Late night picnic "at home" in Paris.
The “Food in Paris” post is going to be two posts. Or three. Because there’s too much goodness to be contained in just one.
Breakfast. Or anytime. Or all the time.
Du Pain et Des Idées 34 rue Yves Toudic, 75010
Chocolate on my lip, don't care.
Arguably the best bread in Paris. (It takes seven hours to make a baguette here, compared to the typical hour-and-a-half elsewhere.) Read about it here.
Must try: the pain des amis, a flatbread with a nutty taste and thick crust. And my favourite thing of all time: the escargot chocolat-pistache. (Matthew votes for the praline escargot.)
We grabbed breakfast here twice, each time eating our pastries by the Canal St. Martin.
Multitasking tip: Grab a chunk of bread for your picnic later in the day.
Coquelicot 52 rue des Abbesses, 75018
We had breakfast here three times, I believe. (It was a three-minute walk from our Montmartre apartment.) We also picked up pastries here on days where we were hopping on a train early in the a.m. — for Normandy and Versailles.
Here you can order the world’s simplest/best breakfast: a large slice of brioche with jam and a bowl (a bowl!) of coffee.
Seriously. Coffee from a bowl makes everything better.
Teachable moment: “Coquelicot” means poppy.
Le Petit Fer à Cheval 30 rue Vieille du Temple, 75004
This “little horseshoe” cafe in the Marais was yet another Bourdain recommendation. (Watch The Layover and you’ll understand why we followed the man blindly through the city. He did not disappoint us. Not once.)
It’s been open since 1903. The espresso was the best we had all trip. (They serve it with a square of chocolate!) And the space-age bathroom — a stainless steel stall that references a submarine — is terrifying for those of us who aren’t used to squatting over a hole in the floor. You have been warned.
In conclusion, drink espresso here. Use the washroom elsewhere. Unless you’re a dude. And/or don’t mind peeing on your shoes.
Snack Time:
Berthillon 31 rue Saint-Louis en l’Ile, 75004
Best. Ice Cream. Ever.
After trying this Anthony Bourdain-recommended (and Matthew's friend-recommended) treat, we returned to the Île Saint-Louis the next day just to have it again.
The flavours are fresh and fun and always changing.
Matthew tried the roasted pineapple and basil. And strawberry. I had cherry plum. And rhubarb. The second time around included wild strawberry (Matthew) and pistachio and hazelnut (me).
Urfa Dürüm 58 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010
Matthew’s favourite snack spot. (Um, I’d call it a lunch place. My snacks aren’t usually burrito-sized.)
Get the lamb kebab. Or, if you’d prefer something lighter — and, arguably, even more flavourful — get the super-cheap lahmacun from this popular Kurdish sandwich shop.
(Matthew agrees. The lahmacun was the best. And, yes, we went twice. We’re loyal people.)
Up next: Dinner. Mmm, dinner.