Salmon and mussel starter from L'Amie Jean

By Sarah— Living in a great city like Paris we often receive the questions:  where do you recommend us going to eat?  which are your favorite places?  Looking back on the last two years and all the delicious meals we’ve eaten, sublime wine we’ve sipped and fantastic atmospheres we’ve enjoyed we have acquired quite a lengthy list of worthwhile places. So here we have our favorites, not necessarily the best in all of Paris, but definitely the locations we frequent.  This list is composed of  the places we have found to be the most interesting, most consistent and best value for the Euro that we have experienced… so far.

After no more ado, here are our Paris favorites arranged from most to least expensive.

L’Amie Jean: Not overly expensive but not cheap either, this little French bistro delivers a quality and authentic dining experience.  The chef Stephane Jego subscribes to idea that haute cusine does not have to be a budget breaker.  The menu focuses on traditional French cooking but Stephane dishes it out in a new and inventive way.  If you are looking for good French food with an interesting twist, we highly recommend this place. Expect the bill to tally around €120 (for two) with a decent bottle of wine and after dinner drinks. A reservation is required.

Monjul: A meal here will run around €110 for two including wine, but the Asian + French fusion warrants the price. This is one of my favorite restaurants not only because I have enjoyed many meals here but because of the, “this is the best meal ever!” comments that our guests make.  My only complaint is that they change their menu infrequently so I tend not to back as often as I would like to. Each dish is unique and interesting in ways even a hardened foodie will find interesting,  with such delectable treats as the silly sounding, yet scrumptious, porky-snacky they have so many things right that they do not need to change their menu often. Recommendations necessary.

Le Comptoir de Relais: Classic sidewalk cafe in the heart of Sant Germain des Pris, which is an area that is great for people watching and relaxing.  Perfect for an afternoon of eating traditional French pates, cheeses and meats while enjoying one of Paris’ most famous neighborhoods without the hefty price-tags of the more famous Cafés just down the street.

Au Sergent Recruteur: All you can eat: Mid-priced classic French country cooking (and a lot of it). We were a bit hesitant to go here the first time, but it was a fun experience. If you have a good group of people and like to not worry about running up the bill with wine then we fully recommend this rustic food barn reminiscent of what you might expect to find in the French countryside after a long carriage ride in the 19th Century.  The food is hearty and plentiful meal starts with a huge basket of fresh veggies and a tasty vinaigrette.  That segways into an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord board of meats, salamis and pates. Wait!  There’s more!  Then there is the main course which is followed by a board of cheeses.  Oh, did I mention that limitless wine is included?  Sure you will be hard pressed to find a Frenchman in here but this place is perfect for getting a good meal and not worrying about running up the bill as the cost is €47 per person without any “surprises” at the end.  Reservations should be made but you can often get a table without.

Bacon and chevre salad from Chez Gladine runs less than €8

Chez Gladine: Cheap, Basque, Lively. In Buttes aux Cailles, this off-the-beaten tourist-path bistro is at maximum capacity every night with French students.  If you arrive any later than 8:00 be prepared for a 30 plus minute wait outside.  But don’t worry, push your way to the bar and order a bottle of wine or beer and enjoy the party outside.  Even though it seems chaotic the staff is friendly (they do speak enough English to put your name on the list and make recommendations), yet efficient at handling the volume of people.  The food is good and basic and there is a lot of dishes so you can’t go wrong. The salads are huge, the duck is delish, and the gateaux basque is sweet.  Don’t be intimidated by the wait or the chaos.  Chez Gladine is a great experience.

Le Pot de Terre: Cheap, French, Touristic. If you are a foodie – don’t bother with this place; however, if you in the mood for decent food without a hefty price tag, then give it a shot. This is a no fuss, no muss restaurant that some would consider very touristy but there are also always a lot of French customers as well.   We always leave satisfied. No reservations necessary.

Au’Petit Grec: Cheap as it can be, Creperie,  Standing room only. On Rue Mouffetard, you can’t miss Au’Petit Grec because it almost always has a line even if the other adjacent creperies are vacant of even a single customer.  The most interesting crepe place we have found which serves up the French staple with a Greek twist.  I like to get here at least once every two weeks for Friday night dinner.  My favorites are the tarama, feta, olives with tomato and lettuce, the bolognese, and the savoyarde. All around good and copious food.

