Thursday, March 24, 2016

Parisien Dining

 Le Petit-Prince 
After a full first day exploring Paris, we went to dinner in the city at Le Petit-Prince. This restaurant located the 5th Arrondissement (section) of Paris serves traditional Parisian cuisine. Once we arrived, we were led to a dark room in the back of the restaurant set for a table of 18. The 16 hungry, jet-lagged, teenagers quickly consumed 3 baskets of fresh baguette together before being presented with a price-fixed menu. We could choose between having a entrée (appetizers) and a plat (entrees) or a plat a dessert. Most of us had a sweet tooth, and chose to have the plat and dessert option. For our plats, we had Lamb in a chèvre (goat cheese) sauce with scalloped potatoes, and a chicken "supreme" with gravy and haricots verts (green beans). Others had butterflied salmon steak with a pepper "magic" sauce. The food hit the spot for all us and gave us some much needed energy. 

Café Constant 
On Saturday we had a lot of free time and decided to trust Alex's lunch recommendation from years ago. We walked along the Seine for about 30 minutes from the Musée d'Orsay to get tothe restaurant. 9 of the 16 of us made the voyage towards the Eiffel Tower to go to Constant. The food was worth the walk, and it lived up to our very high standards. For our entrée (appetizer), we split a shrimp tart with a basil sauce and micro greens topped with a lemon foam, and foie gras served with warm whole wheat toast, fig marmalade, and a side salad. For our plat (entrée), we shared a classic french beef stew. The Stew was served at boiling temperature with bubbling broth. The stew was one of the best beef stews we have eaten in our entire lives, with wonderful chunks of meat, carrots and potatoes. For dessert, we got Profiteroles served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in between and then covered in a warm chocolate sauce. The dessert was wonderful. The chocolate, ice cream, and the dough of the profiteroles fit together in perfect harmony. This dessert put the meal over the top, making it one of the best meals that either of us had ever had.

Last Meal in Pairs 
We ate our last dinner in a charming restaurant near the Louvre in the first Arrondissement. Luckily, we had a large rectangular table in a private dining room, allowing the whole group to engage in conversation. Like Le Petit Prince, this restaurant had a fixed price menu. This menu consisted of two choices of plats (entrées) and one dessert. The main course options were a vegetarian risotto with cheese and mushrooms, and a duck dish served in between mashed potatoes with a side of gravy. We both enjoyed the duck because of its originality and beautiful presentation. The duck was cooked, cut, and then served inside the potatoes, and neither of us had seen anything like it! For dessert, everyone was served a cheesecake topped with a raspberry sauce in the shape of a smiley face. After our delicious meal, we walked back to our hotel and packed up for Lyon.

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