Honfleur

Cute buildings line the center of town

The very picturesque old port of Honfleur

A quiet alley way

Honfleur, my favorite stop during our weekend getaway in Normandy, is an old port town in the department of Calvados. Small, picturesque, touristic, and very charming, it is worth a pit stop of a few hours or so. J & I spent about 2.5 hours having lunch and walking around town which was more than sufficient. 

We made reservations to eat in a brasserie that faces the port called La Grenouille. Famous for its mussels and fries, it is a big must if you are into that sorta thing, of course. I was highly contented with my fried calamari and rice! There is also a 2 Michelin star restaurant in Honfleur called Sa Qua Na, a restaurant by Alexandre Bourdas. 

Super cute and romantic getaway, only a few hours away from Paris!

Checkout  http://www.absinthe.fr/ and http://www.alexandre-bourdas.com/

Photos by Me

Terres de Truffes Restaurant

The restaurant also offers a wide array of truffle products- cheese, oil, honey

A part of truffled Brie costs about €18

Grilled scallops with truffled risotto and shavings

Tagliatelles with truffle cream sauce and shavings

Truffled tortellini soup

Again, I was caught unarmed without my camera, so pardon my blackberry shots! This gem of a restaurant is found between Place de Madeleine and Printemps on rue Vignon in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. IT WAS THE BEST MEAL I'VE HAD AFTER Le Meurice. Of course, you must be crazy about truffles like I am, every dish in this restaurant has truffles in it, including dessert!

The restaurant is small, warm and very cozy. It welcomes guests all dressed up and down, no need to slip on your fancy heels here. Even dogs are welcome! The service is friendly and sincere, we highly appreciated our young waitress and even left a very American tip for her. 

In terms of food, make sure you have a very light lunch or none at all if planning on coming here for dinner. The portions are not huge but quite heavy, most dishes are creamy and oh so heavenly. I would suggest sharing an appetizer, and then a main dish. If not you risk skipping dessert like I did since I absolutely could not stuff myself any more. Its the perfect meal for a cold autumn night.. Budget around €70 per person.

On your way out, grab a slice of truffled brie or a bottle of honey and truffles. The restaurant offers quite a range of truffled products for the most obsessive truffle lover.. 

Checkout http://www.terresdetruffes.com/les-restaurants.htm

Photos by Me

Metro: Havre-Caumartin/Madeleine

Cirque du Soleil Corteo

SQUEAALLL It's not only that time of the year, but Cirque du Soleil is also back in town! Corteo opened its tents on November 4th and the show will go on until the 31st of December, so get your tickets quick if you're in Paris! Instead of being staged in a stadium like Saltimbanco did last year, majestic tents were set up in the close suburb of Boulougne-Billancourt. Its getting a little cool in Paris, but worry you not, the temperature in the tent is controlled.

The show was magical as usual. Yet again, pictures were not allowed inside the tent (I did manage to sneak one before the show started however). The stage was majestic, dim lit chandeliers set the ambience to the carnival like background. The tent was smaller that I imagined, and almost regretted getting the Golden Circle tickets as we were very close to the stage. I would've preferred cheaper tickets that gave me a better view of the whole set. But still, no regrets, I could've touched the acrobats if I wanted to!

We were particularly impressed by the chandelier act in the beginning of the spectacle. In fact, all the acrobatic acts lefts our mouths open and begging for more. The clowns, however, I thought were a bit lame and not as funny as Saltimbanco. I must admit, I did yawn during a clown act, but that could also be explained by my lack of naptime that day!

Tickets range from €34 to €375 (for "red carpet" shows), and price also depends on weekday/weekend shows and matinée/night shows. I suggest going for the Categorie 1 or 2 tickets for a nice full view of the stage. It will also save you from neck pain from always having to gaze upwards! The tent is set up on an island, and cars aren't allowed across the bridge. There is a metro nearby, or else parking is available before the bridge, and you will need to walk over for about 10 mins to reach the tents.

For tickets and more info, checkout http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/fr/shows/corteo/show/about.aspx

Photos by Me

Étretat

Étretat is a small town in Normandy, just about 2 hours away from Paris, making it a great weekend getaway for Parisians. It is known for its high clifts and quaint town, very touristy in the summer months. J & I made the trip in October, and the weather was cool and crisp but skies remain clear and sunny.