]]> http://ikangaroo.com/2010/04/22/paris-a-locals-food-picks/feed/ 0 http://ikangaroo.com/2010/02/02/france-its-groundhog-day-no-its-jour-des-crepes/ http://ikangaroo.com/2010/02/02/france-its-groundhog-day-no-its-jour-des-crepes/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:18:54 +0000 Chris http://ikangaroo.com/?p=2197

1000s of fans gathered at the Eiffel Tower to celebrate the music of the King of Pop.

Paris- June 28, 2009—

Almost immediately after the King of Pop passed away fans started to gather in many of the world most famous locations to celebrate the music of one of the most talented and at times controversial artists of our generation.  At the Eiffel Tower a tribute was organized over Facebook that reached all languages and ages.  By the 3:00 pm start time the crowd was already in the 1000s and composed of all ages and nationalities.  For hours impromptu dancing broke out while the crowd consistently clapped and chanted Michael…Michael….Michael.

The Owl Trail guides you to 22 of Dijon's best sites in the city center.

By Sarah–

Dijon is only an hour and forty minutes from Paris and is a great respite from the busy city.  This city that was once a rich capital of art and culture has plenty to do and see and without the expensive price tags of Paris.We left Paris Wednesday morning and took the train out of Gare de Lyon straight into Dijon. The tickets were purchased the day of the trip, although we could have possibly found them a bit less expensive had we planned further in advance. When we first started to look we found one way tickets for just over 30 euros. That makes the transport around 60, although as I stated for the day off we ended up paying 90 euros round trip per person.

As for accommodation, we found Dijon-rentahome.com lists many quality apartments throughout Dijon. We selected a two bedroom on Rue Verrerie and found the location to be perfect. The apartment was extremely comfortable and affordable. It is well equipped with everything you need for a few days to a few weeks. For the four nights we ended up paying 440. The owners Beatrice and Max have created a wonderful atmosphere and are a great source for local information.  The neighborhood was central and rich with a lot of fun discoveries such as a wonderful boulangerie and numerous shops. The street where our apartment was located is called L’Bout d’la Rue (52, rue Verrerie, 03.80.71.37.92) which had a lovely mussels restaurant (yes nothing but mussels in many varieties of sauce).  We tried the crepe restaurant across the street, but believe it or now we needed reservations and it was booked.  Finally, although we did not try it, around the corner looks to be an interesting cooking school named Atelier des Chefs.com. The cooking school will do courses in English and seem very accommodating.

When we arrived in Dijon we made a quick stop at the helpful Tourist Office and tried a place called Le Concorde.  Located at 2, Place Darcy this typical French brasserie that is perfect for a drink and bathroom stop.  We weren’t hungry so we didn’t sample the food but if you are hungry the plate of the day always comes recommended. The day we were there it was roast beef and mashed potatoes for only 9 euro!  A steal.

There is a plenty to do in Dijon. We found the city planned tour where you follow a path marked by the city good luck charm, the owl, with an accompanying book. The tour takes you around the city with local history and interesting facts.  We slowly walked along the clearly marked path with a few stops into churches and cafes and had a pleasant afternoon. Well worth your time is a visit to this hat shop which was amazing to all of us – Chapellerie Bruyas (65, rue des Godrans, 21000 Dijon, 0380304923). You should also visit the Boutique Maille at 32 rue de la Liberté.  Maille is the famous mustard brand that comes from Dijon and as you would expect they have a pretty nice shop set up displaying all the history of the brand and plenty of opportunities to buy specialized mustard jars and other accessories.

Worth your time is a day trip out to Beaune. We took a train around 11h, returning at 16h. The town is a quaint, picturesque, small town France at its best – once you are inside the walls. We walked the town, visited the wine museum and did a great lunch. If you are a fan of wine this is town for you. Tons of tasting locations and, if a bit rustic, an interesting wine museum. For the approximate 6 euros entry you find out all kind of remarkable facts. If you are not a huge wine enthusiast we would recommend you skip it. Towards the end of the tour we did lunch at Le Galion (5 place Ziem, 21200 Beaune, 03.80.22.65.21). We had salad with warmed camembert, tuna tartar salad, and beef bourgogne. It was a beautiful tranquil square, tasty marvelously presented food for a variety of pallets, and helpful wait staff. If you visit walk the town, check out the ramparts and go to a few of the wine tasting establishments.

