Shaya

Monday March 12 After a morning spent at the charming Tuilleries and a whirl through the galleries at l'Orangerie, it was time for another winding stroll to rue Coquillière. I was almost reluctant to stick with my lunch plans as it was a gorgeous sunny warm day that was just begging for us to sit on a terrace. I was thrilled when I saw that Au Pied de Cochon not only had tables outside but there was room for our party of 5 as well. We must have arrived around 2:30. It's a huge place, so had we arrived during the lunch rush I'm sure we would have at least found a table indoors on one of the many flamboyantly decorated levels. My older guy had fun snapping a few shots of the place, including the fish tank that is adjacent to the heaping piles of various shellfish outside on the sidewalk. There were crabs, shrimp of different varieties, many different types of oysters, lobster and more. Upon arrival I followed the advice I received on this thread and asked for the vegetarian menu, but alas the waiter said there was no such thing. He did offer a kids' menu which was step above the processed foods typically offered on kiddie menus in North America. Our friend started with the Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee, which she proclaimed to be the best she'd ever had. She had a salad to follow. French Onion Soup The rest of us started with a platter of shellfish. My husband ordered the largest oysters thinking that the #1 referred to the quality, not the size. The kids and I thought they were too large to be enjoyable. We also had crevettes grises, which I find to be tasty and fun to eat. Shellfish Platter Then my kids both ordered the saussicon. I am not a fan of hot dogs and never buy them at home, so I made a point of clarifying that these were indeed "sausages". The waiter said yes, of course. Unfortunately when they arrived they had this bright red color that I just know was not from natural sources. I had to send one order back, as these colors do not agree with my younger guy. The waiter was extremely courteous, and offered instead to bring a bowl of fresh tagliatelle. He also did not charge for either the tagliatelle or the returned sausages. Saussicons Frites - my older guy gobbled these up. Tagliatelle - a perfect fresh bowl of pasta with chopped tomatoes and gruyere for my pasta lover. For my main event I was thinking of ordering the Escalope de Foie Gras Poelee aux pommes; but I changed my mind at the last moment, realizing that I could have that anywhere, but how many times in my life would I be in a position to eat Pied de Cochon Farci Perigourdine, Facon Bourgeoise? I opted for the pig's foot, which was a big step for me. Not having been raised eating pork, I am not a huge fan unless it's cured or smoked. I expressed my slight fear to the waiter, and he laughed and said it's good to be a little afraid. My husband, fearless eater that he is, ordered the same with no hesitation. I am so glad I went with this dish. The meat was stuffed with foie gras (detectable) and truffles (less detectable) rolled and roasted to crispy perfection, and surrounded by a gorgeous sauce with carrots, onions, bacon and mushrooms. Pied de Cochon Farci Perigourdine, Facon Bourgeoise Meanwhile the kids were being served their wonderful sorbets of chocolat and framboise: Not to be outdone by the kids, we ordered the profiteroles which came with a divine hot chocolate sauce that the waiter poured with abandon over our plates and then left on the table in case we would want some more! These were delicious, and no doubt the inspiration for the meal my older guy planned the first day we were home (posted on the Dinner! thread). Profiteroles au Chocolat Chaud Mi-Amer Overall a great meal, weighing in at 170 euro for our party of 5. Given that they did not charge for one of the meals, and that the service had been so pleasant, I left a gratuity for the waiters.

