Paris is always a treat to visit. The museums are some of the best in the world, the architecture is majestic, shopping is a pleasure with all options available, and usually the food is on top of the list.
Paris Architecture
This time was a disappointment in the culinary department! I could not believe it. I visited Paris 10 years ago and anywhere you went the food was phenomenal, from top restaurants to hole-in-the-wall cafes. I had a similar wonderful experience in Paris 5 years ago, when I stopped by a hole-in-the-wall takeout place and ate some of the best Thai shrimp I have ever eaten, not to mention all the fine dining. Not this time. I actually had to rely on Google to find decent restaurants which was eye opening. What happened to the Paris culinary scene?
Interesting small squashed house in between two common examples of French architecture
I ate at Laduree on Champs-Elyees on my first day. It was a beautiful location, all the rooms, especially on the second floor, called to a time long passed. I had the beef dish and my companion had the Prix-fix and choose the duck. First off, the service was lacking, I asked for a Coke and I never received it. I asked the waiter about it at the end, because the waiter was always missing, he claimed I never asked for it in the first place! The lovely couple next to our table supported my claim, because the tables are very close and its easy to get to know patrons in neighboring tables. Another interesting phenomena, they bring the desert before lunch, this did not just happen to our table put to all of the ones in my vicinity. We sent it back and asked to receive it after lunch. Now to the main course, I asked my meat to be cooked until medium, it was well done and tough. I had a hard time cutting the beef and chewing. My companion’s duck was not any better, it was rock hard and very tough, in all my experiences with duck it has always been very soft. We asked for one pot of tea and two cups. At first attempt, we got the tea and two very dirty, used cups After we got the waiter’s attention we got to exchange for clean ones. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, the silverware was actually silver, which is a nice change. the best part of lunch by far was the dessert! it was very well arranged and amazing to the taste. I would recommend to eat at another location and come here for the dessert because it should not be missed! Laduree is not only great for its macarons, but for all the fantastic desserts.
Delicious Laduree dessert with cream
The following day we went to a Thai restaurant that I found on TripAdviser / Google maps. It had very good ratings so we choose to go eat there. The restaurant was very crowded and we took it as a good sign. The sauces that the food came in were great, but the chicken was bland. There is not much else to say about this spot.
The highlight of the culinary part of our trip was the desserts, in any location that we stopped in all the desserts were decadent. Paris is still the leader in pastries, macarons, and all sweets.
Fauchon amazing eclair
Before we ate at another spot we asked why was the food so ‘meh,’ this was Paris we were in… So we found out from locals that now most cooks in restaurants are immigrants from Eastern Europe, because French citizens do not want to be cooks or drivers, only jobs that they majored for in university. So all the cooking and all the driving positions were taken by Eastern Europeans in Paris. Our cab driver said he was a driver in Romania and when he first arrived in Paris he started as a waiter and became the main cook in half a year. Then he did not want to cook anymore, so he decided to drive again. So now restaurants in Paris have cooks that have practically little to no training, it should be embarrassing to Paris. Not only should the very best restaurants in Paris have chefs, but all of the food should become like it once was 5 years ago, simply delicious.
Trip to France: Paris Part 2.5
Trip to France: Charles de Gaulle Part 4