Two weeks ago I was sent on a last minute business trip to Paris. While it sounds glamorous, trust me... it was ALL WORK and barely any play. I did manage to eke out a few meals at places I hadn't tried last time, and we had Bastille Day off and decided to take advantage despite our exhaustion. Fireworks behind the Eiffel Tower ain't bad after some long days.
One place I didn't get a chance to go to last time was Le Chateaubriand, which was just 2 blocks away from where I had stayed then. Since we weren't getting out of the office until after 8pm anyway, we decided to try for their second seating which is only for walk-ins (after unsuccessfully getting a table at Frenchie who was booked until mid-August). Although their reputation is as much about the trendy clientele as it is the food, the space was actually very comfortable and the staff really friendly (and English-speaking!). Waiting an hour with a red wine in hand on a warm evening with a good friend is not bad at all. The food was incredibly creative and exciting, and I eagerly anticipated the arrival of every dish, something I haven't felt since maybe Le Bernardin or Providence. I would definitely go back next time I'm in town, even if it means eating past midnight again.
Veau d'Hugo, navets, foie de morue
Fraises aux vin, safran / glace au lait ribo, herbes, beurre noisette mmmm
Despite how toursity Le Comptoir is, we managed to eat there twice, mostly out of convenience. The best part about this bistro is that they don't take reservations! It's difficult to plan your schedule when you are working unpredictable hours on an unpredictable business trip. The pig definitely reigns here.
Basket of charcuterie which included the most ridiculously large piece of andouille
Milk-braised cochon that was so tender the meat was at times indistinguishable from the fat; "fried shoes" according to Gigi's misguided translator... petit peas that were not so petit, mushrooms, and fava beans mmm
Here are some other random bits:
Maybe the best scrambled eggs I've ever had at La Maison de la Truffe
Veal carpaccio at Les Fines Gueles, where we discovered that oysters are only in season in the winter; L'as du Fallafel before the world cup final
No trip is complete without a little Pierre! Ispahan and Celeste ice creams, and of course, the ispahan croissant (which I wanted to bring back but we couldn't make it again). We also took multiple trips to Fauchon for proximity (they have a pretty good hazelnut bostock), and Laduree (mmm chocolate + pistachio croissant)
* Some photos are from Gigi's camera, and the ispahan croissant photo is actually from my sister on our last trip. Sometimes eating right away is more important than getting a shot, especially when it comes to this thing of beauty