Saturday March 10 We arrived in Paris early on Saturday morning. Happily my 3 1/2 year old slept for two-thirds of the 6 1/2 hour flight; my 6 year old only managad around 2 hours of sleep. From reading his Travelblog I believe Bryanz and I probably crossed paths in the airport and didn't even know it. For the better part of that first day the kids were too excited meeting their little friends to feel their fatigue. Our friends had plans for us to have dinner at the small Italian restaurant across the street from their house. Worried that by 7:00pm the kids would be crashing, this Strict Mom asked them (nicely but firmly!) to lie down and have a nap; in no time at all they were sleeping and they did not rise until I shook them awake 4 hours later. I was thrilled. Now I would be able to enjoy my meal . [On a side note, it seems this nap was all they needed to adjust to the time change (5 hours for us). By next morning their bodies were operating on Paris time.] Chez Napoli (12, Rue Lazare Carnot, Clamart) is a small neighborhood place with great Italian offerings. I imagine there must be many such places in every city in Europe, but for me, having lived in Halifax the past number of years, where no authentic Neapolitan style pizza is to be found, it was a real treat. If this place were across the street from me I would be paying it a weekly visit. During the course of the meal my husband and I ate an inordinate amount of food. I think we must have stunned our friends, who were each satisfied with a simple salad. For entrees we sampled the caprese salad, which was fresh and clean; margherita and spicy calabrese pizzas, which were perfect with their thin but crispy crusts, light toppings and charred edges. I followed with a plate of homemade gnocchi in sauce rose, and my husband had veal scaloppine with a lemon pepper sauce. The gnocchi were light and the sauce very tasty....almost as good as my own version . My husband's veal was also very tasty, and comparable to anything he might have in a higher-end restaurant back home. Sunday March 11 The following day, Sunday, the kids were really keen to climb the Eiffel tower. As it was a weekend our friends were able to join us. They had not been to the Tour Eiffel in years, and in fact their 6 year old had never been, so I didn't feel too guilty in dragging them there. The guilt would, however, set in after leaving the Tour, as I had everyone walking miles to get to my lunch destination, Au Petit Tonneau. It was a long and meandering walk, but we finally arrived a little before 3:00pm and happily found a large table awaiting us by the door. Actually we had called ahead that morning to inform them we were coming. The place is not very large, and could conceivably be very crowded earlier in the day. We were greeted with a small menu and a chalkboard with the plats du jour. I was a little concerned that our friends would have a diffilcult time ordering, given their vegan and kosher restrictions. Happily they enjoyed the celerie remoulade, salade and omelette champignons, which was loaded with various wild mushrooms. Our friends were also thrilled when a large party from the back of the restuarant went to leave. There in front of them was a famous French actor (I might have to get back to you with the name...) along with one of the Presidential candidates (ditto on the name). They both greeted us and shook our hands. My friend was startstruck for the rest of the day. I started with a salad crouton chevre, which had 2 large rounds of fresh, creamy chevre, and my husband opted for the salade roquefort. All of us eating the salad remarked on the wonderful dressing, which was deftly made with a light hand and delicate flavor. As funny as this sounds, it was the most memorable dressing I have ever had. 3 of the kids opted for omelettes au fromage. My older guy started with a plate of Rosette de Lyon - gorgeous stuff, and shared with me a Magret de Canard au jus, which was perfectly cooked. I loved the duck but adored the gratin dauphinois accompanying it. My husband kept saying, "It's just like yours..." as if I had created the dish and somehow it had made its way to the restaurants of France. My husband ordered one of his favorites to follow, the andouillette, which was also accompanied with the wonderful gratin. The waiter, who was a somewhat sardonic, stiff man, asked my husband if he was sure he wanted to order this, if he even knew what it was; my husband assured him that he was aware of what it was and had eaten it many times before. This seemed to surprise the waiter. That said, my husband loved the dish and wiped it clean. Dessert was mousse au chocolate all around. All in all a great place for an intimate experience, and no problem at all with the kids. My husband and I really enjoyed our meal, but agreed it's probably not the best pick for vegetarians. I can't find our receipt right now but I do recall finding it a bit on the pricey side considering the simple fare. As we were leaving, the charming owner-chef Madame Boyer emerged from the kitchen to chat with us. She was very taken with the kids, and engaged my older guy in friendly conversation. The husband of our friends noticed it was nearly 5:00pm and that her day's work was only halfway done. When he expressed awe at her stamina and energy, she simply laughed and said that she was going to have a day off soon. She said that in 26 years it had not occurred to her to take time off. Now, as she was getting older, she was trying to take some time to rest. What an amazing woman.

Thanks Therese. I have no doubt the little guy will remember. He is still talking about his experiences in NYC from a year ago.

The meals went really well, I believe, for the following reasons: (1) We would start our days around 9:30am, so would not sit down for lunch before 2:pm. This worked in our favor as the restaurants were quieter at this time, the waiters less rushed and the clientele more relaxed. (2) The waiters in Paris seemed extremely in tune with the nuance involved in serving families with children. They were always extremely accomodating to my requests, and very friendly with the kids. Typically when we go out for meals in North America, we are asked whether we would like the kids' meals to be served with our first or second courses. In our experience, the waiters in Paris set the pace themselves; they would bring the kids' meals along with our first course, then take their dessert order while we enjoyed our subsequent course(s). This worked beautifully for everyone. I must say that I personally like the feeling that the restaurant is in control of setting the pace. It reminded me of a meal my husband and I had at Patina in Los Angeles. I had ordered 4 courses to my husband's 3. Normally this imbalance in numbers would have caused a waiter to engage us in a discussion as to the order of presentation of courses; but this waiter simply brought the extra course separately, placed it in the middle of the table, and presented us both with flatware so that we could share. I loved that knowing style of service. (3) Paris is such an exciting, vibrant city; good moods can only lead to positive experiences.

