Travel: Paris Part 2

Foodie, what does it really mean?!?! Is it an insult? Do I just unapologetically love good food? Whatever the case I'm fine with the label! And I pride myself on finding some of the best food in any city.  In Paris it is hard to find a bad meal. Be adventurous, try that stinky cheese, drink espresso's till you fear a mild cardiac arrest coming on. Forget your low carb, keto, paleo, gluten free, dairy free way of life and embrace all that Paris has to offer.

Before I break down some of our most amazing meals, which is basically all of them, take a moment and reflect on their diet and life style. I am sure there is gluten free and vegan options, but no matter the "diet" I'm currently on, when I'm on vacation I am on vacation from my diet as well! Eat the second croissant, get another round of charcuterie, drink that second or third glass of wine! This is vacation and it is time to treat yourself! Paris will treat your stomach well if you let it!

First stop, crepes. I forget where we got these, but we were walking the streets and fell upon this creperie they mainly focused on savory crepes and personally I prefer them! The best feeling in the world is when you just stumble on a place and this was just that, a magical first meal. My man and I always order to share, we do the plate swap mid way through our meal, hey I don't want to try just one! I suggest you try it out sometime, unless you are weird about sharing food, but food was meant to be shared so be kind to your dining companion and let them get a bite too!

We drank so much espresso and cappuccino this trip I can't tell you all the places we went to and they were all delicious. There were no extra large mocha frappuccinos. Simple espresso or cafe au lait, in a normal sized cup, with the intention to be sipped and enjoyed over relaxing conversation. This was actual hard for me to do the first day. I am so used to rushing to the next thing or chugging my coffee before work that I forgot how to just enjoy. So please, no matter where you are, on vacation you are meant to just slow down and enjoy!

Just a street shot of the Latin Quarter. There are a ton of Mediterranean, Greek as well as some Italian restaurants here . We opted for the gyro. Big enough to share, we found a spot in a local park and watched the pigeons while we dove into the monstrous mix of meat, sauce and fries. By the way, fries on the top is like McDonald fries in your hamburger, it just has to be done, no questions asked.

There is some lettuce in there, so it's healthy right??

Now I could go on and on about the bread and pastries. We don't have many places like this at home and this is just one of the many patisserie and bakeries we went to during our trip. It should be a daily stop in the morning for any traveler. The bread is fresh and warm and can be shoved into a large purse or backpack to be eaten as a snack during all your walking and sight seeing. My favorites were the olive and cheese bread, but really you can't go wrong with any option!

Don't forget about the almond croissant. I know most people go with chocolate, but don't be fooled. The chocolate is far less superior to the almond croissant in my opinion, just trust me.

Now when traveling I typically set out funds for one "fancy" dinner, the one you spend more than $10 a person on. This was it and it was the most romantic dinner I have ever had. We had tuna tartar, escargot and caprese salad. It wasn't really that grand, but the ambience was so magical.

First, pardon my bite, clearly it looked too good that I forgot to take a picture before consumption. Now something I didn't know until researching the food scene was the amazing falafel you can get in Paris. There are two falafel spots,MI-VA-MI and L'as Du Fallafel, both highly rated across the street from each other. Of course I had to test both establishments, since it would only be fair for my taste buds. Now personally I preferred L'as Du Fallafel, but both of these are some of if not the best falafels I've ever had in my life. I don't take that statement lightly either. There is also meat options for those who don't like falafel, but just try it! 

This is the one, the only one you need!

All hail the tiki bar! If a city has a good tiki bar I approve. My obsession with tiki drinks and bars runs deep and trust me not all "tropical" drinks are made the same. This spot is near Moulin Rouge and was a tucked away from the main street. It was a spot that I could have stayed for hours. But like any good tiki drink will do to you, the need to refuel on bread to soak up the rum was necessary or trouble would come. This trouble could have concluded in me dancing at the Moulin Rouge and well I'm not ready to quit my day job. I'll end this with a plea, just go! I know its not wine or champagne, but it's good and everyone needs a drink with some fruit and an umbrella on their vacation.

Now here is where we get serious. I stayed in the 9th arrondissement and a few blocks from our hotel was a 3-4 block long street filled with boucheries. This was the holy grail of charcuterie. Now we could have been modest and gone with the small "plate for 2",  but no! That is not who I am, we went with the large, over the top, throw in everything you got, charcuterie plate. There were no regrets, just leftovers and a very satisfied stomach. Another plea, go for it, no holds bar, because I can tell you for a fact the cheeses, meats and pates you have had before are nothing in comparison.

Left overs we ate on the Siene. This is stuff dreams are made of, plain and simple.

From part 1 I talked about visiting Marche Couvert des Enfants Rouges. This is where you can find a ton of fresh fruit and vegetable venders and tons of small restaurants. We went with the Moroccan and never looked back. If you look closely They have different platters and pictures to help you decide, we opted for the daily special since it seemed to have a little bit of everything. But just take a moment to appreciate the beautiful colors of this food. Gorgeous, just gorgeous.

I pass on to you the best kept secrete of Paris. We came here twice and spend 20 euros on "train" pastries and bread because it was just that good. By far the best croissant I've ever had, and I had like 4. I'm not ashamed to say that was also on top of other amazing treats as well. Just go! No matter how far away, just go!

When a woman takes a bite that big, it's good!

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Remember those "train" pastries I was talking about well.. they didn't make it to the train. This is me waiting in line to get on the train while devouring this olive filled bread. and I am not embarrassed by this photo because I know how freaking good that bite was!

Look at those olives!!!

If you go to Paris for only the food there is no shame in that! Yes, the art is beautiful and the city is romantic, but if you enjoy eating, you will love Paris.