Paris Eats

Not only is Paris about the magnificent scenery, but more important, it's about the food.

If you are gluten free, or a vegetarian, it's not an easy city to find great eats, this city is carb heavy and meat is 5 out of 7 choices on most restaurant menus.

When we walk on the streets at lunchtime, we see the Parisian locals mostly eating steak tartare and/or an onglet steak with some potatoes and a salad. Even the women are eating that, and they are all thin.

No thanks. I want a salad.

It's hard to find a quinoa salad or seasonal vegetables on restaurant/bistro/cafe menus, though the fresh markets are filled with gorgeous veggies.
The French love smoked salmon for some reason, and it's on every menu in some form or another.

David Lebovitz explained in a post why the French don't serve more vegetables in restaurants. He says that it "was considered peasant food to eat vegetables, and you go out to dine to order something a little more special, something you would not prepare at home".

I just give up and buy a delicious sandwich for lunch (the best) on a fresh baguette and say who cares.
We walk all day, so I will burn it off.

Drink wine every night and get no hangovers (which usually happens to me in the States), and just let yourself go.
I will worry about it when I get home.

I always order fish for dinner in a restaurant, mostly cod, which is always delicious.

Remember I wrote about Hidden Kitchen and Verjus in Paris years back?

Well, the owners Laura and Braden have done it again.
They opened a nice little bistro in the same neighborhood (1st arrondissement) called "Ellsworth", named after Braden's grandfather.

A small place that serves small plates to die for, but please don't die.

A little bistro with a small wine bar inside. Simple and casual, but the food is anything but.

We started w/ the beet, farro and kale salad w/ chanterelles.
Fresh mozzarella, flattened out and rolled like a tortilla, stuffed w/ zucchini & tomatoes.

Braden's delicious fried chicken on a cabbage slaw, and the highlight of the evening was the fried clams on creamed corn.

Who goes to Paris to eat fried chicken and clams? We do.
Downright cheap eats (86 euros) for 4 plates and 4 glasses of wine. Nice service in a lovely setting.


We tried a fun wine bar called Freddy's in the 6th, on Rue de Seine.
Great little tapas and wine.

We had beignets w/ fennel and cod fritters (a lot of fried stuff going on this trip!), and a smoked haddock spread for our bread at lunchtime. Lots of Americans in here, it is owned by a New Zealander. Nice friendly bartenders.

and of course we went back to Apicius. The gorgeous Michelin star restaurant housed in a beautiful mansion in the 8th arrondissement.

I promise, it is not intimidating to dine here, my French is awful.
They have a mixture of locals and tourists and the interior is contemporary and service is approachable and friendly, not stiff like most Michelin star restaurants in Paris.

They remember us every year, and treat us like regular customers. It is our favorite restaurant in Paris.

Here are the cheese carts last night, which I had to choose from!

Say cheese please.


Tonight, I am hosting Eileen Troxel from the blog Living Tastefully and her husband Bill, for wine and "snacks" here in the apartment. Her gorgeous kitchen has been featured in many magazines. You can see it here in Food & Wine.

Eileen and I have been internet friends for the last 7 years.
She too, loves Paris and Provence and tries to make it here every year. This year we planned to finally meet.

and I hope you have been following me on instagram (click here). I have been posting there, instead of here. Easier than sitting here with my macbook.

Have a great day.........xo