What to eat in Paris

Part of the allure of Paris is those grand avenues and the neoclassical architecture, not to mention the boutique shopping.  There are museums and galleries galore,  but between all of this you will have to eat.  France has an exceptional reputation for its food and wine, as well as a café culture that expects you take a moment to relax.  Watch the world go by and nibble on something mind-bogglingly good.  What should you eat in Paris? Here is a list of typical french food you simply must haveto eat like a local in Paris.  The only problem you might have, is deciding what to have first!

Croissant

The typical French breakfast is coffee and a pastry – the croissant.  What better way to start the day than with a sublime, soft and slightly sweet, pastry filled with air and butter? If you want to be really French you could dunk it into your coffee!  Although there are claims that the croissant was invented in Austria (Vienna), this divine crescent shaped, flaky pastry has long been associated with France.  Find a nice street café and wake up with the city in true Parisian style.

Best place to try it?  Buy one straight out of the oven from your local boulangerie or try La Maison d’Isabelle, recently voted best croissant in Paris!

Croque Monsieur

If you like something savoury to start the day why not begin with another famous snack the Croque Monsieur or the Croque Madame; a cheese and ham grilled sandwich with a difference.  This typical Parisian snack was invented in 1910 and has been a local favourite ever since.  Made with ham, Gruyere cheese and lashings of bechamel inside and outside and grilled until crunchy (Croquer means to crunch or bite).  Croque Madame is served with a fried egg to top it all off.  Crunchy on the outside and deliciously cheesy and gooey on the inside, although it is a sandwich, it is usually eaten with a knife and fork.

Best place to try it?  Le Petit Cler

Jambon-beurre

Another typical Parisian sandwich is the Jambon-beurre which you will find in any café.  A typical Paris Street food that is as simple as you can get: Half a fresh crispy baguette with butter and the finest French ham. Sounds like a ham sandwich so what makes it so great?  The quality of the three ingredients! Whether you are looking for super traditional or cheap eats this is the most typical you can get!

Best place to try it?  La Fontaine de Belleville

Escargots

Eating snails for the first time is an experience, they are served on their own little platter with a slightly tricky contraption to hold the shell and pull out the meat.  As they don’t have a lot of taste, snails take on the flavour of what they are cooked in, and in France the favourite way to serve them is in garlic and parsley butter, simply divine.  You may imagine they are fine dining dish, but you will find them in simple bistros as well as restaurants famous for gastronomic excellence.   If you have never tried snails, Paris is the place to do it, not only will you be trying a new dish but you will learn to master an entirely new set of cutlery!

Best place to try it? L’Escargot (you can’t miss the restaurant for the huge golden snail!)

Steak Frites otherwise translated as ‘Steak and Chips’ is a local favourite; a rib steak with long skinny fries (here you will learn why we call them ‘French Fries’) topped with garlic herb butter and served with a side salad.   Steak Frites is a must-eat when in Paris and is available everywhere, as a Parisian staple meal you will find it in all the bistros.

Best place to eat it: Au Bœuf Couronné in La Villette (arr 19) where the dish originated or Le Relais de l’Entrecôte a chain that only serves Steak Frites!

Take Note: – The French love their meat and they like it to have flavour, which means they like it bloodier than in other places.  You will need to tell your waiter ‘la cuisson’ – how you want it cooked from Bleu – sealed on the outside, Saignant – means bloody, À point – this is rare by British or American standards and finally, Très bien cuit is about as cooked as you can get it which is medium rare by other standards.

Steak Tartare

Another meaty favourite in Paris is Steak Tartare, although you don’t have to worry about the cooking as it is served raw.  Perhaps one for the foodies or gastronomically adventurous, this is an absolute must-try.    Only the finest steak is used, minced finely, with onions and herbs; it is served as a patty with capers and peppercorns, often with an egg yolk on top (traditionally quail).  This hugely popular dish, bizarrely is NOT French, but Mongolian, brought to France by Russian sailors in the 17^th century.

Best places to eat it: Les Fine Gueules has the top-rated Tartare in the city!

French Onion Soup

Soupe à l’Oignon known to us as French Onion Soup is a traditional hearty soup made from caramelised onions and beef broth served with a crouton of bread with cheese toasted on top.  This simple yet delicious soup was traditionally served in markets to keep the traders and workers invigorated.  Despite its simplicity and rustic origin, it is a local favourite and still widely available in the brasseries of Paris.

Best places to eat it: Bistrot des Vosges

Macarons

Perhaps the most famous sweet treats in Paris are macarons, crispy delicate discs like méringue made of Almond flour, filled with a rich creamy filling.  Not to be confused with the coconut Macaroon, these divine little bites look a little like a biscuit sandwich but much lighter, crispy and divinely moreish.  The history of these moreish little treats is a hotly debated topic with experts claiming they come from as far as Arabia or as close as Italy under Catharine de Medici.  The French food dictionary Larousse claims they are French-born; created during the French Revolution by two Carmelite nuns.  Traditionally with chocolate or raspberry cream inside, today, artisans have created an abundance of flavours as well colours.  Today macaron come in myriad sweet and savoury flavours from jam-filled ones to fois gras!

Best places to eat it: Ladurée or Pierre Hermé