Lunch With Children in Paris - 3 1/2 & 6

[Shaya]

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!

Edited March 29, 2007 by Shaya (log)

[Shaya]

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.

[therese]

Sounds like you had a great visit, Shaya, and your boys are likely to remember it (yes, even the little guy) as a very special experience.

I'll be on the lookout for your home-made meals in the Alps.

[Shaya]

Sounds like you had a great visit, Shaya, and your boys are likely to remember it (yes, even the little guy) as a very special experience.

I'll be on the lookout for your home-made meals in the Alps.

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

[Shaya]

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.

[Chufi]

Thanks for taking the time to write this report. Travel reports are among my favorite eGullet posts. And I'm taking notes, because I'm going to Paris for the weekend soon, and like you, I love to plan

Can't wait to read more

[John Talbott]

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!

I probably should not encourage unfood-related items but I'm delighted this worked.

And like Chufi I want to thank you for the report. It's very valuable.

[Lori in PA]

My husband and I ate dinner at Le Petit Tonneau when we went to Paris in 2002. I'm still trying to make my potatoes turn out as well as those we ate that night! Post your recipe, please. That was one of my two favorite meals of the trip.

[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.

[Shaya]

Of course no visit to rue Coquillière would be complete without a visit to the venerable cooking supply shop Dehillerin. It was a great shop to browse, but while it is touted as a wholesaler, I did not get the sense it was full of any great deals. In fact I found the prices to be on the high side. I would also mention that 90% of the clientele seemed to be tourists.

Anyhow, I was thrilled to find my dream tool that has been eluding me for the past 5 years: a conical sieve for stocks. Here it was, just the right size and quality, and Italian-made to boot. My friend treated me to both the sieve and a long French style rolling pin:

[Shaya]

Tuesday March 13

I could hardly sleep Monday night knowing what a great day Tuesday promised to be. I had great plans for lunch and a certain eGulleter was making the trip from a nearby country to meet us for the day.

We started yet another beautiful sunny morning visiting the gargoyles at Notre Dame. My kids were instantly taken with the man on the front left panel with his head in his hands..."What happened to his head, Mommy?"

Then we took a brisk walk from there to the Jardins Luxembourg. What a beautiful place. There was our surprise visitor, none other than Chufi herself! I would highly recommend the playground at the Luxembourg as a perfect place to spend with kids during the hour preceding a lunch in a more adult setting. They will play themselves ragged and be inclined to behave at the meal.

Of course I had everyone on yet another winding journey to our restaurant for lunch. On the way we saw many interesting shops, including this one with a wonderful collection of teapots in the window:

We arrived at Le Comptoir around 2:00pm and found just the right table outside underneath the awning. The menu was full of temptations, and yet Chufi and I were drawn to ordering the exact same courses.

The waitress was quick to inform the kids that she could offer them each a dish of pasta. Of course my little guy was up for that. My older guy had his eye on the seared tuna, and asked for it to be very rare. It came a little more cooked than we'd ordered, but it was wonderfully flavored and surrounded with piles of vegetables that my husband proclaimed to be the best he'd ever had.

My sweetie started with the lobster bisque, followed by the rack of lamb which I believe had Spanish flavors. They were both perfectly executed.

Chufi and I started with the foie gras terrine with morels and an artichoke puree. I really enjoyed the flavors and texture contrasts in this dish.

We followed this with tender, succulent, melt-in-your mouth braised beef cheeks. The sauce was wonderful, and I enjoyed the "macaroni" although my husband expressed dismay at the use of such a basic style of pasta in such a restaurant. When you think about it, though, they are after all beef cheeks, which are fairly basic their own right...

There were cracklins atop both these dishes but I can't for the life of me recall what they were made from...perhaps Chufi can remember?

Once again the service was seamless. The kids were seved their meals while we had our entrees, and they ordered dessert while we had our main course. For dessert they had pots de chocolats that were so rich and decadent that they each abandoned them halfway through. Sometimes there is such thing as too much of a good thing...

In the end we had to hunt down our waitress to get our bill; my husband found her seated at the bar with a cigarette, and she motioned for our other server to see us off. This spoke to the underlying casual nature of the place...

So to answer my question as to whether Le Comptoir is appropriate for kids at lunchtime...the answer is a resounding yes, at least when seated outside on the terrace.

