I made it! I%26#39;ve just stepped into my room. I%26#39;m very happy that it is clean. I%26#39;d been a little worried that the web sight would be nicer than real life. I decide to pull out my camera and take some pictures for TA.
After I unpack and take a lovely shower, I head out. My hotel is in the 9th and close to cafe%26#39;s and some shopping. I wander the area keeping an eye out for somewhere to eat. I realize that it%26#39;s only about 5:00pm much too early to eat. I stop at a cafe called the No stress cafe%26#39;. I%26#39;m thinking to myself %26quot;just what I need%26quot; It%26#39;s very nice to sit and have something cold to drink. I notice that the staff here is very punk trendy. One of the girls has on a pair of jeans that say %26quot;Punky Fish%26quot; This makes me laugh, and later when I am in London I find this shop called......%26quot;Punky Fish%26quot; And here I was thinking she was just being original!After people watching for awhile, I head a little farther away from the hotel and stop in a few shops. When I have to tell people that I%26#39;m just in Paris for about 10days, I feel like I%26#39;ve been marked tourist for sure. But, so far everyone is very nice. I spot a tabac shop and buy a phone card. I promised to call when I got in.
It%26#39;s close to eight and I%26#39;m starved to I stop in at Xavier St. George. It%26#39;s still early but oh well. They waiter is nice and helps me to order- something with beef I know. The meal was lovely. I don%26#39;t think that the French like to cook meat done or well done. I know that it%26#39;s suppose to better{ I guess I don%26#39;t see how bloody raw meat is good!} Now This is just in my MEAGER experience! I really should have looked up %26quot;well done, no blood%26quot; Oh well after my waiter makes a dash for some change, I decied to head to my hotel. It%26#39;s early here but, soo tired I turn in. the thoughts that are going thru my head are%26quot;I%26#39;m in Paris, I%26#39;m in Paris..%26quot;
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You ask for %26quot; bien cuit svp%26quot; which is well done, it will still come med!
If in doubt order chicken( poulet) it is always cooked.
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This is wonderful... I love the step by step detail of your days! Hope your enjoying them to the fullest! I can%26#39;t wait for your next installment!!!
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It%26#39;s taste, Moonswiper, taste. The more you cook things, the less tasty they are. An overcooked steak tastes the same, whereas the %26quot;raw material%26quot; was good or bad. I know that American tastebuds are accustomed to blandness, but you%26#39;re in Paris, take advantage of it, embrace life at its full! Well, you were in Paris, now you are back to sole-steack country anyways...
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%26lt;%26lt;American tastebuds are accustomed to blandness%26gt;%26gt;
The blandest food I know is French Cuisine! You want really bland, try steak tartare.... each bite is all the same flavor/texture combo.
I can%26#39;t even find a Thai restaurant with decent heat because the French are so spice adverse. Even at the markets/grocery stores I have a hard time finding chilies to make it at home. All most all of the ethnic restaurants in the city have blanded down their recipes to accommodate the French palate.
In fact, I have to go up to Amsterdam this weekend just to get a good solid flavor hit at one of their Indonesian places, to be followed by a gourmet Turkish meal and some excellent Spanish tapas.
One of the things I miss most about SF is the excellent, mix of flavorful cuisines (mexican, vietnamese, indian, burmese, cajun, ehtiopian, etc....) that could be found in most neighborhoods.
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You gave yourself up, phread! By definition, over spicing is used to cover... blandness (or bad quality of the food, the reason why spices were so sought after in the middle ages, before fridges could keep the food fresh). It%26#39;s like a not so pretty face smeared in make up.
I like spicy food too, but everything is drowned under it, and it%26#39;s a one dimensional, poor taste experience compared to the full flavored, intriguing, fresh ingredients of Italian or French cuisines.
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I%26#39;m afraid I%26#39;m almost completely with phread. Almost.... I prefer to use the word %26quot;subtile%26quot; to describe French cuisine. But my gawd! Does every restaurant have to be so.. %26quot;subtile%26quot;? I%26#39;d do almost anything to find a decent Thai, Indian or Mexican restaurant. I shouldn%26#39;t admit it but i have rationalized literally diverting a journey to the states through London so I could get a good Indian meal. More than once.
We finally did find two places that have great spicy and delicious food in Paris but not from the three basic food groups I mentioned.
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Joan, or anyone:
I love steak au poivre - is this a common menu item, and do I need to order it Bien Cuit to have it fairly dark pink in the middle? And, how do you pronounce %26quot;cuit?%26quot; One of the reasons I%26#39;m loving to be there is the food, so this will help!
Thanks.
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Steak goes from %26quot;bleu%26quot; (when it%26#39;s just been waved briefly over the flame!), through %26quot;saignant%26quot; (rare), a point (medium), and bien cuit (well done).
%26quot;cuit%26quot; is pronounced %26quot;kwee%26quot;.
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