Paris, France Eats and Treats

I am on a worldwide mission to defeat hanger. [Hunger + Anger = Hanger.] You know hanger: your vision takes on a red hue, your stomach growls loudly, and you respond with words that are short and few. Until finally, you FREAK OUT ON THAT POOR SOUL STANDING NEXT TO YOU (sorry, dear hubbs).

Here are some of the best eats in Paris to stop that hanger right in its tracks. You can confidently put away TripAdvisor and Yelp. All you’ll need is Google Maps, and you’ll be ready (sorry Apple Maps; you are miserable).

Le Soufflé – French Cuisine

When you think of soufflé, you think of classic Parisian cuisine. I personally have always thought of soufflés as sou silly. It’s pretty much an air bubble of food. But we had just finished a long morning of adventuring, and the hanger was starting to get to us. We sat down in this cozy indoor space and I ordered one spinach soufflé for 14 euros. He had the lunch menu combo of a salad/soufflé/dessert/glass of wine for 26 euros.

There was zero soufflé left on my plate by the end of that très délicieux lunch. It was light, airy, and energizing, just like our moods. The chocolate soufflé was so rich I couldn’t have more than a bite, but I’m sure the chocoholics out there believe it is the messiah in dessert form. Service was great, and the food was brought out quickly. If you want a super soufflé experience, this is the place to go!

Paris, France Eats and Treats

Maison Privat – French Bakery

My friend (pictured below) and I were walking around one morning and really craving a small bite to eat. We were led to Maison Privat by our noses and after one look around, we knew we’d found the right place. It’s no surprise this place is rated 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor and is in the top fifty bakeries in Paris. If you want a genuine baguette and chocolate croissant, this is the answer to your carby dreams!

Paris, France Eats and Treats

Ravioli Chinois Nord Est – Chinese Cuisine (Dumplings)

When my husband lived in France for a few months last year, he frequented this exact dumpling place at least twice a week. I had heard about this place a lot (A LOT), so when we finally went there with a few of our French friends, I had Drake-like sky-high expectations. We sat down inside the simple shop and ordered ten of the tofu & vegetable dumplings (5 euros) and ten of the pork & celery dumplings (5 euros). If you’ve ever been a dumpling fan and you’re wanting a break from the French bread and cheese routine, take yourself here! This place wasn’t a dump(ling); it seriously ROCKED. Some places in France call dumplings “ravioli,” so that’s something to remember. Even though the indoor decor was very simple/hole-in-the-wallish, prices and food were fantastic.

Pooja – Indian Cuisine

Hubby and I enjoy eating Indian food in every city we visit. It is such comfort food for the two of us. We were recommended this place by one of our good Parisian friends, and it was located in a cool passage, so we were like, “Erhmaherm, why not?” We sat down and ordered our typical dishes:
Me – Palak paneer and raita He – Chicken tikka masala and a Kingfisher beer

When we got our food, it all looked incredible. But the real question was, would it taste as good? Guys, it was even better than it looked. The spice level was perfect (we both love a bit of a kick but not anything that makes you reach for your water), the flavors were abundant, and the Kingfisher and raita were crisp and cooling. Do we recommend this place? Ya DUH. Price-wise, this place was on par with G’Raj Mahal in Austin, so just a little bit above average, but it was so good. We will definitely be going back next time we are in Paris.

Lao Siam – Thai Food

Every time I order Thai food, I have sky-Thai expectations. Very rarely are those expectations surpassed. This place was interesting because when we walked in, we noticed that the temperature in the restaurant was ten degrees warmer than it was outside. In the summer, this isn’t the best. We also noticed that they had ZERO tofu. To a vegetarian, this is a 50% loss in options. Thank God for vegetables, am I right? Finally fitting into our table, we ordered green curry with vegetables, red curry with chicken, and one Singha beer to drink.

Even though we were sweating as we sat, hoping we ordered the right things, once we tasted the food, all was forgotten. The curries were dee-lee-cious. I have never, ever, ever, ever had such good green curry, and I know the red curry was also exceptional, since his plate was spotless. As for the beer, he enjoyed the lightness of it and thinks it pairs well with Thai food. Interiors were nothing special, but the great prices and food made up for the lack of leg room!

52 – French Cuisine

I want to keep this one short because every time I try to write about it, I write too much. This place was recommended to us by a Parisian friend, and our handy dandy TripAdvisor app also gave it a double thumbs up. So we did what any smart tourist does: we went here for both breakfast and dinner. Our breakfast order looked like two yogurt parfaits, a latte, pork bread (no good), and an espresso (cafe).

For dinner, I ordered a gourmet salad to start and vegetable couscous for the meal. He ordered gourmet melon soup to start and roast pig for the meal. We got a bottle of Chinon for the table.

I absolutely loved my food. Sometimes fancier restaurants try harder with the vegetarian food because they need more substance since there’s no meat. It was tasty, different, innovative, and filling. Hubbs loved his food but didn’t rave as much as I did. Price-wise, breakfast was a bargain. Dinner, on the other hand, was a little bit more steep.

52 Bar

 Bistrot de la Tour Eiffel – French Cafe

After our visit to the Eiffel Tower, we were so unbelievably hungry. I’m not sure why twinkling lights make me so hungry, but they do! We headed to Bistrot de la Tour Eiffel because it is a five-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower and an authentic little cafe. Our waiter did not really speak English, but is it really a problem to hear too much French? Never. We ordered donuts, pizza, tea, and basically all the late-night foods you can think of. It was delicious, inexpensive, and definitely hit the spot.

The Secret Crepes Place – Crepes (duh!)

I went to this place the first time I went to Paris and the last time I went to Paris. It’s heartwarming to know this little stall is still in business and doing well. When you’re walking down the Avenue de Champs-Elysées toward the Arc de Triomphe, you’ll find this little spot on the right side of the road. I’ve had their savory crepes and sweet crepes, so I can confidently say you won’t go wrong with either.

Chez Francis – Pasta, Burgers, Crepes

We went here when we were absolutely ravenous, so maybe we enjoyed it more than we should have, but now with a sober mind I can tell you the crepes were the best part of the meal. My veggie burger was actually quite bad (HA), but my friend swears the pasta was delicious. So, if you’re by the Eiffel Tower and you’re not a vegetarian, check this place out, if not for anything but the fresh crepes!

Paris, France Eats and Treats

Stay posted for my Paris Sights post next week! If you have any restaurant recommendations, comment below! I hope this Paris, France eats and treats guide helps you.

Cheers,

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