More Bites from the City of Light

Are you still with me?

We are back in Paris for the week, still eating and drinking in this beautiful city.

Reporting in.

We had cocktails on the rooftop of the magnificent new Peninsula Hotel.

This building has so much history in Paris, back during the Nazi occupation, being called The Hotel Majestic, and then the closing of it for so many years.

Recently reopened, this grande piece of architecture is worth a visit.

The beautiful bar inside is so nice to have a glass of champagne, as is the rooftop bar overlooking Sacre Coeur to the left, and the Eiffel Tower to the right. I could sit here all night.

We met some great staff who recommended a late Sunday night dinner at a local brasserie in the 16th arrondissement for us.

So many neighborhood restaurants are closed on Sundays (only tourist spots are open on Sundays) and it was 10 pm and we were starving.

The hotel driver took us over to Le Stella on Avenue Victor Hugo.

We were the only Americans in the packed restaurant at 10 pm. Only French spoken here.

A bit intimated, since we do not enjoy tete a veau (veal head....ugh); steak tartare (a staple here); pied du porc (pig's feet)......we were getting nervous. Was this the right place for us?

The maitre d could not have been nicer.

We decided on a simple frisee salad w/ croutons et lardons and a poached egg; a Provencal stew with squid and tomatoes; and a smoked herring and potato terrine.

A bottle of wine and a piece of fig tart w/ gooseberries and frangipane.

Ok.

This was probably one of our FAVORITE meals in all the years coming to Paris.
Nothing fancy, simple brasserie food beautifully presented, and we moaned with pleasure at every bite.

This is what real French food is all about. Forget the fancy sauces and the Michelin stars. I could care less. I am hear to EAT.

A mile and a half walk home at midnight and we were rewarded with the quiet (usually so crowded), lit up Arc de Triomphe, which we had all to ourselves.

This is what makes Paris so magical. There are surprises at every turn, and you never know what you will find.

Some things here are just cliche. Like the Parisian booksellers on the Quai. I always enjoy walking by.

How about this for fashion?

:)

See you tomorrow.