I haven’t posted for a while as I’ve been travelling – to the UK for a family reunion and then on to Paris with my dreamboat boyfriend Matt. It’s been an amazing trip so far. I’m really thankful to have such amazing friends and family all around the world and that I have the means and opportunity to see them …and that I have a boyfriend, travel buddy and partner in crime with a similar wanderlust. I only wish I had more time to spend with these people with so much love and support for me.
To keep up with the LYL blog challenge I thought I’d step out of my yoga hat and describe some of my favourite places to eat in Paris. Although yoga has of course featured in my holiday, mostly through inversions in random places (see end).
For food on the go
Man’ouché
Bread and cheese man. It’s what Paris is all about, that and being a sprawling metropolis of incredible diversity. So though Lebanese food may not be exactly what you’d expect or aim for, it is, for me, très Parisienne. I grew up with traditional Arabic Manakeesh – either plain cheese or with zaatar. These guys do a whole bevy of them and they all look delicious. Get one haloum though and let the simple but magical combination of dripping hot cheese, flour, salt, and water do the talking.
For lunch
L’Avant Comptoir
A tiny annex of an eatery next door to Le Comptoir, offering the same cuisinal stylings of Chef Yves Camdeborde but in a casual tapas-style setting. Standing room only, you take a perch at the bar, drink wine, make small talk in broken french, and order copious food. Instead of a menu, the ceiling is adorned with hanging pictures of the day’s offerings; and bread, pickles, and condiments are laid out on the bar for all to share. Speaking of bread. That bread. That crunchy crusty baked to perfection bread. They do it right and they do it well. Make like the French and eat it only WITH your meals to mop up sauces rather than spread with butter and have as a starter (but if butter is want you need then butter is what you shall have, there’s a bowling ball sized lump of it on the counter too). Other things that made us make weirdly sexual noises were the mozzarella (mmmh), the smoked salmon and caviar cheese toasty (oooh), and the egg with mushroom plate (ohhh yes). This is my favourite place to eat in Paris. This place is so good we ate there twice. During a three day trip.
For dinner
Au Passage
Another more laid-back small-plate restaurant (can you see a trend?). If you’re planning on eating earlier in the evening you’ll need a reservation, otherwise just find a wine bar to pass the evening and stroll along for dinner around 9:30 because Paris. We did the latter so to be honest my experience of the restaurant is mostly a haze of good wine, good tastes, and great chat. We had a couple of really good seafood dishes; a sashimi style white fish, haddock with whole veggies served in a clear broth, and salmon with yoghurt. The service was absolutely incredible considering how busy they were; cheerful and friendly AND did not roll their eyes at my french. They get all the points.
That’s it for now as we are on a flight back to London for a night #lunchinparisdinnerinlondon, then heading over to Baltimore to meet (!!!) Matt’s side of the family. Things I know about Baltimore: The Wire was based there, Hairspray was based there (yes I will be singing), some dodgy crap happened that was then chronicled in podcast “serial”, they created Old Bay, and they evidently make some life-changing barbecue pork. And crabs.
Wander far and happy, fellow yogis!