Eating My Way Though Europe
What and Where Am I Eating?
June 3, 2010 - Airplane Food
I have a secret love for airline food. It often gets a bad rap, but it's not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. First, it's very welcome. I call this the camping effect: the less available food is, the better it tastes when you get it. Second, it usually marks the beginning or ending of your journey, and so there is a certain ceremony to the meal. Third, people work hard to make that food for us, and making delicious food for later consumption is difficult, so I empathize with the airline chefs. In fact, both meals made me miss my boyfriend, who works for a company that prepares food for private jets. Not that I had anything worthy of a private jet.
For a snack, we got pretzels. No surprise there. Although why they always serve salty snacks when you're only allowed one or two small drinks is beyond me. Dinner was decent and satisfying. I chose the chicken option and received a small salad (with a tasty Honey Dijon Dill Vinaigrette), a hard roll with butter, breaded chicken atop penne pasta with marinara sauce, and a brownie for dessert. The salad was by far the best part - it tasted fresh and had a surprising number of components (two types of lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and cheese).
Just five hours later, they served us breakfast. The time change meant it was technically 5:30 a.m., but it felt like 11:30 at night to me. So it felt like a bonus meal, which I'm all for! The airline gave us some melon and a warm croissant with jam. The croissant was so delectable that I wanted another, but I'm sure it will pare in comparison to the croissants I'll eat in France. And the coffee was another welcome treat, since I didn't get a wink of sleep that night.
For a snack, we got pretzels. No surprise there. Although why they always serve salty snacks when you're only allowed one or two small drinks is beyond me. Dinner was decent and satisfying. I chose the chicken option and received a small salad (with a tasty Honey Dijon Dill Vinaigrette), a hard roll with butter, breaded chicken atop penne pasta with marinara sauce, and a brownie for dessert. The salad was by far the best part - it tasted fresh and had a surprising number of components (two types of lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and cheese).
Just five hours later, they served us breakfast. The time change meant it was technically 5:30 a.m., but it felt like 11:30 at night to me. So it felt like a bonus meal, which I'm all for! The airline gave us some melon and a warm croissant with jam. The croissant was so delectable that I wanted another, but I'm sure it will pare in comparison to the croissants I'll eat in France. And the coffee was another welcome treat, since I didn't get a wink of sleep that night.
Eating in the sky
June 4, 2010 - London
London food also gets a bad rap. I'd like to report that I had mostly excellent food in London, but I only ate 3 meals. So I'm no expert. And I also think that when you go into an experience with low expectations, you're more likely to be pleasantly surprised. Something to think about, since I have high expectations of French food....
I had lunch in Piccadilly Circus, which I read is "the Times Square of London". Well, I've been to Times Square, and it pales in comparison. But I guess I can see the connection - it's filled with tourists, everything is way overpriced, and they have a few of those gigantic screens that Times Square is famous for. My guidebook recommended finding a restaurant that advertised a lunch bargain, so that's what I did. I chose the first cheap lunch bargain I found, at Tiger Lounge, starting at just 5 pounds. Although I decided to order the 9 pound chef special, which was still a bargain compared to many of the other restaurants I'd walked past. When I asked my waiter if he thought I should order fish and chips or the special, he said "the special, since I can have fish and chips any day", which was ironic. But he convinced me, since even though I was determined to eat fish and chips in London, I still had two more chances to indulge. More irony: I asked for a British beer, and the waiter said they had none, even though they had about 20 beers to select from. So I just ordered a Stella Artois. The special was a smoked haddock and saffron risotto topped with crispy bacon and a poached egg. The risotto was rich and creamy (as a risotto should be), but I could hardly taste the saffron. I suppose you get what you pay for - saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world. The poached egg was disappointingly overcooked. I was looking forward to cutting into my egg and having the yolk run out onto the plate, but I had no such fun. However, the bacon was a welcome addition (and honestly, when is bacon not a welcome addition?). Despite the shortcomings of the dish, it was an appetizing, hearty meal. On a side note, the restaurant was completely void of diners except for me, despite the hoards of tourists outside. When I asked the waiter why that might be, he replied that the restaurant was more of a nightclub than a lunch destination. So perhaps I should have followed the golden rule of finding a good restaurant: go where the crowds are. Oh well.
For dinner, I was more than ready to get my fish and chips fix. I learned from my guidebook where the locals would go for fish and chips (The Rock and Sole Place), and I was not disappointed! The restaurant was tiny and dive-y, but I've never seen more choices for the fish in the fish and chips in my life. Actually, I've never seen any choice for the fish in the fish and chips. I chose cod because it's classic, but they had options such as haddock, skate, calamari, and several more. It was the best fish and chips I've ever had. Or rather, it was the best fried cod I've ever had, since I've had better fries, and I've also had some excellent fried catfish in my time. The fish was hot and moist and flaky and everything you could want out of fried fish. The chips were very thick and potato-y (for lack of a better word), and slightly bland, but salt fixed that problem in no time. I asked for ketchup and tartar sauce, and they brought out big silver containers of both. I was pleased, since one of my pet peeves is ordering ketchup (or sauce) and getting a tiny little side only big enough for 5 fries. I also ordered a side of mushy peas, which I read is the classic side dish for fish and chips. They look just like they sound, but had more flavor than I was expecting. I enjoyed them, despite having the look and feel of baby food. I heard the portions in Europe were smaller than in America, but I couldn't finish all of my chips, because the meal was huge. If any of you ever go to London, I highly recommend this restaurant.
I had lunch in Piccadilly Circus, which I read is "the Times Square of London". Well, I've been to Times Square, and it pales in comparison. But I guess I can see the connection - it's filled with tourists, everything is way overpriced, and they have a few of those gigantic screens that Times Square is famous for. My guidebook recommended finding a restaurant that advertised a lunch bargain, so that's what I did. I chose the first cheap lunch bargain I found, at Tiger Lounge, starting at just 5 pounds. Although I decided to order the 9 pound chef special, which was still a bargain compared to many of the other restaurants I'd walked past. When I asked my waiter if he thought I should order fish and chips or the special, he said "the special, since I can have fish and chips any day", which was ironic. But he convinced me, since even though I was determined to eat fish and chips in London, I still had two more chances to indulge. More irony: I asked for a British beer, and the waiter said they had none, even though they had about 20 beers to select from. So I just ordered a Stella Artois. The special was a smoked haddock and saffron risotto topped with crispy bacon and a poached egg. The risotto was rich and creamy (as a risotto should be), but I could hardly taste the saffron. I suppose you get what you pay for - saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world. The poached egg was disappointingly overcooked. I was looking forward to cutting into my egg and having the yolk run out onto the plate, but I had no such fun. However, the bacon was a welcome addition (and honestly, when is bacon not a welcome addition?). Despite the shortcomings of the dish, it was an appetizing, hearty meal. On a side note, the restaurant was completely void of diners except for me, despite the hoards of tourists outside. When I asked the waiter why that might be, he replied that the restaurant was more of a nightclub than a lunch destination. So perhaps I should have followed the golden rule of finding a good restaurant: go where the crowds are. Oh well.