Being right by the sea, I expected to stuff my face with the freshest seafood money can buy at an affordable price. However, given Étretat's very touristy reputation, the restaurants that line the beach are more concerned about filling up their space rather than offering great food. We ate at a restaurant called L'Huîtrière that had an amazing view of the clifts, but served food that was slightly less than acceptable.

It isn't a big town, and a few hours is more than enough to cover what is interesting to cover. A great find was a store that sells local products called La Rose des Vents. Get a pot of caramel apple compote and your toast in the morning will never ever be the same!

Photos by Me

Restaurant 1728

Ahh.. yet another food blog, go figure. Yet another restaurant? Not so.. 1728 is strategically located walking distance away from L'Elysée, Hermès and Christian Louboutin, right smack in the chic neighborhood of Rue Faubourg St Honoré. It serves as a gastronomic restaurant, tea salon, AND art gallery. Too much for your taste? Same here.. We had mix feelings leaving this restaurant, although there are many good things to be said about the service and food.

Personally, I thought it was a bang for your buck at 1728. For about €100 per person, you get a french gastronomic experience in a true 18th century townhouse, built in 1728 of course. Each room guards in tact its history and charm(read more here http://www.restaurant-1728.com/1728_paris/restaurant.php) However, J felt that the sommelier was not up to par with expectations for a classic restaurant, and thought that the menu had too many fusion elements.

I was very happy with my duck confit millefeuille and carré d'agneau that was cooked to utter perfection. The desserts were nothing great, the restaurant caters ready made dessert from patissier Arnaud Larher, which were super yummy, but simply taken out of a box and placed on a dessert plate.

So do come if you don't have high expectations or a deep wallet, but wish to experience a pleasant and somewhat classy dinner.

Photos by Me
8 Rue Anjou 75008 Paris
Metro Madeleine

La Brasserie Thoumieux

So J&I went out of our comfort zone of Bofinger and Le Chardenoux for our dose of red meat, and decided to bring Iz&M to Jean-François Piége and Thierry Costes's brasserie at Hôtel Thoumieux. Located on a tight narrow street in the 7th arrondissement, the hotel itself is quaint and full of charm. Step in and you are transported into old Paris, the brasserie noisy and dark, its clients chic yet relaxed.

The service was nothing more than what we expected from a brasserie. Our waif blond waitress banged utensils and almost threw our plates onto the table, but was polite enough that she didn't have to receive an earful from J. It didn't matter though, because my well cooked ribeye steak with bearnaise sauce arrived juicy and tasty. We shared (I should have ordered my own however) a Churros n Roll for dessert, a creative presentation of good ol' churros covered with pop rocks, served with melted chocolate and vanilla ice cream. YUMMY.

A highly recommended place for typical french bistrot food. Do however make a reservation, we went on a Sunday night and the place was jam packed until the wee hours.

Photos by Me
79 Rue Saint-Dominique 75007 Paris

Joe Allen Paris

The New Yorker in me awoke last night, and I felt the urgent need to have a Sunday brunch. With II & ML in town until Tuesday, what better than a group of 4 in a typical American bistrot on a sunny albeit chilly Sunday afternoon.. We headed to Joe Allen, a reputable American restaurant, one of the "better" ones in Paris. We arrived exactly at 12 noon which was perfect, as 15 mins later the place was teeming with Americans and French diners alike.

The ambience was perfect, typically New York, in the center of Paris in the first arrondissement. Tables were napped and its bricked walls are adorned with framed posters. I literally felt that I was in New York! The menu looked promising, with its brunch selection ranging from pancakes to cheeseburgers to eggs. J without discretion immediately asked for the dessert menu and I eyed their cookies and cotton candy ice cream right away.

The food came pretty quick. Service was efficient and all the servers spoke English. In terms of quality, however, we were a bit disappointed. My BBQ grilled chicken came slathered with sauce which was great, but it was only to hide the fact that the chicken itself was very dry. The burger was acceptable at best (J prefers my homemade ones), and the fries seemed old. In general, we ate everything but did not have the intention to come back for the food, but maybe for the atmosphere.

By the time we left 1.5 hours later, the place was packed and there was a line waiting outside! Its a great place to hangout with friends for Sunday brunch, but don't expect a real New York brunch food experience..

