Eat (almost) Anything at Least One

Alba - Giorno 2

2011-09-15T22:52:00.001+10:00

Our objectives for today are simple - check out the market and lunch at Piazza Duomo and to get the day underway, naturally enough, we need coffee.

Oh how we've both missed the macchiato/brioche combination and in Alba there's no shortage of cafes to try out.

No photos of the market for now - don't want to appear to be too much of a tourist. First impressions are very positive - large selection of stalls selling all sorts of things, from clothing to cookware to plants as well as fruit and veg, augmented by deli, meat and fish vans.

We spend a few minutes trying to work out where the proper farmers market was before realising that it was just outside the city walls.

It's here where you find the local growers - while there might not be the variety of the other market, you'll get food from the area. It's here that I seemed to have attracted the attention of one of the local characters. While he took me from to stall, he asked if I was interested in truffles - Of course I was!

He went back to his stand and retrieved a hidden jar, opening the lid, he got Paalo to open his hand and poured out a motherload of truffles.

For us, 10 euro the lot!

You can't help but madly giggle at the price but on the walk back to our apartment you can't help but get annoyed when you think of the ridiculous prices we pay for Australian grown black truffles.

What's worse is that the industry tells us that their price is on par with Europe - that is utter rubbish and plays on the naivety of the Australian public. The Australian price has nothing to do with the European price, it's more to do with recouping the capital cost involved in trying to grow the truffles.

This last year the gouging was particular bad - the appearance of the much hyped, pop-up, rip-off truffle shop with prices from $2500 to $3500 a kg left us gobsmacked and as much as we love truffles, we don't love being ripped off and until the industry starts being honest about their pricing, we have no interest in buying their product.

Back in the Apartment, we took a closer look at our treasure, there's going to a lot more truffle meals in our future but that will have to wait - we have lunch at Piazza Duomo to do first.

The ringing bells come in handy, letting us know that it is twelve o'clock and time to meander across the piazza for our booking.

I've already written about the meal and it effortlessly ranks as one of the best meals we're ever had and rates above anything we've had in Australia.

Late afternoon, time for a passeggiata along the main strip - Via Vittorio Emanuele, the relaxing stroll is brought to the halt by the window of Polleria Elio Ratti

they weren't there yesterday, white truffles are now available! I do manage to control my urges, the purchasing will be left for another day, it's not like we are short on truffles at the moment.

Early evening at the Piazza, the banners of the borgo are being put up on the church and

one last shot of the building that houses Piazza Duomo - it's on the floor with the balcony and the Italian flags.

Pranzo - Piazza Duomo

2011-09-15T12:56:00.319+10:00

To misquote Shakin' Stevens, "Pink Door, What's the secret you're keepin'?"

The answer arguable could be - the best meal we've ever had.

Piazza Duomo is a 2 star Michelin restaurant and from all we've read and seen about Chef Enrico Crippa, we are looking forward to an interesting meal. To enter you have to first get through that pink door. On one side is a brass intercom that you have to use - it's a bit like going to visit someone's home, you have to be buzzed up.

You're greeted and taken through an anteroom before being shown to your table.

We'd both seen photos of the dining room but having been there in person, I must say that photos don't really do it justice. It's a far more attractive space - there's only about 8 tables seating less than 25 people, and they are well spaced - the tables are large and the chairs are very comfortable. Oh, you even get a little footstool for your bag - a bagstool I suppose.

The tables are already set with a few items

In the test-tube - sweet grissini, On the spike - taralli al finocchietto selvatico (Wild fennel Crisps), In the bag - cialde di riso - zafferano, riso nero, barbabietola, pisello, mais, curry e patata (rice chips - saffron, black rice, beetroot, peas, corn, curry and potato) - out of shot - curried almonds

Lingue di Gatto al Mais (Corn Cat's Tongue)

These are little snacks we can enjoy as we look at the menu. There are four degustation options - Evasione e Territorio (11) - Tradizione e Innovazione (10) - La Degustazione (7) and La Degustatzione +

La Degustazione + is the La Degustazione menu plus 3 dishes of the day - all up 10 courses. Each of the degustations have totally different dishes on them which makes it extremely hard to choose. Eventually we decide on the La Degustazione +.

