Vegetarians that don’t eat at Lebanese restaurants are missing out. While much of Lebanese cuisine is centered around lamb, it is also filled with Mediterranean vegetarian options.
Gridskipper, a travel web site describes the special connection between France and Lebanese culture
Those in the know will visit Paris for excellent terroir cuisine to be sure, but they will also know to look for certain regional fare such as Meditarranean food. In that category (a diverse lot ranging from North African to Greek and Jewish cooking), Lebanese cuisine is a heavy hitter and a favorite amongst the locals. Narrow historical ties between the two countries (Lebanon was a French UN mandate from the end of WWI until WWII, earning Beirut the nickname of “Paris of the East”) have led to a steady influx of Lebanese immigrants into Paris, which of course has translated into a vibrant and bountiful restaurant scene.
Best Lebanese Dining in Paris: La Taverne du Nil
I visited this restaurant with a meat eating friend. We chose the Mézzé platter at 43 Euros to share family style. This is a selection of 9 small dishes. There was an assortment of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, from Hummus to sausage. We simply asked the waiter to bring a variety of mostly vegetarian and a couple meat dishes. You could also request purely vegetarian or vegan options. They have enough to chose from.
While this is a collection of small dishes, it certainly was not a small meal. The platter was seemingly bottomless. It’s a pricey meal at 43 Euros, but not a bad value. The food is fresh and well prepared. The service was great, the environment was great for conversations, and the location is central.
- La Taverne du Nil
- 16, rue Le Regrattier (4e)
- 01 40 46 09 02
- Metro: Pont-Marie
- Lebanese restaurant
- Overall: 4.5/5
- Location: 5/5
- Taste: 4/5
- Service: 4/5
- Vegetarian Friendly: 4/5
- Vegan Friendly: 3/5
- M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5
Sometimes, the best way to find a good ethnic restaurant is to ask an immigrant. I say sometimes because I have no idea where to find good American food in this city. I have no interest in eating American food while in France. But I digress.
I was shopping at one of the local discount stores the other day. I asked the Indian store owner if he had a suggestion for good Indian food in the area. He quickly suggested Sadika, just around the corner. I knew the place, it is across the street from Antalya, my favorite Turkish restaurant.
Sadika Indian Restaurant
Sadika is a traditional Indian restaurant. It features the standards: Palak Paneer, Dal Makhani, Samousa, Naan, Korma, etc. Typical of Indian restaurants in Paris, the meat dishes far outnumber the vegetarian dishes. I keep searching for a true vegetarian Indian restaurant with spicy food.
Sadika’s fixed price menus are generous and reasonably priced. I had the basic dinner menu at 13.50 euros. It also started with a Roti and trio of chutneys. The meal also included two Vegetable Samousas, Naan with Cheese, Aloo Palak (spinach and potatoes), Saffron Rice, and my favorite Indian dessert: Gajor Halwa (carrot pudding).
Sadika is in the 12th arrindissement near metro: Dugommier (6) and Daumesnil (6,8). It’s a small restaurant and isn’t very crowded. You’ll get good service, friendly waiters, and good Indian food at a good price. I’m still looking for an Indian restaurant in Paris that knocks my Achile socks off. Sadika is the best that I’ve found so far.
- Sadika Spécialités Indiennes
- 251, Rue de Charenton (12°)
- 01 43 42 47 15
- Metro: Dugommier, Daumesnil
- Indian Restaurant
- Overall: 4/5
- Location: 3/5
- Value: 4/5
- Vegetarian Friendly: 4/5
- Vegan Friendly: 4/5
- M.E.F. Friendly: 4/5
Cicero spoke about the guilty of conscience:
Guilt is present in the very hesitation, even though the deed be not committed.
Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
Bubbles Dietbar’s healthy outlook made me feel like a downright felon tonight. It probably also makes many others feel the pang of guilt as they walk past this tiny cafe of diet goodness. It’s bad enough that I have to pass it as I walk over to Falafel Alley.
Bubbles even sits next door to an American style Diner! How could someone possibly eat a stack of pancakes with eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, and coffee while next door is this quaint cafe filled with healthy food?
Fortunately, Bubbles Dietbar was closed tonight. I was able to walk straight by to King Falafel to grab an overflowing falafel pita. This is actually the first time I’ve seen the cafe. Its bright green awning would normally catch my eye. So, perhaps this is a new restaurant for Paris.
