Vegetarian Experiences in Paris

V3GGIE.com - a vegetarian search engine

Ted — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:49:33 +0000

I’m proud to announce my latest creation: V3GGIE, a vegetarian search engine. I’ve used the power of Yahoo’s new BOSS Search API and focused the attention on vegetarian and vegan friendly resources. V3GGIE makes it much easier to find what you are looking for.

This means you can find a corn chowder recipe without wading through thousands of clam chowders. You can quickly find the buzz from vegetarian blogs, the closest vegan restaurant, and more.

The following is a short list of web sites that V3GGIE.com recognizes as experts.

V3GGIE is still a work a progress, please feel free to leave comments and suggestions for web sites to add as resources. I hope you find it as useful as I have. I especially like the Vegetarian Recipe Search.

iPhone applications for the traveling vegetarian

Ted — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:41:35 +0000

There’s a new set of tools for the traveling vegetarian. The latest version of iPhones now feature hundreds of small applications from silly games to comprehensive suites. Amongst this long list of applications are a few that are great for vegetarians and vegans.

Locate restaurants and shops nearby

Finding a restaurant has never been easier. The iPhones have built in location devices. The following applications allow you to quickly find highly rated places within walking distance.

The following links may prompt your computer to open iTunes. Blame Apple, not me for such silly linking behavior.

Where (free)
Local Picks - by Trip Advisor (free)
iWant (free)

Language Tools

Foreign travel is much better when you have a basic understanding of the local language. Fortunately, there are a few applications that help you learn a foreign language — or at least get by when trying to order something to eat. Many of the applications give audio and written translations.

French - iLingo ($9.99)
Talking French Phrasebook (free)
French Phrasebook - Lonely Planet ($9.99)
Talking Italian Phrasebook (free)
German - iLingo ($9.99)

More Applications?

What are your favorite applications for vegetarian travelers? Have you found an application not mentioned above? Leave a comment below.

Pain, Vin, Fromage - a Wine and Cheese Bar

Ted — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:26:22 +0000

Paris is filled with niche restaurants, cafes, and bars. You can find cafes that serve massages with lunch (No Stress Cafe), cafes centered around philosophy, technology (La Cantine), there was even a restaurant whose dining room was in complete darkness. Pain, Vin, Fromage is a new niche restaurant worth checking out for lacto vegetarians.

Pain, Vin, Fromage features 50 artisinal cheeses and 40 wines available by the glass or bottle. They also serve charcuterie (sausages, salamis, and other meat products). They are a new restaurant in the Marais/Republique neighborhood. It may take a little bit of searching but looks like a nice place for those that enjoy cheese and wine.

I didn’t have time to eat here the night I discovered it. However, the menu and restaurant looked interesting and unique. The prices were reasonable, the clients were happy, and the location is great. They also offer catering and group parties.

Pain, Vin, Fromage: 9 rue Crussol (11°); Metro: Oberkampf, Filles du Calvaire; 06 15 33 58 46; Restaurant

La Taverne du Nil - Lebanese on Ile St. Louis

Ted — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:36:18 +0000

Vegetarians that don’t eat at Lebanese restaurants are missing out. While much of Lebanese cuisine is centered around lamb, it is also filled with Mediterranean vegetarian options.

Gridskipper, a travel web site describes the special connection between France and Lebanese culture

Those in the know will visit Paris for excellent terroir cuisine to be sure, but they will also know to look for certain regional fare such as Meditarranean food. In that category (a diverse lot ranging from North African to Greek and Jewish cooking), Lebanese cuisine is a heavy hitter and a favorite amongst the locals. Narrow historical ties between the two countries (Lebanon was a French UN mandate from the end of WWI until WWII, earning Beirut the nickname of “Paris of the East”) have led to a steady influx of Lebanese immigrants into Paris, which of course has translated into a vibrant and bountiful restaurant scene.
Best Lebanese Dining in Paris: La Taverne du Nil

I visited this restaurant with a meat eating friend. We chose the Mézzé platter at 43 Euros to share family style. This is a selection of 9 small dishes. There was an assortment of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, from Hummus to sausage. We simply asked the waiter to bring a variety of mostly vegetarian and a couple meat dishes. You could also request purely vegetarian or vegan options. They have enough to chose from.