I must add that they actually only give the menu with prices to the male - I don't mind that but I know there are some that would get their knickers in a knot. Seriously get a life if that is the case.

Should mention the wine list - there are actually two huge volumes - one for the local wines and the other for everywhere else. Paalo didn't really want to risk further damage to his elbow so Sommelier Mauro Mattei will be selecting local wines to match the meal as he sees fit.

Now the fun part begins, the amuse starts to come out

Shiso Apple Sorbet, Cocoa and Olive Marshmallow, Goat Cheese Ball, Fish Chips, Corn Tacos

Agrum Sorbet, Foie Gras Mousse

I say start because after this first selection is deposited on the table - more dishes come out

Parmesan Marshmallow, Prosciutto, Balsamic

Fake Olives with Meat and Vegetable fillings

The finale amuse is this savoury spinach sponge with mushrooms:

Now we know why the tables are so large! The amuse is the shock and awe of amuse - you are left dazed by the tastes, textures and sensations. Mid way through we give each other a look - we're both wondering how soon would be too soon to return for round 2.

Once the amuse is finished and cleared away a silver tray filled with grissini graces the center of the table.

It's soon time for the first course:

Set before you are extra long tweezers and a folded envelope

inside it lists all the ingredients that can be used to make up Enrico Crippa's signature dish

Insalata…21…31…41

The numbers refer to the number of ingredients - depending on the season - todays version had over 30.
The crackers you see protruding from the collection of leaves, flowers, seeds and herbs are made from amaranth - and if you haven't noticed yet, he does use a lot of these more unusual grains.

The bowl that holds the salad has a perforated base which means that once you finish your salad, there is an amazingly flavoured dashi-based broth to enjoy. There's only one word that describes this dish - perfection.

Second Course:

Parmigiana di Scampi

You see the word parmigiana and you think eggplant, cheese and tomato, here it's been given quite a twist. The cheese are those rough looking balls of fresh mozarella, the slight grey daubs are an eggplant puree. They sit amongst an exquisite tomato concasse and barely cooked pieces of scampi.

Third Course:

This is the first of the three extra courses - Orata reale servita cruda, lime, pepe verde, foglie piccanti e amare - Raw Sea Bream served wtih lime, green pepper and spicy and bitter leaves. This is a bit like a ceviche.

Fourth Course:

The second of the extra dishes - Gambero di Sanremo al naturale con mosto d’uva fragola, uva regina, foglie di perilla, perilla secca e pimpinella - these are sweet shrimp from San Remo, served raw on a strawberry grape reduction with fresh and dried Shiso and Burnet - the taste and texture of the shrimp is like nothing we'd had before.

Fifth Course:

Merluzzo e Piselli

Cod and Peas - sounds extraordinarily simple but wow, what an amazing dish. The cod was incredible - flaking away perfectly along the natural lines of the fish. The cod has first been lightly salted and then pressed.

Sixth Course:

Filetto al Pepe Verde

Veal fillet with green pepper sauce - they do like they aren't cooked but they are - extraordinarily tender

Seventh Course:

The last of the extra dishes - Rabbit Kidneys and Béarnaise Sauce

Every bit as good as it looks. Perfectly cooked kidneys, lovely well balanced sauce.

Eighth Course:

Risotto Porcini e Anise Stellato

How nice is it to enjoy a risotto that is properly made - the rice has been allowed to achieve that wonderful creamy characteristic. As they say, real risotto can't be moulded into a shape.

Ninth Course:

Agnello e Camomile

Lamb and Chamomile - such a simple description but wow, this is a piece of lamb we're going to remember for a very long time. I just love the dramatic presentation as a long, narrow slice but the tenderness and flavour of this lamb was beyond compare. An amusing point - this is new zealand lamb!

Tenth Course

Spugna alla Nocciola - the dessert is called Hazelnut Sponge but it is so much more than that - it's a celebration of hazelnut and chocolate. Yes there is a hazelnut sponge - you see it on the right hands side, directly opposite it is Sardinian crispbread filled with hazelnut cream. There's a cloud-like hazelnut chocolate mousse in the glass and a creamy hazelnut custard in the white bowl.

