Schwartz's - Paris

Just Say No to Fake New Yorkery...
Pingle and I were walking in the Marais near rue de Rosiers when we got caught out in a pretty big downpour. We looked around for somewhere to duck outta the rain and settled on the nearest thing - Schwartz's. It's trying to be a NY Jewish deli, unfortunately way too hard. Pictures of John Gotti and Frank Sinatra on the wall are just some of the "over the topness" that good food could have made up for. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. Pingle got a hot dog and fries that looked really good on the plate. I took a bite and simply told her "I'll take you to get a real dog next week in NY." Just imagine - this dog and fries cost close to 15 bucks!

Cafe de L'Industrie - Paris

Half-Baked on Two Corners
What the heck does that mean? Simple - this expansive brasserie takes up half of the corners on a small street in La Bastille and serves a mi-cuit (half-baked) chocolate that is worth the trip alone. I came here for lunch, not dessert, but just look at it - it's clearly the star of the show. One cut with the spoon and chocolate began to slide from within like dark lava. I could eat this over and over and never tire of it.

Pause Cafe - Paris

Straight Up Your Alley, Pingle
Why do I say that? Many reasons. First off, you like fries and they got good ones. Second, they got good mac-n-cheese. In my case it came along with a veal escalope. I took a shot with the mac-n-cheese at the forefront cuz I this is your blog and I figured you'd like it that way.

Cantine Auguste - Paris

Straight Outta Williamsburg?
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, USA - an interesting, recently gentrified "artsy" neighborhood HAD to be the spark for this eatery. Let me explain, please. Bearded, overall-wearing food makers? Check. Smoothies on offer? Check. Minimalist, white-washed brick? Check. Somehow related to/part of a clothing store cum "gallery" collective? Check. Matter of fact - the clothing store/gallery is right next door.

Maison Karrenbauer - Paris

Tarte Tatin Extraordinare
This place in La Bastille is a good early morning spot for a chocolate croissant and a coffee - I had both this morning. They open up at 7:30am and don't close until midnight, which is a marvel in and of itself.

Happy Nouilles - Paris

A Re-Visit for Some of Them There Spicy Noodles
I originally went to Happy Nouilles back in February looking for Jia Zhiang Mian but didn't find any. Not sure how I was expecting to find it by reading a menu written in Chinese and French. I coulda asked, right? I'm kinda shy at times - especially in Mandarin and French. So, I had something else and enjoyed it. Thank goodness for the internet - cuz along comes a young lady named "little-chan" who read my post and let me know they make it, you just have to ask - it's not on the menu. So, back I went today - asked for it in my shaky Mandarin and BOOM - a torrent of Mandarin back at me. Whoa there, lady! Let's go back to less shaky French....

Le Comptoir des Archives - Paris

Great People-Watching, Newspaper Included
There's nothing remarkable about the food or coffee here, but there's one huge plus. They have newspapers for sale - you grab one, read it while eating/drinking and they add it to your bill. This is ground-breaking for a person on an expense account - it means you have only one annoying chit to submit when doing your expenses. Yep, it's official - I'm spoiled. I'm in France, living free of charge and I'm concerned about reducing my expense chits. Feel free to laugh at me and call me names.

Coupe Foudre - Paris

Parlez-Vous Cupcake?
After so many mediocre cupcake experiences in Paris (Berko, Cupcake and Co.) I don't know why I keep trying - it's not like I'm a cupcake nut. I cannot figure it out. Today I was walking in the 11th and remembered that a commenter suggested Coupe Foudre has the best cupcake in Paris. What the hell - ONE more try..... I walked in and went straight for the cupcake shelf and picked out a cinnamon - I'm a sucker for cinnamon.

Morry's - Paris

Is a Bagel Still a Bagel If it's Made in Paris?
It depends. If you're a tourist from NY visiting Paris for a week, the answer is "no." If you've moved to Paris from NY, have been here a while and are looking to squelch the home sickness, then the answer if "yes." Morry's is a shop that mainly sells bagel sandwiches and offers a range of bagels and fillings. It happens to be a short walk from my job in the Bastille and when I discovered it, I was feeling kinda low and it picked me right up.

Stoeckel - Paris

The Chocolate Brick
After the short walk to work this morning, I went into yet another, different patisserie and looked around for something I'd never had before. The "Pavé Bastille" caught my eye. I had no idea what the insides were and the name didn't give anything away. Turns out, the word pavé means "brick" or "cobblestone" but it took a bite for the deep chocolate to reveal itself. This is a keeper in the breakfast rotation. Sweet, dense and filling.

Legay Choc - Paris

What's With the Name?
Funny story - when Puffin and I first came to Paris together last year we stayed at a hotel in the Marais near rue de Temple. One day after I got home from work she told me "I went to the gay chocolate place today." I didn't know what she was talking about so later we walked by and she pointed it out - "see, it says le gay choc." Ok, sure enough.

Au Levain du Marais - Paris

An Embarrassment of Riches
I have countless breakfast options on the 20 minute walk from my apartment in the Marais to the job in La Bastille. This is the first post in an attempt to document them all. One that stood out to my eye is a traditionally decorated corner patisserie on Boulevard Beaumarchais. I popped in and was overwhelmed by the choices.