Phô 14

114 Avenue de Choisy

01 45 83 61 15

75013 Métro: Tolbiac‎

If you are looking for good pho, and are not in a rush to sit down (but may be rushed to leave), then Phô 14 will be no disappointment to you!

Situated just a few steps away from the métro Tolbiac on line 7 in the 13th arrondissement, Pho 14 is one of the most popular phô places of Chinatown. It is rare to be able to walk into this restaurant without waiting. At lunchtime, the line will wind around the outside terrace. Even during the weekday diners, I hear it is packed. In any case, it's popular for a good reason. It's affordable and it's good.

A "Special Phô" (beef, tripe, boulettes de viande) is only 8.50€. The service is fast and efficient, but may be a bit "too fast" for those who are new to the phô concept. It was no later than 1 minute after having viewed the menu that a server appeared, hustled, to take my order. I had a feeling that this was the kind of restaurant where you don't pass up an awaiting waiter, so I ordered the first thing I saw (a traditional phô). I took a jasmine tea as well (1.80€) and they brought the tea and water out right away.

There is not too much to say for the ambiance. Apart from a few paintings on the wall with asian characters (sorry, I can't dicpher them and in an effort to not be racist, I probably am being racist), and a mirror that runs along the wall, the walls are quite blank. The restaurant is not too big, mind you. There is a terrace and it is covered during the winter with heat lamps. What I did appreciate about this restaurant was that there was space. The tables were not all crushed together like most places in the 13th, with owners trying to fit as many people as possible in the little space they have. The tables were spaced comfortably. It is a loud place so don't expect to come here for a quiet romantic dinner. It's a hyper place, as most popular restos are in the 13th.

The soup and its accompaniments (onions, beansprouts, mint, basil, lemon) arrived between 4-5 minutes after I ordered. Again, very efficient. I suppose they have to be quick with all those people waiting outside. The broth was delicious, very flavorful and there were lots of noodles (I like when they're not skimpy). The beef was very tender and of good quality, not dry as often found at many wannabe real Vietnamese pho restaurants. You can definitely tell the difference between the meat served in this restaurant and the meat served at other hokey vietnamien/chinois/thalandais mixed restaurants. It hadn't been sitting around all day, one would imagine.

I was in and out the door in about 25 minutes. I even took some time to drink my tea. They didn't rush me either, after having finished my soup, but they are very fast and reactive at service. They do not take carte bancaire, so be sure to have cash on you. Apparently, they're open everyday from 9h - 23h.

Definitely a good discovery! I would highly recommend it to friends and would definitely return. The soups ranged from 8€ - 11€. There are other Vietnamese specialties on the menu, but their pho is the most famous. I'm not sure if I would ever get around to tasting their other plates.

Au Pied de Sacre Coeur

85 rue Lamarck, 75018

01 46 06 15 26

Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt 

Au Pied de Sacre Coeur is one of our favorite restaurants in Paris. It serves delicious French cuisine and adds original ideas to traditional platters.

Soupe a l'oignon gratinee

Located in Montmartre, it has a lovely ambiance of a small romantic restaurant, with warm lighting and mirrors on one wall - giving it the ideal "French" look. The menu reflects traditional French countryside cuisine with duck, rabbit, and beef. A favorite is their 'foie gras' which they do 'poele' (sauteed) and which you can also take as a main dish instead of an entree (just ask!). I love their 'soupe a l'oignon gratinee,' a classic and their 'magret de canard' - sweetened with orange. My partner loves the rabbit and their blackboard suggestions are always a good choice.

Magret de Canard

Foie gras

The service is friendly, just one waitress, and they don't snap at you if you ask for specific things. I asked for a side salad with my soup one time and there was no problem at all, she didn't even charge us for it! They also seem to have as large a English-speaking clientele as French so no worries if you haven't mastered the language.

Creme brulee

I suggest to make a reservation just in case as the restaurant is quite small and can fill up fast on the weekends. They are open everyday, except Monday afternoons. Prices are a bit more expensive then your normal weekday dinner, so you might want to save it for special occasions. Main dishes range from 15-20e (the foie gras at 13e) and desserts between 6-12e.