We are back from our trip to France and I'm happy to report that we had an incredible vacation. We were there for two weeks, and spent about half of our time in Paris and the other half in the gorgeous town of Bourg d'Oisans which is 45 minutes from Grenoble and sits at the foot of the alps, surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. While I had been tp Paris several times in the past, this was our first time taking our small children, and I did not want any surprises. While I easily planned the touring portion of the visit, I found myself uncertain as to how the meals would go. As I mentioned above, we were staying with friends, and so lunch was our main restaurant meal of the day, with lighter dinners eaten later at home. I was determined to enjoy great food while at the same time keeping the kids (and the wait staff too!) relaxed and able to enjoy the food. Something clicked when John said to just bring crayons and stickers and everyone will be happy. As simple as this sounds, it was not my usual habit, but it seemed to make a lot of sense. So I bought a little sketch pad for each boy and brought along some crayons and colored pencils, and a few stickers for fun. And guess what? It worked like a charm! Thank you to all of you who provided advice and comfort as I was planning the food portion of this trip. I will describe our experiences in Paris and perhaps in a separate thread will show some of the homemade meals we enjoyed in the Alps. We enjoyed lunches at the following restaurants: (1) Au Petit Tonneau - 20, rue Surcouf (7th) (2) Au Pied de Cochon - 6, r Coquillière (3) Le Comptoir - 9, carrefour de l'Odéon, 6th (4) Le Saint Germain - 62, rue du Bac, 7th (5) Au Gamin de Paris in le Marais - 51, rue du Temple, 4th While the first three were planned, the last two were places we found as we were walking about. I personally would have been more choosy on these last two, but we chose Le Saint Germain after a long day of shopping, and it was well after 4pm before we sat down to lunch! Au Gamin de Paris was chosen while seeking out a place to eat with friends - and by then I had dragged them halfway around the city for some of our other meals, so I decided to go with the flow!

Here is our Asian dinner from two nights ago. Seafood Soup - I made an Asian chicken stock with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, ... added fresh shellfish, oyster mushrooms, bok choy, snow peas and my homemade egg noodles. Shrimp Dumplings - reminds me we need to go out for dimsum again soon.

Dinner of simple flavors tonight. I had some nice white asperges and some sweet potatoes that needed attention, so I made a small creamy soup of each. Creamy White Asparagus Soup with Parmigiano Crisp - the kids loved the soup, not so much the cheese crisp Sweet Potato with Star Anise and Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms - the kids were not a fan; my husband loved this one most; I really enjoyed both soups Then we dug into a plate of my chicken bourag. And I made my first creme brulee for dessert. Megan, whereever you are, I needed your blowtorch tonight! I put them under the broiler and they crisped up beautifully, but I wasn't crazy about the way the heat changed the texture of the custard underneath. Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

I was cooking pad thai for us when the phone rang; I had to run to the living room to answer. It was my neighbor asking me out on a date. When I returned to the kitchen I realized he had just continued on with the cooking without batting an eyelash. I was so impressed. His actions spoke volumes about the kind of man he was. Needless to say I never went out with the neighbor guy.

Thanks to all of you for your great advice. We had a fabulous trip and enjoyed some great lunches. I will post more details in the near future.

Wow what a lot of great cooking has been going on here. So much gorgeous duck, cassoulet to die for, sugo on polenta, and Chufi's Slavink, yum. Just got back late last night from 2 weeks in France, lots of great eating and drinking, and none of Mom's food for all that time. Somehow my 6-year-old was inspired this morning and asked if he could cook dinner tonight all by himself. He got out his cookbooks and chose to make quite an ambitious menu: risotto and profiteroles. The cook tending to his risotto - he's sitting up in Mom's "risotto stool" Saffron risotto with Peas and Chicken - topped with sauteed radicchio for the grownups. I have to admit this is the tastiest risotto that we've ever eaten. Partly thanks to the perfect amount of saffron my son used, and partly because the stock was from a particularly flavorful batch I had made. White and Black Profiteroles - he decided to make two pasty creams, one with vanilla bean and one with chocolate added; and he absolutely did not want an icing on top. The pastry was absolutely simple to make, and they tasted great.