At this point we had no room for any more food; however, since we were in the neighborhood, we decided to pay a visit to Pierre Herme where we bought pastries and macaroons and chocolates until our wallets were ready to burst. Seriously, the prices here are not for the faint of heart. But the pastry are amazing and the macaroons - a first for us - were wonderful.

Chocolate Dome and Tarte au Citron

[Megan Blocker]

Oh, Shaya...I am so jealous! You and Chufi in Paris...sigh.

Tell us all about the tarte citron...I almost got that when I went to Pierre Herme, but the Tarte au Cafe won out in the end. Details, please!

[Chufi]

well, what can I say.. that was a perfect day I got to spend in Paris with Shaya, her husband and 2 kids (who are just as adorable as anyone who has seen their pics on the Dinner thread might guess!)

I'd say that lunch at le Comptoir and then getting pastries at Pierre Herme is a wonderful combo. I thought it was pretty funny that Shaya and I both ordered the same items from the extensive menu.. I guess that means we're in food-sync

The beef cheek dish was wonderful. I'm not sure about the cracklings, but I do remember there was some lemonzest there as well, which worked beautifully with the rich sauce.

At Herme, I bought a 'tarte infinitement vanille' which I devoured on the train back home, and a box of macarons which were savored at home with my husband and some friends. Never having tasted a macaron in my life, I wasn't sure they'd live up to the hype, but they did.

I hope Shaya doesn't mind I add them to this thread..

[Megan Blocker]

...and a box of macarons which were savored at home with my husband and some friends. Never having tasted a macaron in my life, I wasn't sure they'd live up to the hype, but they did.

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Well, you picked the right place to try your first ones, Klary.

What flavor is that one with the jelly? Is it raspberry?

[Chufi]

What flavor is that one with the jelly?  Is it raspberry?

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iirc, there was raspberry, lychee and rose. Like a fairytale...

[Shaya]

Oh, Shaya...I am so jealous!  You and Chufi in Paris...sigh.

Tell us all about the tarte citron...I almost got that when I went to Pierre Herme, but the Tarte au Cafe won out in the end.  Details, please!

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Ironically I had made this tarte a year ago based on the suggestion of eGullet dessert experts. It was extremely decadent, containing more butter than I had seen in my entire childhood! But mine was not as smooth as the one we just tried. When you take a bite the lemon bursts out and the creaminess supports it beautifully.

[Forest]

Shaya

Glad you enjoyed yourself - just have to comment that your pictures are really fantastic!

[BryanZ]

Wonderful pictures. That terrine looks totally out of control.

[Shaya]

Wonderful pictures.  That terrine looks totally out of control.

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Those are gorgeous photos, Chufi. Thanks for posting them.

Thanks for the kind comments Forest and Bryan.

At Pierre Herme we also picked up some chocolate. Actually we picked up quite a bit of chocolate on this trip. Here is some of what we brought home:

We have really been enjoying having sampling sessions late at night when the kids are tucked in...ever wonder what YOUR parents did after you were asleep? My husband absolutely adores Pierre Herme's chocolate with bergamot. It was also fun to compare the two from Madagascar - the Pralus has much more depth and is much more acidic - but we now realize that although the beans might be native to the same place, they are different types of beans, so I'm not sure it's really fair to compare them...anyone have any insight into this?

Edited April 11, 2007 by Shaya (log)

[Shaya]

Tuesday March 20

We spent the next few days visiting another set of friends in Bourg D'Oisans, about 45 minutes from Grenoble, where we ate wonderful home-cooked food. I will start a separate thread to show you a few photos from those meals.

Back in Paris for our last 2 days, we decided it was time to do a bit of shoppping. We headed to Rue Vavin just off the Luxembourg gardens and wandered through the area, stopping whereever caught our eye.

Just as the kids were beginning to fade, like a mirage, there was the gelateria I had been desperate to try: Amorino. A fairly new addition to the ice-cream scene in Paris (Berthillon being the most famous I read about) they have 10 locations listed on their business card, and their shops are well worth a visit. I have always preferred gelati and sorbet to the traditional american-style ice cream, and I wasn't disappointed here. I was tempted to taste so many flavors, and asked if we could have more than one flavor per cone. Our server assured me that I could have as many different flavors as I wanted.

I had marrons glaces, cioccolato and lampone (or framboise). My husband had amarena, which was vanilla with a coulis made from morello cherries. The kids had cioccolato and cioccolato/lampone. You can see the different flavors here.

