Popular | Vegetarian Experiences in Paris

Archive for the 'popular' Category

La Reine de Saba - Ethiopian restaurant in Paris

Published

on June 12, 2008

in 11th Arrindissement, African, Ethnic, Meat Eating Friends, Vegan Friendly, popular and vegetarian-friendly

. 0 Comments

It’s hard to get people to join me for an evening of Ethiopian food. The food can most easily be described as mushy vegetables on a spongie crepe that you eat by hand. There’s typically an assortment of lintels, spinach, and other veggies. And to top it off, there’s sometimes a surprise dish that looks harmless but packs a powerful punch. What’s not to love about it?

I came across La Reine de Saba while dining at Tien Hiang, the popular vegetarian Chinese restaurant across the street. Luckily, my friend Will was visiting Paris and I talked him into joining me for an Ethiopian meal.

La Reine de Saba is only open at night and it’s a popular place after 9. If you are looking for a late night meal, call ahead for a reservation. You shouldn’t need one before 9.

The restaurant has the typical Ethiopian decor, it is clean, friendly, and they speak English. The majority of the menu is filled with goat, chicken, and fish. However, they do have some vegetarian options. Your best choice is the vegetarian plate. It includes salad, spinach, lentils, and another veggie dish. There will be ample crepes to eat with and no forks or knives.

The food was good. I would have preferred a bit more variety in the vegetable plate. I’ve been to several Ethiopian restaurants and usually get more than 4-5 variations. It’s also not spicy, which is a welcome relief the next day. If you know what I mean.

There is a special menu for groups of people. This group menu features lots of meat, but they should be able to do something for a group of veggies.

Ethiopian restaurants are more than a place to eat. There’s a convivial atmosphere and food is celebrated. La Reine de Saba extends this with live music on special nights. I think I’d go across the street to Tien Hiang if I were by myself, but La Reine de Saba is better for a group of friends who want to enjoy a festive night of mushy vegetables and spongie bread. There’s a lot to love about it.

La Reine de Saba: 91, rue du Chemin Vert (11°); 01 49 29 99 68; Metro: St. Maur, Voltaire, Pére la Chaise; Ethiopian restaurant

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

Cut Back On Carbon By Cutting Back On Meat [via Zemanta]

Stuart Friendly Restaurant in the Marais

Published

Ted

on June 4, 2008

in 2nd Arrindissement, Vegan Friendly, cafe, popular, salad, soup and vegetarian-friendly

. 0 Comments

How can you pass up a restaurant that bills itself as “Le premier Restaurant, Brunch, Salon de Thè non-fumeur et hètero friendly de Paris!“?

Stuart Friendly is a friendly restaurant just off of Rue Montorgueil in the Marais district. Their menu is filled with light, fresh, seasonal dishes. There are several options for the vegetarian and vegan visitor.

I didn’t have a chance to eat here the night I discovered it. However, the portions looked generous, the food looked great, and the customers looked happy and satisfied. I guess that makes for some friendly eating.

Stuart Friendly: 16, rue Marie Stuart (2°); 01 42 33 24 00; Metro: Les Halles; Restaurant

The 50 sexiest places to be fed [via Zemanta]
Eating and drinking in Paris [via Zemanta]

Chez Lili et Marcel - A great salad in Paris

Published

Ted

on May 4, 2008

in 13th Arrindissement, popular, restaurant and salad

. 0 Comments

Chez Lili et Marcel is the sister restaurant to Chez Prosper and Cafe Panis. Both are popular restaurants that serve classic French cuisine. The portions are large, the staff is friendly, and the value is great.

Chez Lili et Marcel is located next to Metro: Quai de la Gare, a stone’s throw to the Seine. It’s a very convenient location in the 13th arrindissemont. Unlike Chez Prosper, Lili et Marcel is quiet, comfortable, and you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy your meal.

Vegetarian options

To quote Henry Ford: you have a great choice of meals. There’s the salad Marceillaise and the salad Marceillaise. Yes, there’s really only one vegetarian dish and no vegan dishes. However, this salad is wonderful.

It features a layer of greens, tomatoes and cucumbers. On top is a layer of sauteed potatoes and then a tartine with thinly sliced pears, honey, and cheese. It’s a hearty meal for about 12 euros.

I visit Lili et Marcel often. It’s a great place to meet friends when you actually want to hear each other. Parking is fairly easy to find at night. It’s great for your meat eating friends, but not so great for your vegan friends.