Thank you John. My shoulders have just droppped about 6 inches!

Thanks to all of you I've refined my plans and narrowed down my list of places to eat. Can anyone tell me something about Fish La Boissonnerie? Would it be a place to take the kids? And if so, is anyone aware of the menu - is it all fish and seafood or does it have something that would appeal to my little guy (who is not a fish eater)?

Timing, Chufi, life is all about the timing. We plan to be in Seattle this August. Great work, Henry and Lorna. Bravo.

Thanks, Nikkib, Au Pied de Cochon looks really good. I would love a huge platter of seafood. My father would always order these gleaming ice platters when we were in Paris. They always mesmerized me. Is a reservation necessary for lunch, do you know?

Carlsbad, thanks for the recommendation. I wasn't sure about the place when I first read about it, but it looks like a definite one to put on the list. Therese, thanks for all the reporting you did on your trip. I made good use of it, and will read it again to see what I might have missed. SuzySushi Dame Tartine looks like a good option for when I'm not in the mood for a big lunch. Hugh, I really hope the weather is so good that we can picnic, but looking at the weather in Paris lately, it doesn't look likely... Question, for you all, do you think Le Comptoir is too cramped and slow in service for the kids? I think I could use another idea for the area around the Jardin du Luxembourg, if anyone has one. Thanks.

Some people are sensitive to the bitterness (almost a "hotness") in aubergines. My Mom taught me at a young age that aubergines need to be deep fried to lose that unpleasant (to some) characteristic. The possibilities are endless: - dice and fry - then add to pasta sauce - cut into lengths and fry - then stuff with basil and fresh mozarella, roll and bake topped with tomato sauce and parmigiano - or make Moussaka - cut into rounds, place a piece of fresh mozarella and basil, then do an eggwash and deep fry - golden eggplant sandwiches

Thanks for your comments, Hugh and OAKGLEN. I would say le Timbre is out. Felice, that's good to hear. John, yes, thatnks to all your wonderful indexes I was able to research many different places come up with the places I have listed here. Doc, I love the idea of taking the kids to a fine dining place; at an off-time, of course. I will have to see how everyone handles the jet-lag when we get there; it could make for short fuses for everyone! What would be your number one pick for an adult dinner near Clamart? Is there no other suggestion for the Louvre or Pompidou areas?

This is a wonderful blog. Great to see where all that gorgeous food gets made. I love seeing the photos from the market, and the food as you're preparing it. And your boys are just beautiful.

Susan, you and your gorgeous meals were absolutely a draw for me to join eGullet. Your cooking and photography are inspiring, creative and crisp. I wish you all the best with all the new changes in your life.

We are travelling to France with our two small children, ages 3 1/2 and 6. We leave this coming Friday. I would appreciate your input regarding our lunchtime meals. We are staying with friends who live in Clamart, so I imagine lunches will be at restaurants in the city, and dinners back home with our friends. Therefore lunch will be my one opportunity to experience the wonderful food of the city. At the same time we have the constraint of having small children. We do not frequent "family" style restaurants or chains, so they are accustomed to eating out at decent restaurants; that said, I wouldn't want to put them in an uncomfortable situation where the place is hushed and filled with businessmen. I have read through the many threads on the forum, and am aware of which restos are highly recommended - but am still somewhat left with the question of..."but would they be open to children". So I'm seeking more insight and wisdom from you experts! I'm looking for traditional French food, one modern French would be nice, and defintely not fusion. Here are the areas where we plan to be: (1) 8th /1st - Rue de Rivoli, around the Tuileries/Louvre Chez Flottes has come up on other threads but overall seems pricey and mediocre; is this still the case? (2) 4th - Pompidou in the morning, then Ile de la Cite in the afternoon While it would be convenient to eat on l'Ile de la Cite, the restaurants there (eg.. Mon Vieil Ami) sound touristy and mediocre; is there a great lunch spot in between the two places? (3) 6th/7th - Jardin du Luxembourg; plan to go to Pierre Herme for dessert, so lunch in the area would be ideal Le Timbre looks great - but is it too small to go with children? Le Comptoir also looks good, but how likely are we to get a table? (4) 7th - Morning at Musee Rodin, Michael Chaudun for dessert; Rue Cler Au Petit Tonneau looks like a good pick for us Cafe Constant also looks like a good pick Chez L'Ami Jean? Cafe du Marche if we head straight to Rue Cler for lunch (5) As a bonus my husband and I may get out for one dinner alone. Any ideas for an adult dinner near Clamart? Le Troquet and Le Beurre Noisette seem within reasonable distance?