For dinner, I was more than ready to get my fish and chips fix. I learned from my guidebook where the locals would go for fish and chips (The Rock and Sole Place), and I was not disappointed! The restaurant was tiny and dive-y, but I've never seen more choices for the fish in the fish and chips in my life. Actually, I've never seen any choice for the fish in the fish and chips. I chose cod because it's classic, but they had options such as haddock, skate, calamari, and several more. It was the best fish and chips I've ever had. Or rather, it was the best fried cod I've ever had, since I've had better fries, and I've also had some excellent fried catfish in my time. The fish was hot and moist and flaky and everything you could want out of fried fish. The chips were very thick and potato-y (for lack of a better word), and slightly bland, but salt fixed that problem in no time. I asked for ketchup and tartar sauce, and they brought out big silver containers of both. I was pleased, since one of my pet peeves is ordering ketchup (or sauce) and getting a tiny little side only big enough for 5 fries. I also ordered a side of mushy peas, which I read is the classic side dish for fish and chips. They look just like they sound, but had more flavor than I was expecting. I enjoyed them, despite having the look and feel of baby food. I heard the portions in Europe were smaller than in America, but I couldn't finish all of my chips, because the meal was huge. If any of you ever go to London, I highly recommend this restaurant.
Lunch
'Traditional Fish & Chips Since 1871'
I wish I could eat it all over again!
June 5, 2010 - From London to Paris
I had my fish and chips fix, but I had one meal left in London, and there was one other classic dish I just had to have: bangers and mash (for anyone who doesn't know the lingo, that's sausage with mashed potatoes). Once again, my guidebook was very helpful in informing me about a great place to sample the dish. The restaurant, S&M cafe (no sadomasochism in sight, thankfully), had about 8 choices of sausage with potatoes. I ordered the "Some Like it Hot" version, since I'm a sucker for spicy foods (can't be a true Texan without a penchant for spicy dishes, right?). That meant I got one pork, chorizo, and chile pepper sausage and one pork, paprika, and red pepper sausage. The sausages were short and fat, with not a hint of spice (then again, my tolerance level is very high), but delicious nonetheless. The mashers were even better, having been mixed with caramelized onions, cheese, and chives. They were so tasty that I would have been happy with just the mash. But the best part was the classic red onion gravy, which was thick and flavorful and absolutely mouthwatering. I wanted to soak up every last bit. In fact, the plate smelled so tantalizing when it arrived at my table that I forgot to take a picture. This was the best meal I've had on my trip so far (written June 6), and it was comfort food to rival even the best of Southern food in Texas. Just writing about it makes me want to book a trip back to London. Added bonus: every table had 5 different types of mustard to eat with the sausages, so I enjoyed both beer mustard and spicy honey mustard.
By dinner time, I was already in Paris. However, I'm embarrassed to admit that I got a sandwich to-go at Subway. I was so completely exhausted from travelling that I was both too tired to walk far and too tired to have a sit-down meal. I had a foot-long tuna sub, and I didn't take a picture of that either, since if you don't know what a sub sandwich looks like, I can't help you. I was afraid they might not have jalapenos, but they did, so I was able to get a true spicy fix. I am wondering how common jalapenos are in Europe. Also, there's no such thing as a 5 dollar foot long in Paris. Not even a 5 euro foot long! My sandwich was 7 euros, which was a lot more expensive than in the U.S., but cheaper than most dining options in Paris.
By dinner time, I was already in Paris. However, I'm embarrassed to admit that I got a sandwich to-go at Subway. I was so completely exhausted from travelling that I was both too tired to walk far and too tired to have a sit-down meal. I had a foot-long tuna sub, and I didn't take a picture of that either, since if you don't know what a sub sandwich looks like, I can't help you. I was afraid they might not have jalapenos, but they did, so I was able to get a true spicy fix. I am wondering how common jalapenos are in Europe. Also, there's no such thing as a 5 dollar foot long in Paris. Not even a 5 euro foot long! My sandwich was 7 euros, which was a lot more expensive than in the U.S., but cheaper than most dining options in Paris.
I just got this photo off of the internet, but it looks remarkably similar to what I ate
June 6, 2010
I slept through breakfast, feeling jet-lagged. Also, I start school tomorrow at 9 a.m. and I plan on travelling to other countries on future weekends, so it may be my last chance to sleep in for a while.
Last night, I read up on dining in Paris. The most important thing I learned is that lunch is usually the main meal for Parisians and that the best deals at lunch are the prix fixe (set price, set menu) menus. Even though the guidebook warned that prix fixe meant no substitutions, I am a very unpicky eater, so that works to my advantage. I was still fairly jet-lagged, so I didn't feel like going far. I ended up at a restaurant down the street from my apartment, called O Cantina. Ironically, it was a Tex-Mex restaurant, but that was not why I chose to dine there. Even though Tex-Mex is my favorite of all cuisines (I must exude Texan-ness to the Parisians, I even wore my school shirt today!), I am not about to order it in Europe. I had a bad experience with Tex-Mex a few years ago in Berlin. I ordered enchiladas with verde sauce and received something akin to runny crunchy peanut butter. What were they thinking!? But never say never - I wouldn't be surprised in the least if I give in to a nacho or taco craving by then end of my trip. The decor made my smile: cowboys and people in sombreros. Even though I sometimes feel guilty for stereotyping French people, I feel a bit better when I see that they also stereotype us Texans. The prix fixe menu (for 14 euros, which is a decent deal from what I've seen so far) included all the classic parts of a French meal: the entree (starter), the plat (what I would call an entree back home), the dessert (a word that is the same in both languages!), finished off with a cafe (coffee). The entree was a salade d'accueil, which I looked up in my French dictionary, and literally means "welcome salad". It was simple but tasty, with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and an unidentified dressing. For the plat, I had two choices: pizza or crepes. Of course I ordered crepes! If you don't know me already, you should know that crepes are one of my all-time favorite dishes. I love that they can easily be savory or sweet. I first fell in love with crepes when I went to Europe for the first time a few years ago (although I didn't visit France). Grabbing a crepe for lunch from one of the many crepe stands around Berlin was both convenient and cheap. It is a dream of mine to open a crepe restaurant in Austin. I can't wait to eat more of them here in Paris! The crepe at O Cantina had cheese and your choice of two more ingredients. I noticed that all of the crepes on the menu had egg (which I had to look up in my dictionary - oeuf), so even though I've never had a crepe with egg, I ordered salmon and egg. The crepe was awesome, but I know that there's even better one's just waiting for me out there in Paris. Also, it was topped with the biggest lemon wedge I've ever seen - they might as well just serve me the whole lemon. The dessert was a choice between a brownie and 2 boules de glace (which I thought would mean bowls of something, but ended up meaning balls of ice cream). I asked for 1 chocolate and 1 vanilla (because that's all I could say in French!), and was treated to some of the best vanilla ice cream ever. Ice cream is my favorite dessert, so I know my ice cream. The vanilla had flecks of vanilla bean in it, which (for me) means quality ingredients. After all, vanilla extract doesn't leave flecks, but vanilla beans do. Finally, I had my cafe. I knew from reading my guidebooks that coffee in France is never served with a meal, it's always served after. Also, they don't usually drink American-style coffee - coffee in France means espresso. That makes me happy, because I love espresso! Additionally, the French don't usually put milk in their coffee - they will always serve coffee black unless you specify that you want milk. Even though I like milk in my coffee, I forgot to specify, but I poured enough sugar in my espresso to make it drinkable. Finally, I asked for the bill, since the waiters in France don't bring you the bill until you ask for it (unlike America). Here are some extra notes from my meal: I read that they won't bring you water unless you ask for it, so I did (but forget about ice cubes, it's almost as if they don't exist here). There was a container on my table that I thought was full of sugar packets, but upon a closer look turned out to be packets of mustard and mayonnaise. I had no idea you could leave mayonnaise un-refrigerated. I didn't try it yet, but I was so amazed that I stole a packet. And there's no such thing as leftovers at a restaurant in Paris. At home, the portions are so huge that I often take a doggy bag home. I read that the practice is not acceptable in Paris. Luckily, the portions are smaller. Finally, there are diners with their dogs in every restaurant, inside and outside. I love animals, so that's a huge plus with me. In fact, I wish I could rent a dog to take to dinner with me.
