English Speaking Spots in Paris, Part 1: Boneshaker

I know it can be anxiety inducing to visit a country where they don't speak your language.  Of course, in Paris most people have some level of English and you should really try to speak in French when you visit, but it can be sort of fun to visit a cute cafe where you hear the proprietors speaking multiple languages behind the counter.  

For your convenience, I've compiled a list of my favorite French/English speaking spots in Paris. This is the first installment.

Boneshaker 


This is a doughnut shop.  In the light of this fact, perhaps you can understand why it is the subject of my first "English Speaking Spots in Paris" series.  Doughnuts are one of my absolute favorite foods.  This is pretty much the only place I've been able to find in Paris with real doughnuts.

Boneshaker is a tiny gem in the heart of a fun neighborhood in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris.  The storefront features a display of doughnuts, bicycle decor, and the window seats have a view of the lingerie shop across the street.  The kitchen upstairs is the birthplace of irresistible doughnuts, brownies, and more.

Boneshaker Paris

The Interior

Menu

Raspberry-Lime

Salted Butter Caramel

Chocolate Cardamom

Peanut Butter Banana, Cherry Pie, S'Mores, Beer Glazed

"Martha Washington" aka Cherry Pie

S'mores

House Made Lemonade

Organic Teas

As you will be able to tell from the photos you just scrolled through, I have enjoyed Boneshaker's doughnuts on multiple occasions.  There is often a new seasonal flavor to try which makes frequent visits necessary for an addict like me.  

Try any flavor of doughnut; you won't be disappointed.  Rumor has it that Saturday is cinnamon roll day, so it can't hurt to head over then.

Thank you for making Paris an even happier place, Boneshaker!

Details

Eats range from 4-5€

Drinks from 3-5€

Address:
77 Rue d'Aboukir, 75002 Paris

Metro: Sentier, 

RER: Chatelet/Les Halles

Hours:
Tuesday-Friday
10AM-5PM
Saturday
10AM-6PM

Phone: +33 01 45 08 84 02

Email:
bonjour@boneshakerparis.com

Website:
http://www.boneshakerparis.com/

A Taste of Berlin: Part 2

From my limited experience I have surmised that food cost and portion sizes are entirely different from Paris to Berlin.  The cafes and bakeries of Berlin somehow manage to keep food costs down and portions large.

For breakfast on a foggy, cold morning, we found a corner cafe for a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, salad, bread, hot chocolate, milk, and rhubarb pie. 

The "Holland Style" hot chocolate was enormous and fairly delicious.  

The bread was quite German the eggs good and the bacon perhaps a touch too salty.  But, take note of the rhubarb pie, which was a perfect piece of sweetness.  The crust had buttery flavor, the filling was soft without being soggy and the rhubarb's tartness came through.

If you have a hankering for Portuguese treats, Berlin is the place to be.  We passed several shops specializing in Portuguese eats and stopped in for Pastel de Nata, Bolinos de Bacalhau, and a Galão.

The Portuguese woman in the shop was especially friendly and excited about her products.  For a gray Sunday afternoon, her little cafe was rather busy.  The pastel de nata measured up to the ones I've tried in Paris, the Bolos de Bacalhau were a nice mix of salty cod and potato pancake, and the galão was a decadent and beautiful coffee.    

Pastel de Nata

Galão 

Bolos de Bacalhau

Does anyone have any suggestions for the next trip to Berlin?  Best markets, authentic German food or other great finds?

Bagels in Paris

It's not exactly that I was craving a bagel.  I was walking in Paris, alone, hungry, and with half an hour to kill.  The air around me was viciously cold; I could feel it clamping it's jaws into my core.

Bagelstein

With the desire for a quick, inexpensive meal, and shelter from the cold, I ducked into Bagelstein in Le Marais.  Bagelstein is a French chain with the quirkiness of every French chain with American influence.  I had a simple poppy seed bagel with cream cheese.  The bagel just tasted like American bread, not awful, but not a bagel either.

bready bagel

After consuming this non-bagel, I was talking with a friend with lots of Parisian experience and she suggested that I try Bagels & Brownies.  The next day I ventured to Rue Notre Dame des Champs with my boyfriend to see what we thought.

