Kei Kobayashi: Exceptional French Chefs Aren’t Always French
If the name Kei Kobayashi sounded more French then perhaps this exceptional chef would have more American and British clients at his restaurant Kei, near Les Halles. As it is, he has a faithful French clientele, Japanese clients and a smattering of other well-informed international gastronomes. No need to wait for him to earn a third Michelin star to put Kei on your culinary map of Paris.
Benoît Castel: Bread, Brunch, Pastries in Eastern Paris
Brunch at Benoît Castel Ménilmontant, a pastry shop and bakery in the 20th arrondissement, is an ideal place to begin weekend wandering in the increasingly gentrified neighborhoods of eastern Paris. We came for the bread, we stayed for the brunch, and only later did we taste the heart of Benoît Castel’s trade, the pastries.
Holiday in Paris: The Croissants of August
In search of the perfect croissant for her daily breakfast ritual, Paris resident Donna Evleth sets out on the Great Croissant Hunt when her favorite local bakery in the 6th arrondissement is closed during a long holiday weekend.
French Table: J. Barthouil Foie Gras and Smoked Salmon
Foie gras and smoked salmon, staples of the French celebratory and holiday table, are both produced with excellence and tradition by J. Barthouil, a family business located in southwest France with a shop in the Marais in Paris.
Paris by All-Night Bistro: La Poule au Pot
It’s 2am on a Tuesday night and I’m enjoying a bowl of French onion soup at La Poule au Pot in the Halles quarter in central Paris. What may sound like an unreasonable hour to be out dining on a weekday is in fact the perfect time to get to know one of the most esteemed traditional bistros and most venerable bistro owners in the capital.
Paris-Basque: Bistrot Belhara, Iratze and Paris’s Basque Festival
An encounter with two Basque chefs in Paris, Thierry Dufroux of Bistro Belhara and Mathieu Moity of Iratze, participants in Paris-Basque, an annual festival that brings Basque cuisine, sports, music and good cheer to Paris. Includes video interviews with the chefs.
Market Day in France: Geography, Appellations and Terroir
The association of food and drink with place is what most marks market-based gastronomy in France. In this series we provide travelers with lists of appellations, geographic indicators and other labels given to certain agricultural products in various regions of France. Before getting to the lists, we explain here the various terms and labels that you'll encounter in your seach for quality food and drink and for delicious insights into local and regional traditions.
Le Vieux Crapaud: Admirable Bistro Fare Near the Arc de Triomphe
Country fare meets upscale neighborhood near the Arc de Triomphe at Thomas Boutin’s Le Vieux Crapaud, where venturesome eaters enjoy frogs, pig’s ears, snails and pigeon while their dining companions savor admirable preparations of more familiar traditional bistro cuisine.
Hotel Regina: Wine & Friends & Classic Paris Luxury
Refurbished in 2015 and a wine bar added in 2016, the 5-star Hotel Regina, across the street from the Louvre, has regained its place among the luxury hotels of Paris’s 1st arrondissement. Gary Lee Kraut nods to Joan of Arc then pushes through the revolving door for a visit and a glass of wine.