Lunch left me so full that I didn't need much for dinner. Also, I'm on a budget, so I couldn't spend much. I opted to bring groceries home. Unfortunately, most of the grocery stores are closed Sunday evening. I found a corner store that was open and bought some cheese, ham, and wine for 8 euros. This corner store had the narrowest aisles I've ever seen. I walked sideways down the aisles, and I was still knocking things over! The very few fat French people I've seen have to shop somewhere else, I guess. I don't read French, so I just chose the products that I thought looked yummy. I probably picked the cheap, low-quality stuff, but at least I made sure it was all made in France. I wanted to buy some fresh bread too, and even though I passed about 100 boulangeries (bakeries) on the way home, not a single one was open! The cheese was creamy with garlic and herbs. The ham was not like the typical ham in America, it was more like prosciutto - thinly-sliced and air-dried, although I had to look up the name (jambon sec) to find out it was air-dried. Before I looked it up I was referring to it as raw ham, because that's how it looks, but of course you can't eat raw pork. Both the cheese and the pork were perfectly tasty for a cheap, in-home meal. The wine was mediocre, but not bad. However, I'm extremely proud to say that I am drinking it as I write. I checked three stores for a wine-opener, and none of them had one! So when I got home, I googled "opening wine without an opener" and found numerous suggestions. The first suggestion wasn't working fast enough for me - pounding on the bottom of the bottle until the cork eased itself out. But the second option worked in no time! However, it was pretty messy. This method involved piercing the cork all the way through (to release pressure) and then pushing the cork into the bottle. But when you release the pressure, you also release some wine. I got it on myself, on the floor, and on my computer screen. But at least I'm drinking French wine! Hooray!
Last night, I read up on dining in Paris. The most important thing I learned is that lunch is usually the main meal for Parisians and that the best deals at lunch are the prix fixe (set price, set menu) menus. Even though the guidebook warned that prix fixe meant no substitutions, I am a very unpicky eater, so that works to my advantage. I was still fairly jet-lagged, so I didn't feel like going far. I ended up at a restaurant down the street from my apartment, called O Cantina. Ironically, it was a Tex-Mex restaurant, but that was not why I chose to dine there. Even though Tex-Mex is my favorite of all cuisines (I must exude Texan-ness to the Parisians, I even wore my school shirt today!), I am not about to order it in Europe. I had a bad experience with Tex-Mex a few years ago in Berlin. I ordered enchiladas with verde sauce and received something akin to runny crunchy peanut butter. What were they thinking!? But never say never - I wouldn't be surprised in the least if I give in to a nacho or taco craving by then end of my trip. The decor made my smile: cowboys and people in sombreros. Even though I sometimes feel guilty for stereotyping French people, I feel a bit better when I see that they also stereotype us Texans. The prix fixe menu (for 14 euros, which is a decent deal from what I've seen so far) included all the classic parts of a French meal: the entree (starter), the plat (what I would call an entree back home), the dessert (a word that is the same in both languages!), finished off with a cafe (coffee). The entree was a salade d'accueil, which I looked up in my French dictionary, and literally means "welcome salad". It was simple but tasty, with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and an unidentified dressing. For the plat, I had two choices: pizza or crepes. Of course I ordered crepes! If you don't know me already, you should know that crepes are one of my all-time favorite dishes. I love that they can easily be savory or sweet. I first fell in love with crepes when I went to Europe for the first time a few years ago (although I didn't visit France). Grabbing a crepe for lunch from one of the many crepe stands around Berlin was both convenient and cheap. It is a dream of mine to open a crepe restaurant in Austin. I can't wait to eat more of them here in Paris! The crepe at O Cantina had cheese and your choice of two more ingredients. I noticed that all of the crepes on the menu had egg (which I had to look up in my dictionary - oeuf), so even though I've never had a crepe with egg, I ordered salmon and egg. The crepe was awesome, but I know that there's even better one's just waiting for me out there in Paris. Also, it was topped with the biggest lemon wedge I've ever seen - they might as well just serve me the whole lemon. The dessert was a choice between a brownie and 2 boules de glace (which I thought would mean bowls of something, but ended up meaning balls of ice cream). I asked for 1 chocolate and 1 vanilla (because that's all I could say in French!), and was treated to some of the best vanilla ice cream ever. Ice cream is my favorite dessert, so I know my ice cream. The vanilla had flecks of vanilla bean in it, which (for me) means quality ingredients. After all, vanilla extract doesn't leave flecks, but vanilla beans do. Finally, I had my cafe. I knew from reading my guidebooks that coffee in France is never served with a meal, it's always served after. Also, they don't usually drink American-style coffee - coffee in France means espresso. That makes me happy, because I love espresso! Additionally, the French don't usually put milk in their coffee - they will always serve coffee black unless you specify that you want milk. Even though I like milk in my coffee, I forgot to specify, but I poured enough sugar in my espresso to make it drinkable. Finally, I asked for the bill, since the waiters in France don't bring you the bill until you ask for it (unlike America). Here are some extra notes from my meal: I read that they won't bring you water unless you ask for it, so I did (but forget about ice cubes, it's almost as if they don't exist here). There was a container on my table that I thought was full of sugar packets, but upon a closer look turned out to be packets of mustard and mayonnaise. I had no idea you could leave mayonnaise un-refrigerated. I didn't try it yet, but I was so amazed that I stole a packet. And there's no such thing as leftovers at a restaurant in Paris. At home, the portions are so huge that I often take a doggy bag home. I read that the practice is not acceptable in Paris. Luckily, the portions are smaller. Finally, there are diners with their dogs in every restaurant, inside and outside. I love animals, so that's a huge plus with me. In fact, I wish I could rent a dog to take to dinner with me.
