This week continues the Brown Lady in Europe series, as we say goodbye to London and bonjour to Paris!  I’m not ashamed to say that my first trip to Paris was just as focused on food as it was on seeing the sights.  Going back through my pictures, I may have more photos of the food I ate than I do of the Eiffel Tower.  Judge me if you’d like, but if you are a foodie too, here are five things you will absolutely want to eat in Paris.

Salad, Le Relais Gascon

Okay, I can feel the side eye.  I know what some of you are thinking- “Salad??  How does salad make the cut on a list of things to eat on vacation?!    But before you write me off, this isn’t just any salad.  The garlic potatoes that top the salad are really the star.

This salad (delicious potatoes aside) really helped me justify the number of chocolate croissants and ridiculous amount of cheese that I consumed during this trip.  The perfect dinner for a warm night in Montmartre.  Add a glass of cool, crisp Rosé and sit outside at Le Relais Gascon, listen to the quiet conversations in French around you…(deep sigh).  Why am I not in Paris right now?

Hot Chocolate and Croissants, Angelina

I had daydreams about Angelina before I even made it to France.  I am mildly (extremely) obsessed with chocolate and dessert treats, so I knew that Angelina would be an essential part of my Paris experience.  I was not disappointed.  While Angelina has more than one location in Paris, I highly recommend visiting the ornate and beautiful tea room in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.  The elegant space dates back to the early 1900s and serves as the perfect backdrop for the amazing pastries and chocolate.   I’m not a tea party and cucumber sandwiches type of girl, but I was all about this chocolate-centric tea party.

Sip slow- this hot chocolate is from another world.  Decadently rich cocoa, served with equally rich cream.  I did my very best to finish it… but didn’t even come close.  In part, I was distracted by the equally perfect chocolate croissants.  So much chocolate, so little time.

The only bright side of my failure to finish every last drop of my hot chocolate- the server offered to package it up for me.  She must have seen the sadness on my face at the prospect of leaving it behind.   In case it’s not yet clear, Angelina is a Christmas miracle, all year long.  Make it happen for yourself.  The only down side: when you return home from this magical place and there are chocolate croissants from Costco or Starbucks at your next staff meeting- don’t bother.  You are ruined for life.

Discover What to Eat in Paris, on a Walking Tour

So my last three favorites were packaged as a walking tour through Montmartre.  This food tour was a highlight of our brief visit to Paris.  Staying in a vacation rental in Montmartre, I fell in love with the neighborhood during our short stay.  Artsy, with cobblestone streets, loads of personality and the gorgeous Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Montmartre was my type of place.

Taking a food tour through the neighborhood was a really cool way to learn more about the history of the area, meet small business owners and eat some of the best food I’ve ever had in my LIFE.  Our animated and entertaining guide, Pierre Jean (who said to call him PJ) had grown up in the area so he could speak to what it had been like over the years and he knew everyone.  It was like visiting a friend in a city where they know all the best spots to eat.   Chocolate, macaroons, cheese, meats, wine, bread, desserts… I’m hungry just thinking about it.   PJ picked up food for us all along our walk; all of which he laid out for our lunch with wine pairings at the close of the tour. Everything we ate was fantastic, but here are my favorites:

Truffle Cream Cheese, La Butte Fromagere

I don’t think I can fully describe how good the cream cheese was at La Butte Fromagère.  Rich and creamy with a thin layer of black truffle through the center.  Absolute perfection.  The only regret I had about this tour is that we went on our last day in Paris, and I would have loved to make my way back through the Montmartre neighborhood to this cheese shop.

When I got home, I started wandering into cheese shops in and around San Francisco, hoping I’d stumble across truffle cream cheese.  No luck… until one random Tuesday, almost a year after my trip.  Passing through The Market on Market in San Francisco one day on a lunch break, I stopped at the cheese counter halfheartedly browsing.  What would be the chances of finding my perfect Parisian cream cheese this close to home?  And just as I was about to walk away, I did a double take… read the sign again, could it be?  I found it?!?!

Imported from Paris and just as glorious as I remember.  Whether your next visit is to Paris or San Francisco, you need this truffle cream cheese in your life.

Duck Pâté, Jacky Gaudin

I don’t eat pâté… ever.  I also don’t eat duck.   So I had no intention of eating duck pâté on this tour.  When our tour guide, PJ, opened the package from the butcher and told us what it was, I was solidly coming from a place of hell no.  Then he gave me a look and said, “Have I given you anything today that wasn’t good?”  Okay, fair point.  Everything we had eaten on the tour was amazing.  Hesitantly, I took a small bite.  When I tell you, that pâté tasted like Thanksgiving gravy?!   PJ looked smug.  Whatever dude, you win.

Baguettes and Eclairs, Au Levain d’Antan

There are few things better than warm, fresh bread.  And I’ve already confessed my love for all things sweet.  We made a stop at Au Levain d’Antan on our food tour and met the baker.  We even got to ‘help’ make bread.  We used razors to cut the lines in baguettes.  That’s how they have those puffed up lines on them after they’re baked, who knew?!

We had warm, fresh baguettes with our cheese, and meats from the butcher, paired with a few fantastic wines.  Fresh eclairs for dessert capped off a perfect meal.

Brown Lady Travel Tips

Consider staying in a vacation rental instead of a hotel.  Being in a vibrant neighborhood gives you a real sense of a place.  Children in uniforms running to the school down the street, locals picking up a roast chicken at the butcher on their walk home from work, the shopkeeper next door greeting you as you come and go from your apartment, soft music wafting through open windows as people have dinner at the restaurant below.  Some of my favorite memories from my brief couple of days in Paris wouldn’t have happened staying in a hotel.

If you’re arriving in Paris by train, skip the long taxi line and call an Uber from a nearby cafe or restaurant instead.   Our ride arrived within five minutes and we were on our way!

If you’re a wine enthusiast, check out the Vivino app.  PJ told us about it on our food tour, when we visited a wine shop.  With the app, you can take a photo of any wine label and learn that wine’s rating, review, and average price.  I’ve used it several times since leaving Paris, to remember a favorite wine at a restaurant or wine tasting.  Why trust your memory after a few glasses of wine?  The app also gives you a profile of your preferences, so if you don’t know much about wine you can get an idea of what types you tend to like.

Paris was a foodie paradise but with only two days in the city, I know I barely scratched the surface.  I can’t wait to head back and find more perfect bites.  If you’ve been to Paris, what were your food favorites?