At Bagels & Brownies, each bagel sandwich is named for a city in the United States.  I opted for the Phoenix and a brownie to go with it.  Of course, I trusted my dear friend's recommendation, even so, I was pleasantly surprised by this little shop's offerings.  My bagel had nice texture, the tomatoes and avocados added a hint of freshness, and the mustard brought the sandwich together perfectly.

Phoenix bagel at Jardin du Luxembourg

Brownie "marquise"

Je Vais Prendre un Pain au Chocolat

There are a few French words, sentences, and phrases that I will not soon forget.  Of course, I'll never forget "merci," "bonsoir," or "d'accord."  I use these words daily or hourly.  In addition to these, there are a few phrases that I use more than I anticipated.

pain au chocolat a la Regis Colin

Perhaps most importantly, "je vais prendre un pain au chocolat" will always be filed away in my brain under important sentences.  "I'll take a pain au chocolat."  For the next six months, I will be on the hunt for my favorite pain au chocolat in Paris.

Thus far, I have tried the offerings at Paul, Eric Kayser, and Régis Colin.  A significant amount of my time is spent around the 2nd arrondissement and all three of these boulangeries can be found there.  Paul is an international chain that I had tried once or twice in the USA.  The quality at Parisian Paul locations is superior and the prices lower.  It's still a chain, but a respectable one for the price.  Eric Kayser is a pretty well-known international chain, too.  Something about the ambiance feels vaguely more Parisian and I find the proportions and distribution of dough-to-chocolate superior to Paul.  

galettes des rois 

As of now, Régis Colin takes the prize for my favorite croissant dough.  The store-front on Rue de Montmartre is small with an automatic door, and interesting form of self-check-out.  The lady behind the counter was very helpful and efficient without being rude.  It seems that Colin is known for his Galette des Rois, which I suppose I ought to try before the month is up.  His croissant dough is to die for.  It is certainly one of those delicacies that one doesn't want to come to an end.  At all three of these establishments croissant are right around 1€ and pain au chocolat 20 cents more, or so.  So remind me why they cost triple that in the US?   

The search will certainly continue and I welcome your suggestions of bakeries to try.  Hopefully soon I will have a chance to explore the viennoiserie that Montmartre has to offer.

Manger à Paris

If ever there was a place that is underrated, it's Paris.  How could anyone possibly praise this city enough?  The feeling of Paris is indescribable.  From the Gothic splendor of Sainte-Chapelle, the calm escape of an hour on Bateaux Mouches, to grand views of the city, and the food.  

My first visit to Paris was an absolute dream.  For the purposes of this blog, I will highlight the eating that took place.

L'As du Fallafel

This little vendor is a must-visit if you are into falafel.  The falafel is bite-sized, all wrapped up in a pita swimming in sauces and vegetables to boot.  The spicy option is not super hot, so go for it even if you normally wouldn't.  Take a break at a nearby park to enjoy this filling meal.

  

Fromage Anywhere

If you are in Paris do yourself a favor and eat as much cheese as you can.  It's a different caliber in France, trust me.

Coffee Anywhere

Again, just enjoy the cafe culture.  Relax.

Moevenpick Ice Cream

Ok, so Moevenpick is Swiss, but check out their Paris location and try as many flavors as you can.

Patrick Roger

The best chocolate I have ever had.  Full-stop.

Of course, this post does not do justice to the extensive cuisine of Paris.  This is due to a failing on my part to take adequate photographs.  When you visit Paris don't forget to check out the bread and pastry scene, the authentic Moroccan food, Brazilian food, Korean and Chinese food, and anything else your stomach desires. Go on an adventure and let your taste buds do the exploring. 

Bon Appétit!

Cinnamon Rolls

I've been told by many that cinnamon rolls give off the most enticing smell of anything the oven has to offer.  Either there is scientific evidence proving this or it is a view so widely shared that it has been accepted as fact.  It's certainly easy to make friends when you've got a few extra sitting around in your kitchen.

Charlotte, NC: I'll Return to You

My first visit to Charlotte, North Carolina was a success as expected.  Nothing compares to a road trip.  Nothing compares to a road trip in North Carolina.  Nothing compares to a road trip in North Carolina with lots of good food and people who love you and you love back.

