Stop number three after Iceland and England led me to Paris, France. I took a bus from Victoria Station in England, drove the bus onto a ferry, and cruised my way to France. There was a couple sitting near me on the bus who were living in paris- the man was American and the woman was Bulgarian. We swapped war stories about the functionality of iPads and they told us the must see sights in the city.
After a few stops on the metro I was finally at my Paris home- a flat right off the Rue Lamarck stop. Instead of staying at a hostel I found a flat on
airbnb.com, where people rent out their flats or rooms in their flats for travelers. Best idea ever, check it out. It turned out to be around 45 euros a night but the feeling of a real plush bed and a balcony to see the stucco sides of the buildings around me was invaluable.
Talk about a nice place for 50 euros a night!
The remainder of my account of Paris will be focused entirely on the food. Once you see it, you'll understand how every meal had the power to almost outshine the eiffel tower lights in pure darkness. I had a fantastic meal the first night. Start off with a fresh french onion soup and a roasted tomato appetizer and finish with a filet of steak covered in a rich brown sauce and sauteed vegetables. I could lick the photographs.
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| don't forget the vino |
After starting off the trip this well, how could it get any better? Nine courses, that's how. Nine courses of decadence and bliss all rolled into one New Years feast. It was sheer luck mind you, that I was even able to sit somewhere and each bread on New Years without a reservation. But I found a little restaurant by chance, just walking by, and went in to see if they had any availability. Gods be good they did. Granted, the fact that they were three weeks old and had availability on New Years didn't lend to the notion they retained a quality culinary reputation, but beggars cannot be choosers so 9:30 dinner at La Rallonge was set.
Boy was I surprised.
It was a small but modern kind of joint, a long raised bar where I ate my meal, and maybe 3 or four tables around the room. It was apparent the owners and chefs weren't rookies at all, they utilized every inch of their small alcove of a kitchen, you really couldn't call it much else, to concoct the most delicious creations. The head chef was young woman in her mid twenties, I was informed by a woman sitting next to me during dinner, whom it turns out, is dating the sous chef. She explained each dish to us in english and watched excitedly as we sampled each new flavour.
So here's where I take you down nine paths of the food pilgrimage. The names of each dish are in French, so while google translator may be helpful, it is not infallible. Where words fail to capture the smells and presentations, pictures more than cover the slack.
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| Course 1: Seafood tartare in infusion of daikon on a bed of perfumed salad. |
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| Course 2: Foie gras with pineapple |
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Course 3: Raviolis of perdreaux, simmered vegetables and capers in a white wine sauce
number 2 favorite! |
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| Course 4: Ham and cheese croquettes |
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Course 5: Saint-Jeaques seared scallops on a bed of celery and butter, truffle sauce
Absolute favorite. |
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| Course 6: Poultry medallion wrapped with foie gras, served with vegetables |
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| Course 7: Frozen lychee fruit and pears with yogurt whip cream |
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| Course 8: Le Mont Blanc (The White Mount), typical chestnut, chantilly and merengue french dessert |
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| Course 9: Chocolate sphere filled with chocolate mouse, and ice cream garnished with gold leafing |
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Course 9: Hot chocolate sauce is poured over the sphere to created a decadent melted chocolate dessert
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France, you have outdone yourself. After seeing the Eiffel Tower at all hours, viewing the entire city from the Sacred Heart and battling my way in the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, the part of Paris that caught my heart was undoubtedly the food. If there's one way to truly experience the richness of a culture. Eat. Eat. Eat! On that note, I'm hungry.
It was a small but modern kind of joint, a long raised bar where I ate my meal, and maybe 3 or four tables around the room. It was apparent the owners and chefs weren't rookies at all, they utilized every inch of their small alcove of a kitchen, you really couldn't call it much else, to concoct the most delicious creations. The head chef was young woman in her mid twenties, I was informed by a woman sitting next to me during dinner, whom it turns out, is dating the sous chef. She explained each dish to us in english and watched excitedly as we sampled each new flavour. 
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