Lunch left me so full that I didn't need much for dinner. Also, I'm on a budget, so I couldn't spend much. I opted to bring groceries home. Unfortunately, most of the grocery stores are closed Sunday evening. I found a corner store that was open and bought some cheese, ham, and wine for 8 euros. This corner store had the narrowest aisles I've ever seen. I walked sideways down the aisles, and I was still knocking things over! The very few fat French people I've seen have to shop somewhere else, I guess. I don't read French, so I just chose the products that I thought looked yummy. I probably picked the cheap, low-quality stuff, but at least I made sure it was all made in France. I wanted to buy some fresh bread too, and even though I passed about 100 boulangeries (bakeries) on the way home, not a single one was open! The cheese was creamy with garlic and herbs. The ham was not like the typical ham in America, it was more like prosciutto - thinly-sliced and air-dried, although I had to look up the name (jambon sec) to find out it was air-dried. Before I looked it up I was referring to it as raw ham, because that's how it looks, but of course you can't eat raw pork. Both the cheese and the pork were perfectly tasty for a cheap, in-home meal. The wine was mediocre, but not bad. However, I'm extremely proud to say that I am drinking it as I write. I checked three stores for a wine-opener, and none of them had one! So when I got home, I googled "opening wine without an opener" and found numerous suggestions. The first suggestion wasn't working fast enough for me - pounding on the bottom of the bottle until the cork eased itself out. But the second option worked in no time! However, it was pretty messy. This method involved piercing the cork all the way through (to release pressure) and then pushing the cork into the bottle. But when you release the pressure, you also release some wine. I got it on myself, on the floor, and on my computer screen. But at least I'm drinking French wine! Hooray!
Salad, bread, and a carafe of water
Could that slice of lemon be any larger?
You may have noticed in the last two pictures that my bread is on the table and not on the plate. I read that it is customary in France to place the bread directly on the table (if they don't offer a bread plate) and that you are not supposed to put the bread on your dinner plate. I didn't read the reason behind this custom though.
Is your mouth watering yet?
Cheap food from the corner store
June 7, 2010
Today was our first day of school (at ESCP Europe), and they welcomed us with a typical French breakfast beforehand. We had our pick of fruit, croissants (both plain and chocolate), individual-sized baguettes (which I believe there's a special name for, but I don't know it yet), ham, Swiss cheese, yogurt, milk, juice, and coffee. There was plenty of food, so I tried to have a little bit of everything. Everything was tasty, but nothing was especially spectacular, though I love the idea of having fresh bread with ham and cheese for breakfast. In America, I'd call that lunch. Also, the kind of yogurt I chose was new to me. It was so unusual that I made sure to write it down so I could look it up later. However, I'm having trouble finding out exactly what it is. I'm not even sure it was yogurt. It was creamy and plain like yogurt, but it tasted very sour. It was called La Bressane, and had the labels "fromage frais en faisselle" and "moule a la louche" printed on it. I'll have to find out more about it later, unless someone can fill me in.
Our school has a cafeteria. The cafeteria may not be the most wonderful French dining experience (in fact, far from it), but it is an extremely good deal at just 3 to 4 euros per lunch, depending on what you choose. Since money is flying out of my pocket, I plan on saving where I can by eating lunch at the cafeteria on the days I have school. There are many sections in the cafeteria, and I went right to the Grill station to start because the smells wafting from there were too tempting to pass up. I chose a steak from the Grill, a salad from the salad/vegetable bar, a big heap of mashed potatoes, and a chunk of soft cheese (though I couldn't tell you what it was since it was unlabeled), and skipped the dessert bar (at least for today). Lastly, I went to the "plat du jour" (plate of the day) station, where they were offering fish with a white sauce that looked appealing, but when I asked the server for a portion, she scoffed and said "No, you have beef!" I tried to argue that I was paying for everything I chose anyway, but she hardly spoke any English, so I gave up. Tomorrow, I'll make sure to check this snooty server's section first if she's going to be so stingy. Lunch was not very exciting, although I will say that the steak was the rarest steak I've ever had in my life. I know that the French like their meat much rarer than Americans are accustomed to, and I thought I could handle it since I usually like my steak cooked rare, but this level of rare was just outright tough to chew. Having said that, the meal was still an excellent bargain.
I was unlucky tonight. After having a free breakfast and a cheap lunch, I was prepared to pay for a nice restaurant meal for dinner. But I got a migraine headache and felt too sick to leave the apartment, so I ended up finishing off the cheese and ham I had left from last night. I suppose there's always tomorrow. At least my headache is gone now (the next day).
Our school has a cafeteria. The cafeteria may not be the most wonderful French dining experience (in fact, far from it), but it is an extremely good deal at just 3 to 4 euros per lunch, depending on what you choose. Since money is flying out of my pocket, I plan on saving where I can by eating lunch at the cafeteria on the days I have school. There are many sections in the cafeteria, and I went right to the Grill station to start because the smells wafting from there were too tempting to pass up. I chose a steak from the Grill, a salad from the salad/vegetable bar, a big heap of mashed potatoes, and a chunk of soft cheese (though I couldn't tell you what it was since it was unlabeled), and skipped the dessert bar (at least for today). Lastly, I went to the "plat du jour" (plate of the day) station, where they were offering fish with a white sauce that looked appealing, but when I asked the server for a portion, she scoffed and said "No, you have beef!" I tried to argue that I was paying for everything I chose anyway, but she hardly spoke any English, so I gave up. Tomorrow, I'll make sure to check this snooty server's section first if she's going to be so stingy. Lunch was not very exciting, although I will say that the steak was the rarest steak I've ever had in my life. I know that the French like their meat much rarer than Americans are accustomed to, and I thought I could handle it since I usually like my steak cooked rare, but this level of rare was just outright tough to chew. Having said that, the meal was still an excellent bargain.
I was unlucky tonight. After having a free breakfast and a cheap lunch, I was prepared to pay for a nice restaurant meal for dinner. But I got a migraine headache and felt too sick to leave the apartment, so I ended up finishing off the cheese and ham I had left from last night. I suppose there's always tomorrow. At least my headache is gone now (the next day).
Free breakfast!
My first cafeteria meal: salad with hard-boiled eggs, raw steak, mashed potatoes, and a chunk of cheese
June 8, 2010
I only had 2 euros in my pocket this morning, which I figured would buy me a pastry for breakfast. In fact, when I stepped into a small bakery on the corner, most pastries were less than 1 euro, so I decided to get 2. I chose a pain au lait, which literally translates as milk bread, and a brioche topped with large chunks of the type of sugar that doesn't melt in the oven. The pain au lait was airy and fluffy and savory. The picture I snapped of the inside was gorgeous, with perfectly spaced and even pockets of air throughout. The brioche was even better, rich and buttery and sweet. What a great way to start the day. I hope to continue this pastry tradition every morning before school.
