Everything I’ve eaten in Paris: October Edition
I can’t believe that October is over— that means I only have a month and a half left here and I’m already getting sad about it. I’ve had a crazy month, I moved apartments… twice, went to over 30 new restaurants, and traveled to 4 new countries! Compared to last month, I have even more restaurants to share of all different cuisines and styles and I’ll be listing the 10 best places including info on what I got.
I’ve been to Dalia twice now and it’s a great restaurant to go to with a group because the menu is all shareable plates and it’s really easy to get a reservation there. The last time I was there we just ordered the whole menu and tried everything, every plate is delicious, including their cocktails
What I ordered:
Malka bread- This bread was pure heaven. It’s served piping hot from the oven and is so soft and fluffy. It’s the perfect vehicle to soak up all the different sauces and spreads left over from the other dishes
Falafel- They’re served over a creamy and tangy yogurt sauce with fresh parsley and a mango sauce—it’s a perfect bite
Haricots with pomegranate molasses- The string beans are perfectly cooked and still crispy and the sweet and sour pomegranate molasses pairs perfectly with the salty crumbled feta that is sprinkled on top
Chicken taouk with grilled corn hummus- This was hands down my favorite plate. The chicken is perfectly cooked and tender and the hummus is slightly sweet from the corn
Braised cabbage- I love cabbage so whenever I see it on a menu I like to order it. Dalia’s has their homemade orange olive oil and pomegranate seeds on top and I loved it so much
Hummus bourguignon- Although I prefered the chicken hummus, you can’t go wrong with braised beef over homemade hummus
Since they’re known for having Kim Kardashian’s favorite burger, Ferdi has been high on my list of places to try. Since the restaurant is super small and very well known, getting a reservation on short notice is hard and should definitely be planned in advance. The interior of the restaurant is like one I’ve never seen before, it is so charming and whimsical. The menu is honestly a lot larger than I expected and has a lot of Spanish influence and some weird-sounding bites like “tomato bruschetta with vanilla olive oil”
What I ordered:
Cherry tomatoes with pesto gouda and lemon olive oil- This was interesting, to say the least… I didn’t know what to expect of the pesto gouda but it was little blocks of bright green cheese that were slightly off-putting but overall it was a fun dish
Mac Ferdi’s cheeseburger (one with bacon and one without)- I set the stakes high for this burger knowing that it is Kim K’s favorite. Although it wasn’t the most mind-blowing burger I’ve had, it definitely deserves the hype it gets. The main reason why I liked it so much was because, like most of the food in France, it didn’t make me feel sick or too bloated after. Somehow it was perfectly light and not overly greasy
Mac and cheese- This was insane. It was very peppery and almost reminded me of a mac and cheese cacio pepe hybrid. The sauce was extremely creamy and reminiscent of an overly processed store-bought mac and cheese with a gourmet spin and the crispy cheese on top will always my favorite part in any mac and cheese
Churros with hot chocolate sauce- Churros are easily one of my favorite desserts… you can’t beat the hot crispy dough with cinnamon sugar, especially when they’re served with chocolate sauce
Espresso martini- My favorite drink to have with dessert and these were STRONG
Everything about Candelaria is so fun— the front is a tiny, unassuming taco shop with a picnic table with a red checkered cloth and a bar with stools. they only serve tacos and killer frozen margaritas. What you wouldn’t expect is that in the back is a bustling speakeasy serving high-end cocktails and quesadillas. It has such a cool vibe and it’s a great place to go to spice up your week-day
What I ordered (in the front):
Frozen marg- Cold, strong, fresh, AND rimmed with tajin… perfection
Chips and guac- honestly it was very mid, both the chips and guac needed salt
Chicken tostada- This was phenomenal, yes it was very messy to eat, but the braised chicken was so flavorful and saucy
Carnitas tacos- I’ve definitely had better carnitas, they were on the drier side
Barbacoa tacos (not pictured)- Wow… these were insane. They’re incredibly juicy and tender, I would come back just for these tacos
*we got 3 tacos for 10 euros on Taco Tuesday!!*
What I ordered (in the back):
