Trip to Paris, December 2004

What, when, where, with whom, why 

A long weekend-trip with S to Paris from Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th December, 2004. Flights from Helsinki via Stockholm to Paris with SAS, paid by bonus points (and 59 euros taxes per person). 

Sights etc

Coming later. But we had hot chocolate in Cafe des Flore. It is holy place for anyone into cafes. Go there, have fun. 

Restaurants

On Thursday, 9th

• Lunch at Chez Gladines. Small restaurant rather far from the centre. Everyone was eating salads from huge steel bowl. I had lard and chevre salad, S had "salad totale" with lard, cheese, potatoes, etc. For desser, I had creme caremel, S mousse de chocolat. Some red wine, total bill was 29 euros. Links: Chez Gladines - virtual tourist. 
• Dinner at Chez Omar. A typical brasserie serving delicios couscous. We had vegetable couscous together, I had grilled tunafish steak in addition. For dessert, I had pear sorbet, S had some Oriental marsipan delicacy. Again, some red wine. Total bill about 50 euros. Nice place, recommendable. Read more (professional) reviews at Boston Globe and at Time Out. 

On Friday, 10th

• Lunch at Un Zebre a Montmartre in Montmartre. Small place, full of rather young people, frienly, straight service. I had Greek Salad, S had salad with rucola and parmesan. In addition, I had mussels and French fries. For dessert, I had Tarte Tatin (apple pie with vanilla custard), S had authentic mousse au chocolat. The mousse was exceptional, best I have ever tasted. With some red wine and coffee total bill added up to 49 euros. A lunch to remember, and a place to visit again next time I happen to be around Montmartre. There is an interesting fish shop next door and some nice bakeries a bit downhill. They have a website.
• Dinner at Le petit Saint-Benoit in St Germain des Pres. A simple, old place with simple, homelike, food and cheap wine. I had vegetable soup, which was not too warm, S had endive salad with walnut-roquefort dressing to start with. I then had some grilled fish and some vegetables, S had veal in Provencale style. For dessert S had fondant au chocolat, I had some dark plums in wine. Except my soup everything was OK, not spectacular, but quite nice. With some wine, eau de vie, and coffee, the total bill was 65 euros. See some review in French. 

On Saturday, 11th

• Lunch at some small brasserie next to Musee de Orsay. Onion soup for both of us and one crepe with Nutella for dessert. The soup was just as good as I had expected (surprisingly the soup cost about 6 euros in most restaurants in Paris). Total bill 17 euros. 
• Dinner at Crêperie de Josselin, which is a small place serving only crepes and cider. It is really popular and we had to queue outside for some time. But the food and atmosphere were really worth the wait. I had a crepe with tomatoes and mozzaralla, S one with a sausage, cheese, and tomatoes. We (or, actually, I) drank some 1.5 liters fresh cider. The fresh cider straight from the tap is delicious. For dessert we had some sweet flambeed crepes. They contained more than 10 cl of calvados each - one seldom gets drunk by eating, but now it happened. Links at Yahoo and elsewhere. The bill was about 40 euros. 

On Sunday, 12th

• Lunch at Crêperie de Josselin. I had crepe with roquefort, S one with spinach and cheese. Some perry and cider. Excellent, great fun. Some 30 euros.