Two For The Table : Europe 2013 : Paris

Paris

This was our sixth stay in Paris; our first was in 1985. We love Paris. We visited all the "must see" sites long ago and now we visit the city. We walk and walk and walk and soak it in. Our only "destination" on this trip was the Centre Georges Pompidou, where we saw a wonderful Lichtenstein retrospective.

We stayed at the Hôtel de l'Abbaye; it was our fourth stay at this small boutique hotel on the Left Bank in Saint-Germain. The rooms are smallish but well appointed, with a nice bathroom. An excellent continental breakfast is served in a lovely atrium, including perfect baguettes and croissants. The longtime staff is professional and helpful. The ambiance is perfect Parisian, including the large metal room key, which is deposited and retrieved at the front desk.

Our first visit to Paris was for ten days; we found ourselves in a gastronomical wonderland. We devoured the tasting menus at Guy Savoy, Michel Rostang, Lapérouse and more. We don't eat like that anymore; we can no longer stomach the quantity or the calories. But the eating was no less satisfying.

	Chez L'Ami Jean - We had dined at Chez L'Ami Jean once before in October of 2011; it was a magical evening from start to finish. This was THE dinner we were most looking forward to, including the mythical rice pudding. Would it disappoint?
	Josephine "Chez Dumonet" - Our reservation at Josephine "Chez Dumonet" was last minute (for us), recommended in a transatlantic email from a friend, although the venerable bistro in Saint Germain had been on our radar. Unlike the more modern Parisian bistros, Chez Dumonet offers old-fashioned bistro cooking in an old-fashioned setting.
	La Régalade St. Honoré - On our last night in Paris, and the last night of our vacation, we dined at La Régalade St. Honoré. The original La Régalade was opened in 1992 in the outskirts of Paris' Left Bank. Several years ago, this Right Bank location was opened on rue St. Honoré, near the Louvre.