Archive for the 'Ethnic' Category

Beirut Down Town – Affordable Lebanese Food in Paris

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by
Ted
on June 7, 2009
in 5th Arrindissement, Ethnic, Lebanese, Mediteranean, Vegan Friendly and vegetarian-friendly
. 0 Comments

Vegetarian plate at Beirut Down Town in ParisBehind the Institut du Monde Arabe sits Beirut Down Town, a small restaurant with rough stone walls and a set of simple tables. The front of the restaurant is dominated by a display case filled with hummus, tabouli, and assorted dishes ready for take out. It’s roomy interior is great for large groups.

Lebanese cuisine is filled with vegetarian options and Beirut Down Town’s Assiette Vegetarienne features 7 items for the reasonable price of 11.50 euros. It includes hummus, tabouli, labneh, 2 feuilletes (turnovers) of spinach and cheese, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, and pita bread. It’s a nice variety of dishes for dinner. They also offer a variety of vegetarian sandwiches and plates.

I was looking for something different and this seemed like the perfect place for dinner.

I have to say that I was underwhelmed by the food. It didn’t taste as fresh as I would have liked. I felt like some of the items were pre-packaged or made for the previous day’s lunch time rush (I visited it on a Saturday evening).


However, I have to give them benefit of doubt. The asbestos removal construction across the street had made the nearby restaurants seem like ghost towns. I was the only one in Beirut Down Town.

Student Dining

Beirut Down Town is next to the University of Paris and probably does great business during the week when students are hungry. The portions are large, there’s a nice variety of dishes, and the location is convenient.

I don’t know if I would go back again, but I would suggest it for people in the area looking for something other than another cheese sandwich.

Beirut Down Town
30 rue des Fosses St. Bernard (5°)
Metro: Cardinal Lemoine, Jussieu
01 43 29 98 86
Wheelchair Friendly: The entrance is tight, but the rest of the restaurant is roomy
  • Overall: 3/5
  • Taste: 3/5
  • Vegetarian Options: 4/5
  • Vegan Options: 4/5
  • Value: 4/5
  • Location: 3.5/5

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The Best Miso Soup in Paris

Published
by
Ted
on June 6, 2009
in 2nd Arrindissement, Asian, Ethnic, Vegan Friendly, organic, popular, restaurant, salad, soup and vegetarian-friendly
. 2 Comments

Miso soup restaurant in ParisYou’ll find a small collection of Asian restaurants between the Opera and the Tuilleries. Centered around rue Sainte-Anne, the neighborhood has become a magnet for Asian tourists. You’ll find pho, sushi, noodles, and soup restaurants that range from the quick and cheap to trendy and bustling.

Taisho Ken – Miso Soup Bar

In the center is a small Japanese miso soup restaurant that I’ve been finding myself eating at more and more. It’s a simple place with an open kitchen, large pots of boiling miso broth, and a friendly, bustling atmosphere. This is a simple place that may remind you more of a roadside diner than a French bistro.

Miso soup normally brings to mind a small bowl of broth with a few small chunks of tofu floating amongst green herbs. I was greatly surprised when I ordered the vegetarian soup bowl and was presented with a Texas sized spoon and a big bowl of broth with fresh vegetables and noodles. This is a meal by itself, you won’t need any rice or dumplings.

Miso soupParis is a great place to have a big lunch with friends and a simple dinner of soup or salad. I’ve added this place to my list of regular stops. It’s especially nice on a cold rainy night when the windows fog up and you are surrounded by the smell of the broth.

Taisho Ken
40 rue Sainte-Anne (2°)
Metro: Pyramides, Opera
01 42 61 11 59
Wheelchair Friendly: It’s a small, tight restaurant with a small step to enter
  • Overall: 4/5
  • Vegetarian Options: 3/5
  • Vegan Options: 3/5
  • Value: 4/5
  • Location: 3.5/5

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Petite Mumbai de Paris – Indian food and culture

Published
by
Ted
on April 18, 2009
in 10th Arrindissement, Gifts, Indian, Vegan Friendly, restaurant, soup and vegetarian-friendly
. 5 Comments

Little India, Paris FranceI’ve been looking for good Indian restaurants since arriving in Paris. I’ve found some decent ones, but none has triggered a desire to return. I’ve been looking for the spirit and joviality I’ve experienced in Bangalore as well as the Indian neighborhoods of San Diego and the Bay Area.