While this is a collection of small dishes, it certainly was not a small meal. The platter was seemingly bottomless. It’s a pricey meal at 43 Euros, but not a bad value. The food is fresh and well prepared. The service was great, the environment was great for conversations, and the location is central.

La Taverne du Nil: 16, rue Le Regrattier (4e); 01 40 46 09 02; Metro: Pont-Marie; Lebanese restaurant

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

Sadika Indian restaurant

Ted — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:08:13 +0000

Sometimes, the best way to find a good ethnic restaurant is to ask an immigrant. I say sometimes because I have no idea where to find good American food in this city. I have no interest in eating American food while in France. But I digress.

I was shopping at one of the local discount stores the other day. I asked the Indian store owner if he had a suggestion for good Indian food in the area. He quickly suggested Sadika, just around the corner. I knew the place, it is across the street from Antalya, my favorite Turkish restaurant.

Sadika Indian Restaurant

Sadika is a traditional Indian restaurant. It features the standards: Palak Paneer, Dal Makhani, Samousa, Naan, Korma, etc. Typical of Indian restaurants in Paris, the meat dishes far outnumber the vegetarian dishes. I keep searching for a true vegetarian Indian restaurant with spicy food.

Sadika’s fixed price menus are generous and reasonably priced. I had the basic dinner menu at 13.50 euros. It also started with a Roti and trio of chutneys. The meal also included two Vegetable Samousas, Naan with Cheese, Aloo Palak (spinach and potatoes), Saffron Rice, and my favorite Indian dessert: Gajor Halwa (carrot pudding).

Sadika is in the 12th arrindissement near metro: Dugommier (6) and Daumesnil (6,8). It’s a small restaurant and isn’t very crowded. You’ll get good service, friendly waiters, and good Indian food at a good price. I’m still looking for an Indian restaurant in Paris that knocks my Achile socks off. Sadika is the best that I’ve found so far.

World’s hottest curry title claimed by Bollywood Burner

Sadika Spécialités Indiennes: 251, Rue de Charenton (12°); 01 43 42 47 15; Metro: Dugommier, Daumesnil; Indian Restaurant

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

Bubbles Dietbar near the Marais

Ted — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:18:48 +0000

Cicero spoke about the guilty of conscience:

Guilt is present in the very hesitation, even though the deed be not committed.
Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

Bubbles Dietbar’s healthy outlook made me feel like a downright felon tonight. It probably also makes many others feel the pang of guilt as they walk past this tiny cafe of diet goodness. It’s bad enough that I have to pass it as I walk over to Falafel Alley.

Bubbles even sits next door to an American style Diner! How could someone possibly eat a stack of pancakes with eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, and coffee while next door is this quaint cafe filled with healthy food?

Fortunately, Bubbles Dietbar was closed tonight. I was able to walk straight by to King Falafel to grab an overflowing falafel pita. This is actually the first time I’ve seen the cafe. Its bright green awning would normally catch my eye. So, perhaps this is a new restaurant for Paris.

Their online menu shows a plethora of vegetarian soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. They are conveniently located near the St. Paul metro. I’ll have to find a new route to falafel alley or I may find myself pressured into eating something healthy when I’ve got my heart set on something else.

Bubbles Dietbar: 4 rue Malher (4°) Paris; 01 40 29 42 41; Metro: St. Paul, Bastille, Chemin Vert; Soup and Salad Bar; Free Wifi

Green Garden - Vegetarian Chinese

Ted — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:12:54 +0000

Eating in Paris involves many choices. The first of which is “where should I go this time?” This is especially true when you have great restaurants to choose from. For instance, where do you go when you want some good, vegetarian Chinese food?

Tien Hiang and Green Garden Restaurants

Tien Hiang is a great Asian restaurant in the 11th arrindissement. It is popular, affordable, and has a huge selection of vegan and vegetarian meals. But what if you are on the Left Bank and prefer something closer to home?

