Favorite Foods I Ate in Paris

When I went to Paris back in October with Amanda, Sommer and Stephanie, there were so many parts I loved about the city! I’ve been wanting to post all of my photos weeks ago, but was hesitant to do so, in light of what happened to that beloved city. So, this is me celebrating everything wonderful about Paris. I think its about time I shared these photos and everything I loved while visiting.

This first post is all about the amazing food I ate there! {Typical for me…I think of my stomach first 🙂 } I’ll also be talking about my favorite stops and where I stayed, so keep your eyes peeled for those posts.

Fresh Croissants

After I had my first 5 croissants, they all seem to run together and taste the same. All ridiculously delicious! And of course just about every restaurant had warm and fresh croissants, so I took full advantage of that! The ingredients they use in Paris all seem to be much better quality than the ingredients readily available in the states, so when you bake, of course you get a better product! I could not get enough of the European butter either! If I could buy it in bulk and bring it back to Portland, I totally would!!

Also: I was able to attend a croissant making class at La Cuisine Paris. Homemade croissants fresh out of the oven?! Puh-lease!! I ate soooo many! The chef even gave out his recipe for croissants to everyone too! So, I have my copy and will *hopefully* be posting a thorough tutorial soon.

Parisian Hot Chocolate

I cannot even tell you how thick and creamy all the hot chocolate is in Paris. It is what dreams are made of! Pretty sure the only ingredients are cream and chocolate…which explains all the weight I gained during this 8-day trip. Oops?!

My favorite was at Angelina, but the two runner ups would be at Les Deux Magots and at the Cafe St. Regis on the Ile St Louis.

Parisian Breakfast

The interesting thing about Paris {that is completely opposite of how we do things in North America} is that they leisurely enjoy their food. They don’t care if it takes them 2 hours to eat breakfast, they sit, relax and enjoy! ALL of the cafes have outdoor seating with umbrellas/coverings and heaters. The fascinating thing was all the chairs weren’t facing each other at every table; they were all faced outward! This is just proof that the French completely enjoy watching their surroundings {and subsequently don’t have their faces all up in their phones.} My favorite Parisian breakfast I had was from Les Deux Magots. Our breakfast took nearly 2 1/2 hours, but we enjoyed omelettes, salad, warm croissants and hot chocolate. I ate a lot of croissants and hot chocolate in Paris.

Astier

I’ve never had a soufflé quite as perfect, moist and tender as this Grand Marnier Soufflé at Astier! I don’t know what their secret is, but holy smokes, this is amazing! If you are heading to Paris, head here earlier in the evening because the chef only makes a limited number every night, so be sure to be one of the lucky ones 🙂 It’s well worth it! You won’t ever think of soufflé in the same way again.

Dessance

Hands down the most incredible dinner I had in Paris was at Dessance.  Unique and delicious plates of food are brought to your table that celebrate the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables. Basically, you choose how many courses you want and just wait for the fun to start! EVERY course I tried was phenomenal. I didn’t always know what I was eating, but oh my heavens it was all delicious. I would literally travel back to Paris just to eat here again–that’s how good it was. PS-dessert especially was amazing! {See my video here.}

Cheesecake from Berko

Talk about a total surprise find in Paris! While we were sight seeing and window shopping, we stumbled upon this very American looking cheesecake and cupcake shop called Berko. Um, YES I’M GOING TO STOP. So being the lemon addict I am, I ordered the Lemon Meringue Cheesecake.I just about died after one bite. The meringue on top of this was a cross between soft marshmallow fluff and a toasted meringue cookie. I’ve never had any cheesecake as good as this cheesecake {and I’ve eaten a lot of cheesecake in my day!} I would go back to Paris just for another slice.

Honorable mention: the key lime pie & berry cheesecakes were also very good!!

 

Praluline Nut Praline Bread

I know this looks kind of funny. I saw it in the window and thought “oh, weird”. But after we walked into Pralus Bakery and were offered samples, we were all hooked! Think buttery, soft, slightly chewy brioche sweet bread with small pieces of candied {pink!} nuts inside. It definitely made for a tasty snack while shopping! A super fun find.

 

Macarons

Besides croissants, I ate a lot of French macarons. I tried them wherever they were sold. But, my favorites were by far from Laduree and Pierre Herme. Laduree has a lot of classic flavors where Pierre Herme has a lot of unique flavors. By far my favorites were the chocolate, salted caramel and vanilla macarons from Laduree and the creme brûlée, mogador {passionfruit and milk chocolate} and milena {mint and red fruits} macarons from Pierre Herme. You’ve got to try the good ones to appreciate them 🙂 Don’t worry about trying macarons from other shops in Paris; head to these two spots first!

French Bistro Desserts Class

Not only did we get to take a croissant making class, but we also took a French Bistro Desserts Class at a place called Cook’n With Class. There were so many fun desserts we got to make! I knew how to make a few of the items we were baking, but it was fun to see a real French chef teach us how to create these very traditional dishes using the correct techniques. A really fun way to spend a morning…eating dessert 🙂

Shangri La Hotel

Berthillon

Hands down the best ice cream in Paris!! The lines at every Berthillon are out the door and around the corner…and for good reason! It is the creamiest, dreamiest ice cream you will ever eat. I had a hard time finishing my ice cream {probably because of all the croissants I had eaten earlier in the day} but the Chocolate and Almond flavors were beyond incredible! Actually, every flavor I tried was amazing. If they could import this to the states, I would buy it by the truckload. {Wish I was kidding, you guys.} When you go to Paris, this is a total MUST on my list.

Honorable mention: Amorino. This gelato is turned into beautiful flowers on a cone! The flavors are bright and taste exactly like you think they should. There is nothing artificial about them. If you’re walking by an Amorino, you have to stop and try it! I LOVED the hazelnut ice cream and lemon sorbet. Flavors are bright and so delicious!

Other Honorable mentions

Bistrot Belhara–lots of braised, fall off the bone meats and stews! I had a chicken and bean dish that was awesome.

La Briciola–PIZZA! Yes, pizza in Paris is oh so good! Be sure to get the burrata cheese too.

Brian DeFehr–A private French chef that came to our vacation rental and cooked us a delicious diner! If you want to do something special in Paris, this is the ticket!