Tarte au pomme et poire

I would definitely recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for good French cuisine in Paris! It is quite a gem if you are looking to get away from the touristy places.

Pause Cafe

41 rue de Charonne, 75011

Metro: Ledru-Rollin

Pause Cafe is one of our favorite places to take friends who are visiting, with some exceptions. Located in the 11th just next to Bastille, it's tucked away in a smaller street away from the madness.

Tartare

Pause Cafe has a diverse menu and their food has never disappointed us, unlike their service. The reason we keep going back is because their food is consistently good. Some favorites include: thon a la plancha, piccata de veau, tartare, rumsteak, even their hamburger is good. The only thing I would stray away from is their risotto (small portion, just as expensive, and not exceptional impressive.) Everything else though is delicious and well presented! They have a "hands-down best" tiramisu (quoted from one of my visitors) which I must agree with.

Carpaccio

Prices range between 12-16e for a main dish and their blackboard suggestions are usually your best bet if you aren't sure what to get.

The only big downfall is their service. After they changed owners more than a year ago, their service has been inconsistent. Slow, forgetful, kinda racist (some dude bowed to my friend and I - definitely 'not OK') - their service is not the best. But hey! It's Paris so it's not the worst. Just something to be aware of before you go in case you are in a rush or are trying to show a good example of polite and efficient French restaurant service.

Piccata de veau

Plus, on Sundays, they offer a filling brunch for 19e (a bit pricey in my opinion but you do get a lot of food). I haven't tried it personally, but one of my friends has and said it was lovely. You start with bread and viennoiserie with the most amazing chocolate hazelnut spread (that is NOT Nutella) that I must go find for myself in a BIO food shop; then you get eggs benedict and salmon and fruit and bunch of other tasty dishes. Bref, worth a try!

Overall, I would recommend Pause Cafe to a friend because the food is tasty, they have a good variety of plates - including some French classics if you have visitors, their prices are reasonable and they are open everyday!

Leon de Bruxelles

30 boulevard des italiens, 75002

Metro : Opera

How many times have I seen posters for this restaurant? A dozen. Everyday actually in the metro. Has it interested me? Of course! Advertising does work! So we went!

Leon de Bruxelles is a chain restaurant, available in now three different countries - Belgium, France, and recently - the UK. They serve typical Belgium dishes and are most known for their mussels. That's what I got!

It wasn't alot, but it was good. The fries were decent and bottomless - which I haven't seen since I last was in America. I got a classic, moules a la mariniere whilst my partner got something not very classic, moules gratinee with a very strong cheese (sorry, I don't recall what it was). I had nothing to complain about but maybe it's because I am not a grand connaisseur of mussels.

The ambiance reminded me very much of an American restaurant. Themed. Large bathrooms, very clean, and home-like. It was odd to be in France and to have this kind of themed dining experience. I guess it's the classic "chain restaurant" trend.

Would I recommend this to a friend? Eh. If you seriously have nothing else to eat in the area and you find it, sure! It's not bad nor is it amazing. It's a good mussels and fries place, but nothing to get dressed up for or excited about.

Le Bar a Soupes

33 rue de Charonne , 75011

Metro: Ledru-Rollin

It has been some time since I have been going to "Le Bar a Soupes," but I am just now getting to my review because I finally remembered to take pictures of the soup before gulping it down in a matter of minutes.

Le Bar a Soupes is found in the 11th arrondissement, just off of  rue de Lappe near Bastille (the infamous bar-filled street). It is also next to another favorite restaurant, Pause Cafe (blog post to come).

This delightful and quaint restaurant may not seem to be much from the outside, but don't be fooled by it's modest outer appearance. The creativity and flavor will astound you.

As you can probably guess, this restaurant specializes in soup. And actually, only has soup (with the exception of a small choice of dessert or cheese). They make 6 soups daily from scratch, following their sacred book by Anne-Catherine Bley. I have never met this mysterious Anne-Catherine Bley I must admit. Each time I go there, there is the courteous server hailing from South Africa who greets us.

