Paris Eats

It's been interesting to note that the discount dining craze that had hit the states in recent years has not escaped France's notice. In addition to Groupon and their ilk, the locals here have another option: La Fourchette. Thanks to this site (and thanks to my sister for telling me about it!), I was able to get 50% off my meal at a very nice little place near the Sacré Coeur Basilica.

La Table d'Anvers is a pretty trendy-looking restaurant that offers a nice selection of classic and international dishes. An appetizer, entreé, and a glass of house wine ended up costing me about $25 USD.

Tuna Tartare, Avocado, Fresh Mango, and Lime

Tuna Tartare in Paris! I probably should have picked something a little more French, but I was curious to see their rendition of this now rather-international dish. This was quite tasty; very lightly dressed and fresh-tasting. Avocado and mango added a lot of creaminess and sweetness to the fish. My teeny tiny complaint was that the avocado pieces were diced a little too big, making them larger than the other components and more difficult to eat.

Lamb Stew in Star Anise sauce, and vegetables

I couldn't resist getting this dish; long and slow-cooked is my favorite way of eating lamb. Stew in July; thank goodness the weather has been cool! Originally, this dish was supposed to be accompanied by homemade gnocchi, but they were out of it. This ended up being a major disappointment, because the sauce was completely divine (but salty!). The star anise was very subtle but fragrant, and gnocchi would have been delicious in it! I consoled myself by dunking pieces of bread into the mixture. The lamb was completely tender, to the point where a knife was unnecessary. Random pieces of tendon were still attached to the meat, and they ended up being my favorite part of the meal.

Portion sizes were substantial, even with the discounted price.

This was a fun meal in a cute setting. I don't know if I would pay full price for the two dishes, but with the discount, it was worth visiting. So far, Paris is giving New York a run for its money in terms of food... I haven't had a bad meal here yet!

For dessert, I decided to drop by a pretty popular chocolatier to see what they were offering. I ended up getting two kouignettes, which are puff pastries rolled up and glazed with various sweet items (dried fruit, chocolate, caramel). I gobbled mine up waaaay too quickly to get a picture, but here's what they look like:

It was really really tasty. I'm glad I only got two, because I definitely would have finished everything I got in a single sitting! I'm finding that I love whatever is filled/glazed/dipped/draped in caramel au beurre salé, which is basically a buttered salted caramel. It elevates the dessert with so much buttery sugary, slightly salty goodness. Yum.