Cheese quesadilla- Although I’m not used to eating quesadillas on corn tortillas, these were still delicious and there were super crispy cheese bits on the outside
Le 404 was been on my list to try for too long. When you walk into the restaurant you feel like you’ve traveled to Northern Africa and the food is just as convincing. The whole experience just felt very authentic but high-end and I would definitely recommend trying it
What I ordered:
Saffron chicken briouat- These delicious chicken-filled pastries were so light and crispy. I loved them with a drizzle of lemon juice and a bite of salad on the side
Hummus and pita- The hummus wasn’t anything super special but, it was very fresh and paired nicely with everything else
Mecchouia salad- This wasn’t really a salad at all, but it was still delicious and i enjoyed it with the hummus
Fresh Moroccan salad- After trying this salad with the chicken pastries, we had to order a larger portion of it. Nothing beats the combo of red onion, cucumber, and tomatoes in a vinegary dressing
Lamb shank and apricot tajine- I’ve never been served anything like this before at a restaurant. The whole lamb shank in the tajine, which is a beautiful Morcano clay pot used for cooking, blew me away presentation alone but, the combination of the tender lamb and the juicy and sweet apricots was heavenly
6. Le Bistrot d’Henri: 16 Rue Princesse, 75006 Paris, France
I found Bistro D’Henri because it’s right around the corner from where I live and convince aside, the food is great. It’s such a cozy little French bistro
What I ordered:
Escargot- The escargot was super buttery with the perfect amount of garlic and herbs. it was served out of its shell with an arugula salad on top, which I’ve never seen done before, but I enjoyed it
Roasted red peppers with pesto- They’re exactly what they sound like and they were great
Warm goat cheese salad- I really enjoyed this for someone who is not a goat cheese fan. It’s drizzled with honey and fresh thyme which pairs nicely with the tang you get from the cheese
Braised lamb shank with potato gratin- This was phenomenal, the lamb falls right off the bone and the combo of gravy mixed with the creamy, cheesy potatoes should be illegal
Duck breast with potato gratin- The duck was perfectly cooked and served with a honey demi-glaze that had a perfect balance of sweet and savory
Crème brûlée- It’s one of my favorite desserts and it was amazing here
Early June has been on my list to go to since the summer because I saw it featured on a few food writer’s Instagrams. I did some research and I fell in love with the concept of the restaurant. Every 2-4 weeks the restaurant gets a new chef from around the world that cooks their own menu influenced by their nationality. When I first discovered the restaurant, it was hosting a Korean chef and when I went back the restaurant was hosting a Turkish chef. The only downside is that it’s open Wednesday-Sunday but the wait to get in here was definitely worth it. Did I mention it’s a wine bar? Unfourtatley, since the menu is always changing I don’t remember the exact names of what I got and what was in them other than the fact that everything was so delicious that we had to order seconds. This concept is awesome because I can continue to go back and have a different experience each time
Tekes really blew my mind. I didn’t know that it was a fully vegetarian menu until I sat down. I started to regret my decision, but wow this place surprised me. With the food being outstanding aside, the inside of the restaurant is beautiful, there is a panoramic roof and lots of little clay pots and greenery. The waiters were lively and friendly, and halfway through dinner we got brought the most incredible vodka shots with watermelon juice
What I ordered:
Pita bread with tahini, grated tomato, and spicy herb dip- The bread was piping hot and the 3 dips worked so well together. The tahini is cold and creamy which pairs nicely with the spicy herb sauce and the grated tomatoes adds a little sweetness and acidity
Eggplant “empanadas”- We got two orders of these… the eggplant on the inside was creamy and smokey, the dough was perfectly fried and golden, and the creamy black sesame sauce cooled down the spice from the pepper
Sauteed fennel with pita chips and labneh- The fennel’s licorice flavor paired nicely with the rich labneh and the crunchy pita chips which added a bite to the fennel’s soft texture
Expirimental “chicken liver”- This dish blew me away. I didn’t know what to expect because Tekes is a vegetarian restaurant but, it was pan-fried wild mushrooms and onions served with toasted brioche and a soft-boiled egg. The waiter came and mashed everything together and although I was apprehensive over the visual.. it was delicious