A real treat is to go during the evening to benefit from their menu of 3 soups. For around 7e, you can have three cups of soup with a bread. Not a bad deal! Plus, the soup is incredibly delicious, not to mention original. My favorites includes the bloody mary, anything with lentilles, gazpacho, and courgette au Boursin . Super yum. Basically, you will not be disappointed with anything you take.

For dessert, you can choose from cheese or they sometimes have fruit salad or chocolate cake. We are prone to take the chocolate cake which is served slightly warmed.

This very down-to-earth restaurant has been one of our favorites which we share when we have visitors. They have never been disappointed and have even walked out with purchasing their "bar a soupes" recipe book. 

I would definitely recommend to friends for a light evening meal in a animated quartier.

For more information, you can check out their website!

Fleurs de Mai

61 avenue Choisy, 75013

Metro: Porte de Choisy

With Chinese New Year coming up, I had an early craving before the crowds commenced in the 13th. Fleurs de Mai is a Chinese restaurant with all the requirements needed  : Chinese people serving other Chinese people with dead animals in the window. 

This is no "traiteur" I remind you, it's real Chinese food. They have a variety of dishes covering noodles, to soups, to duck laque, to fish and whole crabs. We always get their "liseron d'eau a l'ail," and their chow fun ("pates de riz saute - seches"). Their chow mein seems quite popular  - we saw several tables munching on noodles, and their fish dishes are quite good (like "poisson saute au gingembre"). Their Chrysanthemum tea is mild and sweet and they'll bring you a whole pot for 2 people for less than 3.50e.

This is no picturesque restaurant, it's small and crowded with paper covering over the table cloth and cracked plates. There is an upstairs that they use when it's busy, but it's still quite cramped. The waiter we have is always nice and the service is okay - not super fast, but not slow enough to actually complain.

Their main dishes are around 8.50 - 16 euros, and for 2 people we paid around 30 euros for 3 dishes with tea! It's a great sharing restaurant, as Chinese food should be! I definitely recommend it and will be back whenever I need to fill my craving!

Domaine de Lintillac

20 rue Rousselet, 75007

Metro: Duroc

On the search for good duck (I guess you could call it a type of "duck hunt"), I discovered "Domaine de Lintillac." Vegetarians beware, I don't recall having seen anything fit for your "gout" at this restaurant. But duck lovers, you have found your haven.

Duck is on the menu and duck is what they do best. The restaurant is located in the 7th arrondissement and we were able to benefit from a "reduction" of 20% found on the website lafourchette.com if you reserve online. This was not the only attractive thing they had to offer, the prices are more than reasonable, and the food was very good.

I went looking for a good duck restaurant to take my friends when they visit me, keeping in mind they probably don't want to shell out a pocketful to taste authentic "canard." Having found the majority of "the best" duck restaurants in Paris quite pricey, I was very enthusiastic to see what "Domaine de Lintillac" had to offer.

The restaurant is quite small but very cozy. The tables are decorated with red and white checkered tablecloths, giving a very countryside feel, as well as the rustic paintings and dried flowers hanging from the ceiling. They oddly have toasters at each table and although we never figured out why, we think it might had to do with the lovely array of foie gras on their menu. The server was very friendly and seemed to speak English quite well, as we overheard him serving a nearby American couple and their two young children. He hesitantly offered us the menu in English (seeing as we were talking Franglais at the moment) and later became a bit confused at which language to address us (whoops!).

Under the entrees you will find pates, rillettes and foie gras (of course everything is duck). They even had salads (with duck)! I took the "rillettes pur canard," which I spread on the provided toasted bread. It was very good, very flavorful, and a bit hearty - not too smooth - good texture! For the plat, I had the confit de canard, the same as our guest that evening, and my boyfriend took the magret de canard.

My confit was accompanied by patates sarladaises, potatoes drowned in garlic and parsley (that's a good thing), and a salad. The confit was excellent and it was mainly due to one thing that I had yet to find in Parisian resturants until this night. Crispy skin. You heard it. Golden crispy duck skin. Ohhh yeahhhh. It was heavenly. The duck wasn't too fatty (which I didn't know was possible) and was perfectly cooked. The magret de canard was delicious, and my bf adored the patates sarladaises.