Amorino Selection of Flavors

Cioccolato-Lampone

The Purist - Cioccolato - note the gorgeous presentation in the form of a flower

I did not have a plan, for the meal that day.

At around 1:30pm we passed by a restaurant that had been on my list to try if the opportunity arose for a dinner sans enfants: Sensing. I was so excited to see the decor and the menu from the outside, that I went in to see whether lunch would even be a possibility. The hostess was very pleasant and friendly, and very welcoming as well. I asked if they would be able to accomodate us for lunch, and she said absolutely. Then, looking around the modern, funky, highly stylized decor, and the elegant crowd, I mentioned that we had young children with us. Once again she opened her arms and said we would be welcome. I paused and said we would think about it. She left me with a smile, saying, "N'hesitez pas" as I walked out the door.

It was wonderful to be welcomed in that way, and I believe it goes to highlight what John had told me before our trip - that Parisians are not afraid of accomodating children at lunchtime. Had it been dinner time it would probably have been a different story. Anyhow, we did not stay as we were not quite ready to stop for lunch. More shops beckoned.

Around 4:00 pm we were really hungry and craving a steak-frites. By then we had made our way to Rue du Bac at Boulevard Saint-Germain, and settled in at a busy-looking brasserie/bar Le Saint Germain - 62, rue du Bac, 7th.

Here we had an adequate meal, not the best, but could have been worse. My husband and I both had a filet with frites. I asked for my frites without the advertised garllic topping - which the waiter promptly forgot; he huffed a little when I gently reminded him that I hadn't wanted the garlic, but he obligingly returned a few moments later with my meal as ordered. The fries were crispy and tasty, and cut into rounds. My older son got a hamburger-frites, which took him a little by surprise when it came in a flat rectangular shape, sitting naked on the plate next to a heap of frites. He said his first reaction was, "Dude, where's the bun?" It was a good lesson in French cuisine for him, and he enjoyed it a lot. Little guy had a plate of pasta with cheese and some of my steak and fries.

We finished off the day at a charming little toy store just down the street from the restaurant, not quite wanting the day to end, knowing we had only one day left in this wonderful city.

Edited April 11, 2007 by Shaya (log)

[Shaya]

Wednesday March 21

For our last day we were accompanied by my friend and her adorable daughter, who is the same age as my older guy. We went to le Marais and walked along rue des Rosiers, which I had never seen before. Also known as the Jewish district, this is a wonderfully historical section of Paris, with food shops taking you back through time; you can still sense the energy of the older generations who settled here and founded what are now historical sites.

Our ultimate destination was the musee Picasso, but lunch was in order before that as we were all hungry.

We contemplated having a felafel at the place my friend proclaimed to be the absolute best - L'As Du Felafel but our trip was coming to an end and we wanted one more French meal before leaving.

We passed by one place that looking great - it had a corny name, Love, and I had never heard of it, but the menu looked very tempting. I would love to hear comments from anyone who knows about this place.

We kept walking and finally settled on Au Gamin de Paris - 51, rue du Temple, 4th. Once again it was around 2:00pm. The place was cozy, the service friendly, and people continued to arrive after us. It felt a little more touristey than the other places we had eaten, but seemed to be sincere in its offerings.

My friend hesitantly ordered the onion soup and was not surprised that it paled in comparison with the divine version she'd had the previous week at Au Pied de Cochon. My older guy had - what else - magret de canard, which he once again enjoyed. If only I could find fresh duck locally, I could really make his day! The other two kids had tagliatelle - nicely prepared bowls of pasta, one a la carbonara, the other tout simple.

I really enjoyed my salad with chevre and fig compote. But my confit de canard was lacking in flavor and texture. It seemed lifeless. My husband's meal was also ok, he really enjoyed his salad, and his main course, which I believe was ris de veau, was good but not fantastic.

Overall an ok meal, but I wonder what would have been a better choice in the area?

Edited April 11, 2007 by Shaya (log)

[John Talbott]

Wednesday March 21

We passed by one place that looking great - it had a corny name, Love, and I had never heard of it, but the menu looked very tempting.  I would love to hear comments from anyone who knows about this place.

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Darn, this morning I took Love off my list because I'd been reading such bizarre reviews and someone, maybe Margaret Kemp, confirmed that folks had mixed experiences. And then I forgot to drop by and scope the menu after my haircut. OK, it'll go back on the list at least until I see the menu. Thanks Shaya, and thanks much for all your reviews.