What a shame that I didn't have more euros on me, because I stumbled upon a local fruit and vegetable market just half an hour after eating breakfast. The market stretched for 3 or 4 blocks, on both sides of the street. I've never seen so much fruit in my life. The tomatoes were the most tempting - large and plump in a rainbow of colors. The number of tomato varieties they had was astonishing. But every piece of fruit was picture-perfect, not just the tomatoes. However, I didn't feel I should take any close-up pictures of the fruit since I wasn't buying anything. At least one vendor was kind enough to give me two apricots for free. He said it was because I was beautiful, so I got a nice compliment to boot. The apricots were so juicy that I got sweet, sticky juice all over my hands and even some on my shirt. I didn't mind though, it was worth it.
For lunch, I ate in the school cafeteria again. This time, I made a point of going to that stingy woman's section first. They were offering bread with tomato slices, melted cheese, and herbs, although I couldn't even identify what it was until I took a bite. I've made better cheese and tomato bread at home in Austin though, although the herbs were a nice touch. I also got rice with peas, and I asked the server to ladle tomato sauce on top. The sauce was meant for fish, but I'm glad I asked because it greatly improved the rice, which ended up being the best part of the meal. For dessert, I chose a pear tart. I've also had better pear tarts, but I suppose you get what you pay for - the meal was less than 4 euros.
When I was walking through the streets of Paris in the afternoon, I came across the most amazing gourmet grocery store I've ever seen. It reminded me of being in Berlin several years ago and visiting the elaborate food floor of the KaDeWe department store. But I had never stocked up on more euros since this morning and I was running out of time before I had to meet up with my school group for a bus tour of Paris. So even though it was extremely difficult to force myself back out of the store, I only spent 5 minutes inside and I didn't purchase anything. Don't worry, I will most definitely go back. Being inside for just 5 minutes meant I only walked around about 1/5 of the vast store, but I still saw the pastry section (with pastries that looked more like art than food, I can't wait to eat one), the chocolate section, the cheese and meat counter, the prepared foods section (with classic French dishes such as boeuf bourguignon and veal blanquette), and the garde manger section. At least, I call it the garde manger section because the foods in the display case were the foods we made in our Garde Manger class in culinary school: pates, terrines, and other rich people food. Garde manger literally means "keeper of the food" and refers to food served cold, including cold soups, salads, and various hors d'oeuvres. I doubt I'll be able to afford much when I go back though since everything seemed very expensive. And I won't even be able to show pictures of the store, since when I whipped out my camera, one of the serving women yelled "No, No, No!".
I ran out of time to eat dinner before our bus tour of Paris at 8. Besides, French people don't usually eat dinner before 8, and I didn't want to stray from tradition. However, we didn't get back to the apartment until 10:30, and not only was I starving, but most every restaurant in the area was closed. I was afraid I would end up having dinner at McDonald's, which is always open. Don't get me wrong, McDonald's can be a great comfort in a foreign country, since the food always tastes the same no matter where you are (which is actually kind of scary). Additionally, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to order wine at a McDonald's (only in France!), but I simply wasn't homesick enough yet to want to eat there for dinner. So I decided to walk in that direction, hoping to find something else open. I was hungry enough to stop at the first eatery I came across, which happened to be a Japanese restaurant. I love sushi, and they had plenty of it, but I decided it was too expensive. I ended up ordering a prix fixe menu of miso soup, salad, rice, and six kebabs for 10 euros, which is an excellent deal at just over 1 euro per component. The six kebabs included one chicken kebab, two salmon kebabs, one beef kebab, one beef AND cheese kebab, and one meatball-looking kebab of mysterious meat, which ended up being my favorite. The beef was overcooked, but the rest was fine. Nothing wonderful, but it was satisfying. Plus I could eat miso soup every day, it's always delicious. They also had something I've never seen before - a sweet version of soy sauce in addition to regular soy sauce, which was interesting and tasty when poured over the rice. Lastly, they gave me a hot towel, which I've always wished for at the end of every sushi meal but never had the treat of receiving until now.
What a shame that I didn't have more euros on me, because I stumbled upon a local fruit and vegetable market just half an hour after eating breakfast. The market stretched for 3 or 4 blocks, on both sides of the street. I've never seen so much fruit in my life. The tomatoes were the most tempting - large and plump in a rainbow of colors. The number of tomato varieties they had was astonishing. But every piece of fruit was picture-perfect, not just the tomatoes. However, I didn't feel I should take any close-up pictures of the fruit since I wasn't buying anything. At least one vendor was kind enough to give me two apricots for free. He said it was because I was beautiful, so I got a nice compliment to boot. The apricots were so juicy that I got sweet, sticky juice all over my hands and even some on my shirt. I didn't mind though, it was worth it.
For lunch, I ate in the school cafeteria again. This time, I made a point of going to that stingy woman's section first. They were offering bread with tomato slices, melted cheese, and herbs, although I couldn't even identify what it was until I took a bite. I've made better cheese and tomato bread at home in Austin though, although the herbs were a nice touch. I also got rice with peas, and I asked the server to ladle tomato sauce on top. The sauce was meant for fish, but I'm glad I asked because it greatly improved the rice, which ended up being the best part of the meal. For dessert, I chose a pear tart. I've also had better pear tarts, but I suppose you get what you pay for - the meal was less than 4 euros.
When I was walking through the streets of Paris in the afternoon, I came across the most amazing gourmet grocery store I've ever seen. It reminded me of being in Berlin several years ago and visiting the elaborate food floor of the KaDeWe department store. But I had never stocked up on more euros since this morning and I was running out of time before I had to meet up with my school group for a bus tour of Paris. So even though it was extremely difficult to force myself back out of the store, I only spent 5 minutes inside and I didn't purchase anything. Don't worry, I will most definitely go back. Being inside for just 5 minutes meant I only walked around about 1/5 of the vast store, but I still saw the pastry section (with pastries that looked more like art than food, I can't wait to eat one), the chocolate section, the cheese and meat counter, the prepared foods section (with classic French dishes such as boeuf bourguignon and veal blanquette), and the garde manger section. At least, I call it the garde manger section because the foods in the display case were the foods we made in our Garde Manger class in culinary school: pates, terrines, and other rich people food. Garde manger literally means "keeper of the food" and refers to food served cold, including cold soups, salads, and various hors d'oeuvres. I doubt I'll be able to afford much when I go back though since everything seemed very expensive. And I won't even be able to show pictures of the store, since when I whipped out my camera, one of the serving women yelled "No, No, No!".