Chez Lili et Marcel: 1, Quai d’Austerlitz (13°); 08 26 10 09 17; Metro: Quai de la Gare; French Restaurant

Overall: 3.5/5
Location: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Vegetarian Friendly: 2/5
Vegan Friendly: 1/5
M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

Tien Hiang - Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant in Paris

Published

Ted

on April 13, 2008

in 11th Arrindissement, Asian, Ethnic, Vegan Friendly, popular, restaurant and vegetarian-friendly

. 1 Comment

This popular chinese food has your traditional Chinese vegetarian dishes as well as an assortment of creative “faux” meat choices. It’s a popular destination for vegetarian tourists and is located near four metro stops. Pere Lechaise and Voltaire are the easiest.

Tien Hiang review

I had been planning a trip to Tien Hiang to try their food and imagine my surprise one night when I walked past it on a warm evening stroll. Although I wasn’t hungry, I had to stop off for a meal. This restaurant is great fun for small groups and the menu is a smörgåsbord of vegetarian Asian food.

The Menu

While this restaurant is listed as Chinese in many guides, their menu is sprinkled with dishes from across the Asian spectrum. Vegetarians are used to deciding between one or two dishes on a menu. It’s difficult to actually choose between 50-60 dishes. Prepare yourself for ten minutes of indecision.

Tien Hiang has a good fixed menu to make that choice easier. You simply choose two appetizers, dinner, and desert from a smaller set of dishes. The menu prices are outrageously affordable. 10 euros gets a full meal!

I chose to skip the fixed menu and ordered a bowl of Thai soup and Vietnamese omelet. To be honest, I had no idea what I was going to choose and finally pointed at a random customer and said “I’ll have that.”

The soup was fantastic. It had coconut milk, pepper, tomato, fake chicken, and basil. It was a great mix and I’ll probably come here more often for just a bowl of soup. The omelet was good, but I was satiated after the soup and earlier meal. So, I wasn’t prepared to really evaluate the dish.

Popular + small = warm

Tien Hiang is a small, popular restaurant. The place was packed with a wide range of alternatives, hipsters, families, and hippies (faux hippies). In other words, it’s a casual, come as you are restaurant. However, it’s also a small place and it gets warm with all of the bodies. I can only imagine what it will be like during the late summer months.

Summary

I really enjoyed this restaurant. The menu is expansive and you’ll probably find yourself wanting to come back and try something else. The dishes range from Pho, clay pot, steamed dumplings, fried rice, and much more. You’ll find vegetarian versions of the most popular Asian dishes. The prices are super cheap, the service friendly, and the community unique. It’s not the easiest place to find, take a map with you. Unless you’re lucky like me and stumble across it accidentally.

Tien Hiang: 92 rue Chemin Vert (11°); 01 43 55 83 88; Metro: Pere Lechaise, Voltaire; Chinese/Asian Vegetarian Restaurant

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

Off the Menu [via Zemanta]
Kampuchea: Yes, But Is It Authentic? [via Zemanta]
Dining Briefs [via Zemanta]
Stir-Fried Tofu Recipe with Scallions, Garlic, Ginger, and Soy Sauce [via Zemanta]
A Herbivore Tells All [via Zemanta]
Flushing’s Vege Eats Goes Beyond Gardenburgers [via Zemanta]
Vegetarian Chinese Without Regrets [via Zemanta]
A Public Choice theory of Chinese food [via Zemanta]

Pizza Bastani - Left Bank Pizza and Pasta

Published

Ted

on April 9, 2008

in 5th Arrindissement, Ethnic, Italian and popular

. 0 Comments

First things first: Pizza Bastani is not a vegetarian restaurant. It’s not a destination restaurant that inspires you to cross the city with dreams of a great meal. It is a good pizza and pasta joint in the middle of a Greek/Italian restaurant mecca filled with tourists and students.

Vegetarian Options?

Pizza Bastani is also very close to the very popular Maoz Falafel and Le Grenier de Notre Dame. So, what does this funky little joint offer vegetarians? It’s a fun restaurant with a funky decor. The prices are decent and they’ve got some surprising vegetarian pizza options.

I had a pizza with blue cheese, spinach, and an egg cooked sunny-side up in the middle. It was damn good. I saw a half dozen veggie options, which is much better than the standard margarita and 4 cheese pizzas.

Unfortunately, their vegan options are going to be fairly limited. I did see a pasta with eggplant, tomato, and olive oil. I don’t know if they have egg-free pasta.

Summary

If you are roaming through the small, cobblestone streets of the left bank with your friends (and you want something other than falafel) try this restaurant. It’s worth a shot.

Pizza Bastani: 16, rue Xavier Privas (5°); 01 55 42 03 56; Metro: St. Michel; Italian pizza/pasta

Overall: 3.5/5
Location: 5/5
Taste: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Vegetarian Friendly: 3/5
Vegan Friendly: 1/5
M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

Vegetarian Experiences in Paris

Archive for the 'popular' Category

La Reine de Saba - Ethiopian restaurant in Paris