To complete the dinner, our guest and my boyfriend took the "gateau au noix de Brive" - a walnut cake, speciality of the region, that was served warm with vanilla ice cream. It was very light, sweet and nutty, and the ice cream was a perfect complement.

Can you believe that a meal for 3 people, all composed of duck, one who took an entree, two who had taken desserts, and also a glass of wine cost less than 40e?? Ridic. I mean, ridiculously awesome. The plats were between 9-13e, my entree was less than 5e and the dessert less than 4e. You can't get any more right in this town!

I highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you aren't looking to pay the high price but are still looking for a satisfactory duck themed meal. Their website is found here and the discount we got was here (I'm not sure for how long this offer will last though). Although my initial goal was to find a great duck place to show to my visiting friends, I don't think we'll be able to wait before our next visitors come to town.

El Nopal

3 Eugène Varlin, 75010

Metro: Chateau-Landon

Mexican food at last! El Nopal is located right next to Canal Saint Martin in the 10th. The small, and I mean small, shop (I would say) makes burritos, tacos, burrons, gorditos, quesadillas, and couple other yummy means of goodness. Just stepping inside brought back memories of California - the smells of corn, cilantro, refried beans (they make themselves!) and lime wafting around.

You may be a bit confused as you enter if you don't know the protocol. We watched others and followed what they did. Since the shop is so small, everyone waits outside. You go in, order, and the nice woman will write down your order and your name and you pay. Then you wait outside until you are called, come in, take your order and say "gracias!." You can only take the food to go, which wasn't a problem on the beautiful day we went and you can have your fiesta overlooking the canal.

I took a main dish of three beef tacos while my boyfriend took a chicken burron - supposedly a burrito with avocado and melted cheese. The tacos were small, but delicious. The corn tortillas were hand made - hot and fresh - the real taste of raw corn, not salty corn chip stuff you find at Taco Bell. The beef was full of flavor and diced onions and cilantro were mixed in. They supplied you with a small serving of hot sauce on the side which was not too spicy, but nice enough to give some heat. I also spied some salsa verde in their glass refrigerator.

Although the larger flour tortillas are not hand made, my boyfriend found the burron very good. His only complaint was the lack of "fromage" (again, the whole, "I want more fromage" thing with him), and there was wasn't a lot of chicken. However, he's a beginner with Mexican food and therefore wasn't sure what to expect. In any case, he was happy.

We took chips and guacamole on the side. Chips were unfortunately not hand made, but the guacamole was decent and had big chunks of tomatoes in it. I was a bit disappointed with the portion size though.

Prices ranged from 6.50e-9e and drinks are 1.50e. Be sure to take cash, they don't accept cards.

Although I could have eaten a bit more, I would definitely come back to satisfy my need for good Mexican food in Paris. They are slowly making their way across the Atlantic. Heck, if America doesn't want 'em - send 'em to Paris!!! 

Les Pâtes Vivantes

46 rue de Faubourg Montmatre, 75009

Metro: Peletier

01 45 23 10 21

Just seen Kung Fu Panda and looking for some good noodles? This is definitely the place for you! Having been here several times, it is one of my favorite places to eat, and very convenient (as it is found near my workplace). We had to visit the restaurant more than 3 times before remembering to take pictures of the food before eating it, as we were a bit too enthusiastic once we saw those bowls of steaming hot noodles.

Found just a few meters from metro Peletier on line 7, you'll notice right away that no effort (or money) was spent on interior design, nor exterior for that matter. No worries though, the thing that will catch your eye won't be the fancy modern Chinese decor, feng-shui type furniture, or glittering pendants hanging from the door. You won't even miss it! Once you see those delicious and tantalizing long noodles being made by hand in the window, you'll be good to go!

There is an upstairs and a downstairs seating area, although the majority of the time I find myself upstairs. One of the only disadvantages of this restaurant is the heat. You'll be sweating as you climb those small stairs up to the second floor, looking around for some ventilation and only finding a few small windows at the end with a perimeter barely large enough to let in a slight breeze. But if you don't mind the heat, even with your jacket off, you are in store for some wonderful, fresh, cuisine!