I ran out of time to eat dinner before our bus tour of Paris at 8. Besides, French people don't usually eat dinner before 8, and I didn't want to stray from tradition. However, we didn't get back to the apartment until 10:30, and not only was I starving, but most every restaurant in the area was closed. I was afraid I would end up having dinner at McDonald's, which is always open. Don't get me wrong, McDonald's can be a great comfort in a foreign country, since the food always tastes the same no matter where you are (which is actually kind of scary). Additionally, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to order wine at a McDonald's (only in France!), but I simply wasn't homesick enough yet to want to eat there for dinner. So I decided to walk in that direction, hoping to find something else open. I was hungry enough to stop at the first eatery I came across, which happened to be a Japanese restaurant. I love sushi, and they had plenty of it, but I decided it was too expensive. I ended up ordering a prix fixe menu of miso soup, salad, rice, and six kebabs for 10 euros, which is an excellent deal at just over 1 euro per component. The six kebabs included one chicken kebab, two salmon kebabs, one beef kebab, one beef AND cheese kebab, and one meatball-looking kebab of mysterious meat, which ended up being my favorite. The beef was overcooked, but the rest was fine. Nothing wonderful, but it was satisfying. Plus I could eat miso soup every day, it's always delicious. They also had something I've never seen before - a sweet version of soy sauce in addition to regular soy sauce, which was interesting and tasty when poured over the rice. Lastly, they gave me a hot towel, which I've always wished for at the end of every sushi meal but never had the treat of receiving until now.
Brioche sucre
What a pretty pain au lait inside
Cheese bread with herbs, rice with tomato-y sauce, and a pear tart
Miso soup and cabbage salad
Six kebabs with rice
This picture is not great, but it's the only proof I have that I've been eating this food and not just taking pictures of it
June 9, 2010 - Lunch, worthy of it's own entry
I overslept and missed breakfast. Darn!
The school had already provided us with a welcome breakfast, but they were kind enough to provide us with a complimentary welcome lunch today as well. I suppose it's not really complimentary, the $5000 tuition most likely paid for both meals. After class ended, the CIBER program coordinator (in France) led us to a private dining room with long banquet tables ready for our arrival. The only unfortunate part of the meal was the drink selection: they only offered us sparkling mineral water or Coke, neither of which do I like to drink with a meal. But that's a very small point of contention. Each place setting had an individual-sized bread loaf and a menu detailing the meal to come. The first course read "Petite feuillantine de chevre", which I knew would be a goat cheese tart, and "Ecorce de tomate et basilic", which I only knew to mean tomato and basil something-or-other. The plate was a work of art, because the tart consisted of goat cheese and tomato wrapped in dough that came out from the top in a tall, wavy fan. The dish is difficult for me to describe without a picture, which is why I'm kicking myself once again for not bringing my camera cord. I'm going shopping for one this weekend though, so hopefully I'll have pictures posted by next week. The dough reminded me of a tuile dough we made in culinary school, being light, flaky, and so thin you could actually see the tomato and cheese through the dough! The tart was seasoned with just the right amount of salt and herbs for a wonderful start to the meal. Accompanying the tart was a simple salad of lettuce, tomato, and basil.
The next course read "Fricassee de lotte aux agrumes at gingembre". I really had no idea what that meant, but later understood it to mean something along the lines of fricassee (which, according to Wikipedia, is a catch-all term for a stewed dish) of halibut with segments of grapefruit. The side was "Riz Basmati safrane", which was easy to translate: Saffron rice of the Basmati variety. The sweet acidity of the grapefruit segments were a nice contrast to the savory halibut and fish. The rice was actually my favorite part, because it was seasoned perfectly. Although the halibut was in a delicious creamy herb sauce, I thought it was a little overcooked. Not that I had any trouble finishing the whole dish.
The next course was "Plateau de fromages Affines", or aged cheese plate, although my Parisian professor had to explain that Affines meant aged. The instant the waiter brought the cheese plate into the dining room, the smell was overwhelming. Once again, I benefited from sitting next to a Parisian, since he described each cheese to me. Everyone around me was only selecting one cheese, so I thought we were limited to one, which was incorrect. I was going through the dilemma of having to select just one, but my professor encouraged me to try multiple, so I ended up with four types on my plate. He even wrote down the names of each cheese for me. The first was a blue cheese called Fourme d'Ambert. I absolutely love blue cheese, and this one was just about as blue as a cheese can be. In fact, it was almost a little too blue for my tastes, but it still ended up being my second favorite of the day. My third favorite was the Brie, a cheese I've had before, so no chance for culinary discovery with that one. My least favorite was the one my professor said was usually his favorite, one he wrote down as "Epoisses - old stinker", which was the overwhelming smell I noticed earlier. The smell was awful - so awful that I had trouble getting down the first few bites. Then I discovered that if I moved the cheese from the plate to my mouth quickly enough, I could avoid the unpleasant effects of smelling the cheese too closely. Unfortunately, I still didn't think the cheese was very tasty, although it tasted much better than it smelled. Still, that's not saying much. My professor told me he thought this particular cheese was too old and was not anywhere near the quality it should be. If I have the opportunity, I will have to try it again. Finally, my favorite cheese was the Valencxy, a goat cheese covered in ashes. The cheese was mild, and the ashy rind is much subtler in taste than I expected it to be. It was delightful.
The last course, an artfully prepared dessert served with an espresso, was the best. Besides the tasty coffee, the dessert had a tiny portion of four different desserts: a layered pastry very much like strawberry shortcake (only, much prettier than the versions I've had in America), a chocolate mouse topped with whipped cream and slivered almonds, a small glass filled with tiny, perfectly square chunks of kiwi and pineapple, and a chocolate-covered almond. The whole plate was carefully drizzled with chocolate sauce. Each dessert was scrumptious, and the combination of all four was heavenly. When my professor told me this meal would cost at least 50 euros at any restaurant, I started to worry that this might be the best meal I have in all my time in France, and it was already over! But I needn't have worried, since dinner blew this amazing lunch out of the water. One last benefit of sitting next to that professor was that he wrote down a few gourmet shops he thought I should go to, and I can't wait to discover what culinary treasures they hold.
The school had already provided us with a welcome breakfast, but they were kind enough to provide us with a complimentary welcome lunch today as well. I suppose it's not really complimentary, the $5000 tuition most likely paid for both meals. After class ended, the CIBER program coordinator (in France) led us to a private dining room with long banquet tables ready for our arrival. The only unfortunate part of the meal was the drink selection: they only offered us sparkling mineral water or Coke, neither of which do I like to drink with a meal. But that's a very small point of contention. Each place setting had an individual-sized bread loaf and a menu detailing the meal to come. The first course read "Petite feuillantine de chevre", which I knew would be a goat cheese tart, and "Ecorce de tomate et basilic", which I only knew to mean tomato and basil something-or-other. The plate was a work of art, because the tart consisted of goat cheese and tomato wrapped in dough that came out from the top in a tall, wavy fan. The dish is difficult for me to describe without a picture, which is why I'm kicking myself once again for not bringing my camera cord. I'm going shopping for one this weekend though, so hopefully I'll have pictures posted by next week. The dough reminded me of a tuile dough we made in culinary school, being light, flaky, and so thin you could actually see the tomato and cheese through the dough! The tart was seasoned with just the right amount of salt and herbs for a wonderful start to the meal. Accompanying the tart was a simple salad of lettuce, tomato, and basil.
