Archive for the 'Mediteranean' Category

Restaurant Antalya - Turkish fast food

Published
by
Ted
on June 29, 2008
in 12th Arrindissement and Mediteranean
. 0 Comments

We all have our comfort foods. At the core, we crave the meals our parents cooked for us as children. Well, that’s a bit of a stretch for me, my mother tended to massacre meals more than serve them. But I digress. As adults, we also tend to settle on those familiar joints where we know we can get a good meal at a good price and it’s comforting to be a regular.

Restaurant Antalya is that place for me. I work long days and travel across the city to get to work and back. I often don’t feel like cooking when I arrive at Chez Ted. I also don’t want to get a big sit down meal and the thought of another cheese sandwich or panini can make a grown man cry.
Restaurant Antalya
Luckily, I discovered Antalya and their vegetarian plate. For only 6.50 Euros, you get tomato couscous, roasted eggplant with veggies, fries, and a salad. It’s a lot of food, it tastes good, it’s fast, and the people are really friendly and welcoming. I also get to watch the latest Turkish soap operas while waiting for the food.

Vegan options?

I wouldn’t suggest this to vegans, the eggplant dish has cheese. I also can’t guarantee that everything there is truly vegetarian. I’ve been afraid to ask if the fries are made in vegetable oil and what goes into the couscous. I can say that after 23 years of being a veggie, I can usually taste the animal fat. I have not found any reason to avoid coming to this favorite little joint on the way home from a long day at work.

Antalya is located in the 12th arrindissement. It’s not the most convenient place for tourists. However it’s not too far from Park de Bercy or Bois de Vincennes. It’s a local restaurant that draws a friendly local crowd.

For a fancier Turkish meal, turn around and go a block in the other direction for Angora. Their version of this meal is about double the price and has a lovely starter plate.

Restaurant Antalya
284, rue Charenton (12°)
01 43 44 40 32
Metro: dugommier
Turkish Fast Food
  • Overall: 5/5
  • Location: 3/5
  • Value: 5/5
  • Taste: 4.5/5
  • Service: 5/5
  • Vegetarian Friendly: 3/5
  • Vegan Friendly: 1/5
  • M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

Related articles

Le Bec Fin - Couscous and Tangines

Published
by
Ted
on June 28, 2008
in 10th Arrindissement, Ethnic, Mediteranean and restaurant
. 2 Comments

Behind the former city wall arches at Strausbourg and St-Denis sits a vibrant Arab and Indian community. You’ll find a wide assortment of places to eat from the simple street vendors to elegant restaurants. Le Bec Fin is a traditional couscous restaurant with a beautiful interior, fresh food and reasonable prices.

The first thing you’ll notice at Le Bec Fin is the tile work. It’s fantastic and you’ll think you’ve been transported to Algiers. The restaurant is a beautiful place to visit. The service is friendly and the waiter spoke perfect English.

Le Bec Fin specializes in couscous and tangines. I chose the vegetarian tangine. I’ve always wanted to see what this form of cooking produced. At first, I thought the plate served was a bit small, but it was a perfect amount when the fluffy couscous arrived at the table. The food is very fresh and carefully prepared.

My friend had the Algerian wine, but thought a traditional french wine would have been sufficient (and cheaper).

Le Bec Fin is very close to the Strausborg arch. Just look for the restaurant with the gleaming tile interior. It’s a nice place for dinner.

Le Bec Fin
15, rue de Faubourg (10°)
01 42 06 62 82
Metro: Strasbourg-St. Denis
Algerian restaurant
  • Overall: 4/5
  • Location: 4/5
  • Taste: 4/5
  • Service: 5/5
  • Vegetarian Friendly: 4/5
  • Vegan Friendly: 3/5
  • M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

Falafel Alley in the Marais

Published
by
Ted
on December 23, 2007
in 4th Arrindissement, Mediteranean, Vegan Friendly, popular and vegetarian-friendly
. 0 Comments

I grew up in Southern California with a taco shop on every other corner. The greasy, salty, fatty, cheesy peasant food coming from these brightly colored drive-throughs is a part of my being. I can resist the temptations for chocolate, sugar, coffee, and other normal binge-foods. But nothing can stop me when I crave sloppy, juicy, greasy peasant food.

