In Paris - Lunching at the 2-Michelin Starred L'Atelier

Location: Saint-Germain, Paris

Robert made lunch reservations a few weeks in advance at Joel Robuchon's L'Atelier in Saint-Germain. Little did I know how famous Joel Robuchon is! He has been named "Chef of the Century," awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (France's best craftsman), and has 26 Michelin Guide Stars from his dozen restaurants all over the world. 26!!!  


We sat down and I knew I was in for a gastronomique treat. 

Modern & chic ambience

12-years old ham from Spain

the amuse-bouche - bruschetta

the wine & wine holder :) 

la langoustine - in truffled ravioli. my fav!!!

the mashed potatoes that they are famous for - delicious and extremely buttery

red snapper

pigeon wrapped in foie gras and greens. yummm! 

magnum bottle of wine for the meal

coffee + candies for dessert

Robert + me

Robert outside the restaurant

L'Atelier is new-aged fine-dining at its best with its trendy atmosphere and deliciously thought-out and executed food. 


Have you been to a Joel Robuchon restaurant? Which one is your favorite? 

In Paris - First Night Out Exploring The Town

Location: Latin Quarter, Paris

I'm over a month behind on blogging about my visit to Paris, but it's been a crazy month with starting a new job and apartment hunting. My new job has been amazing, but the apartment hunt was such a stressful period. NYC is so crazy when it comes to looking for a place to live! 

Robert and I planned a last minute week-long vacation to Paris in April, since I had a break in between jobs. We stayed at a "cute, but I wouldn't stay there again" hotel in Saint-Germain-Latin Quarter. For our first night, after taking a red-eye from JFK to CDG, we decided to take it easy, explore the neighborhood, and find an authentic "French" place to eat. We stumbled upon this amazing tapas restaurant called Dans Les Landes. 

Robert and me

We walked in and the waiters immediately started speaking fast French to us. After studying French for 7 years from middle school to college, I just stared blankly back. WIth some hand gesturing and random phrases of French on my end and English on their end, I managed to tell them that we didn't have a reservation and that we wanted to sit outside. It was a beautiful night out, and we started off with a carafe of house wine. 

Cous du Canarde "duck neck"

Pate Spring Rolls - the best item of the night!

After the waiter realized that we couldn't read the menu and that we were just randomly pointing at items to order, he recommended the Pate Spring Rolls. OMFG! They were absolutely amazing! I am still craving this today. 

Pig's Feet - yes, we decided to eat things that we didn't normally eat back in NY

After dinner, we walked around the corner to Le Saint Medcro for dessert. 

Crepe avec Grande-Marnier (aka alcohol and fire)

Crepes are a must-have in Paris; we had them everywhere - both at restaurants and on the streets from food trucks. I have to say though that I love crepes from food trucks the most.

Where would you recommend as your first meal in Paris? 

A Fancy Birthday Dinner At Morimoto

Location: Meatpacking (btn 16th St. and 10th Ave.)

On Robert's actual birthday, he and I were flying to Atlanta for a wedding, so he celebrated the weekend after at Morimoto. I normally don't like Asian-inspired restaurants, unless it is cheap and in Chinatown, but Morimoto is an exception. It was so amazing that I don't even know where to begin. Everything surpassed expectations from the unique, trendy decor to the strong, yet delicious drinks to the savory Asian-themed food. 

Me and the birthday boy in front of the clearly lit wall of plastic water bottles

My fav drink of the night: lotus blossom (I think that's the name). It tasted like alcoholic ice cream! And don't forget to eat the lychee.

By the end of the night, we probably had all of the cocktails on the menu. The cocktail menu is a bit small, but each cocktail recipe was very creative and totally worth it. 

Shriya & Runie. And there's my fav drink of the night again! 

Me & Jocelyn in front of the infamous wall

Appetizers:

Toro tartare

Japanese lobster fritters

Oyster foie gras

Entrees:

Sea Bass with Japanese Eggplant - highly, highly recommend, even though it looks plain!!

ishi yaki buri bop - the waiter cooks it tableside

Braised black cod

duck, duck, duck - foie gras croissant, roast duck & soft duck egg

birthday surprise!

Arianne & Peter

Feroz, Ed & Robert

My only complaint is that when we sat down, the waitress casually asked us if we wanted edamame. I thought that edamame would be like bread & olive oil at Italian restaurants, so I was a bit surprised when the bill came and we were charged for it. 

Overall, I loved Morimoto! Next time, I want to sit at the sushi bar and watch the chefs at work. 

Oh, and before you leave, you must stop by the bathroom, even if you don't need to. There's a surprise!