The next course read "Fricassee de lotte aux agrumes at gingembre". I really had no idea what that meant, but later understood it to mean something along the lines of fricassee (which, according to Wikipedia, is a catch-all term for a stewed dish) of halibut with segments of grapefruit. The side was "Riz Basmati safrane", which was easy to translate: Saffron rice of the Basmati variety. The sweet acidity of the grapefruit segments were a nice contrast to the savory halibut and fish. The rice was actually my favorite part, because it was seasoned perfectly. Although the halibut was in a delicious creamy herb sauce, I thought it was a little overcooked. Not that I had any trouble finishing the whole dish.
The next course was "Plateau de fromages Affines", or aged cheese plate, although my Parisian professor had to explain that Affines meant aged. The instant the waiter brought the cheese plate into the dining room, the smell was overwhelming. Once again, I benefited from sitting next to a Parisian, since he described each cheese to me. Everyone around me was only selecting one cheese, so I thought we were limited to one, which was incorrect. I was going through the dilemma of having to select just one, but my professor encouraged me to try multiple, so I ended up with four types on my plate. He even wrote down the names of each cheese for me. The first was a blue cheese called Fourme d'Ambert. I absolutely love blue cheese, and this one was just about as blue as a cheese can be. In fact, it was almost a little too blue for my tastes, but it still ended up being my second favorite of the day. My third favorite was the Brie, a cheese I've had before, so no chance for culinary discovery with that one. My least favorite was the one my professor said was usually his favorite, one he wrote down as "Epoisses - old stinker", which was the overwhelming smell I noticed earlier. The smell was awful - so awful that I had trouble getting down the first few bites. Then I discovered that if I moved the cheese from the plate to my mouth quickly enough, I could avoid the unpleasant effects of smelling the cheese too closely. Unfortunately, I still didn't think the cheese was very tasty, although it tasted much better than it smelled. Still, that's not saying much. My professor told me he thought this particular cheese was too old and was not anywhere near the quality it should be. If I have the opportunity, I will have to try it again. Finally, my favorite cheese was the Valencxy, a goat cheese covered in ashes. The cheese was mild, and the ashy rind is much subtler in taste than I expected it to be. It was delightful.
The last course, an artfully prepared dessert served with an espresso, was the best. Besides the tasty coffee, the dessert had a tiny portion of four different desserts: a layered pastry very much like strawberry shortcake (only, much prettier than the versions I've had in America), a chocolate mouse topped with whipped cream and slivered almonds, a small glass filled with tiny, perfectly square chunks of kiwi and pineapple, and a chocolate-covered almond. The whole plate was carefully drizzled with chocolate sauce. Each dessert was scrumptious, and the combination of all four was heavenly. When my professor told me this meal would cost at least 50 euros at any restaurant, I started to worry that this might be the best meal I have in all my time in France, and it was already over! But I needn't have worried, since dinner blew this amazing lunch out of the water. One last benefit of sitting next to that professor was that he wrote down a few gourmet shops he thought I should go to, and I can't wait to discover what culinary treasures they hold.
Roll with the menu in back
They sure know how to set a table in France
As lovely as art!
The colors contrast beautifully, don't they?
The one with the gray rind is the ash-covered goat cheese, the cheese with the white rind is Brie, the blue-veined one is the Bleu cheese (of course), and the yellow cheese in front is the old stinker!
Only such a beautiful dessert would deserve such a large picture
June 9, 2010 - Dinner, also worthy of it's own entry
I had the most amazing meal tonight. I thought lunch was outstanding, but tonight's meal was above and beyond, exactly what I imagined dining in France to be. Looking back, lunch simply wasn't French enough.
After examining my budget, I decided I could afford to eat one nice sit-down French meal per week. I wish I could afford to eat like this every night, but living in Paris is more expensive that I ever thought it could be. Since I am leaving for Amsterdam tomorrow, I figured tonight was my last opportunity to have this week's meal. I consulted my guidebook Great Eats in Paris, and found a restaurant not far from my apartment called A La Biche Au Bois. Fortunately, my guidebook includes the most essential information about every eatery: if reservations are necessary, how much an average meal costs (lunch and dinner), whether or not they accept credit cards, whether or not they speak English. Most restaurants in Paris have an English-speaking employee, including this one. I made reservations for 9. Side note: Skype is the most wonderful tool to have for being abroad. I can video chat, for free, with anyone else who has the free Skype application. I can also make calls to landlines and mobile phones worldwide for just 2 cents a minute.
I was distressed when I got very, very lost on the way and didn't arrive until 9:30. I had read that the French take dinner reservations very seriously - you are expected to be on time, and if you are more than 15 minutes late, they will probably give your table away. I think they did give my table away, because I had to wait in line behind other diners who didn't seem to have a reservation, but diners were leaving periodically, so I only had to wait 10 minutes. The dining room was itty bitty, no bigger than my apartment. But true to French custom, they pack as many tables as possible into the room, so that you are knocking elbows with your neighbor. I ordered the prix fixe menu for 27 euros (almost always the best deal), the cheapest bottle of red wine for 16 euros (I was hesitant to spend more), and water. When they brought out a bottle of Evian, I was worried that I hadn't specified the right kind of water - I wanted the free carafe of tap water I saw others drinking. Such misunderstandings are common in a foreign country though, and I was just happy that the Evian was ice cold, since all other water I've been served in Paris has only been slightly cooler than room temperature. I miss ice cubes, which are very rare to find in France. Luckily, I wasn't even charged for the Evian, so my final bill came to 43 euros, tax and tip included. That's far more than I've ever spent on a meal in my life. I was feeling rather anxious about this fact, until the first course arrived. The first bite convinced me the money was worth it.
One great thing about this restaurant is that the prix fixe menu included your choice of entree, plat, and dessert from about 8 or 10 selections. Many prix fixe menus don't offer any sort of choice at all. I chose a duck pate to start. I've never enjoyed my previous experience with pates, but this pate converted me into a big fan. The two large slices of pate came with fresh bread (the chips and salsa of France), a small side salad, and a large bowl of tiny pickles. Honestly, it was enough food to be a main course. I took my time, spreading the pate onto the bread and savoring each and every bite. I noticed other solo diners reading, so I didn't feel silly when I pulled out my book - Julia Child's My Life in France. Eating slowly, the large entree took 45 minutes to eat. The service was wonderfully attentive, with the waiters asking how the meal tasted, pouring my wine into my glass, and refilling my bread basket before it was even empty
Then they brought out the main course. I had ordered coq au vin, a classic French dish that I was familiar with from culinary school. Coq au vin is a mature rooster cooked in a red wine sauce. A mature rooster is the toughest chicken dish there is, so they braise the meat in a pot of sauce to make it tender. They brought the dish out in its cooking pot, and it looked marvelous. Large chunks of bone-in chicken (I believe I had at least half a chicken, if not more), tourneed potatoes (which are potatoes cut into a seven-sided football shape, a huge pain to perfect back in culinary school), and enough red wine sauce to submerge everything. What a revelation this dish was! I cannot even begin to describe the layers of complexity in the sauce that transformed a tough old rooster into a marvelous meal. There was so much food that I had difficulty finishing the dish, but I was determined to eat every last morsel of meat. Finally, after an hour of leisurely eating, I had devoured every bit.
