris. It is currently the fastest growing chain in Paris.

While many tourists seem to like the Paul fast food chain, my own traditional sandwich preference goes to the Pomme de Pain chain.

We really liked the sandwiches at Le Pain Quotidien, which has several branches in Paris. It's a Belgian bakery chain that also serves breakfast, lunch, and early light dinners.

Thanks again! I've looked up and made note of the locations and choices of all of those chains, and knowing they are there will give me the confidence to plan to also "take a chance on stumbling across a hole in the wall sandwich shop" as we make our way around the city! Still eager to hear about any other "little finds", but really appreciate all the input that's been given so far!

Is it highjacking my own thread to ask if couscous falls more into the 'cheap eats'/Pho type category, or is it more of a sit down meal option?

thanks again everyone!

The prosciutto with reggiano was in Siena. Good but that hard, dry bread made me way thirsty.

I appreciate that the ingredients were good but it didn't come together as well as a Subway sandwich did.

Couscous is considered to be a cheap dish, but expensive couscous restaurants do exist. There is no way to eat couscous standing up, since it is a stew in Mediterranean Europe and North Africa. So yes, it is most certainly a sit down meal.

I think Kerouac might agree with me on this?
In the 11e on Boulevard de Belleville you will find a lot of couscous places, reasonably priced and quite fine, if not outstanding.
The streets radiating out from Metro Belleville station are the northern headquarters for Asian cuisine. Whether at an unassuming little spot or a large Chinese-style brasserie, you can usually slurp down noodle soup any hour of the day and into the night.
Along Avenue d'Ivry & Ave.de Choisy in the 13e - far off the tourist track, the Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai restaurants along these avenues cater to the local Asian population. Prices are low and quality is high!

Those are excellent budget suggestions by tod, but I have stopped making that sort of suggestion here, because so many people seem horrified by the thought of eating ethnic food when they come to France. <i>"I want real French food!"</i>

Some people even seem to think that it is a heresy to go to an Italian restaurant in France. Funny, I am always very happy to try any ethnic food that I come across when I go to the United States.

I would even add doner kebabs to the lists of tasty offerings you can find out on the streets of Paris. People also seem to sneer at this, yet they will run to the Marais for falafel, which for some reason is excluded from the list of forbidden foreign foods.

I think as long as you look for fabulous crusty French baguettes and that the fillings look fresh you won't be disappointed. I did notice a bit of a trend last time for soft bread, it looked like that par baked stuff you can buy in supermarkets and then finish baking at home. We did what you are going to do and due to $ constraints didn't eat out too much. We didn't feel deprived at all.

If you want a great meal to have in your apartment, then look out for butchers selling rotisserie chickens and the amazing potatoes that they cook at the bottom of the rotisserie. Add a salad, a bottle of red and voila, dinner is done!

I wish we'd had tod's suggestions for the Asian restaurants in the 13th when we were there last year - next time!!

I hope you have a lovely time in Paris.

I know what you mean Kerouac - sorry so many people are loosing out to excellent cheap meals. We went to Ave.de Choisy twice and never encountered another 'western face' anywhere in the three hours we walked around.
I will definitely be back there this May & to Belleville for more experimenting!
As a matter of fact a few days ago we decided to go out of the realm of French food for a good many of our dinners.
We are going: Russian, Indian, of course Chinese, Moroccan, Lebanese, and anything else we stumble across that looks intruiging! We did try Tex-Mex once near the Pompidou but found it expensive for what we ate.

Grandmere - No we didn't get there last trip and also saw it on YouTube - that's what got me interested and we will definitely try to get there this time - My husband loves, loves, loves crepes!!

Thanks again to everyone! Kerouac, we definitely consider 'ethnic' food as an option - we will be in France, so by definition whatever we eat will be French food to us :-) (though, I have to admit, eating at a chain like Subway that I can see from my office window at home would be stretching the definition too far - no disrespect intended scrb!)

We are looking forward to having Vietnamese food in Paris because of the historical ties - a Pho restaurant is probably our families 'fast food' of choice (if we can find one) in a unfamiliar town. We know that it will be inexpensive, that the kids will eat it (generally fill up on a vermicelli with grilled meat type option), and that it will be filling but not heavy.

Because of the North Africa ties, couscous seems like something there would be more options in Paris then in the Toronto area, so that makes it "French food" to us as well!

"Quite fine if not outstanding" couscous sounds perfect. Perhaps oddly, Belleville is actually on our short list of places we are going to visit. We are each building a list of places they want to see - we are going to make sure that the 'fixed itinerary' includes everyones top couple of things and then keep the rest of the list in the back of our minds depending on where we end up or are. My youngest saw the metro stop called Belleville, and included it in his list as a result of being a fan of the Triplets of Belleville movie. He knows it won't be the same :-) but it fits part our strategy to visiting Paris of including 'random' destinations and see what we stumble across.

cathies - I have been looking forward to my first 'roast-chicken-with-the-potatoes-from-the-bottom-of-the-rotisserie-apartment-supper' since I first read about it on this forum over a year ago!!

Thanks again to everyone for their input!

One of my favorite places in Paris is the Taverne Henri IV near the Pont Neuf. It is a great little wine bar with excellent sandwiches, cheese platters, terrines, etc. I don't know how they can make a simple ham and cheese open-faced sandwich taste so incredibly good!

Canada_V, I tried to find the link where Tricotin revealed it's three different kitchens in one restaurant, namely Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese but found this instead. If I find the other one I'll post it.
http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/371358...urant-tricotin

Belleville should be able to fulfill just about all ethnic food interests when in Paris.

Kerouac, please can you give us a starting point in Belleville where there may be a cluster of places to eat.

The first time we went into that area we didn't have a clue and turned into rue Louis Bonnet after exiting the metro. Walked around the block and only saw Tin Tin and one or two other Chinese places. I even poked my head into the pharmacy and asked the man behind the counter if he could recommend a place for lunch. We ended up at Dong Huong, 14 rue Louis Bonnet. The food was fine but the place was totally empty so that experience wasn't too good.

I thought that was Belleville! Of course now I have a better idea but some guidance by yourself would be mighty handy.
Especially a couscous place you may favour above others?
Thanks in advance for any help.