Their online menu shows a plethora of vegetarian soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. They are conveniently located near the St. Paul metro. I’ll have to find a new route to falafel alley or I may find myself pressured into eating something healthy when I’ve got my heart set on something else.
- Bubbles Dietbar
- 4 rue Malher (4°) Paris
- 01 40 29 42 41
- Metro: St. Paul, Bastille, Chemin Vert
- Soup and Salad Bar
- Free Wifi
Eating in Paris involves many choices. The first of which is “where should I go this time?” This is especially true when you have great restaurants to choose from. For instance, where do you go when you want some good, vegetarian Chinese food?
Tien Hiang and Green Garden Restaurants
Tien Hiang is a great Asian restaurant in the 11th arrindissement. It is popular, affordable, and has a huge selection of vegan and vegetarian meals. But what if you are on the Left Bank and prefer something closer to home?
The Green Garden is a great Chinese restaurant near Olympiades in the 13th arrindissement. It’s a family style restaurant with a small market with an amazing collection of faux meats. I’ve never seen faux prawn or a complete faux chicken with wings and legs.
It is a small restaurant that can fill up rather quickly. The menu is extensive and the food is affordable and very tasty. I had the steamed dumpling menu for 10.50 Euros. This included 8 dumplings and a plate of fried noodles. I new I’d be returning when I realized the dumplings were gone and I wanted more.
The fried noodles also had some extremely fresh green beans, tofu, and sprouts. Several groups arrived in the restaurant and began ordering family style. The large variety of their menu would make this a great idea.
They are very proud of their menu’s lack of eggs, genetically modified ingredients, alcohol, and MSG. There are plenty of Vegan choices on their menu and many of the dishes can be modified upon request.
Back to the choices
Where do you go for vegetarian Chinese food? Tien Hiang or Green Garden are both a bit difficult to find for the average tourist. Your decision may be based on location. Green Garden is near the Porte D’Ivry metro station, which is also the end of the #3 Tramway. Green Garden is also more spacious and elegant than Tien Hiang. Tien Hiang is closer to Pere Lechaise and is a good post-cemetery stop.
- Green Garden
- 20 rue Nationale (13°)
- 01 45 82 99 54
- Metro: Porte D’Ivry, Olympiades
- Type: Asian Restaurant
- Overall: 4.5/5
- Location: 3/5
- Taste: 5/5
- Service: 4/5
- Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
- Vegan Friendly: 5/5
- M.E.F. Friendly: 1.5/5
I love Paris markets. It’s truly one of the greatest joys of living in this city.
However, I also work long hours and can’t always make it to my local markets in the morning. This leaves Saturday or Sunday for markets that are a few metro stops away. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an organic produce market come to you?
This is the concept behind Le Campanier, a company delivers a weekly bag filled with seasonal, organic vegetables or fruit to your local organic grocery store. You simply subscribe to the service on their web site and pick up your bag on Tuesday afternoon. The bags also feature recipes and information about the farmers and food.
Sample Deliveries
Vegetable Bag
- Fresh Corn (France)
- Carrots (Italy)
- Cucumber (Spain)
- Tomato (Spain)
- Lettuce (France - Manche)
Fruit Bag
- Melon (Vergeze)
- Peaches (Italy)
- Mini Watermelons (Spain)
It’s worth noting that the produce included in the bags are often times hard to find in the markets. For instance, I have been looking for fresh corn in the markets without any success. They also tend to include some of the ignored vegetables of yesteryear.
Clotilde Dusoulier has a nice description of the vegetables she received one week:
I was really happy to get parsnips : they belong to what is sometimes referred to as “les légumes oubliés” (forgotten vegetables), those vegetables we used to eat a lot in the past, but which have been more or less abandoned : panais, rutabagas, salsifis, pâtissons, crosnes…
I have read that most of these were what people had to live on during the second world war, so they were promptly pushed aside after the war, because of the bad memories they brought back. Nowadays these vegetables aren’t very widely cultivated and can seldom be found at produce stands. Of course, I find the idea of forgetting a vegetable heart-breaking and cruel and terrible and saddening, it makes me want to save the vegetable and bring it back home and give it love and affection and decorate a little room for it with a little bed it can sleep in. Ahem. Anyway, I was glad to welcome those parsnips into my vegetable drawer.
Le Campanier - A lucky bag of produce
Prices are reasonable, but not super cheap. Vegetable bags are 8-12 Euros and Fruit bags are 10 Euros. However, it’s important to remember that you are supporting sustainable, organic farming and enjoying the convenience of fresh food delivered to your closest organic store.
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