French Inspiration: Paris Secrets {frugal food, part 1}

Tryyyyyyying to pace myself with
all these Paris posts…ya know?

I hope you have room in your
Frenchyfrench Chi-chi-chi hearts
for a lil more Paris.
Today is about feeding our faces.

Reminder:
I love food, but mine is a frugal soul.


Les Orchidees

Yummy Find #1
A Chic Splurge-licious Brunch.

Fancy dinners in Paris can cost a mortgage payment.

Alternatively, get your fancy on at
Les Orchidees within the
Park Hyatt Vendome for brunch.

Of note:
Beautiful glass ceiling.
Posh hotel.
Warm and attentive service.
Movers and shakers everywhere ordering eggs.*

*I spotted tycoons and a French pop star.
Studio execs next to us discussed what
scented candle to leave in JLo’s hotel suite
(while she was not checked into the Park Hyatt,
she was in town to give a concert).

Les Orchidees
Hours:
Breakfast 6:30 am to 11:00 am
Lunch 12:15 am to 3:00 pm
Brunch on Weekend 12:15 am to 3:00 pm
Reservations: + 33 (0)1 58 71 10 60

Attire: Casual
Chef: Jean-François Rouquette

Yummy find #2
Divine Crepes and Macarons.

I could eat crepes for every meal.
We sampled the savory buckwheat variety
filled with ham, eggs, and cheese, as well as
sweet ones (sucre) from the lively and
farily priced Breizh Cafe in the heart of the Marais.

I have heard Parisians don’t
consume too many macarons,
and that is fine by me…
more for visitors!

Laduree remains my favorite…
vanilla, please!

BTW.
Have you discovered the book
Laduree: Entertaining: Recipes, Ideas & Inspiration (Cuisine Et Vin)
by
Vincent Lemains, Michel Lerouet
and Marie-Pierre Morel yet?????

A must own if you love
menu and table decor advice!

Bonus yum:

Should you have the privilege to sample a
macaron or four at the Park Hyatt, you may note its
flavor is miraculously enhanced with
the hotel’s signature scent by Blaise Mautin!

Yummy find #3
3-Courses Without Bankruptcy.

While I am not a meat and potatoes mama,
I knew my husband required his fix
so we tried L’AOC near the apartment.
From their fresh menu of the day, we
sampled duck hearts, roasted pork
and beef dishes, fresh
artisan bread, buttery mashed potatoes,
and apple tarts for 29 Euros each.
Will be dreaming of those mashed potatoes
for awhile.

Yummy find #4
Friendly-Priced Italian Yum.

As a Chicago girl, I need my pizza.
Even in Paris.
Pasta Papa in the 2nd arrondissement
(6 Rue Danou, Paris 75002)
was perfect for our budget and palates.

Think trattoria style cooking; clean and simply
prepared delish. We dined here
three times, sampling pizza, calzone, pasta,
salad, and wine, and it was all fabulous…
about 15 euros per person.

Yummy find #5
Grocery Store Goodness.

The French grocery store Franprix was just steps
from our front door so we took advantage by
stocking up on the best salad ingredients, yogurt,
meats, cheese, and wine.

This is where you will want to
buy fleur de sel, Maille mustard, and other
food souvenirs.

I’ll share part 2 later, sweethearts.
* * * * *
Anyone else exhausted from
post-holiday syndrome
and angsty
from post-holiday waistline?

I am sluggish, grouchy, and
relapsing with my bronchitis/pnemonia
thing…wake me when it’s spring, please!

Peace to you right where you are.

michele

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15 Comments

  1. December 27, 2012 / 7:05 am

    Love this Yummy French Post.

  2. December 27, 2012 / 12:06 pm

    I wish the US would carry French yogurt it's some of the best I've ever had. Your breakfasts look fabulous but it's a banana and yogurt this morning for me. Feel better Michele!

    XXX
    Debra~

  3. December 27, 2012 / 12:08 pm

    Wow, the food looks wonderful – makes me wanna dig in right now!

  4. December 27, 2012 / 3:33 pm

    Oh, the food…fabulous French food is the best! I could eat the pastries forever ~

  5. December 27, 2012 / 3:38 pm

    Hi my friend so sorry your not feeling well! Your pics made me hungry LOL! The crepes look heavenly!
    Wishing you all the best in the New Year!!

  6. December 27, 2012 / 4:14 pm

    Everything looks so yummy, especailly the pizza! I could go for that breakfast though. We love crepes too. Looks like the French make theirs a little bigger than ours! -Tonya

  7. December 27, 2012 / 5:17 pm

    My husband would tell you I'm on the sluggish/grouchy side… haha… too many treats and I still have a sugar hangover!!! Feeling a little better today, but constantly picking up toys my kids lay around aaahhhhh!!!
    I hope you get feeling better – tis the season for yucky bugs!! Thanks for lifting my day with gorgeous pics of Paris… sigh

    xoxo
    Desiree

  8. December 27, 2012 / 9:26 pm

    You sure know the way to my heart..great food and all things French! First, hope you had a merry merry Christmas, ate to your hearts content and that 2013 will bring amazing things to an amazing lady!
    Second, I promise if you organize a bloggers meet up in Paris, I will be your PR gal and talk it up like you can't imagine:) How fun would that be???? Everything looks so scrumptious and we all know its even tastier in France:)

  9. December 28, 2012 / 12:05 am

    I am swooning over those macarons! Hope you had a lovely Christmas and wishing you a Happy New Year!
    x
    Melissah

  10. December 28, 2012 / 11:18 pm

    Oh dear, Michele, please take care of yourself. Rest, rest, rest and rest some more. There is always room in my heart for more Paris and this yummy post cheered me up to no end. Thanks so much! Thanks also for your kind comment on my last post. My dad is out of danger, which I celebrate every day, and is getting rehabilatative care at a nearby retirement home. I have moved back into my parents' house – about an our south of Seattle – for a while. My mom is having a tough time and I'm so grateful I can be with her now. I'm looking forward to brighter days ahead and hope to be able to jump back into the blog conversations soon. Please take very good care of yourself. Wishes for a lot of health and happiness coming your way in 2013! XOXO

  11. December 31, 2012 / 4:41 am

    I love food too! I should be concerned about post holiday waist line but, oh well…

    I love reading these posts about Paris…it gets me reminiscing about my own trips to Europe. One of our favorite things to do in the mornings was get up to a coffee or espresso and one of those awesome croissants (dipped in honey).

    I didn't know you were a Chicago girl! I'm born and raised here….we are now just about 25 minutes west…….LOVE the deep dish pizza in fact that is how we started off the holiday celebrations this year. 🙂

  12. January 4, 2013 / 4:25 am

    aren't the french grocery stores mesmerizing? i am in everyone's way as i wander in a trance through the aisles.

    ok, sounds like you need some tempting michele. if you get to geneva, there is a biz run by my friends; all chocolate kitchen. alain is the owner, renown pastry chef from france; crepes, macaroons, eclairs……….to die for. he was once the pastry chef for the shah of iran! this guy is GOOD.
    great ideas here, saving all of this for september
    xoxo
    debra

  13. January 12, 2013 / 10:20 pm

    Love your Paris post! We are just back from holidays in London and Paris. I was reliving our trip as I put together a post yesterday on my blog. Paris makes me swoon!
    Lovely resources here. Thanks for sharing!
    Happy weekend! Heather

    http://www.stylemindchic.blogspot.com

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