Noodles are the thing and noodles I recommend (aka: try not to take your gluten allergic friends here - it's just not right that they have to choose rice instead). The noodles come hot and fresh, chewy and thick - everything you expect - in these deep bowls, perfect for splashing around in. There are about 2 dozen or so different plates on the menu. I have tried a little from each page and haven't been disappointed yet. They have different stir fries, soups, and traditional meat and sauce mixtures. When they say something is spicy, don't be fooled, it's spicy! And that is another reason that I love Les Pâtes Vivantes! And if you are the daring person such as myself, they have little pots of "piment" on the table to add to the glorious heat.

One bowl of noodles is enough to fill you up - I haven't yet tried their entrees nor desserts. The main dishes range from 9e -14e, and sometimes you have to pay in addition for noodles, so read carefully (but they're worth it!). The service is always quick, although meat dishes will take a bit longer. The only difficulty is tagging  down the servers for water, but on the second floor they leave pitchers of water on a trolley in the middle - they don't seem to be offended if you help yourself.


I definitely recommend this restaurant for anyone who loves Chinese noodles! They have a second restaurant in the 6th, but I have yet to visit it. Don't worry - once I get around to that area, I'm sure they will have gained another loyal fan.

Credit to Freya for the pictures. Thanks!!

Thai Time

7 rue Crozatier, 75012

Metro: Reuilly-Diderot

Thai Time is one of those places you pass by every Saturday when you do your grocery shopping and say to yourself, "hmm...that place looks good. I should try it someday!" Well, this was the case for myself. And finally, the opportunity presented itself to me that I was tired enough not to go make dinner at my house, but to try a restaurant in the neighborhood.

From the outside, it looks like your typical Thai restaurant with golden statues of Thai dancers outside, flowers, and gold hanging everywhere. It is a quaint establishment, with tables outside if the weather is accommodating. I ordered a spicy chicken curry while my boyfriend took the pad thai.

The curry was unsurprisingly non-spicy. It was good, but not amazing.The pad thai was tasty and the shrimp added something original to it. 

For dessert, we took the nems aux bananes. It came with a mango sorbet and a chocolate dipping sauce. Since my boyfriend is not a fan of fried things, he enjoyed this dessert less than myself. I was all for it! The nems were nice and hot, fresh out of the oil, full of mashed bananas, and the chocolate dipping sauce went perfectly with it.

Overall, it was good restaurant experience - we enjoyed both our main courses and our dessert. We would most likely go again to try the rest of the menu, and if we had friends over and were in the area, we would not hesitate to offer it as a dining option.

Sambuja

65, Rue du Faubourg Montmartre 75009 Paris

Metro Notre Dame de Lorette

Sambuja is a Korean restaurant found on the less-popular side of a well- known street. Relatively small in size, the restaurant seemed to have no name on the outside, to be identified only by "Restaurant Coreen." 

We ordered the Bulgogi, as normal, and were presented with 7 little side dishes full of yummy pickled vegetables, and miso soup (which was rather strange for a Korean restaurant. We then realized aferwards that this Korean restaurant were indeed owned by Japanese.)

The Bulgogi was cooked in front of us on a circular grill with onion and bowls of rice on the side. The Bulgogi was "okay," "correct," although a bit expensive (as usual for Korean food). I did not find it extraordinarily flavorful as past Korean BBQ but measured about the same on the scale of all Parisian Korean places I have tried.

The 7 side dishes were refreshing and as always, I enjoyed picking at them before the beef, during the beef, and after!  My favorites were the pickled green beans, turnips, kimchee, and the vermicelli. There was a type of tofu/carrots/bell pepper mix that I have never seen before which was the only plate not up to par. 

Overall, the restaurant was about the same as any other Korean restuarant I have tried in Paris. It was a bit expensive, as I recall about 17e/person for the Bulgogi. We would not recommend this restaurant to our friends nor introduce it to anyone looking for good Korean food. I still have hope that there is better in Paris. 

Chez Lazare

Chez Lazare

18 rue de Satory

Versailles

After seeing all the posters of the Grandes Eaux Musicales de Château de Versailles, we decided to give it a try. So this dinner accompanied our small trip to Versailles, paying 6.10e for a round trip fare on the RER C.