The Green Garden is a great Chinese restaurant near Olympiades in the 13th arrindissement. It’s a family style restaurant with a small market with an amazing collection of faux meats. I’ve never seen faux prawn or a complete faux chicken with wings and legs.

It is a small restaurant that can fill up rather quickly. The menu is extensive and the food is affordable and very tasty. I had the steamed dumpling menu for 10.50 Euros. This included 8 dumplings and a plate of fried noodles. I new I’d be returning when I realized the dumplings were gone and I wanted more.

The fried noodles also had some extremely fresh green beans, tofu, and sprouts. Several groups arrived in the restaurant and began ordering family style. The large variety of their menu would make this a great idea.

They are very proud of their menu’s lack of eggs, genetically modified ingredients, alcohol, and MSG. There are plenty of Vegan choices on their menu and many of the dishes can be modified upon request.

Back to the choices

Where do you go for vegetarian Chinese food? Tien Hiang or Green Garden are both a bit difficult to find for the average tourist. Your decision may be based on location. Green Garden is near the Porte D’Ivry metro station, which is also the end of the #3 Tramway. Green Garden is also more spacious and elegant than Tien Hiang. Tien Hiang is closer to Pere Lechaise and is a good post-cemetery stop.

Green Garden: 20 rue Nationale (13°); 01 45 82 99 54; Metro: Porte D’Ivry, Olympiades; Type: Asian Restaurant

Overall: 4.5/5
Location: 3/5
Taste: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
Vegan Friendly: 5/5
M.E.F. Friendly: 1.5/5

Le Campanier - The weekly grab bag of organic produce

Ted — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:28:33 +0000

I love Paris markets. It’s truly one of the greatest joys of living in this city.

However, I also work long hours and can’t always make it to my local markets in the morning. This leaves Saturday or Sunday for markets that are a few metro stops away. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an organic produce market come to you?

This is the concept behind Le Campanier, a company delivers a weekly bag filled with seasonal, organic vegetables or fruit to your local organic grocery store. You simply subscribe to the service on their web site and pick up your bag on Tuesday afternoon. The bags also feature recipes and information about the farmers and food.

Sample Deliveries

Vegetable Bag

Fresh Corn (France)
Carrots (Italy)
Cucumber (Spain)
Tomato (Spain)
Lettuce (France - Manche)

Fruit Bag

Melon (Vergeze)
Peaches (Italy)
Mini Watermelons (Spain)

It’s worth noting that the produce included in the bags are often times hard to find in the markets. For instance, I have been looking for fresh corn in the markets without any success. They also tend to include some of the ignored vegetables of yesteryear.

Clotilde Dusoulier has a nice description of the vegetables she received one week:

I was really happy to get parsnips : they belong to what is sometimes referred to as “les légumes oubliés” (forgotten vegetables), those vegetables we used to eat a lot in the past, but which have been more or less abandoned : panais, rutabagas, salsifis, pâtissons, crosnes…

I have read that most of these were what people had to live on during the second world war, so they were promptly pushed aside after the war, because of the bad memories they brought back. Nowadays these vegetables aren’t very widely cultivated and can seldom be found at produce stands. Of course, I find the idea of forgetting a vegetable heart-breaking and cruel and terrible and saddening, it makes me want to save the vegetable and bring it back home and give it love and affection and decorate a little room for it with a little bed it can sleep in. Ahem. Anyway, I was glad to welcome those parsnips into my vegetable drawer.
Le Campanier - A lucky bag of produce

Prices are reasonable, but not super cheap. Vegetable bags are 8-12 Euros and Fruit bags are 10 Euros. However, it’s important to remember that you are supporting sustainable, organic farming and enjoying the convenience of fresh food delivered to your closest organic store.

Restaurant Antalya - Turkish fast food

Ted — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:26:26 +0000

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.

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

Comfort Foods We Crave — And Why [via Zemanta]
Prepare Cheap and Healthy Food With Minimal Resources [Cooking] [via Zemanta]

Le Bec Fin - Couscous and Tangines

Ted — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:17:57 +0000

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