You can say that again, Ann, there's no comparison! Great burger meal. Klary, I love escarole with white beans; it's the perfect comfort food. Wendy those lemongrass patties look really nice. Welcome back, Hathor, great dinner you "whipped up" there. Here are some highlights from recent dinners: Cheese Sambousak - these are another of my Grandmother's specialties Roasted Veggies from a roast chicken dinner Last Friday we managed to have cocktails again! Raspberry Chocolate, yum. You can see my sweetie has drained his glass long before I've made a dent in mine. I used to be able to keep up with him, but since having kids he sort of goes at about triple my speed. In the background you can see some of the goodies for the beef fajitas we had that night. Boeuf Bourgignon - this was fantastic, so succulent, so flavorful. 1 1/2 bottles of wine gave themselves up for this dinner. Tangerine Peel Beef that has been discussed over in the Chinese Forum. Homemade Chinese Noodles with Shrimp and Beef

Welcome, shoutsandmurmurs, that dinner looks really great. Wendy, I've been enviously eyeing your cocktails for months, thinking just HOW FAR my sweetie and I have fallen from that lifestyle since having kids. So tonight hubbie broke out his new martini shaker and made us some raspberry martinis. I even managed to drain my whole glass, a small miracle these days. Just to show how life has changed, though, I left the background in place - note the crayolas, coloring pages, buzz lightyear cocktail napkin and little guy eating his appetizer of avocado with fleur de sel. Then dinner, finally we were both home at a decent hour and ready to eat this moussaka that I had made earlier in the week. It was wonderful. Moussaka with Greens with Roasted Red Peppers

Kevin, I took my inspiration from you and made some heart-shaped beet ravioli for Valentine's day. I'm not a fan of poppy seeds, but I love the combination of citrus and chevre with ravioli, so I added those along with ricotta. They were really awesome. I froze the leftover filling so I can make them again sometime. For the next course I took further inspiration from Kevin, and made a version of his scallops "gratinee" which I thought my sweetie would really like, as he loves scallops. Although I had everything prepped hours ahead, in the final rush to get dinner on the table I forgot to add some wine to the dish before broiling, so we ended up adding a splash after the fact. Definitely not the same impact. I also made a fish "en saor" - used a boston blue here, as it looked hardy, and let it sit all day. I caramelized the onions as I really only like them that way. Loved this dish.

I am loving this thread. Chufi, I am not a big fan of liver, but you made it look so gorgeous I would have to have some. Did you manage to eat any? Kevin, your crab pasta looks wonderful. And your duck looks great too. I love the way you make your polenta wedges. It makes me want to make polenta. And what a gorgeous Valentine's dinner you prepared. The head-on bird sounds a bit extreme for me; and wait, you actually gutted a bird? Now THAT is love. Hathor, thanks so much for those pics of Carnivale. My older guy has just read through the "Magic Treehouse" series and one of the recent ones took place in Venice during Carnivale. I must show him your photos. He is also obsessed with Pompeii and I know you've been there too - he would be fascinated to have a chat with you! Franci, I love the artistry of your plate of fish with fried squash. Just beautiful. Fried squash sounds great, too. Foodman, wow, you've embraced yet another region just beautifully. First off, I can't get your blood-orange negroni's off my mind. The color is so gorgeous. I love your Valentine's day meal. The rolls look exceptionally good. I must look up that recipe. I brought back a tub of duck fat from montreal - does that count as lard? The pasta and contorni are just my type of food, too. Very nice work.

Yesterday I got into the holiday mood. When it comes to special occasions, some people bake cookies, some people bake cakes. Shaya makes ravioli! Served with Champagne, of course. The Fillings: Both have chevre/lemon zest/ricotta - can you guess which one has the addition of roasted beets? Heart Beets Ricotta Hearts We had seafood for a second course. Scallops, sauteed beet greens, and this fish "en Saor" which is discussed at length here in our thread on the Veneto regiou of Italy.