Chez Lazare is a “grill house” restaurant. Their main courses are mostly meat and as you may guess, “grilled.” Just a few minutes from the chateau, and from RER C, Chez Lazare is found in a narrow passage littered with restaurants and stores. It really was quite quaint and you could tell it was a place where people lived – actual grocery stores, residential housing above the shops, and if you continued further, the rest of the residential area of Versailles.

The restaurant is quite tiny, with a second floor, and the staff happily greet you and seat you immediately. There are tables outside as well and both the interior and exterior are attractive eating areas. As all the tables were taken outside, we took an inside seat, just under the staircase. With a redish glow, there was Marvin Gaye’s greatest hits playing, a ‘vache qui rit” poster hanging on the wooden walls, a pasta maker next to us on an old fashion stove, and lights strings around. It looked like rustic cabin, with flare and wit at the same time.

The staff was very friendly and accommodating. There are three/four menus for dinner. We did not see an option to just order a main course, but perhaps they made exceptions since the table next to us had small kids and each ordered a main course separately. You can take an: entrée + dessert, entrée+ plat, plat+ dessert, entrée + plat + dessert. 

My boyfriend and I both took an entree with a plat. He ordered the “camembert roti au miel” for an entrée, while I took the “gaspacho.” For plats, he ordered the “cotelettes d'agneau” and I took the “magret de canard.” Each plat comes with a choice of sides – legumes poelé, frites, salade or pomme au four. I took the “pomme au four” while my boyfriend took the “legumes poelé.” You also get a choice of sauce – béarnaise, poivre, beurre blanc or roquefort. He took the “poivre,” I took the “beurre blanc.”

The gaspacho was great. Very fresh tasting, with real tomatoes pieces, and the basil leaves went perfectly with the acidity of the soup. The camembert roti au miel was very original. The honey really brought something extra to the melted camembert and it was accompanied by a surprisingly large salad. My boyfriend apparently found it a bit unnecessary to have so much salad as it was just an entrée, but he ate it nonetheless. We are definitely going to try camembert roti at home now!

My canard was very good, but grilled duck tastes very different than how I normally have it and it was my first time tasting duck grilled on a barbeque. It gives it a different texture, a bit more tough like steak, but a nice smokey flavor.  The sauce was no biggie, but the pomme au four was very good. The French eat baked potatoes with a crème fraiche mix with chives on it (like our sour cream and chives). It had been ages since I had a baked potato so maybe it tasted oh-so-good just because I haven’t had one in so long. Overall, my plat was satisfactory, although not outstanding.

The cotelettes d’agneau were well cooked and well seasoned. The sauce au poivre was a bit strong though (and even I thought so as well). It tasted very strongly of pepper, due to the poivre vert they used. Normally pepper sauces aren’t as strong, but this one had to be used sparingly with the meat or else it would dominant the natural flavor.

Overall, the food is good, but we found the prices a bit expensive for what it was. Our entrée + plat was 22.50e for each of us. Perhaps it was because we were in Versailles (which is always a bit more pricey) or because the meat they used was of very good quality. It was a nice meal and good environment. If you are in Versailles and  want to go out for a nice dinner with your loved one I would recommend this one, but not for the tourist bypasser who is trying to save some money.

Baan Boran

43 rue Montpensier 75001

Metro: Louvre Rivoli

Baan Boran is a quaint Thai restaurant nestled away from the touristy streets of Paris. Located behind a large historical building, rue Montpensier is littered with small Thai restos (well, at least two).

The ambiance feels classy. Dark painted walls, dim lighting, tinkling fountains, cream colored tablecloths and fancy origami napkins. The service is not as friendly - upon entering the restaurant, we were given stares of amazement (we weren't sure whether it was because they've never seen customers before, or they just didn't know what to do with us). We were seated by the window, given our menus, without any fancy talk (or any talking at all for that matter).

