Bon appétit ! Restaurant findings from my trip to Paris

I had the chance to get back to Paris last week and it was generally pretty fantastique. The premise of the trip was officially business (I attended a trade fair) but I then had three full days to profit from the city that I called home for three years.

I spent 75% of my time eating and drinking and the remainder walking along familiar streets and loving the sunny weekend. Seeing as I haven't had the time to bake for myself this week, I thought I'd write a little bit about what I enjoyed eating in la ville lumière. With a few exceptions, these are mainly old favourites from my uni days.

Sushiken
12 rue Ernest Renan, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

If you happen to find yourself on the outskirts of the 15th arrondissement with a craving for sushi, I'd definitely recommend you come here. Sushiken prides itself on offering an authentic Japanese experience. I somewhat blindly ordered a tasting menu where the chef decided what fish I'd be trying.

As you can see above, the plate was certainly aesthetically pleasing. The sushi tasted great and was one of the best eating experiences I've had for a long time, but there was slightly too much wasabi for my taste.

Price: 14 sushi, salad, miso soup and beer came to 25€.





Le Bel ordinaire
54 rue Paradis, 75010 Paris

I discovered this recently opened epicerie/wine bar/restaurant via my friend Clare who knows one of the chefs, Nico. We stood at the bar overlooking the kitchen and savoured an eclectic mix of sharing plates ranging from octopus to roasted vegetables with pesto. It was clear that the team take a lot of care in what they do and I enjoyed every dish.

The menu is set to change weekly, so if you're in Paris for a long period I'd recommend returning a few times to try everything. The wines we tried were also delicious, I'm not usually a fan of white wine but the bottle we tried (in the photo) was very easy to drink.

Price: sharing plates cost around 8€ each.

Coutume Café
47 rue de Babylone, 75007 Paris

This café was dangerously close to my university, so I made a point of going very regularly. Last Friday, as I was already heading towards the 15th, I thought I'd stop by to see how it was doing.

I enjoyed a breakfast of fried eggs, bread, salmon, orange juice and coffee. It's a great spot to sit at for an extended period of time with a book, or to catch up with friends. The coffee is also amazing, trust me.

Price: my breakfast came to €13.

Brasserie Lola
99 rue du Théâtre, 75015 Paris

From a distance, you'd be forgiven for presuming Brasserie Lola is just a typical French restaurant. However, the menu is fully vegan. I've been here for a few times and tried risottos and burgers, but last week I had the 'kebab' which didn't disappoint. It was huge (not ideal after my previously mentioned breakfast) but very tasty.

I wish I could tell you what was inside the kebab, but I'd just be guessing. Ultimately this is a great destination to take veggie-fearing friends - you can lie and say it's a 'normal' brasserie. It's another place which invites you to relax and spend time chatting and enjoying your meal. 

Price: mains in the region of 15€.

Pink Flamingo
105 rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris

I first discovered this pizzeria by accident when hungrily traipsing around the Marais with a friend. When we found ourselves in the same boat last weekend, I knew I couldn't say no to the legendary hummus pizza (well, it's legendary to me and Bella - this is the first time I've remembered to photograph it for her).

Pizza 'L'aphrodite'

While the restaurant itself is tiny, I've always been lucky enough to find a seat. During the summer months you can sit outside and people watch, my favourite activity. 

I have always had the 'Aphrodite' pizza which has huge slices of aubergine and hummus in the centre. There is a really varied selection of pizzas, however, so you'll definitely find something to suit your tastes.

Price: pizzas in the range of €15. They can also deliver to the nearby park for pizza picnics!

Le Pain Quotidien
68 rue Pierre Charron, 75008 Paris

I've been to a few Pain Quotidien restaurant's before, but this was my first time at this cute spot just off the Champs Elysées. We couldn't decide between breakfast or lunch (it was 12pm on a Sunday), so brunch was the obvious choice.

I had the 'Nordique' brunch: a copious mix of smoked salmon, soft cheese, avocado purée and beetroot. It was accompanied with two types of bread, coffee, juice and a rather tasteless pain perdu style cake. Dubious cake aside, this was a lovely way to round off my Parisian adventures.

Price: brunch 'nordique' €29.

All in all, it was great to go back as an educated tourist. Gone were the looming deadlines that slightly tainted parts of my Parisian experience. I'm now feeling inspired to get back into the kitchen and maybe try out some French recipes. Watch this space!

A la prochaine,

Alice