the Fourth time and I think the last time to Paris this year. this time it was for a long weekend to celebrate my father’s birthday And what a busy weekend filled with a lot of laughter and food.
Day 1 November 1 2018
As we drove to Paris from germany we arrived mid afternoon before the traffic would get worse into the city. we Had a quick but not so light lunch of foie Gras and a small glass of wine. And as everyone already finished their lunch once we got there, we also had a bit of dessert. if you are a fan of foie gras then this is the place to go as they have different PREPARATIONS of foie gras but they also have other french classics. within the restaurant they have a small deli where you can buy fresh and canned goods like foie gras, terrines, and sardines that you can take back to enjoy at home. i always stock up on some goods every time i am in paris.
As we were a large group, it was difficult to find a place that would ACCOMMODATE us and fit us all in one table and with over 10 people you have to have a set menu. We had tried their other two restaurants, Pirouette and Zebulon but as they are much smaller they couldn’t accommodate us. so We were then recommended baltard as they are in the same restaurant group, we had never been but had thought the food would be of similar standard and value of the other two restaurants but we were very disappointed. The food was just missing the mark, good ideas but the final execution was just not there, also the service was not great, although we were a big group the restaurant was not full and they were not very attentive and a bit sloppy. maybe it was a bad night, but it might be a place to come in the summertime to sit outside, have a coffee and enjoy the view. Not recommended for a large group.
amuse bouche of Yuzu Foam. it was good but nothing really exciting or special, they could have added another flavor component or texture.
Raw SEA BASS with Eggplant Hummus. the sea bass was very good and very fresh and the hummus was an interesting element as raw fish is usually only served with citrus elements. this was probably the best dish.
Veal with Celeriac, potato puree and Meat Jus. the veal was really tasty and cooked well, however the celeriac was extremely salty, many of them INEDIBLE. UNFORTUNATELY the execution just wasn’t there.
Flourless Chocolate Cake with citrus gelee and cream. it was definitely not my favorite, it was a strange combination. it could have been just a simple chocolate cake with plain cream and we would have been happy.
As we were a big group it was easier and cheaper to have everyone over at the apartment for breakfast. we Bought some freshly made baguettes, fresh fruits and fresh orange juice. After breakfast we then split up into groups to do our own thing for the rest of the day. We decided to do some shopping and walk around while waiting for my parent in laws to arrive. We bought a few things for the house and then had a simple lunch at a neighborhood restaurant. a bit of a rest before the main event.
We headed back to David Toutain but this time to enjoy the little and cosy private dining room called identi-t. What an amazing experience and everyone had a great time, my dad included.
Another breakfast at the apartment then off to do more shopping, mostly food shopping for macarons, sardines and foie gras. We had already ran out of our stock from last time. Then off to EnYaa for another delicious Japanese lunch. Click on the post to read more and see pictures from our lunch.
After a filling lunch we decided to walk around the neighborhood a bit before taking a short nap before the next meal. for The last meal we headed back to Les Amis Des Messina for a Sicilian feast. As they couldn’t have one large table for us to sit together as it was a Saturday night they split us two tables next to each other and yes I was still at the kids table. There was again a lot of food, many appetizers and pastas to share. The special pasta of the night was with truffles and it was really good.
As we had a long 8 drive ahead of us, we decided to leave on the early side. After breakfast and saying our goodbyes to everyone we were on our long way home, at least the scenery was quite nice as all the leaves were changing colors and the landscape was also changing. overall the trip was fun but also super exhausting, it was good to see and spend time with everyone, as a lot of my fathers friends came from all over the world. the weekend was definitely filled with a lot of food, I felt like all we did was eat, eat and eat.