Posts Tagged Paris
Egg&Co – Paris
Egg&Co. is the cure for one’s yearning for Australia’s cafe culture. In Paris, it is unbelievably hard to find a place to sit down for breakfast (without table cloth), be automatically given a bottle of water and a cup and coffee orders taken before getting the menu. Coffee came the way I am used to for a latte – balanced, not too hot and nicely textured. Yep, the guy at the coffee machine used to work in Sydney. But make no mistake, this cafe is run by the French – really friendly and enthusiastic French. The egg-focused menu delivers an omelette with fresh tarragon that is perfect. Slightly brown on the outside, soft and airy and juicy inside. I am told next time I should try their specialty, the cocotte – or what I know as ‘baked eggs’.
I haven't worked out the names on the chairs yet
The decor is cosy. Nearly all the seating is upstairs and partly loft style. The roof is low and supported by old and large wooden beams. There are 2 windows out the back which over looks some green climber plants. I don’t have a photo that does these windows justice. The owner pointed out that they had a fake chicken farm upstairs too. Such intimate space also proved popular with a couple kissing away while waiting for their coffees. This rare place is a reminder of just how lucky we are in Australia to have so many places to chose from for a place with decent coffee and breakfast. It is obvious that our habits are different to most Parisians.
I didn’t catch their names. But I figure I will be back soon.
Looks familiar?
Tarragon omelette
"Because if we had a real one, we would be shut down"
Sitting in a small lane way. I came across the place after wondering around without a map in hand. In retrospect, I have read about this place somewhere but I wasn't looking for it today.
Paris! Bavette (flank) steak
From the entrance to my apartment building. When I walked into my furnished apartment, it was apparent that my landlord had already been here earlier before meeting me at the bus stop. It was peaceful, away from the traffic and the room was beautifully furnished with a mix of Scandinavian furniture and older, classical styles. Two huge window/doors illuminated the room. There was classical music playing already. Ever seen the movie Before Sunset? The last scene came to my mind immediately.
Hello par-hee
Here is what I have observed in the last 2 days
- There is a boucherie (butcher) or 2 always close by. In Melbourne, most people would by their meat from the supermarket. Otherwise, butchers are concentrated in the markets and you can’t just walk to one in your neighbourhood.
- The number of pâtissieres is ridiculous. Quality vary, but generally good to very good compared to back home.
- There are very few public toilets to be found – on the streets, and because the lack of shopping malls compared to back home, there just aren’t easy to find. I wonder if I missed something as I can’t figure out where the thousands and thousands of locals and tourists go for a toilet break
- Not as much dog poo as I thought
- When dusk renders the sky a dim and dark blue, the white/cream buildings are really beautiful. Then I realize I am standing in a maze of narrow streets, filled with shops, restaurant and French people chattering away. Sweet. I am in Paris for the rest of this year.
The French also have a liking of the lesser-known steaks in Australia. Bavette (flank – lateral abdominal muscles), onglet (hanger – part of diaphragm closer to the spine) and skirt steak (part of diaphragm) are frequently seen. Not exactly cheap either at 15-30 Euros/kg compared to less than 10 AUD/kg for skirt steak in Australia (although skirt steak is the cheapest). These cuts have large and prominent muscles fibers running parallel in a flat, sheet-like muscle. Often cooked rare by searing on both sides and the cut into thin slices against the grain, these steaks are very flavourful. Overcooking will make it very tough and dry. I read that in South America, these steaks are also popular, grilled quickly on open fire.
Bavette