We had a week with great weather—sunny, no rain and in 60s. First time in Paris in the spring. We took the 10 pm flight from Newark and arrived Paris noon next day. We ate before boarding, and I took a mild tranquilizer/sleeping pill, used earplugs and eyecovers, and settled down right after take off, skipped meal, and I slept for 5.5 hrs, awaking just as breakfast was being served. The best ever for me and I felt fit and ready to go on arrival and thru the day. I believe the late flight made it easier to sleep since we were flying during normal sleeping times. My wife and dau., however, slept very little. Long term screaming child did not help. I ordered the taxi thru ParisAddress—it was E70 which was maybe higher than typical cab fare, but I thought it was worth it as the driver is in contact with the apt. service and we didn’t have to worry about making contact with our apt. rep. on arrival. Taxi driver spoke good English—very helpful and polite, insisted on carrying our bags up the stairs etc. Identified buildings and told us how he was going along the way as if he was a tour guide. Our experience with Paris Address was very good. The rep was waiting for us when we arrived at the Rue Guisarde apt. in the 6th/St. Germain. The rep spoke good English and was very patient and thorough in explaining things about the apt. Both the rep. and driver seemed proud and happy to have us visiting their country.
First order of business after settling in apt. was getting something to eat. Our street was lined with restaurants, but in our post transatlantic flight haze, we weren’t in any shape to spend much time picking and choosing, so we stumbled in the first one that looked good with minimal menu review—Bistrot de la Grille St. Germain—corner of Guisarde and Mabillon across from Marche St. Germain. And it was a hit!! Décor was authentic Paris bistro—looked like it hadn’t changed since 1910. I had the Homard Terrine starter (12E) in warm buttery sauce with liberal chunks of lobster and mixed vegetables. That was it. Right there I was satisfied. If nothing else good happened on the trip, it was worth it! The rest was great too: I also had the Cuisse Lapin (rabbit) with mushrooms and tagliatelle (14E), wife had potage de legumes and fish duo, dau had Daube of Joue Boeuf (16E)—traditional beef stew very tender with carrots and potatoes and a rich sauce that tasted like a reduction of at least a bottle of wine! Total bill was 60E (no wine or dessert). Waiter was young, casual, spoke little English and gave us an English menu as soon as he saw us struggling with French. But we like to look at both menus as sometimes things are lost in the English translation and the French can clarify and helps one learn the language.
My wife desparately needed a nap, so my dau. and I went out to explore the surrounding area. The apt. location was superb—within a few blocks of 3 Metro lines and 5 stations—Supice, St. Germain, Mabillon, Odeon, and Sevres-Babylone. R. Guisarde and adjacent streets—Princesse, Canettes, Mabillon—were are lined with restaurants, bistrots and cafes with other shops thrown in. And just a few blocks from all the cafes on Blv. St. Germain and the patisseries, markets, take outs and restaurants of R. de Buci area. Monoprix was nearby on R. Rennes. Within a 6 block area there are more restaurants, cafes, creperies and patisseries than you can deal with in a weeks time. Dau. took pictures of St. Germain church, Deux Maggots etc. We stopped in at Pauls on r. de Buci,—blueberry tart (and everything else) looked fantastic. Went across street to my favorite from previous trip—La Bonbonnierre de Buci—great selection, particularly tarts, where I picked one of my favorites—Mirabelle puff pastry tart. Dau. bought some sort of pastry filled with small chocolate chips which she ate B4 getting very far down the street. We stopped in at the patisserie on our street—Fabien Ladoux where I picked up a cerise (cherry) tart another of my must-haves. All the patis. had wonderful looking take out sandwiches, quiches, salads also. Neat window displays with Easter candy, chocolates. By this time my dau. was crashing so she went down for a nap and my wife and I went to Monoprix to get needed items, an experience in itself with all the foods different from home. Fun just trying to figure out what stuff is. In the take out area we bought Pate Forestierre, Chicken terrine, and carrots rapee (shredded) salad with distinctive dressing. Mouse aux Fruits in the yogurt turned out to be like a whipped blackberry yogurt mousse. French person overheard us trying to figure out if demi meant half and half or what, and she helpfully explained it was low fat milk. Got back to apt., woke up dau and went out walking in other direction about 8 pm—to St. Sulpice and Luxembourg gardens, but it was nearly dark by this time and both were closed. Then we went to Creperie des Cannettes right near our apt. Another hit!! Small, cramped, fun, bright, lively place. I had the green salad with walnuts—great dressing. Shared 2 buckwheat crepes: bacon, mushroom, egg, crème fraiche combo and combo tomato, moz, basil. They were PERFECT--not dried out, overdone or soggy, often a problem with inferior crepes. Also had the cider (wonderful). Shared fine dessert crepes: crème de marron chantilly (wow!) and orange juice/gran marnier. Bill: 38E. Perfect end to a wonderful first half day!
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Yummy..............those crepes sound superb!!!
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How long did it take you to claim your luggage and clear customs? Thanks!
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Ooh - as I am currently in my apartment just off Bvd St Germain I am writing down the names of all these places for my next few days of exploration!
Thanks for sharing!
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Clearing customs/baggage at CGD was quite quick--about half hour if I remember (much better than in our return at Newark which was over an hr waiting for baggage). Plane was about 1/2 hr late arriving CDG due to late departure from Newark. ParisAddress ordered taxi driver was right there with our name on a sign as soon as we came out the customs/baggage area door. Like clockwork and very comforting to see him.
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What a dinner you had in the Bistrot de la Grille !! I am licking my computerscreen.....
I also totally agree with your observation %26gt;%26gt;%26gt;All the patis. had wonderful looking take out sandwiches, quiches, salads also%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
Nowhere in the world can you get so much fantastic, fresh, tasty, superdelicious, beautiful delicatessen and take-away food than in Paris ! You can eat like royalty - never having to enter a single restaurant,
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I%26#39;m starving!!
Well I do need to eat dinner but I%26#39;m starving for Paris!!
Keep eating..and writing..one must live vicariously for now!
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Ausboxer: two other restaurants you want to consider since you%26#39;re in the neighborhood: Chez Maitre Paul, 12 r. Monsieur Le Prince (traditional sauce based cooking like you would have expected your French grandmother to cook if you had one--chicken in cream wine sauce with morels for one) and Le Caveau du Palace on place Dauphine on Ile de la Cite. I can vouch for these. Also try the Salad Deux Maggot (very best chiefs salad) at Deux Maggot on Blvd. St. Germain. I%26#39;ll write more about these when I get to day 4-5.
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Somerset - thanks to this post I wandered across to Bisrot de la Grille St Germain this evening - your description of Daube Joue Boeuf was enough to get me there!
I ordered it and it didn%26#39;t dissapoint - a perfect meal to end my week in Paris!
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Ausboxer: so glad you verified my observation re. the daub of beef. I%26#39;d hate to be giving out information that doesn%26#39;t hold up to scrutiny.
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