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Restaurants At A Glance

As I am behind in posting, I'm just compiling the reviews for the restaurants we visited within the last week...from galattes and crêpes to brunch, falafels and desserts to local neighborhood restaurants that make G seem like a giant to bistro chains and a couple more in between!!  We did eat out quite a bit this week, and we're cautious of how much we eat out.  It does add up when you include wine, coffee, water and dessert.  BUT, there are SOOO many wonderful restaurants just in our neighborhood that we walk by and I think we'll have to come up with a plan of food tasting action :)

Last week when we wandered around we walked passed "Crêperie Suzette."  We were reading the menu and looking through the window when the proprietor came out and beckoned us in, and not needing any more invitation we sat down to enjoy Galettes Breton style.  I had the special of the day which was goat cheese (my favorite), with honey and walnuts.  The galette was tasty, although I felt that it was a tad heavy on the walnuts.  Guillaume enjoyed a raclette inspired galette and we washed both down with hard apple cider.  We were both too full to order a crêpe (sweet).






However, having been denied the taste of a sweet crêpe I later led us to Breizh Cafe where we savored crépes and coffee as our goûter!!  Guillaume definitely chose the better crêpe - a combination with Breton style ginger caramel sauce.  I had meant to order the crêpe suzette, but I mistakenly just ordered the crêpe Grand Marnier.  It was tasty, but when I sampled some of the caramel sauce from G's plate I wished I had ordered one with a caramel sauce.  Next time for sure.  We've been trying to revisit the restaurant, but the first time we tried we didn't have a reservation and walking just in at 730PM on a Thursday night yielded no results.  Friday we called around 530 for a reservation, but they were again full for the night.  We hope to revisit Sunday night with our friends :)  We both look forward to tasting the galette, but really I'm saving plenty of room for a sweet crêpe ;)  Edited: We went back with our friends tonight, and while I enjoyed my sweet crepe immensely and will in fact be paying a visit to their store to purchase some of the caramel sauces for myself, I found the Galette just OK.  Additionally, I preferred the cider at Creperie Suzette over the two different ones we had at Breizh (although that didn't stop me from drinking a few glasses ;))

As we had galettes at one and crêpes at the other, it is hard to make a direct comparison.  Prices are approximately the same.  Breizh Cafe is larger and did offer a wilder selection of both galettes and crêpes, as well as offering oysters and having Breton dishes.  Both located in Le Marais.  See links for more information.

Brunch doesn't seem the easiest meal to find here in France, and we knew that we wanted brunch or close to it on Easter Sunday.  We were already on the Left Bank for church, and we didn't want to head back to our district too soon.  Guillaume can be quite talented at finding the perfect restaurant, and his skills didn't disappoint on Sunday.  It was a little bit of a walk, and I was wearing heels (which was a terrible mistake on my part, and my feet were still paying the price a good 5 days after the jaunt)!!  We stopped in at Coutume Cafe.  It is located in the 7th, on rue de Babylone and offered a delicious and large brunch.  We both chose the formule which included three veinnoiserie each (served with an absolutely delicious rhubarb jam) , a hot drink, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a warm breakfast which included bacon, sausage, scrambled egg, a jacket potato with a pesto garlic cheese and toast.  It was far too much for me to eat, and looking back Guillaume could have easily shared the breakfast and ordered additional drinks.  It wasn't cheap, but it was good.  The option we went with cost 30 Euro. We definitely want to return, having found the place to be modern yet quaint.  The service was prompt, and even though they were busy I appreciated the fact that they didn't rush us out (which is the case in most all the restaurants we've frequented since we've been here).

Again, during our wanderings over the weekend we walked along rue des Rosiers and the smell of falafels flirted with our senses.  We walked again along here on Monday, and I just could not get the tantalizing aroma to leave my senses.  So, Tuesday night I had something on late and hadn't eaten dinner beforehand.  Walking home, we detoured along rue Rosier and "The King of Falafels" ( 26 Rue des Rosiers 75004 Paris, France) was open.  I ordered the falafel pita to go, and it was delicious.  A little tricky to eat on the go (and with braces), but it was full of flavor and it was the perfect late night "snack!"

We had walked our friends along the same street, and the aromas flirted with them also and like with me it stuck in the senses.  Today our mission was to enjoy a falafel plate at lunch.  We stopped in at "Mi Va Mi," (23 Rue des Rosiers 75004 Paris, France) and rather than attempt to eat and walk (and stay warm) we enjoyed the meal at the table inside.  It has a fun and colorful interior.  It has a bank of booths along one wall, and a u shaped kitchen/counters on the other side and tables in the middle.  As such, it is not the roomiest of restaurants (but honestly no where seems to be here so far).  I ordered a falafel pita and G had the plate combo plate (including a turkey skewer, spicy sausages, and beef patties), it was served with fries, hummus, salad, tomatoes, cucumber and eggplant.  It was a LOT of food.  I enjoyed my pita, feeling at first that the one I had had the other night was better.  However, the more of the "white" sauce I added the more I enjoyed the pita.  I think that for the "to go" option they add the sauce themselves, and as such provide a greater quantity than I knew to distribute.

Using Yelp as our guide, we had found a restaurant with vegetarian options.  It was just so so, and the so so because G enjoyed his steak.  I ordered a chicken breast with a honey and spice sauce and pureed potatoes.  The chicken was bland, the sauce more of a glaze and the potatoes just so-so!!  I wanted to enjoy it more, as I liked the atmosphere of the restaurant, but it wasn't too be.

Additional food stops:

L`apparemment - we stopped in for dessert and coffee.  We would like to return for a meal, or to linger longer with out dessert.  They provide soft leather arm chairs, and it was nice to relax in such a setting.  We all had the chocolate mousse which was delicious and it was nice to relax in armchairs :)  It is in Le Marais, near Breizh Cafe.

Les Temps des Cerises - good, but not great.  Our bustling neighborhood bistro.  We will return :)  

Sip - chain bistro.  I think it was what I ordered because G had steak frites and had a good meal.  The fries were thick and tasty.  I had the goat cheese torte served with a salad.  The salad was iceberg lettuce, which just isn't my favorite.  The torte wasn't what I expected, and the egg and cheese had separated.

Vin Pain Fromage - another one in our neighborhood (boy, are we spoilt)!!!  The ultimate fondue restaurant.  We went here with friends, and the men had a meat fondue and the ladies a cheese.  It was delicious!!!  The simple green salad that accompanied the fondue had a delicious dressing.  Good cheese, good wine and the boys really enjoyed having meat ;)




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