By this stage we are extraordinarily content with everything that has been presented and we assume that this is probably the last dish. Aha, we didn't count on the Petit-Fours:

Another multi-plate and multi-part extravaganza

Popped Quinoa, Raspberry and White Chocolate Shards - Fresh mixed Berries

Close up of the traditional Italian biscotti (crescent shape is cornmeal based, the star is cherry chocolate) - in the paper cups, chocolate truffle and chocolate macaroon

At the rear - in the glass bowl, dark chocolate covered hazelnuts, in the glass - chocolate coffee foam

Warm milk with Grappa di Moscato - this is a bit like the best eggflip you'll ever have.

Paalo quite likes the look of the menu for the tea and coffee selections.

The verdict:

The reservation has already been made for the return visit.

The details:

Piazza Duomo
Piazza Risorgimento 4
12051 Alba (CN)

Phone:
39 0173 366167

Open:
Lunch - 1230 - 1400
Dinner - 1930 - 2200

Closed:
Sunday Night and All-day Monday
Sunday and Monday (June-July-August)
Monday (October)

Holiday Closure:
Mid December to January
2 weeks in August

WEB

Alba - Giorno 1

2011-09-14T21:52:00.077+10:00

We've been to Porta Susa before so we thought leaving the station to meet up with our host Mario would be easy - we didn't foresee the fact that Porta Susa is pretty much a bomb site.

Through a serious of what must have been wrong turns we end up on a street somewhere in Turin - with no train station in sight. It was like walking out of the Flinders Street underpass and finding yourself in Ringwood.

It's in the mid 30's and humid and the thought of dragged our bags back down those stairs in the hope of finding another exit was beyond us. Luckily we had Mario's number and eventually managed to find the name of the street we were on.

Fifteen minutes later we where in Mario's car being happily quenching our thirst with chilled bottles of water (he really did think ahead!) and making our way through Turin's street towards our final destination - Alba.

We've rented an apartment from Mario and we'll be here for 3 weeks - and just like Paris, we have an excellent view.

After showing us around the apartment Mario leaves to let us settle in - after freshening up it's time to hit the streets and see just what is around us.

We get a pleasant surprise as walk down the main street to spy this in one of the windows

The black truffles are actually available and we actually break up into a little mad giggle as we notice the prices. A truffle that would probably cost over $50 in australia, is for sale here, in a shop, for about $5! You might be thinking well, they are probably rubbish, I can assure you they aren't. Naturally enough, we had to buy one - it eventually ended up here

That is tomorrow's breakfast settled!

We then head to the tourist office to find out where the nearest supermarkets are - shock horror, supermarkets aren't regarded as the product of satan like they are back in oz. Where else are you going to buy 6 one and a half litre bottles of Lauretana for 1.50!

When Mario returns later in the day, we quiz him in regards to markets and butchers and am extremely happy to find out that there are street markets here 3 times a week - on Saturday there is an extra large one that basically runs through the town and you can buy just about anything. The Tuesday and Thursday markets are smaller and mainly food with some other items - there is a real "farmers market" in one of the squares - this is where the local farmers sell their goods.

With this excellent intel and with tomorrow being Thursday - Paalo knows he is going to be a pack horse as I go nuts at the markets.

Mario also offers us some dining advice - pointing out all the interesting bars and restaurants about town and tonight for dinner we end up at one of his suggestions La Bottega del Vicoletto.

Cena - La Bottega del Vicoletto

2011-09-14T19:27:00.081+10:00

As we wandered off through the streets we headed to the closet of Mario's suggestions to find that it is closed on Wednesdays. Oh well, we continued on and managed to get a seat at another of his recommended places - La Bottega del Vicoletto.

This place has a double life of sorts - not only can you buy your typical range of delicatessan items, you can also buy prepared meals. It also has a small dining area inside - which leads to its nickname "7 seats", though there are more tables outside - if you choose them you'll have to put up with the smoke.

We're in Italy and with every meal, there is always bread

Two types and the one in the front was almost cake-like and incredibly yellow - perhaps enriched with egg yolks.

And to drink - A little bubble to toast our first day in Italy:

Arturo Bersano Riserva 2007

There's a la carte and various degustation menus on offer - we've opted for the degustation of the day.