Photos by Me
Metro: Etienne Marcel
http://www.joeallenparis.com/joeallenparis.com/Home_Fr.html

Week-end Eclairs at Fauchon

I have been MIA for quite sometime, but back to share with you a feast that my eyes and taste buds devoured yesterday, my 3rd day back from the summer holidays. J & I were at Fauchon, Place de Madeleine, to cater a surprise lunch that we were organizing for my mother in law's 60th birthday. As we were about to choose a birthday cake, we were told that cakes were limited as it was éclair weekend, a special event that occurs once a year.

An array of colors stood before us in the dessert counters, there must have been at least 20 different flavors of éclairs available. They were priced at €5 and up, depending on the intricacy of design and flavor. It took me awhile to choose only 10, in my excitement I skipped reading the labels and picked based only on looks, only to realize that I missed the milk chocolate and passion fruit éclair! No regrets, I have decided on my new favorites- speculoos, caramel with bits of hazelnut, and rainbow blueberry.

Sorry I didn't share this sooner, this event ended yesterday. However, Fauchon does regularly produce their regular éclairs, a favorite of mine includes their sumptuous caramel beurre salé.

Pictures by Me

Le Meurice Restaurant

A few weeks ago my BFF from NYC and her husband came into town for a few days and we unanimously agreed on a gastronomic weekend. You cannot get any better than any one of the 3 star restaurants of Paris, and Le Meurice was The Chosen One for that Friday night. Chef Yannick Alléno and his team succeeded in providing us the BEST dinner we have ever had in our lives.

From the ambience, to the food, to the service and everything in between, we have nothing but praises. We were delightfully surprised by each amuse bouche, each detail on our plates, and the breathtaking decor that was the hotel and restaurant themselves. The service was charming and impeccable without a hint of snootiness. The Chef himself greeted us at the door, and humbly led us to the restaurant where the Director of the Room took over.

We started the evening at 8:30 and left at 1am. The check came and looked like a booklet, and the boys didn't let us peek. In any case, this restaurant is definitely a place to celebrate something special, and we won't be making this a regular spot, as much as I would love to!

First photo from http://www.meuricehotel.fr/restaurant-le-meurice
Photos by Me

The Elegance Cake, Le Triomphe

After debating for a long long time whether I should be sharing this little secret with everyone, I decided.. why not! This is by far the best triple chocolate cake that I have ever tasted in my life. It is a neighborhood secret if I may say so, since it is only available in the 2 Le Triomphe bakeries in Paris.

A layer of dark chocolate cake, then a layer of milk chocolate goodness, then a chunk of white chocolate mousse, this cake is called L'Elegance for good reason. Not only is it good, it is beautiful. You won't find it in the touristic neighborhoods your guidebooks tell you to go to. The 2 bakeries are nestled in the residential 20th and 12th arrondissements of Paris.

The addresses are:
95 rue d’Avron 75020 PARIS
23 rue du Rendez-Vous 75012

Photos by Me

Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are Made

Sorry again for ignoring the blog for so long! J & I just got back from a 9-day trip to New York City, my second city and second home. Only a 7 hour plane ride, we try to go back every time I start missing my friends like crazy. Since 2010 was such a busy year for us, this would be our first trip back since 2009. Nothing changed though, I still felt at home, I still chose a downtown hotel, and we still go back to Max Brenner even though we know how sick we feel after each time we eat there!

For those planning a major shopping trip, I highly recommend taking a trip to NY's renowned shopping outlet, Woodbury Commons. Many rent cars, but since we are not used to driving on the other side, I suggest taking a bus from Port Authority that costs $43 per adult. The trip is only an hour long, and the return trip is open and you get to choose when you'd like to go back to Port Authority. Don't forget to bring a little suitcase or a carry on bag to stuff all the shopping!

A NYC favorite of ours are little mini cupcakes Baked By Melissa. She has, literally, a "hole in the wall" stand in SOHO where each cupcake is sold for a dollar. (6 for $5.50 and 12 for $10). They are tiny, but oh so moist and tasty! My personal favorites are red velvet and mint chocolate chip. You must also checkout Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, where people can wait for hours just to get a bite of the juicy Shack Burger and their cheese fries.

I think I just may start a new blog just on New York! There are so many things to see and do, but I must say nothing would have been so awesome without my amazing friends! xxx

Photos by Me
Checkout: http://www.shakeshack.com/
http://bakedbymelissa.com/#
http://www.maxbrenner.com