Curry gnocchi- The gnocchi here were super crispy, unlike traditional potato gnocchi you’d find at an Italian restaurant. They were able to hold up to the creamy curry sauce. Overall it wasn’t my favorte dish but it was still good
Chocolate mousse with flakey salt and extra virgin olive oil- This was one of the best chocolate mousses I’ve ever had. What made it so special was the addition of the salt and olive oil. The salt balanced out the sweetness and richness of the chocolate and the evoo complimented the dark chocolate perfectly. They both brought out the fruity notes that both dark chocolate and evoo have
Bistrot Paul Bert has also been on my radar since the summer from finding it on Instagram and I knew that I wanted to wait for my parents to visit to try it. From the menu, to the staff, to the interior of the restaurant, Bistrot Paul Bert embodies all the traits of what you would expect from a classic French bistro and that’s why I love it so much
The artichoke- It’s paired with a delicious French vinaigrette to dip in. The dressing is super acidic and has a great bite to it
Dover sole- This fish was stunning. We got the 2-3 portion size and it was outstanding. The butter and lemon pair perfectly with the delicate white fish, it was extremely simple but executed perfectly
Steak au provior- I literally gasped when they brought this to the table. We ordered the 3 person serving and this steak took my breath away. The peppercorn sauce was smooth and velvety and the potatoes were the perfect vehicle to soak it all up
There’s not much else to say about Blueberry other than it is my new favorite place for sushi. Their creative rolls are amazing, and for someone who doesn’t love crazy sushi rolls that means a lot. Other than the sushi, everything else they have on the menu from apps, to drinks, and dessert were outstanding.
What I ordered:
Miso eggplant- I love any miso eggplant dish and this one certainly did not disappoint. It’s slightly sweet and salty and the eggplant fell apart and was super tender and creamy
Small herbs salad- I love herb-forward salads and it was super light and refreshing and it was paired nicely with the nutty sesame dressing
Soba salad- Similar to the herb salad, it is light and refreshing and it has little bits of persimminion in it which is one of my favorite fruits and it adds and sweet bite
Red mediterranean tuna tataki- This was a delicious app recommended by the waiter. The tuna was super fresh and it was topped with crunchy peanuts
Yuzu smokey- One of the best rolls with salmon, avocado, and yuzu mayo
Gatsby- A slightly creamy roll with sea bass, shrimp, avocado, and white tarama
Rackham le rouge- My favorite roll with fried prawn, tuna, summer truffle, cucumber, and a spicy sauce
Totoro- A really simple but classic roll with toro tuna, chives, Japanese curry sesame, and wasabi
Raspberry and matcha ice cream mochi- Definitely could have skipped these they weren’t anything special
Black sesame paste and vanilla ganache mochi- These are two desserts that I will never forget. The texture of each filling is luscious and gooey and will forever beat ice cream-filled mochi for me.
1. La Bourse et la Vie: 12 Rue Vivienne, 75002 Paris, France
La Bourse et la Vie is easily one of the best/nicest restaurants I’ve been to in Paris yet. I love how small the resturuant is, it’s contempary interior, and of course, the amazing food. Although getting a reservation needs to be done far in advance, it is 100% worth going to.
What I ordered:
Braised leeks- I love leeks and these were by far the best variation of a braised leek in vinegrette yet. the toasted hazelnuts on top added a perfect crunch
Carrot salad- If there’s one dish that I cant wait to recreate at home is this carrot salad in orange vinegrette. It is so simple yet so refreshing. I love the texture of the cold carrots that have been soaking in tart vinegar and the sweet notes form the orange
Endive salad- I don’t even like goat cheese but this salad was amazing. The endive leaves are cripsy and crunchy and they hold up to the creamy goat cheese dressing
Oysters- In my opinion, French oysters are unbeatable and these were topped with curry oil. It was such a unique flavor combination, but it really works
Braised veal- In a creamy tomato broth with mini potatoes
Fish stew- Scallops, mussels, and monk fish
Steak frites- The best steak frites I’ve had yet. Although Bistro Paul Bert’s was amazing, I prefer the more tender cut of steak that La Bourse et la Vie uses