I had heard about some good restaurants north of Gare du Nord but never found this mysterious Hindu Eden. While flying from San Francisco to Paris on Air France I came across an article that described this small neighborhood of saris, sweets, and restaurants. I took the magazine home with me and read the article several times. Finally I had a weekend to do some Paris exploring and jumped on the metro a couple weeks ago to La Chapelle (metro 6).

Rue Cail

Rue Cail seems to be the heart of the community. You’ll find a great assortment of vegetarian restaurants, sweet shops, grocery stores, jewelry shops, and places to find Saris, shirts, and more. My first visit was also punctuated by an impromptu protest rally for an event in India.

Krishna BhavanThere are two restaurants that get the most attention. Krishna Bhavan and Dishny. Both straddle the street with dual identities, formal and casual restaurants. Krishna Bhavan is 100% vegetarian and this makes me very happy. I love being able to order anything off the menu.

Krishna Bhavan

I visited the casual version of Krishna Bhavan. It reminded me of the neighborhood taco shops of San Diego or similar simple restaurants of any city and culture. They serve dosas, rice dishes, samosas, as well as a hearty fixed price menu.

I ordered the basic menu at 13 euros. This includes a drink, entree, dinner, and dessert. For the drink you get your choice of a lassi (mango, salt, sweet, or banana). Entrees include vegetable, tomato, or broccoli soup, potato, onion, eggplant, or banana dumpling, or a green salad. The dinner is either vegetable curry with your choice of rice (coconut, lemon, or yogurt), Biryani, Capatti, Barotha, or Poori. Finally for dessert you have the house cake, gulab jamoun (soft ball in a honey liquid), or laddu (a sweet ball with cardamom). It’s a big meal for a small price.
Krishna Bhavan in Paris
The vegetable soup (dal) is very nice. It’s a light flavored lentil soup. The vegetable curry w/rice was more like rice with curried vegetables. The rice is the star of the plate with the eggplant and potatoes as supporting actors. As with other authentic dishes, you need to be a bit careful eating the rice. It had some hard seeds that could cause pain if bit into them unexpectedly. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying it. The rice is very light; almost floating on the fork. Mine was mixed with coconut, onions, and spices. Finally, when you think you couldn’t eat another bite it is time for dessert.

Chai

Krishna Bhavan in ParisOne of my fondest memories of visiting Bangalore was this small opening into the kitchen of the Yahoo! offices. From this little passage came cups of the strongest, sweetest chai tea you can imagine. Forget what you now of chai from Starbucks. Chai should fill you body with warmth.

Need I bother mentioning my excitement when I looked into the small hole of the kitchen and saw the cooks making what looked like chai. It’s awesome! This is worth the visit alone.
Little India, Paris France

Shops

This is an area to enjoy during the day. There are several grocery stores to purchase indian spices, teas, and ingredients. I also found my beloved instant meals that you can find at any Indian grocery store. These packets are filled with good, spicy curries that you simply heat and eat.

You’ll also find a variety of Hindu god and goddess sculptures, henna tattoos, jewelry, music, videos, saris, and other clothing. I found one shop that specialized in arts and crafts from around the world. The back of the store has a huge selection of jackets, pants, and shirts from Tibet and South Asia. The styles are fairly western but with the strong colors and unique lines of the region.

Indian Sweets

Little India, Paris FranceIndian sweets are hard to describe to someone that hasn’t experienced them before. They are brightly colored, geometric, soft, sweet, and full of spices. They are very different from the sweets you’d find elsewhere in Paris. They are typically softer and less sweet than you’d expect. Frankly most Americans that I know are not big fans of the Indian sweets. That said, they are better than any I’ve tried in California.

A little bit of nostalgia, comfort, and spice in Paris

I can’t believe it took me so long to discover this corner of Paris. Rue Cail brings back my fondest memories of eating with colleagues in Bangalore, shopping for spices with Jim, teaching my mother about curry and naan, and the joy of food cooked without a fear of spice. If you like Indian food you’ll love the rue Cail area. If you love Indian food and culture you will have found one of the finest places to visit in Paris.