Most diners in the restaurant were ordering the cheese plate for dessert, but I had my fill of cheese for the day at lunch. Instead, I selected the creme brulee, my favorite French dessert. It was a perfect creme brulee: a cool, rich, and creamy vanilla custard topped with a layer of warm caramelized sugar. It was a delight to use my spoon to crack into the layer of hard sugar and delve into the custard below. To my surprise, the restaurant owner (who had already stopped by to say bonjour earlier) brought over a complimentary glass of brandy to cap the meal. He stayed long enough to ask me where I was from and how I had heard of his restaurant. I showed him my guidebook, and he seemed very pleased with the review. When I mentioned Austin, he said he had been there in 1978, and remembered visiting Barton Springs. I told him the city was much larger than he remembered.
By the time I finished eating and paying for my meal, it was midnight. A two and a half hour meal is just a typical meal for the French though, and many diners who had arrived before me were still lingering over nightcaps or coffee when I left. The subways don't run that late, so I walked the two miles home. In any case, I needed to walk off the effects of the wine and brandy. The night was clear and cool, a wonderful change of pace from the dreary, rainy day. I was so full that I could only take slow, small steps without upsetting my stomach, so it took an hour to cover the two mile journey home. That gave me plenty of time to reminisce on what a spectacular meal I had just eaten. I went to bed with that I-could-die-happy feeling.
After examining my budget, I decided I could afford to eat one nice sit-down French meal per week. I wish I could afford to eat like this every night, but living in Paris is more expensive that I ever thought it could be. Since I am leaving for Amsterdam tomorrow, I figured tonight was my last opportunity to have this week's meal. I consulted my guidebook Great Eats in Paris, and found a restaurant not far from my apartment called A La Biche Au Bois. Fortunately, my guidebook includes the most essential information about every eatery: if reservations are necessary, how much an average meal costs (lunch and dinner), whether or not they accept credit cards, whether or not they speak English. Most restaurants in Paris have an English-speaking employee, including this one. I made reservations for 9. Side note: Skype is the most wonderful tool to have for being abroad. I can video chat, for free, with anyone else who has the free Skype application. I can also make calls to landlines and mobile phones worldwide for just 2 cents a minute.
I was distressed when I got very, very lost on the way and didn't arrive until 9:30. I had read that the French take dinner reservations very seriously - you are expected to be on time, and if you are more than 15 minutes late, they will probably give your table away. I think they did give my table away, because I had to wait in line behind other diners who didn't seem to have a reservation, but diners were leaving periodically, so I only had to wait 10 minutes. The dining room was itty bitty, no bigger than my apartment. But true to French custom, they pack as many tables as possible into the room, so that you are knocking elbows with your neighbor. I ordered the prix fixe menu for 27 euros (almost always the best deal), the cheapest bottle of red wine for 16 euros (I was hesitant to spend more), and water. When they brought out a bottle of Evian, I was worried that I hadn't specified the right kind of water - I wanted the free carafe of tap water I saw others drinking. Such misunderstandings are common in a foreign country though, and I was just happy that the Evian was ice cold, since all other water I've been served in Paris has only been slightly cooler than room temperature. I miss ice cubes, which are very rare to find in France. Luckily, I wasn't even charged for the Evian, so my final bill came to 43 euros, tax and tip included. That's far more than I've ever spent on a meal in my life. I was feeling rather anxious about this fact, until the first course arrived. The first bite convinced me the money was worth it.
One great thing about this restaurant is that the prix fixe menu included your choice of entree, plat, and dessert from about 8 or 10 selections. Many prix fixe menus don't offer any sort of choice at all. I chose a duck pate to start. I've never enjoyed my previous experience with pates, but this pate converted me into a big fan. The two large slices of pate came with fresh bread (the chips and salsa of France), a small side salad, and a large bowl of tiny pickles. Honestly, it was enough food to be a main course. I took my time, spreading the pate onto the bread and savoring each and every bite. I noticed other solo diners reading, so I didn't feel silly when I pulled out my book - Julia Child's My Life in France. Eating slowly, the large entree took 45 minutes to eat. The service was wonderfully attentive, with the waiters asking how the meal tasted, pouring my wine into my glass, and refilling my bread basket before it was even empty
Then they brought out the main course. I had ordered coq au vin, a classic French dish that I was familiar with from culinary school. Coq au vin is a mature rooster cooked in a red wine sauce. A mature rooster is the toughest chicken dish there is, so they braise the meat in a pot of sauce to make it tender. They brought the dish out in its cooking pot, and it looked marvelous. Large chunks of bone-in chicken (I believe I had at least half a chicken, if not more), tourneed potatoes (which are potatoes cut into a seven-sided football shape, a huge pain to perfect back in culinary school), and enough red wine sauce to submerge everything. What a revelation this dish was! I cannot even begin to describe the layers of complexity in the sauce that transformed a tough old rooster into a marvelous meal. There was so much food that I had difficulty finishing the dish, but I was determined to eat every last morsel of meat. Finally, after an hour of leisurely eating, I had devoured every bit.
Most diners in the restaurant were ordering the cheese plate for dessert, but I had my fill of cheese for the day at lunch. Instead, I selected the creme brulee, my favorite French dessert. It was a perfect creme brulee: a cool, rich, and creamy vanilla custard topped with a layer of warm caramelized sugar. It was a delight to use my spoon to crack into the layer of hard sugar and delve into the custard below. To my surprise, the restaurant owner (who had already stopped by to say bonjour earlier) brought over a complimentary glass of brandy to cap the meal. He stayed long enough to ask me where I was from and how I had heard of his restaurant. I showed him my guidebook, and he seemed very pleased with the review. When I mentioned Austin, he said he had been there in 1978, and remembered visiting Barton Springs. I told him the city was much larger than he remembered.
By the time I finished eating and paying for my meal, it was midnight. A two and a half hour meal is just a typical meal for the French though, and many diners who had arrived before me were still lingering over nightcaps or coffee when I left. The subways don't run that late, so I walked the two miles home. In any case, I needed to walk off the effects of the wine and brandy. The night was clear and cool, a wonderful change of pace from the dreary, rainy day. I was so full that I could only take slow, small steps without upsetting my stomach, so it took an hour to cover the two mile journey home. That gave me plenty of time to reminisce on what a spectacular meal I had just eaten. I went to bed with that I-could-die-happy feeling.
This is the best wine I've had so far, as of one week later
I wish I had bothered to use a flash for this picture of my lovely pate, but I didn't want to disturb the dining couples all around me
Can one person possibly eat this many pickles? Yes, me!
I can't even look at this picture without feeling sad that it's all gone
Delightful dessert
