List No. 2

Eating is practically a religion in France, so this list is all about food! Here are my favorite things to eat in Paris and where to find them:

1. Crêpes, especially banana + nutella. Just make sure you get a freshly made one and not one off the stack that's been sitting there all day (soggy crêpe= very disappointing experience).

There is definitely going to be some nutella in my post-France future.

 
 [image via flickr]

2. Macarons from Ladurée. I had never had macarons before I came to Paris, and before I bit into one for the first time I really had no idea what they would taste like. The answer? The most delicate, crispy, creamy bite of heaven you've ever eaten. Especially the rose and bitter chocolate flavors. Mmm...

[images via here]

Plus they're just so darn pretty!


3. L'As du Falafel (see this post)

4. Angelina's hot chocolate. Like drinking a melted bar of dark chocolate.

(Lovely watercolor by Carol Gillott)

5. Café au lait served in giant pretty bowls at Coquelicot in Montmartre.

  

[Manufactum bowl]

6. Indiana Tex-Mex. Funny name and some definite genre-confusion, but relatively good Mexican food.

7. Breakfast in America for when you're really craving a burger and a root beer float.

8. My host mom's dinners. While sadly not available to the general public, I couldn't leave her out because she is such an incredible cook!  A perfect cheese soufflé and homemade chocolate mousse? Oh, just another regular weeknight dinner, no big deal. It's a good thing I only have two dinners a week with my host family or I would have gained the equivalent of a kindergartner.

L'As du Fallafel

I was over in the Marais the other day and decided to finally make the trip to L'As du Fallafel, the much raved-over "best fallafel in Paris." 

I have to say it definitely lived up to the hype. On the Rue des Rosiers in an old Jewish neighborhood, L'As du Fallafel is pretty unassuming, just a little hole-in-the-wall place with a few tables and a noisy kitchen. I was by myself so I didn't feel like sitting, despite the ever-increasing drizzle outside. So I took my fallafel to go, stood under an awning down the street and devoured the whole thing. I then noticed several other people doing the same. Very messy, but so good.

photo via Richard Harbus, The New York Times

I wish you could try this...

Tarte aux pommes et fruits rouges streusel (apple and red fruit streusel tart) from here. 

Breakfast in America

I went to this diner-style restaurant Friday night with some friends for a much needed taste of home.  Burgers, fries, milkshakes, and breakfast food all day long, plus Bruce Springsteen playing in the background and American football on TV. It was great. And interestingly enough, full of French people, with a line out the door.

And yes, that is a frequent diner card.  I'm feeling slightly ashamed over this, but not enough to keep me from going back for more stamps.

By the way...

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the amazing-ness that is Nutella?

[photo via flickr]

Nutella-banana crêpes are officially the best thing ever. Just want to put that out there.