Tag Archives: Paris

Things to do in Paris 2013

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Paris is heavenly all year round. Here are some discoveries from my latest winter trip…

Food

Camion qui Fume: Find this van. Best burger I’ve tasted in a long while. Sloppy but deliciously assembled, flavoursome but not too rich… accompanied by hand-chipped fries. Queue (for ages) and beg, borrow or steal one of these magnificent baps (the lady behind us resorted to bribery when she was denied one!)

Benoit: Alain Ducasse’s perfect French bistro serving up traditional dishes and familiar recipes. Awarded a Michelin star unsurprisingly for the exceptional food, service and atmosphere.

Le Paris at Lutetia Hotel: Located in the spectacular Lutetia hotel, I felt like I had travelled back in time sitting in the ornate Sonia Rykiel designed Le Paris dining room. Fine dining at its best.

Drink

Le Coq: Heard of Tony Conigliaro? He bought us gems like 69 Colbrooke Row, now he’s teamed up with French bar masterminds to create Le Coq, a hip place serving incredible cocktails and indulgent cheese and charcuterie boards.

Experimental Cocktail Club: A smaller and less conspicuous version of the London bar. Fine drinks are mixed up by the suited and booted barmen. Unique and inventive ECC recipes continue to enamour the Parisian guests.

Angelina’s: The thickest, most luxurious hot chocolate in town. Queue for a table in the lovely salon or pick up a cup to go, it will warm your hands and hearts while you wander round the city.

To Do

Catacombes:  ‘Stop. This is the Empire of Death,’ an engraved sign reads. A spooky underground world, and a must see site in Paris. With public burial pits overflowing in the era of Revolutionary terror the Catacombes were created to house the bones of six million people. Follow the 2 km tunnels to discover millions of bones and skulls from residents of Paris’s past.

Cruise down the Seine: Pick up a boat at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and travel past the great sites of Paris. As you float down the river, point out the familiar buildings, bridges and statues, a delightful way to see the city. More information and book with Viator here.

Palais de Tokyo: Why have I never discovered this venue before? This epic 1937 building opened in 2002 as an open-plan space hosting exhibitions and performances. Wacky work, super shop, cool cafe and best of all… a vintage Photomaton machine, jump in and pose away, create a strip of memories for just 2 euros!

To shop

Mariage Freres: A tea heaven, beautiful boxes and aromatic tea. MF have several outlets including a convenient shop just by the entrance to the Louvre.

Colette: The queen of the concept shops: books, shoes, cameras, jewellery, stationery, clothes, candles… and everything else you could possibly want to find. Everything is quirky, rare and utterly desirable.

The Kooples: The original; a cheaper and more varied collection in comparison to the UK branches. Get a Kooples outfit and you’ll fit in fine among the Frenchies.

To Stay

Hotel Legend: This dinky boutique hotel is ideally located for tourist trips. Crisp white minimalist rooms are a comfortable and attractive place to rest your head. Perhaps the most exciting feature is the impressive memory foams beds which ensure a deep and dreamy night’s sleep.

Hotel Seven: Special themed suites make this hotel one of a kind. Alice in Wonderland and 007 decorated rooms are just two of the suites on offer. Stylish and swish, this little hotel promises a memorable stay.

Book the Eurostar a few months in advance and you can travel for less than £70 return. I’m looking forward to my next trip already!

Thanks to the Paris Tourist Board, more information here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 140

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“Tea must be deserved; it is demanding. Every harvest has its own nature, its secrets.” Henri Mariage

As my Parisian weekend draws closer my taste for the finest French fancies is awakened. This trip I am looking forward to seeking out the cute food boutiques: Angelina for hot chocolate, Laduree for macaroons and Marriage Frères for tea.

The iconic Marriage Frères French Tea House has recently opened its first ever UK concession in Selfridges London. This beautiful brand has previously only been available to buy in France, and Selfridges now offers the only chance to purchase the tea in the UK. I couldn’t help a quick glance at the Sefridges colourful concession but am saving the proper look for the original shop in Paris, when hopefully I can taste the special tea. I also intend on visiting the Marriage Frères Museum, a homage to majesty of tea.

Stocking a vast array of unique French teas Marriage Frères are known for their loose tea blends and pretty packaging (I adored the neon pink and gold boxes!). Exquisite teas from all over the world can be found in the boutique, each chosen for their qualities and taste. At Selfridges London the one-of-a-kind counter also allows you to create your own bespoke loose tea blend and package it up as a the perfect gift or tea time treat.

Sophisticated, refined and luxurious Marriage Frères suits London’s sipping society down to a tea!

More information here.

http://www.mariagefreres.com/

Buddha Bar, Knightsbridge

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You could be forgiven for assuming the new Buddha Bar in Knightsbridge is another ostentatious, overpriced London nightclub… the type of place I usually avoid at all costs. The exterior is dark and mysterious but take a step inside and you will find a sparkling opulent dining room offering fine Pan Asian food and exciting cocktails.

Established in September 1996 by Raymond Visan, Buddha-Bar in Paris is a globally recognised and acclaimed restaurant, bar and lounge, catering to A-list clients who appreciate elegance and style. The London equivalent seems to be appealing to a similar crowd; the smart environment and elevated prices certainly match Chelsea’s elite.

The restaurant specialises in Pacific Rim cuisine with a menu indicating influences from Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Eastern cooking. Flicking through the menu before my friend arrived, I found a large assortment of sushi, curries, salads and wok recipes. We opted for a varied selection. Pickled vegetables and salted edamame beans revived my sleepy tastebuds, ready for the feast of flavours that followed.

Chicken Salad sounds like a dull choice but is recommended as a must try… with thin slices of grilled breast and extra crunchy Chinese salad and sesame dressing, it is an exquisite mix of textures and tastes. The Vegetable Gyoza were unusually encased in dark elastic pastry and served with a spicy sweet chilli sauce. These were hot and very fresh, with seasoning that makes Buddha Bar’s version quite different to any gyoza I have tried before. Although the starters were very moreish, it all felt quite healthy, with few carbs and little fat.

For main, I would thoroughly recommend trying the Five Spice Barbecued Chicken, with a deep and rich flavour and tender crispy meat, this dish is an absolute joy to eat, the equivalent of the popular Wagamama Katsu Curry, but much better. The Lamb Curry with mint raita is tasty too, especially if you crave a meaty curry to warm your bones. I would have liked it perhaps a little creamier, but the flavour was interesting and tasty, a sort of mix between an Indian and Thai curry.

For dessert I wasn’t given much choice… the chocolate bar is apparently unavoidably good. A super slick long chunk of soft rich chocolate with a dense biscuit base and sesame seeds, accompanied by homemade vanilla ice-cream. The oriental sesame flavouring took me a moment to adjust to but by the second mouthful, I could not deny this is a killer dessert. Suprising too that a Pan-Asian restaurant excels in the pudding area, usually I avoid the jelly-like sweets.

Along with a lovely cocktail and glass of chilled white wine, I found Buddha Bar‘s food to be perfect for a long lunch meeting; though considering the price tag, I’m not sure how regularly one could visit.

More information here: http://www.buddhabarlondon.com