Not only is there much more to see and eat, there are more memories to be made.  I anticipate my return with excitement.  I've already got a few more restaurants and pastry shops to visit when I make my way down to the Land of the Pines again.  Getting to know a city through its food is like playing a game of telephone, along the way you hear about or see even more irresistible places than you bargained for and definitely more than you can handle in one visit.


I'm looking forward to trying out Bang Bang Burgers, which I found by way of Sunflour Baking Company.  Isn't their design awesome?  I have high hopes that they are the Elevation Burger of Charlotte.  My local loyalties may be put to the test.

At 20 Degrees Chocolates, the chocolatier recommended Renaissance Patisserie as the most authentic French bakery in town.  You best believe I'll be stopping by next time I'm near.

Next door to Petit Philippe we found littleSpoon, a breakfast and lunch place that uses locally sourced ingredients and was cute as can be.     

Returning to Charlotte will be just as exciting as my first experience, no doubt about it.

Day 2: Charlotte Food Tour 2k15

It's probably obvious that 2 full days are insufficient to fully explore the food a city offers, let a lone the rest of the city itself.  However, I certainly did my best with the time I had to vacation in Charlotte and found several great food stops along the way.

As I hinted in Day 1 my friends in Charlotte are the most wonderful people one could ask for as hosts.  So naturally, my day began with bacon and eggs at home.  Mr. Host is a true fan of America's Test Kitchen and my. oh. my. best scrambled eggs of my life as a result.  This tasty breakfast was enjoyed while watching the beautiful birds and butterflies who inhabit the loveliest garden in North Carolina.

After a leisurely breakfast we headed out to try more of the chocolate that Charlotte has to offer.  We stopped at The Secret Chocolatier first.  This purveyor of sweetness has two locations.  The one we visited is where the chocolate is made while the other focuses on baked products and coffee.  Chocolate is available at both locations and some of the chocolate coated baked goods are as well.  My hosts liked the atmosphere of this place as well as its offerings.  The staff was very friendly, working hard and did not rush our decisions or conversation.  The chocolates and bonbons were varied and tasty.  The chocolatier intern told me about their line of southern favorites like Key Lime Pie, so I added a few of those to my box.  What I've tasted so far, their bonbons are a little sweet for me and the chocolate shell is fairly thick and not particularly intense in flavor.  They mentioned that they use a couverture from Berlin.  Overall, an impressive line of products.

The next stop was my absolute favorite when it comes to the chocolate.  20 Degrees Chocolates is situated inside Petit Philippe, a wine bar in the Myers Park area.  The chocolate case had me feeling like a sophisticated adult in a candy shop.  Clusters of three accompanied by a tiny sign describing each flavor acted as a guide while the fresh chocolates to purchase were stowed away in little drawers behind the counter.  The husband and wife owned establishment is elegant and the staff incredibly passionate about their work.  Casey, the chocolatier spoke with me at length about her business with an electric enthusiasm that was certainly contagious.  She uses Cocoa Barry - which I truly enjoy, having learned to temper with it - as well as a few other chocolates like Valrhona.  We selected 4 chocolates to try and enjoyed every one.  I adored the 85% Dark Chocolate Truffle as well as the Steel Magnolia.  This little gem is an absolute must.

L to R: Peanut Butter Gianduja, Steel Magnolia Caramel, African Queen 85% Dark, Fleur de Sel Caramel

The cute corner where we enjoyed our morsels

We headed to Sunflour Bakery for a bite to eat and a look around.  The atmosphere reminded me of DC bakeries.  People were stopping in for lunch, coffee and a pastry and to use the free wifi.  A great community feel with an open kitchen and yummy eats.  I enjoyed a "Black Friday" sandwich, turkey, cranberry-apple chutney and Brie on house-made multi-grain bread.  Definitely a great nook.

After our final food stop we took a stroll around some gorgeous English gardens and admired their offerings in the sunshine.

Dinner was another homemade wonder.  We had leftover risotto from Day 1 - recipe to come - as well as pork tenderloin and salad.  A delicious finish to a day of good eats and exceptional company.

Charlotte, I'll return to you soon.

Breakfast for Dinner

Breakfast is a good idea.  Always eat it; even eat it if it's for dinner.  That way you can make every meal the most important one of the day.

This brinner consisted of apricots from The Local Market, Stachowski breakfast sausage, ChefSteps pancakes with chocolate chunks.  I also cooked apples in the sausage grease with spices.