In Dijon, we sampled some good restaurants but highly recommend a visit to the local market called Les Halles. It runs Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and is a spectacle of French cuisine. The architecture of the building is interesting as it was designed by Gustave Eiffel.  For lunch (and unplanned dinner) we purchased pungent cheeses, wonderful pates, sausage, fresh fruit, veggies (asparagus of the woods which was a discovery for us) and a few bottles of wine (a great wine shop is La Carte des Vins, 1 rue Musette, 21000 Dijon, 0380304501, www.achat-dijon.com).

If you do not have the space for eating your own purchases or just want a night out try a walk down Rue Admiral Roussin. There are 4-5 different restaurants that are good and you can’t make a wrong choice, from Italian to crepes to local French food. We tried the Italian restaurant and Le Petit Roi de la Lune (28, rue Admiral Roussin, Dijon, 0380498993). All of the choices were excellent and the service helpful.

One of the highlights of the trip was a tour of the region provided by Max (owner of the apartment). We visited a number of wineries, received personal tours and tutelage about the region, ate a typically delicious Burgundian meal and ended with a short tour of the canals where Beatrice and Max call home. Although not ready to rent when we were there was a barge docked near their home. If you want to do the Burgundy area at a leisurely pace you might also think about renting it out for a short stay.

All in all our visit to Dijon was excellent. The weather turn out perfectly, we walked a ton and then made up for it by eating and drinking the local specialties!

]]> http://ikangaroo.com/2009/06/22/dijon-get-a-way/feed/ 0 http://ikangaroo.com/2009/04/06/french-museums-free-for-eu-25s-and-under/ http://ikangaroo.com/2009/04/06/french-museums-free-for-eu-25s-and-under/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:47:06 +0000 Chris http://ikangaroo.com/?p=1520

From April 4, 2009 masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa will be free to view for EU travelers 25 and younger

In January 2009 French President Nicholas Sarkozy announced that on April 4, 2009 French museums and monuments will stop charging admission people 25 years and younger.  At the time of the announcement it was not said if this would mean everyone, EU residents or simply French.  Now it is official and clear: this new benefit is for European Union residents with passports or official ID 25 years and younger and teachers. The program is reported  to be costing the French government €30M, but is expected to create lifelong customers for French culture and art.

French museums such as the Lourve and d’Orsay are reasonably priced this move is like putting an extra €20 ( or more) in the pocket of each EU student traveler who wants to see the Mona Lisa, Impressionists or countless other artists represented in French museums. Moreover, for those not able to enjoy this privilege don’t worry because this will be a benefit in that if you are lucky enough to be in Paris during a free- museum Sunday I expect that lines and crowds will diminish as student and young EU travelers will no longer have to enjoy France’s fantastic works of art, for free, at specific times.  While this may be a disappointment for non-EU students, they will still be able to enjoy free admission to museums such as at the Louvre on Friday evenings and very resonable admission rates.

This museum is recommended especially for those, like me, who appreciate seeing the same landmarks and monuments that make Paris famous and unique in different scenarios throughout the years.

• Admission: Free (there is a charge for special exhibits)
• Hours: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm- closed on Mondays and certain holidays
• Time to visit: About 90 min
• Recommendations for nearby eating and drinking: Chez Janou and Les Philosphes.

My favorite parts: the section on the French Revolution and all the paintings of Paris’ different landmarks contained in the 18th and 19th century exhibits.

]]> http://ikangaroo.com/2009/01/17/free-paris-museum-of-paris-history/feed/ 0 http://ikangaroo.com/2008/12/23/christmas-in-paris/ http://ikangaroo.com/2008/12/23/christmas-in-paris/#comments Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:51:04 +0000 Chris http://ikangaroo.com/?p=1433 Hello Travelers,

Happy holidays from iKangaroo Travel Media. We look forward to bringing you more travel information that will make your trips even more fun in the coming year. Enjoy the following video showcasing beautiful Paris all decked out for Christmas.

Have a great holiday season.

By Chris

Rue Mouffetard in Paris’ 5th arrondissement is the definition of the beaten path.  It does not have undiscovered nooks with kindly shop-keepers who serve up surprisingly delicious food or have piles of rare antiques with that certain something that you have been searching the world over.  Instead it is a touristic production line that churns through 1000s of visitors in its countless bistros, restaurants, bars, pubs and sidewalk cafes. To the uninformed and travel elitist it is merely a Left Bank cliche full of indifferent service, mediocre food and cheap souvenirs.  However, if you’re able to accept, as my recent tour guide Alex said, that “you are a tourist” than you’ll find that rue Mouffetard is an exceptional opportunity to enjoy Paris on a budget.  It certainly has some good finds and overall great deals set in a bustling neighborhood that was born in Roman times close to 2000 years ago. A walk from the top of Mouffetard to the bottom will give you ample opportunity to take in small fun cafes and inexpensive restaurants.  Here are some I want to share.