Antipasto:

Insalata Russa - Russian Salad

This is one of my mothers favourites - a selection of diced, boiled vegetables (carrots, potatoes, peas) bound in a saffron flavoured mayonnaise. All the vegetables have been well cooked, each maintaing their integrity and bite, the saffron well balanced so not to overpower.

Pasta:

The famous Tajarin - it is one of the pasta types of the region - some recipes require 40 yolks per kilo of flour! Cooked to perfection and served with a simple ragu. Note that the pasta isn't swamped with sauce, it's actually quite lightly tossed.

Our second wine is:

Prunotto Barbera d'Alba 2006 - impressive

Mains:

Paalo chooses the Lumache (snails) - cooked in a rich tomato based sauce and served with riced potatoes. Nearby Cherasco is famous for their snails and these snails are quite different to the ones we eaten in australia - quite large and meaty.

My choice was the Rooster cooked with balsamic - this is what "chicken" should taste like, incredibly juicy, tender and flavour rich. The sauce had fantastic depth and the balsamic provided that sweet acidic touch to complement the meat.

Dolce:

I've gone for the the simplicity of strawberries drizzled with orange liqueur - a refreshing choice.

Paalo completes his meal with a proper Panna cotta - served with a caramelised vanilla sauce and complete with the perfect wobble.

If this is a typical dining experience we're in for a fabulous time in Alba and thanks go to Mario for letting us know

The details:

La Bottega del Vicoletto
Via Bertero, 6, 12051
Alba Cuneo, Italy

+39 0173 363196 ‎

Closed:
Afternoons - Sunday and Public Holidays and All Day Monday
Seasonal - Second and Third week of August

Train - Paris to Torino

2011-09-14T14:00:00.001+10:00

We're both going to miss this apartment - fantastic position and wonderfully decorated, special mention to the unbelievable fantastic bed, I am so going to buy a King Koil when we get back - the kitchen is fine for shorter stays but for longer periods I'd be looking for something a little more fitted out.

We head to Place Maubert and as we had hoped, there are taxis. It's a quick trip to Gare de Lyon and all is going well until we are dropped off at the station. We are deposited in the basement where several homeless people are living and the stench is eye-watering. We need to take the elevator to get to the station proper and it's an unpleasant trip up as it seems that the elevator is also being used as a toilet. It's an unfortunate last impression of Paris to have.

For some reason we're not allowed to go any further and will only be granted access to the platform level 15 minutes before our train departs. That explained the crowds here gathered around the arrival screens.

Train Travel Tip #1 - Validate your ticket as soon as you see a functioning validation device. Don't assume there's going to be one on the platform and certainly don't leave it to the last minute.

Train Travel Tip #2 - Avoid buying train tickets through Australian Stores. You're more than likely going to pay much much more than you should.

We purchased this ticket through the SNCF site (the French rail site) and if you order it early enough, they will mail it to you for free. You also have the option of collecting the ticket at the station. If we had bought it via the Australian rail stores it would have been at least double the price. If you're travelling through Italy, then the Trenitalia site is invaluable.

We're on a EC Artesia train and the journey from Gare de Lyon to Torino Porta Susa takes 5 and half hours - we'll be getting in after 1.20pm. It's actually a more comfortable train then the Eurostar.

From experience I've learnt that taking photos from train windows isn't particularly good - there's always the issue of light reflections but every now and again you'll manage to get a semi decent shot. Best advice is to put down the camera and just enjoy the view. As you travel from Paris to the border, the countryside slowly transforms from flatish plains to rugged mountain ranges.

It's amazing how the hills turn into seriously large, snow capped mountains.

This is where the train stopped for the longest - it's at the border and moves from being a "French train" to an "Italian train".

Lunch

A breakfast service is offered and the trays that arrived us looked pretty good so we decided to see what lunch would be like. We've had really good meals on proper Italian trains with restaurant cars and were interested to see how this would compare. To be honest, it was disappointing.

The options sounded good - lasagna or cannelloni but this is what we got

I don't know if it looks better or worse with the lid off.

For a mass produced pasta dish, it wasn't too bad. The ragu tasted like it had spent some time cooking and the bechamel wasn't too bad either - the pasta wasn't overcooked so all up, it was okay.

The train arrived about 15 minutes late which isn't too bad considering the distance we've travelled however we were totally unprepared by the bomb site that awaited us at Porta Susa Station.

