Paris, France - Benoit

First opened in 1912, and now helmed by Alain Ducasse (with the promise that he would keep it exactly as is), Benoit remains one of the oldest and most traditional bistros in Paris. The only bistro in the City of Light to have one Michelin star, Benoit, with its dark wood, lace curtains, red velvet seats, brass, mirrors and impressive porcelain dinnerware, sings to its past and remains authentic to its culinary roots.

Cheese puffs

Pink champagne

The service is impeccable and the staff, including the sommelier, are very well trained; there is no typical French condescension here. As for the food, the quality is superlative and dishes are unfussy enough that each individual ingredient stands out on its own. I am definitely adding Benoit to my list of Paris staples. Here is a look at what we devoured:

Cookpot of seasonal vegetables

Preserved duck foie gras, toasted Parisian brioche

Pan-seared fillet of Brittany John Dory, potatoes from Noirmoutier and fresh garlic flowers

Milk-fed lamb from Aveyron, violet mustard, spring vegetables, cooking jus

Nantua-style sole fillets, lightly creamy spinach leaves

Vanilla mille-feuille

Eton Mess

Homemade Madeleines

The €38 three course tasting menu at lunch is a veritable bargain and a great way to experience this restaurant on a budget.

A special thank you to my dear friend for treating me to a sumptuous dinner here and allowing me the opportunity to experience Benoit for the first time!


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Paris, France - Cafe de Flore

You simply can't argue with 129 years of prestige and a longstanding reputation as one of the best coffee houses in Paris. Cafe de Flore, on the left bank at the corner of Boulevard Saint Germain, has seen intellectuals, celebrities and tourists walk through its doors for nearly thirteen decades.

The cafe gets its name from the Roman mythological statue of Flora, goddess of the spring season and flowers, located on the opposite side of the boulevard.

Open all day and evening, you can sit for drinks, a light meal of sandwiches, salads and omelets or delicious pastries, and watch the fashionable Parisians come and go.

Salade Nicoise

Artichoke Salad

Ham and emmenthal baguette

Croque Monsieur

When you are tired of walking the beautiful streets of Paris, this fashionable and historical cafe is the perfect place to recharge and reflect on the fact that the likes of Picasso, Sartre and Camus have all sat in those iconic red chairs before you.

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Paris, France - Breakfast at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome

My roommate and I were in Paris for the day yesterday in order to attend the Premiere Vision trade fair for fabric and accessories, and we decided to treat ourselves to a swanky breakfast before the show at the Park Hyatt Paris. 

Located in Place Vendome just a few doors down from the famous Ritz Hotel, the Park Hyatt has a modern interior with cool neutral tones that provide a peaceful oasis of calm as soon as you step through the lobby doors. We decided to eat our breakfast by the fireplace (Paris was freezing yesterday!) in the La Cheminee room. 

Scrambled eggs with ham and lots of whole wheat toast:

The Park Hyatt Vendome is also a lovely space in which to take afternoon tea after a long day of shopping on nearby Rue St. Honore. I've never stayed here, but judging by the photos, the rooms look sumptuous, and you can't beat the location. 

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Paris, France - 1728

Paris is romantic enough on its own that even an average bistro in this French capital feels magical. But if you want to go somewhere truly amorous and special, that oozes with history, then 1728 is the place. 

Located off Rue Saint Honore, 1728 is open for lunch and traditional afternoon tea, but its during dinner that the drawing rooms in this 18th century townhouse really seduce, complete with crackling fireplace, crystal chandeliers and dancing candlelight from candelabras. (It's so romantic, I think I even spied Cupid shooting love arrows from somewhere up in the cornice.)

The Marquis de Lafayette spent the last years of his life here, entertaining notable socialites, politicians and dignitaries. "Each reception room, each apartment, every area exudes a major event, an important meeting, a famous love affair, a revolution." 

The food is a mix of Japanese and French fusion and we thoroughly enjoyed our meals. 

Here's what we ate:

Amuse bouche of salmon and avocado mousse:

Tartar of raw beef - Cut to order with capers and rocket salad:

Faubourg - Tartar of Albacore tuna fish with basil, lemon grass, ginger, marinated algae, french sea salt, Madagascar pepper:

Katana Duo - For two guests. A beautiful beef rib from Simmental (Bavaria), marinated and cooked on the bone. Served with new potatoes. 

The dessert tray:

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Paris, France - A Sunday in Paris

Its hard to beat a lazy Sunday in Paris when your only agenda is to eat a delicious brunch and stroll absolutely aimlessly throughout the city. That’s exactly what we did this past weekend. 

We walked from rue St. Honore (stopping at Pierre Herme (light-years better than Laduree) for some macaroons to eat on the way) to Le Fumoir for a delicious two course brunch (you get eggs and pancakes, yes!). Located steps from the Louvre, Le Fumoir is a restaurant/bar that serves brunch and dinner daily, and stays open late for cocktails. 

After brunch we were so full we had to walk off a few calories, so we headed towards Notre Dame Cathedral and walked around the Île de la Cité, which is one of two remaining natural islands in the Seine within the city of Paris.

We walked over the Pont de l’Archeveche, which crosses the Seine behind Notre Dame, on Ile De la Cité, to the 5th Arrondissement. It is on this bridge that couples write their names on a lock, attach it to the bridge to declare their eternal love, and then throw the key in the river below. We searched for a friend's lock (needle in a haystack concept) but were unable to find it. 

Because it had been all of half an hour since we'd last eaten, we stopped at a quaint cafe, Le Flore en L'Ile, for a cappucino and two scoops of ice cream.

We idled in front of some very talented street performers and then headed to the Latin Quarter to continue our stroll. 

We then did the most Parisian thing we could think of: we bought a baguette, put it under our arm and proceeded to eat it as we walked the streets. 

It was a perfect, lazy (though we did walk a lot), gluttonous Sunday and we tired ourselves out sufficiently for the two hour Eurostar ride back to London. 

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