Yikes, July came quickly this year. I suddenly feel incredibly behind on everything and bizarrely, I feel like I'm in limbo, even though I have no reason to. Hopefully the feeling will be shaken off soon. I wanted to share a few Paris addresses (for food & drink) that you shouldn't miss if you find yourself there any time soon. It's by no means comprehensive, and it doesn't include many of my all-time old favorites, but compiling all of that will be a project for another rainy day. Some of these have been around for a while too, but I figured they were still worth mentioning.
1) When can you ever really go wrong with tacos, guacamole, and cocktails? I loved Candelaria and went both times during my May visits. To get to the actual cocktail bar portion, walk past the tiny taco bar and a magical door will transport you to a much larger space. I was also pleasantly surprised to find one of my favorite cocktails, the Naked & Famous, on the list.
2) Bob's Juice Bar is a total gem and lifesaver for my outbound flight meals. I know you're thinking, why go to a "juice bar" in Paris, especially one run by am ex-New Yorker? When you need a little something to chase down all the croissants and baguettes, it's so refreshing to have an easy, quick, healthy lunch option. Plus, the produce in France is way better. I now grab their daily salad here before my flights back, and I actually look forward to my in-flight meal now.
3) Fewer things are more comforting than a steaming bowl of udon, in my opinion. Kunitoraya is my go-to first-night-off-the-plane meal. I'm usually exhausted and a bit delirious, and I just want something that's not fussy at all and will satisfy me. Start with some pickled radishes, share a rice bowl (not to be missed), and then have a big bowl of udon to yourself, because you won't want to share.
4) Nicolas from Telescope (a coffee shop that's perpetually on my recommend list, obviously) had recommended Le Servan a while back and I finally got to try it in May. You'll get incredible value at lunch in a beautiful but casual space. There's not much I can say about the food to do it justice, but just trust me on this one and check it out for yourself.
5) It seems like you can't really get a "bad" baguette in Paris, but the exceptional ones are worth noting too. We got one from the relatively new boulangerie Liberté to split as a snack and were literally fighting over the crumbs.
6) I would undoubtedly say the best pancakes I've ever had come from Holybelly, a coffee shop/cafe on the same street as Bob's Juice Bar. The coffee itself is on a similar level as well. Warning: if you don't show up first thing when they open, expect to wait up to an hour and a half depending how late you show up. You can always get coffee to go though if you're not waiting for a table.
Damn, all of this reminiscing just makes me want to hop on a plane tomorrow...