Crepes, paninis, pomme frites, tartines … nothing in Paris has quenched this craving for me. One night I saught a new cure for this binge. I remembered seeing some falafel stands in the Marais and I was a man with a mission. How determined was I? I passed La Victoire, the perfect vegetarian restaurant without a second thought. I zipped by Jewish bakeries filled with tempting strudels, crepe stands, and the mother of all Jewish delis (only to find out later that they had incorporated a falafel window).
Falafel row in the Marais
Finally I found eden: rue des Rosiers. I was surrounded by falafel stands with names that reminded me of my taco-shop heroes. I spun around trying to decide between super falafel, falafel king, falafelbertos, el falafelitos, las quatras falafitas… Well maybe I am stretching it a bit. However, there are a few supers” and “kings” on the street. I finally chose one because the cook was tapping on the window, waking me from my daze, and beckoning me in for a treat.

Big shoes to fill

Don’t get me wrong, but I am a jaded falafel eater. San Jose, California has the ultimate falafel experience. All things falafel must be compared to the The Falafel Drive-In’s sandwhich. The falafel balls are the star of the show. They are crisply fried, green and moist on the inside. They fill the pita and the veggies and pita are merely supporting actors. It is fast, friendly, packed, and you think about how good your lunch was for days.

The Verdict

That’s a hard standard to beat. How did Falafel Alley hold up? They are different. Satifying, tasty, vegan, comforting, messy, but different. You have to search for the falafel in this salad in a pita. You’ll get an overflowing pita pocket with some falafel balls, cabbage, roasted eggplant, tomatoes, tahini sauce, and more.

It actually comes full circle to my original taco-shop craving. San Diego burritos are simple. A vegetarian burrito has refried beans, rice, cheese, and maybe guacamole and/or sour cream. The beans are the standout, they are cheap, and filling.

I was shocked by the vegetarian burritos in the San Francisco Bay area. These behemoths can weigh several pounds. They are filled with everything you can imagine, no ingredient stands out, they cost a bit more, and they are too filling. They leave you distended and wishing you had left half of the burrito on the plate. But you stil look forward to the next one. (El Galope in East Palo Alto is by far the best taco shop in the world. Trust me!)

So, back to Falafel alley. Give this area a try if you are craving a hearty dinner on the go, miss the peasant food of your local area, don’t want to spend a fortune (6€), and are on or near the #1 line. Take the St. Paul exit and start meandering towards the center of the Marais.

Angora, a Turkish restaurant – 12th Arr.

Published
by
Ted
on November 17, 2007
in 12th Arrindissement, Mediteranean, Vegan Friendly and vegetarian-friendly
. 0 Comments

It’s easy to miss this small restaurant in the 12th Arrindissemont. Its dark, tudor façade lacks the neon and flashing lights of neighbors on the busy intersection of Blvd. de Reuilly and Rue de Charenton. It’s conveniently located near Angora Restaurant in the 12th Arr.the Dugommier metro station, across the street from Monoprix.

Angora is a Turkish restaurant. The menu is filled with meat items and two solitary dishes under the vegetarian section. However, Mediterranean food is filled with vegetarian options. They were happy to modify the daily fixed price menu could be created with vegetarian options.

Appetizers

The meal started with a basket of warm Turkish bread. It has a soft texture and a hint of mint. The appetizer plate had a selection of dishes, including dolma, tzatziki, hummus, red pepper spread, phyllo-wrapped feta, and more. Each item provided a few bites and the flavors were perfect.

Dinner

For dinner, I received their vegetarian eggplant dish. The eggplant is roasted and covered with a chunky tomato sauce and soft cheese. Couscous and salad finished the plate. It was a delicious and filling meal.

For dessert, I chose the homemade baklava with pistachio. It was served warm with a honey sauce.

All of this cost a mere 19 euros. I added a bottle of Badoit mineral water for a total cost of 22 Euros.

While Angora is a small restaurant, they have an upstairs room for larger parties. It’s popular and begins to fill up after 9 p.m. You can make reservations, but it isn’t necessary. Angora also serves a great lunch menu at 11 Euros.

Angora, Cuisine Traditionelle Turque
240, Rue de Charenton 75012
Metro: Dugommier
01 44 87 02 08
  • Overall: 4/5
  • Vegetarian Options: 4/5
  • Vegan Options: 4/5
  • Value: 5/5
  • Location: 4/5