I ordered Pad Thai, under the Thai classics portion, and my bf, who I will call Totoro (because I feel like it) ordered a spicy chicken curry. The pad thai was decent. The plate is well laid out, with a crispy fresh purple flower on the side, and the noodles not greasy, yet a bit dry. I think I expected something more peanuty. Or maybe just more saucy. it was definitely more dry than I expected, but still tasty and satisfying, despite the not-so-big portion. I appreciated the less grease.

Totoro's curry was not spicy, although it was spicy enough for him. The rice came in this small bamboo basket, tall and skinny with a cover on top. It wasn't exactly "handy" and so Totoro ended up just dumping the rice onto his plate. The curry was good, but nothing special.

The highlight of the evening was the bathroom. That probably sounds weird to you, but I was impressed with the real towels provided. Nicely folded, fresh, white...it added class to the already classy atmosphere. But then you wonder if they really are saving tress by doing a load of laundry for white hand towels every night. Go fig.

Price-wise it wasn't too bad. Thai food in Paris is normally expensive, which is astounding to most Americans who find it a cheaper alternative. The pad thai was about 10-11 euros while the curry was 13-14 euros with 2 euros for the rice. We didn't order dessert as they didn't look very tempting. Most of it was fruit based, fresh fruits, and sorbets. It also didn't seem very Thai.

Overall, we probably wouldn't go again specifically for that restaurant. If we happen to be in the area and are hungry and we know we want good food, we would most likely stop by. The same recommendation goes for all of you. If you happen to be in the area, don't want expensive and touristy food, go and try it. It's not poisonous, I wouldn't say it's the best (although it is the first Thai restaurant I have tried), and you'll be happy in the end, although not ecstatic. But I wouldn't recommend you go jump on the metro and invite all your friends for an amazing Thai experience.

L’Etoile du Pandjab

11 rue de Beaugrenelle in the 15th

Metro : Charles Michel

In need of something spicy and hot during the cold June gloom we had, we decided to try out another Indian restaurant. This one was a ways from the Eiffel Tour in the 15th, but overall, quite good. The portions were filling, the presentation satisfying, and the food yummy (although not spicy).

L’Etoile du Pandjab is hidden amongst the residential area of the 15th (or should I say, the residential area that is the 15th). The interior is decorated pinkish redish whitish – heck, the normal colors of the majority of Indian and Pakistanian restos. We were surprisingly greeted by a smiling large Caucasian woman. Take that for being a non-stereotypical Indian restaurant! We think she was married to the man working behind the counter, an older and shall we say, “darker” man. She was quite friendly and very happy to explain all the dishes and strange looking things that were put before us, without patronizing our lack of knowledge of Middle Eastern cuisine.

We ordered an eggplant entrée (sorry, don’t remember the names), which was quite tasty, especially with the normal 3 sauces (a weird fruity sweetish one, a green more spicy one (reminded me of salsa verde), and the last which was a mix of vegetables and spices and was the most spicy. The eggplant was fried and laid on a bed of greens.

I ordered a lamb curry (red) and my significant other took a chicken curry (green I recall- I think it was because of the spinach). My lamb was quite good, however my only complaint was that the lady asked if I wanted it spicy and I said “oui,” and it was not at all spicy. Of course, adding that third sauce to your plate always makes things better, but I still wish it had more kick. Still good though – and the woman was super nice to let us have refills on the rice for free! The chicken curry was mixed with spinach (hence the green) and was very good. It gave a spin on the normal chicken curry. My bf also took a cheese naan – can never fail there.

For dessert, we have no idea what we took. All the better, right? It came in tall glasses, apparently rhum was used, plus sugar, and it looked like large brown pool balls. It tasted like donuts to me. Yup. Fried donuts with raw sugar and rhum. Yum times. They didn’t have much choice of desserts unfortunately, and the other choice was an almond pastry which is not my fav, but this one wasn’t too bad.

It wasn’t too expensive, if I recall, about 20-24 euros for the menu (entrée + plat +dessert). Naan was 5 euros. I would recommend this restaurant to someone who is in the area of the 15th to go and try it, but make sure to ask for extra spicy!!!

