Vegetarian Experiences in Paris » vegetarian-friendly

Upcoming farmers’ market in the 12th arr.

Ted — Thu, 13 May 2010 13:53:51 +0000

I’ve mentioned my love for Paris markets many times. While the weekly farmers’ markets are always worth visiting; I especially enjoy the special markets for produce and items from around the country.

There’s a Marché des Producteurs de Pays scheduled for May 22 and 23 in the 12th arr. It’s conveniently located between metros Daumesnil and Dugommier.

Keep an eye out for socks and blankets from angora sheep, dandelion wine, sheep’s milk soap, regional cheese and cookies, and buy a hunk of bread from the 3 feet wide circles.

BIOart – Organic gourmet along the Seine

Ted — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:06:57 +0000

Organic is a dirty word in Paris. Not that they are against organic produce as we know it. No, “organic” brings to mind roadkill and other rotting objects. Instead, the French use the term Biologique. BIOart is a restaurant that specializes in using only biologique ingredients in their cuisine.

I must admit I’ve passed this restaurant many, many times while heading home. It’s a bit cold on the outside, but supposedly very nice and comforting on the inside; where it really matters.

This was the first certified organic restaurant in France. The food is also locally produced and dishes are seasonal. You’ll find a wide variety of dishes for vegetarians and vegans. It’s a bit pricey, so save this for one of those special dinners on your vacation.

Travel and Leisure magazine featured BIOart in an eco-travel article:

A new addition to the city’s booming 13th Arrondissement, BioArt **** (dinner for two $100) serves an all-organic menu—risotto topped with shaved truffles; a terrine of diver scallops—in a design-forward space overlooking the Seine.
Eco-Friendly Guide to Paris, London and Stockholm

I have not visited this restaurant yet, so I cannot give a review.

BIOart: 1, quie Francoise-Mauriac (13°); Metro: Bibliotech Francoise Mitterand; 01 45 85 66 88/dd>

Exki – fast, ecological, and tasty meals around Paris

Ted — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:27:42 +0000

Exki is one of the many new healthy fast-food restaurants that have opened in Paris recently. There are several locations in the city to get a quick salad, juice, and meal for lunch.

Exki has a strong commitment to organic food. Here’s a snippet from their web site:

Nous sélectionnons pour vous les meilleurs ingrédients saisonniers.

Nous refusons l’usage de tout additif.

Certains de nos produits sont labellisés BIO. Par exemple le pain, confectionné et cuit artisanalement sur pierre, sans aucun “améliorant” artificiel. Pour garantir sa fraîcheur, nous terminons sa cuisson, chaque matin, dans nos restaurants.

Sont également BIO : le lait, le yaourt, les jets de légumes, des tartelettes, des biscuits, des confitures,…
Exki philosophie

I have not visited this restaurant yet, so I cannot give a review.

Exki: 9, boulevard des Italiens (2°); 118, avenue de France (13°); 82, boulevard du Montparnasse (14°); 01 42 61 06 52

Kosher Pizza invades Falafel Alley

Ted — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:28:22 +0000

What is a pizza joint doing on a street dedicated to falafel? It’s bringing back a bit of Paris history and that is a good thing for us. The street has been a bit sad for years as the old Kosher Pizza restaurant sat empty and boarded up. Perhaps rue de Rosiers is returning to its history of kosher food instead of the latest batch of clothing stores.

Kosher food does not allow dairy and meat to be served or cooked together. That means this is a vegetarian pizza restaurant by default. You can even have it sans cheese for your vegan fix.

The lack of meat is not the only thing different about the Kosher Pizza Restaurant. The walls are covered with Orthodox Jewish posters and scripts instead of Venetian sunsets, the standard images of Michelangelo’s David have also been replaced with rabbi photos; which reminds me a bit of the Rabbi trading cards available from Archie McPhee in Seattle.

The Pizza

The pizza has a ridiculously thin crust. It is more like a cracker than the dough you’d see in a thick crusted pizza. Perhaps this is a nod to matzo.

The pizza options are mostly variations of onion, leek, egg, olives, and eggplant. It’s a bit surprising to see pizza names, like nicoise, and not see the traditional meat ingredient listed.

I was a bit worried when I sat down and watched a young couple eat three pizzas. I was unfortunately brought up with the concept of quantity over quality at pizza joints. Forget the California bite sized pizzas, bring on the buy 1 get 3 free delivery specials.

However, I was pleasantly surprised at how filling the provincial pizza was. It’s a cracker thin crust with sauce, a sprinkling of cheese, and topped with ratatouille. The cheese is so minimal that I’m sure vegans would love this pizza without the cheese. The toppings blended nicely with the sauce.

Kosher Pizza is obviously closed on sabbath and Jewish holidays. It’s a bit more expensive than its falafel neighbors, but you’ll appreciate the unique experience.

Kosher Pizza: 17 rue des Rosiers (4°); Metro: St. Paul; 01 48 87 56 88; Wheelchair Friendly: Wow! This is very accessible. There are no steps to enter and the bathroom is easily reached from the dining area. Even the tables are wheelchair friendly.

Overall: 4/5
Value: 3/5
Location: 5/5
Taste: 4/5
Vegetarian Options: 5/5
Vegan Options: 5/5

Chez Grand-Mère – Le Chablis in Paris

Ted — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:19 +0000

There’s a small restaurant around the corner from my office in Paris. It’s affectionately called “Chez Grand-Mère” as it is owned by the grand mother of a colleague. But there’s more than just a tangential relationship; as the warm reception makes everyone feel like her favorite grand child.