Let’s start our exploration at the top of Mouffetard at 39 rue Descartes which is just above Mouffetard and close to the Pantheon, where Fucoult’s Pendulum is located.  In the 1920’s a poor and unknown Earnest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, lived in this building in a small third floor cold-water walk-up.  Today there is a plaque just under a canopy for a restaurant named La Maison de la Verlaine that informs passers by that Hemingway lived there from 1921-25.  We ate a Sunday lunch there that included two fixed menus plus wine which totaled close to 50€.  I had the frog legs with pomme frites which I thought were average (you never really want average frog legs) and overall we didn’t think the place or food were remarkable.

Down the street about 200 meters is Place de la Contrescarpe which is surrounded by some typical Parisian cafes and pubs– among them is Cafe Delmas, formerly Cafe des Armateurs which Hemingway called the cesspool of Mouffetard which now is now is nice but somewhat corporate –  that occupy prime real estate for people watching, grabbing a drink and enjoying this classic square.  Any of the cafes offer a similar experience and all are quite pricey relative to their neighbors just a few dozen meters away in any direction.  Nevertheless, they are less expensive alternatives, if not as fashionable, to their counterparts on the Champs or in Saint Germain, and all have the added benefit of very limited motor traffic therefore less noise.

As you are walking through this area you will probably notice lot’s of signs advertising Happy Hour at the scores of bars in the area– funny enough: the French wanted to get rid of the term ‘week-end’ because it is English but ‘happy hour’ seems to be going strong.  Generally happy hours in Paris are from 17:00 (5 pm) to 20:00, sometimes as late as 22:00, and drink prices are heavily discounted as much as 50%. Mouffetard has some of the best (i.e. cheapest) happy hours in Paris.  Here are two pub selections: one chosen for its comfortable atmosphere and inexpensive drinks and the other for its history.  PUB #1, The Fifth Bar located at number 62. This dive is a neighborhood hangout / college pub that offers the cheapest happy hour pints in the area, and I would guess Paris, for only €2.50.  The Fifth Bar also has free English newspapers and magazines, a friendly bar staff, beer-pong tournaments and the whole place seems to be set-up to meet people.  It is a good choice for groups, lone travelers, everyone sticking to a budget, and they will show the match / game (NFL, Soccer, Rugby) if you ask.  Happy hour ends at 21:00 (9pm) with drink specials all night on Thursdays.  PUB #2, Roadhouse le Vieux Chene at number 69. Not as cheap as Fifth Bar but it still has worthwhile happy hour deals ranging from €3.50 Stellas to €6.00 cocktails.  The interior is clean rustic, which means that it is designed to look like an old roadhouse.  I have been there a couple of times and the bar staff has always been friendly.  To me the history of a place is always a big draw and this pub has the distinction of being in a location that has been selling wine since the late 1500s as explained on the historical marker just to the left of the entrance.

Now to eat. Paris has a variety of crepe and sandwich stands.  From shoddy set-ups in the back of trucks to take away (emporter) windows in established restaurants these French stuffed pancakes can be an inexpensive and filling meal.  I am not a crepe connoisseur and historically I thought that all crepes are pretty similar, however, as I have experienced on Mouffetard this simply is not the case.  AU P’TIT GREC at number 66 seems to be an institution as evidenced by all the people migrate there leaving adjacent crepe shops empty.  I have tried these crepes which are made by a Greek family from Thessaloniki and I was impressed. Their crepes are the most interesting I have eaten in that the proprietors instill their Greek heritage by mixing in some feta with the usual ingredients.  It’s worth the wait and prices are right in line with the competition at €3 to €4.50 so they seem to be winning this crepe war based solely on their superior product.