Tesora d’Italia

41 rue de Paradis

Metro: Poissoniere

Arrondissement : 10th

http://www.tesoroditalia.com/

Basic Summary :
Type of cuisine – Italian
Price – Plats 12e-24e
Ambiance – cozy romantic

Finding well-priced real Italian food in Paris is difficult. I think I must have looked at 20 different restaurant review sites before I found one in which at least 3 sites had the same positive opinion. The best and most authentic Italian restaurants in Paris are, let’s face it, expensive. If you are like me, you’re not willing to shell out 50-100e per person for a Tuesday night dinner after work.

Tesora d’Italia is a secluded Italian restaurant located in the 10th arrondissement, just a couple streets away from the métro Poissonniere. We found it fairly easily and arrived about 7:30pm. The place was practically empty, not gonna lie. But that’s okay, I was confident given the good customer reviews that uncrowded restaurants didn’t always mean there was something fishy going on (and by “fishy,” I don’t mean “tuna.”) However, it is normally a good indicator.

We were seated by a friendly, nicely Italian-accented waiter at a cozy table for two, complete with candle. While my boyfriend took the Ravoli al Basilico, I orderd the Ravilota Diavola. Although the presentation wasn’t amazing (and as my boyfriend quotes “well, what are you gonna do with a plate of raviolis?”), the Basilico was fresh, filling, and creamy. Although my boyfriend admits that it could have been a bit more “tasty” (and by “tasty” he means, taste the cheese (he’s French – go fig)), it was very good overall.

My Diavola contained an assortment of cheese and spinach filled ravoils with a spicy tomato sauce, adorned with olives. It was a bit more spicy then I excepted, usually resulting in the cough and grab for water after the first swallow (not that I did that, I’m Asian – I’m used to it.) However, the texture of the raviolis was perfect – great thickness, smooth, great taste, perfectly put together (they didn’t fall apart when you ate it). Although the spiciness took over the majority of the “taste,” the olives were pitted, the tomates flavorful, and the raviolis satisfying.

For dessert, we shared a house-made tiramisu. It was one of the better ones I’ve tasted in France – not soggy, cream was not too sweet and a good consistency, but the coco powder on the top was a little too much for me – just a sprinkle would have been sufficient. My boyfriend thinks otherwise, but he is a chocolate freak and his opinion does not count.

Overall, the meal was enjoyable and the service efficient, although apparently my boyfriend’s chair was not extremely comfortable. I argue though as I had the exact same chair and mine was fine. The prices are reasonable and our bill of two plats and a dessert only came to around 33 euros. Probably not something you would have every week, but for a nice outing or small celebration.

In conclusion, we would come again (they have a variety of different plates that all seem quite appetizing), we would bring a friend, and possibly recommend the restaurant to a friend (after having tried a few more dishes). If you are in the mood for Italian in Paris that is at a good price and satisfying, we recommend Tesora d’Italia.

Restaurant Coréen

                                                                                                                                                

12 rue Gomboust

Métro: Pyramides

Arrondissement: 1st

This will be a very short and non-descriptive review. Base line – eh. Not that great. But in all truth, all the Korean restaurants taste basically the same in Paris. Cheap, expensive, shady…you name it.  All the same.

I had the Korean BBQ, it was about 12 euros I recall – which isn’t bad, but it was because it was for lunch. There were about 6 small plates of pickled veggies – always good, and they cook the meat in front of you (well, THEY don’t cook, but you watch it cook). It comes with rice which is always nice (and no, I didn’t mean to rhyme). The meat was not very flavorful for Korean BBQ (at least, what I have had in the past). It wasn’t bad, it was mediocre.

A coworker got a shrimp plate which seemed fairly spicy, but not very flavorful. Although she said she enjoyed it, at least, this is what I remember.

Conclusion, won’t go back. Willing to try other Korean places and still on the hunt for Korean BBQ as good as back in the states. At least I know I’ve been to this one.

Bienvenue!

Welcome to my Paris restaurant review blog!

Food is my passion and every week, I look forward to discovering new restaurant finds in Paris. I am originally from California, so my taste may differ a bit from others, but my boyfriend is French, and so has the eye (or shall I say tongue?) for authentic French food!

Enjoy our reviews and if you have any questions, never hesitate to contact me by email or leave a comment!

Bon appétit!