Enjoy a stress-free dinner at the No Stress Cafe

Ted — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:03:13 +0000

The No Stress Cafe received international attention for combining fortune telling, massages, and food in a simple Paris cafe. It sits down the hill from the sin-soaked Pigalle area facing a pleasant terrasse fronted by restaurants.

The cafe has matured over the years. The massage chairs have been replaced with more dining tables and an increased attention towards dining instead of dozing. However you can still get your fortune told and enjoy a no stress dinner.

Chef Dean to the Rescue

I’ve mentioned my favorite chef in Paris, Jacques. What I may not have mentioned enough was his partner and sous chef Dean. The two of them created a menu that kept the No Stress Cafe from becoming a one line joke, “hey did you hear about the cafe with back rubs near Pigalle…”. Jacques has moved on to other restaurants and Dean is now the chef of the No Stress Cafe.

I can tell you from experience that Dean is a masterful chef. He has an international approach from his Asian heritage and years of cooking in Paris. His menu at No Stress is a fusion of Mediterranean, French, and Asian recipes.

Vegetarian Options

The standard menu features several vegetarian and vegan options.

Lasagna Vegetarienne
Salad La Vegetarienne
Salad La Chevre Chaud
Wok Vegetarienne

However, you can also request the Tapas menu to be vegetarian. This is what I had the other night and it was excellent! Dean gave me a bit extra but you can expect an assortment of tempura, pickled vegetables, lasagna, and other seasonal vegetables.

Dean also makes a killer bowl of vegetarian french onion soup. He uses white wine instead of stock and it blows away the french onion soup at Potager du Marais. It’s not on the menu, but he’ll make it the soup of the day if you make your reservation a few days in advance. Tell them Ted sent you.

Eating at No Stress cafe reminded me of sharing a dinner at chez Jacques and Dean. Ample portions of food from around the globe served family style with great affection.

No Stress Cafe: 24 rue Clauzel (9°); 01 48 78 00 27; Metro: Pigalle, St. Georges; Cafe

Overall: 4.5/5
Location: 3/5
Taste: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
Vegan Friendly: 4/5
M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

Chez Alexandre – French cuisine by my favorite chef

Ted — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:45:37 +0000

I still remember my first amazing meal in Paris. It was at a small restaurant in the Marais and I was with my friends Jim, Jean-Pierre, and Philippe. Jean-Pierre knew the chef, Jacques Brosse, and told us we were in for a treat.

I asked Jacques for a plate des legumes as a vegetarian dinner. I was given a wonderful plate of side dishes, but there was one item that I still taste when I close my eyes and remember. It was an extremely simple dish of the juiciest cherry tomatoes. I can’t tell you what Jacques did to them. I imagine he hollowed out the little guys, chopped up the tomato “meat”, mixed it with salt and herbs and filled them again. These tiny little treats absolutely blew my mind. I had no idea so much flavor could be packed into such a tiny bite.

After the main course, Jacques presented us with the molten lava cake that has become so common in expensive restaurants. This was about 14 years ago and I’d never heard of the dish. It came with a raspberry sauce and was literally to die for. We returned the next night for more of the cake.

Creative and fantastic vegetarian food

Over the years, I’ve followed Jacques as he moved from one restaurant to another. He’s made some of the best vegetarian food that I’ve ever eaten. One night, he served a special version of French Onion soup for me. It was made with red wine instead of beef stock. I still bug him for that again.

He’s also created a wide assortment of mediteranean and French cuisine. The hits keep on coming.

I just remembered a medley of about 10 wild mushrooms, the best hummus, guacamole that was far better than anything I’ve had in California…and I grew up with Avocado trees every where you look.

Chez Alexandre

So now you know how much I admire Jacques’ skills as a chef. He has a new restaurant and I stopped by today to say hello. Chez Alexandre serves traditional French cuisine in a large space a block away from Galeries Lafayette.

There is a twist, the restaurant’s main clientele are Chinese and Russian tour groups. They have a large dining room upstairs for these groups and individual diners enjoy the space downstairs.

I asked him today about the vegetarian choices at Chez Alexandre. Interestingly, a significant portion of their visitors are Buddhists, for which Jacques creates vegan dishes every night. Tonight he had reservations for 10 vegans amongst the various groups. Their main dish will be stuffed vegetables with vegan risotto and chopped vegetables.

Reservations are suggested if you’d like to try a vegan dinner. You can always request a plate des legumes and you won’t be disappointed.

While I’m one of Jacques’ loyal followers, I have not eaten at Chez Alexandre yet. I stopped by today while they were closed before dinner. I plan on returning very soon and will update this with a full review of the meal.

Menus are available in many languages. Jacques is fluent in English, French, and Chinese. If it’s slow, don’t be afraid to see if you can visit with him and say hello. Tell him Ted sent you.

Chez Alexandre: 16, rue La Fayette (9°); 01 47 70 01 91; Metro: Chausee d’Antin La Fayette, Auber, Opera; French cuisine

Vegetarian Experiences in Paris » 9th Arrindissemont