For more of a sit down experience try Le Mouff’tot Mouff’tard at number 73.  In terms of the food it was above average- not outstanding, but good–, yet when the cost of about €40 per person including wine (wine there- table wine anyways- is cheap (€9 per 50cl), a rarity in Paris) is factored in this restaurant becomes a good choice.  When I ate there pushed the upward price bounds (i.e. the most expensive menu and numerous carafes wine) and the price was still reasonable.  The owner and his wait staff were very attentive and I was particularly impressed that when I left something there and returned a week later that they had remembered me and were happy to return my property.  This is no Michelin star property but it came recommended by some people in the neighborhood and it met my expectations as a decent place with good food at a reasonable price.

A classic French brasserie that I like a lot is called Le Mouffetard at 116.  From its appearance this is a cliche French brassiere, a possibly a tourist trap, because of its ornate trimmings, colorful vintage French advertising posters and zinc bar.  Yet, I have found this restaurant to be friendly, if you take your drink at the bar it is cheap and the food is good.  One of my favorite meals there was a cheesy, potato and bacon dish called tartiflette (€11 including a small salad) which was served in an individual baking dish so you know that it was baked fresh as opposed to just reheated and slapped on a plate.  Tartiflette comes from the mountain region in France and it an excellent and hardy meal for one of those cold and damp Parisian winter days.

Another restaurant that was recommended by locals is called La Salle a Manger at 138, specializing in salads and tartines, located in the market area at the end of the rue. They are only open for breakfast, lunch and brunch.  I had a salad that was big enough for two and was a nice break from the more traditional French fare.  The prices are very affordable to the budget conscious and this restaurant is also nice because of its outdoor seating amidst the hustle and bustle of the market- if you are into that type of thing.

For a little more of an elegant affair or perhaps a glass of wine try Cave La Bourgogne at 144.  This is another classic French brasserie but what I find most interesting is that it is decorated with vintage pictures of the area.  I always like these places and tremendously enjoy the pictures of people doing the exact some thing in the same place but 50 years or so ago.  Cave La Bourgogne is perfect for a cup of coffee €1.20 or a glass of wine €3.00 and it also has a nice terrace with excellent people watching values. For a quick lunch or a snack they have a great country platter (cheese, meat and vegetables served on a wooden cutting board), which will run about €10.00.

Last and my favorite of the lot is Cafe Lea which is located off the bottom of Mouffetard at 5 Claude-Bernard.  This cafe is popular with the work crowd so if you want to lunch here either arrive early around noon or after 14:00 when the work crowd has dissipated but you then run the risk of not getting the best menu items as they will have assuredly sold out for the day.  The menu is ever changing and consists of variations on classic French dishes.  Entrees run around €15 and you can expect to drop ~€25 per person if you want to do the whole French lunch (i.e. entree, desert, wine and cafe), which is a good deal considering the quality food you are getting in Cafe Lea’s fun and fresh atmosphere.  The service is efficent, polite and consistent.  With that said, they do a booming lunch business and understand that table turn-over equals increased revenues so be prepared for this or try timing your lunch a bit later at around 14:00 as most French will be winding down and going back to work.

Now to wrap up with a great coffee.  My personal favorite both for the €1.00 price-tag and quality of coffee is called Brulerie des Ternes at number 111.  This cafe, and I use the term loosely, is nothing more than a coffee purveyor with a couple of seats and four standing tables.  The coffee is strong and the view is good so for a quick cafe break this place would be hard to beat, especially on a nice day.

Okay now that you are sold on how great the 5th is you probably want to know where to stay.  Sure there are lots of hotels in the area and I hope that people will give me some feedback about which they have enjoyed for now all I have is the hostel called Young and Happy at number 80 rue Moufftard.  In terms of location this hostel is hard to beat and generally it is everything a backpacker expects in a youth hostel (i.e. bunk beds, shared bathrooms and somewhat cramped quarters).  The prices are right in line with other Parisian hostels.  The feedback that I have gotten about Y&H has been positive but it has been mentioned by some backpackers I chatted with who were staying there wished it has more social space.  However, I spoke with the manager, Charles, and they are in the middle of a renovation so look for more chatting-up space in 2009.

Rue Moufftard may be a heavily touristic area but it is far from a tourist trap if you know where to go.  Mix  tourists in with French students, an old neighborhood and a high concentration of French businesses and what you have is an opportunity to have an unique French experience.  One last note: Mondays are very slow here as the markets and many of the places that I have mentioned are closed, so keep in mind that Mondays are not the day to get the full Mouffetard experience..

If you have had an experience in The Mouffetard that you would like to share please do not hesitate.  Thanks for reading.

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