At the end of summer last year I had a lovely weekend in Paris with my Mum. I meant to write it up but, like many things, it got put on the back burner when I started my Masters. It is now far too late for me to share the intricate details of each meal I had there, but I still have the photos.
The best meal, hands down, was at Les Papilles, a recommendation from David Lebovitz which is number one on his list of 10 insanely delicious things you shouldn’t miss in Paris. I did actually start writing a review of this, so I will finish it off and post it soon.
In the meantime, here are the photos of all the lovely (and not so lovely) things I ate in Paris, along with details of the dishes and restaurants.
Les Papilles
I have already given this all the introduction it needs. My cousin Jess, who I later recommended it to, rated it in the top ten meals of her life. It is by no means flash; a simple hole in the wall wine bar-cum-bistro “serving delicious well-presented food, at very reasonable prices”. Perhaps it is this outward simplicity and value for money that make the food stand out so much. It exceeds all expectations; rustic but thoughtfully presented and executed with finesse.
Escargot - the best I have ever had
Cucumber gazpacho with radish, crouton, bacon, creme fraiche and fried chervil
Magret de carnard (duck breast) 
Boudin noir (black pudding) 
Strawberry pannacotta
Les Papilles - 30 rue Gay Lussac 75005; Ph +33 (0)1 43 25 20 79
Lauderee
My friend Geraldine, who lives in Paris, recommended visiting this Lauderee over the more popular one on the Champs Elysee. My favourite macarons are salted caramel. Divine.
Lauderee – 16 rue Royale 75008; Ph : +33 (0)1 42 60 21 79
Chez Paul
David Lebovitz's recommendations are not infallible. Chez Paul sounded like the perfect French bistro in his review and it certainly looked the part:
But the food did not match up. The rabbit rillettes were bland, as was the dandelion salad with “crispy” bacon and poached egg recommended by Lebovitz. The steak was ok, but the béarnaise which came with it wasn't like béarnaise at all – it was a strange colour (grey-green) and the consistency of mayonnaise. The “frites”, though they looked beautifully golden, must have been cooked earlier and reheated because they were soggy and tepid. And the service! It was beyond terrible. I know people always say that about Paris, but this was something else. I have never felt so unwelcome in any restaurant in my life.
Rabbit rillettes
Dandelion, egg and bacon salad
Steak "frites" with "béarnaise"
Probably no point giving you the details, but for the sake of consistency, here you are:
Chez Paul – 13 Rue de Charonne 75011; Ph : +33 (0)1 47 00 34 57
Jaja
This is my Mum and Dad’s favourite restaurant in Paris. It is a lovely venue, with a quirky, modern interior full of natural light and a secluded courtyard:
Unfortunately we were dining a few days after they had returned from summer holidays so they were out of a lot of the things, namely those I was most interested in ordering. Still, the dishes we ordered were very nice; simple, home-style cooking and clear, clean flavours.
Veal carpaccio
Thyme langoustine skewer
Crispy lamb shoulder with eggplant puree
Jaja – 3 rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie 75004; Ph : +33 (0)1 42 74 71 52
Chez Julien
I ended up here quite by accident. I had been looking for Mon Vieil Ami. For hours. It was approaching the end of the lunch period so I had to give up and look elsewhere. The sun was shining and the outdoor terrace at Chez Julien looked inviting and the menu promising. I thought the crispy prawns with Granny Smith salad sounded interesting, and indeed it was, but not in a good way. The prawns were lovely on their own, but they didn't really work with the apple, and the sweet and spicy tomato sauce was neither good nor suited. The chateaubriand, on the other hand, was fabulous and the frites were as good as they look in the photo, but the sauce wasn't especially interesting. Overall, I was happy to pay the money to sit in a lovely location:
... but expected better food for the price.
Crispy prawns with basil, spicy tomato and Granny Smith apples
Chateaubriand with frites
Chez Julien – 16 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis 75010; +33 (0)1 47 70 12 06
Le Comptoir
This was another recommendation from Geraldine and came a close second to Les Papilles. In fact the food was probably as good as Les Papilles, but I had higher expectations and there was less ambience. The pastry casing of the tarte brisee was a perfect example of why the French are so highly regarded in this field and I loved the fact that the filling of peas, mint and feta had been added after the tart case came out of the oven, making for an exceptionally light and fresh dish. I never usually order chicken, but I was feeling pretty bloated from the weekends excesses and wanted something light. It was perfect, a reminder of how good chicken can be. Mum ordered the pork belly that I would have ordered had I not been feeling so stuffed and that was great too, tender and succulent.
Tarte brisee with pea, feta and mint served with braised baby gem
Chicken supreme
Pork belly with lentils
Le Comptoir – 9 carrefour de l’Odeon 75006; +33 (0)1 44 27 07 97
La Ferme Saint-Aubin
I walked past this shop on my search for Mon Vieil Ami and was drawn in by this glorious site:
One word. Wow.
Le Ferme Saint-Aubin – 76 rue Saint-Louis en I’lle 75004; +33 1 43 54 74 54
And yes, it was just a weekend.