Krishna Bhavan
24 Rue Cail (10°)
01 42 05 78 43
Metro: La Chapelle
Indian Restaurant
Wheelchair Access: bathrooms are in basement. Entrance is accessible.
  • Overall: 5/5
  • Location: 4/5
  • Taste: 5/5
  • Service: 5/5
  • Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
  • Vegan Friendly: 5/5
  • M.E.F. Friendly: 3/5
Dishny Restaurant
25 Rue Cail (10°)
Metro: La Chapelle
Indian Restaurant

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Places I still want to visit in Paris

Published
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Ted
on April 5, 2009
in Indian, farmers market, markets, resources and restaurant
. 0 Comments

I will be leaving Paris in August, 09. My employer is shutting down their engineering in the Paris office and I’ll be heading back to California. I’m trying to make the most of the remaining weeks, mostly by leaving the city and visiting other countries in Europe.
Little India, Paris France
I’ve been saving magazines and web sites for places I’d like to visit before I leave. i’ve been meaning to make a list that I can update as needed. This seems like as good a place as any to start it.

  • Jacques new restaurant: La Bélière. I’ve already written about my favorite chef. He’s got a new restaurant and Jazz bar. I’m planning on going this week to see his latest creations. review coming soon
  • Rungis market, the largest market in Europe. It’s a massive distribution center for all kinds of produce, cheese, meat, and fish from around the world. This is where restaurants, market sellers, and stores go to get their supplies. It’s open to the public, but fruits and vegetables are only sold on week days.I will be visiting Rungis soon with the owner of Paris Sweet Bar cafe as a guide.
  • Dans Le Noir: the restaurant where you eat in total darkness.
  • L’Atlantide: supposedly the best couscous in Paris. I’ve been told they have good vegetarian options.
  • I’ve been holding on to an old Air France magazine filled with addresses for Indian restaurants and shops in Paris. Dishny and Krishna Bhavan on rue Cail both sound inviting. New Review: Petite Mumbai de Paris
  • I also have an old Gourmet Magazine (September 2008) with some great ideas: 11/12th arrindissements, 19th/20th arrindissements, 10th arrindissement by Alexander Lobrano
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Pizzeria Hinno in Montparnasse

Published
by
Ted
on March 12, 2009
in 15th Arrindissement, Italian and restaurant
. 3 Comments

Last night I had a really great pizza and I couldn’t wait to tell everyone. I was exploring the outskirts of the Montparnasse neighborhood where the cafes are less tourist and more local.

I was about to eat at Restaurant aux Artistes as they mentioned several vegetarian options on their menu. However, it was getting late and I wasn’t ready for dinner in a restaurant filled with laughing, chatting, debating clients. Not that it is a bad thing, just not for last night. I wanted something more relaxing.
Pizzeria Hinno
About a block further I came across a small pizzeria with a quaint facade and interesting options on the menu. Pizzeria Hinno is a small place with about 15 tables and several vegetarian pizza and pasta options.

I ordered the namesake pizza Hinno. It includes mushrooms, cream, an egg, and bacon. Naturally I requested it without the bacon. They have other options that would be good without the meat component, such as the 4 seasons pizza.

Pizza Hinno’s great food and service

The pizza was great. The cream and egg gave it a smooth taste. It was a very thin crust pizza and the flavors and textures blended perfectly. While I thought I was pacing myself; the plate was empty before I knew it.

No matter how good the pizza, it is only secondary to the service. The owner is the friendliest I have ever met. He has a smile that could melt Greenland and makes you feel like you are the only person in the city when he takes your order, delivers the food, or even the bill.
Pizza Hinno
I left the restaurant satiated from the pizza and feeling much happier. I’ll definitely return to Hinno. It’s a destination restaurant, not the convenient place you stop off on the way home or to the hotel. I would gladly go out of my way for Hinno.

Location

Pizzaria Hinno is at 56, rue Falguière near metro: Pasteur (#3 and #12). As you exit the metro, walk towards the Montparnasse tower and it’s about a block away on the right side.

Vegan options and Accessibility

I don’t remember seeing anything on the menu that was vegan specific. I’m sure there was a green salad. However, they are very accommodating and would certainly remove the cheese from an existing pizza option.

Pizzaria Hinno has a small step at the entrance and I don’t know if the bathrooms are wheelchair accessible. The interior is small but not cramped.

Pizzeria Hinno
56, rue Falguière (15°)
01 43 27 01 14
Metro: Pasteur
Pizza restaurant
Wheelchair friendly: Entrance has a step
  • Overall: 5/5
  • Location: 4/5
  • Taste: 5/5
  • Service: 5/5
  • Vegetarian Friendly: 4/5
  • Vegan Friendly: 3/5
  • M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

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