Even though I moved away from Paris a few months ago and returned this week, my Parisian grandmother didn’t miss a step. When it came time to order she remembered I was a vegetarian and suggested a wonderful spinach/cheese tart for an appetizer and mixed omelette with fries. Frankly, I was ready to change the fries to spinach as a customer was given their plate with a pile of great looking greens.

~~Chez Grand-Mère~~ Le Chablis has a small menu written on chalk boards hanging on the walls. You can expect at least one lacto/ovo vegetarian option. I especially enjoy their terrine with chevre and sun dried tomatoes.

They are open for lunch and you can expect to pay 12-16 euros for a two or three course meal. That includes a healthy dose of grandmotherly love.

Le Chablis: 12 rue Guillaime Tell (17°); Metro: Porte de Champerret, Pereire; 01 43 80 02 83; Wheelchair Friendly: Entrance and restaurant are a bit tight but it is manageable. No steps for entrance. I don’t know about the restroom

Overall: 3.5/5
Value: 4/5
Location: 3/5
Taste: 4/5
Vegetarian Options: 3/5
Vegan Options: 2/5

Learn to Love: Spinach (fitsugar.com)
chablis & the art of eating (burgundy-report.com)

Les Cinq Saveurs d’Anada – Organic, Vegetarian in Paris

Ted — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:44:18 +0000

Les Cinq Saveurs d’Anada may be the perfect restaurant for you in Paris. Are you looking for vegan, vegetarian, and/or macrobiotic restaurant in an area surrounded by hostels, theaters, and one of the best outdoor markets in the city? Voila, here’s your answer.

The restaurant sits at the top of rue Mouffetard, one of my favorite spots in the city. It’s cheerful interior and ample servings make this a great option in the Left Bank.

As happens too often, I came across this restaurant after already eating a nice meal. So I cannot give a personal review. However, I looked at what people were eating and it looked great.

Les Cinq Saveurs d’Anada: 72, rue du Cardinal Lemoine (5°); Metro: Cardinal Lemoine, Place Monge; 01 43 29 58 54; Wheelchair Friendly: The restaurant has a small step to enter but is otherwise wheelchair friendly. I don’t know if the restroom is downstairs or not.

Beirut Down Town – Affordable Lebanese Food in Paris

Ted — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:22:26 +0000

Behind 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

The Best Miso Soup in Paris

Ted — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:35:43 +0000

You’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.

Paris 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

Petite Mumbai de Paris – Indian food and culture

Ted — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:47:35 +0000

I’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.

There 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.

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

One 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.

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

Indian 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

Gustav’s a Good Choice for Lunch

Ted — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:51:53 +0000

Fortunately, it is pretty easy to find a healthy lunch in Paris. Sure there are dozens of bistros, cafes, Turkish fast food, and pizza joints in every part of the city. But keep your eye out for the small soup/salad/pasta shops that deliver great vegetarian food at a reasonable cost.

Gustav’ Good Choice is a small restaurant on Boulevard Pereire in the 17th. The location is central, but there is very little foot traffic in this part of the street. Gustav has to work even harder to keep bodies walking through the door. This hard work is evident in the small details.

The menu is small but well conceived. You have your choice of salad, soup, pasta, or the plate du jour. Fixed price menus may combine these choices with an optional dessert. Today’s choices were a vegetarian vegetable soup, a green salad, pasta with Gorgonzola and bacon, Eggplant Parmesan, and a chicken and rice dish.

The food is prepared in advance and heated upon ordering. This keeps the service quick and friendly. I had the eggplant dish with a fromage blanc and herbs combination for dessert. Gustav’ provides Eric Kayser bread; just one of the details that make this restaurant a step above.

Gustav is wheelchair friendly. There is a very small step to enter. However, there are no outdoor seats and the interior is rather cramped. I don’t know if they have a public bathroom. Most people take the food back to work or home to eat.

Similar Restaurants

Keep an eye out for these small restaurants. You’ll find a great lunch, fresh food, and friendly service.

Parisian Sweet Bar – near Bercy
Judicious Vegetarian Restaurant – near Bastille
Cocoon – around the corner from Gustav
Bubbles – near St. Paul/Marais
L’Epicerie Verte – near Thernes
Foody’s Soup and Salad – rue Montorguiel
La Ferme – near Opera
Gout Zen – behind Bibliotèque Francoise Mitterrand metro station

Gustav’ Good Choice: 154 Blvd Pereire (17°); 09 63 52 01 72; gustav-good-choice@orange.fr; Metro: Pereire, Porte de Champerret; Lunch restaurant; Wheelchair Friendly: very small step to enter, cramped interior

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

Vegetarian Experiences in Paris » vegetarian-friendly

Upcoming farmers’ market in the 12th arr.

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BIOart – Organic gourmet along the Seine

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Exki – fast, ecological, and tasty meals around Paris

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Kosher Pizza invades Falafel Alley

The Pizza

Chez Grand-Mère – Le Chablis in Paris

Les Cinq Saveurs d’Anada – Organic, Vegetarian in Paris

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Beirut Down Town – Affordable Lebanese Food in Paris

Student Dining

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The Best Miso Soup in Paris

Taisho Ken – Miso Soup Bar

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Petite Mumbai de Paris – Indian food and culture

Rue Cail

Krishna Bhavan

Chai

Shops

Indian Sweets

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

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Gustav’s a Good Choice for Lunch

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