Paris - Jour 7

2011-09-13T19:08:00.068+10:00

It's our last full day in Paris and time to savour the view from our apartment - I don't think I could get tired of that view.

We have a few more things left to do - first up it's one final visit to Place Maubert Market. Next we check out the taxi situation around Saint-Michel. I had read that this was a place where it's usually easy to find taxis since it is so well used but when we arrived, there seemed to be a lot of people waiting for taxis but no taxis to be found. I think we're going to try my first option which is at Place Maubert - there's usually been at least one taxi there every time we've gone past and it's closer to where we are staying.

We take a slow walk towards Les Halles on our way to Dehillerin - and we're pleasantly surprised by the beauty of Saint-Eustache Church.

Dehillerin itself is quite an intriguing shop full of way too many things I'd love to buy. If I spent a month in Paris I believe I'd have an absolutely fantastic kitchen to bring back with me and the savings would probably cover the airfare.

That's one thing that has become depressingly obvious - in Australia we really are paying through the nose not just on luxuries but the basic items.

For lunch we dine at the near-by Au Pied du Cochon - not the type of place we'd normally go to and we wouldn't necessarily go there again but it certainly might be worth it for the curiosity factor, especially if you don't order the pied du cochon!

The rest of the day is basically packing up for our train tomorrow - it will be an early start - we are looking to leave before 6.30am.

Dejeuner - Au Pied du Cochon

2011-09-13T17:49:00.050+10:00

Au Pied du Cochon is a Paris institution - it's been running non-stop since 1947, staying open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round.

Usually I'd run the other way but it is our last day and this is just a few doors up from Dehillerin and we really needed to find some place for lunch.

The restaurant appears to be over 5 levels with tiny, close set tables. The decor is all burgundy leather and velvet but I did happen to spy on the front door, handles that looked surprisingly like pig trotters. Now where have I seen that in Melbourne?

Our opinion of this establishment is raised by this bowl that comes with the various breads

not quite sure what it was but it was delicious - full of porky goodness.

We begin by having Le Planche - the charcuterie plate to share

an excellent assortment of cured meats and terrine.

For mains

Paalo ordered the signature dish "pied du cochon" - crumbed pigs trotter - though I think today, that signature was a forgery.

This was a huge trotter - a huge male trotter that gave off an almost vomit inducing stench of urine. Paalo offered me a taste and I couldn't even get it past my lips, as soon as it was within striking distance of my nose, I could smell it. Paalo sort of picked at it, dissecting it in a way to give the illusion that some had eaten it but boy, it's up on the list of worse things ever eaten.

I order one of the specials - couldn't quite catch the type of fish but it was grilled on the bone and filleted by the waiters - and served with ratatouille. Way too many bones were left behind which was unfortunate as the fish was quite good though the stand out was the ratatouille.

Needless to say, we didn't chance dessert and finished up with a coffee

which are served with these:

If you find yourself in the area at 3am and are feeling peckish then it's probably worth a visit - personally I'd stay away from the trotter and enjoy the charcuterie plate.

The details:

Au Pied de Cochon
6 Rue Coquillière
75001 Paris, France

Phone:
01 40 12 77 00

Subway: Louvre-Rivoli

Open: 7 Days a Week, 24 Hours a Day, Every day of the Year

WEB

E. Dehillerin

2011-09-13T12:29:00.070+10:00

No visit to Paris would be complete without a visit to the shrine of Kitchenalia Dehillerin.

It's exciting just looking at the window displays

and wondering just how many things can I fit in my suitcase.

It took us a little while to figure out what these pottery dishes were for

if you take a look inside it becomes a lot clearer - they are moulds of sheep!

These are little flags for your steak highlighting their "doneness"

This is just a fraction of the cake tins and moulds they stock.

Oh yes, and it isn't Dehillerin without a duck press

or loads of copper pots. What surprised me where just how reasonably priced the copper ware is here - there isn't the fright factor that we see in Australian pricing.

If you go into the store, it's on two levels - ground and the basement. The items aren't priced but have a code on them, you then have to look for the plastic covered printouts hanging around the store and search on the code - you'll find the price there.

There is a bit of a convoluted process to buy - and if you're behind American's buying the store out of copper, then expect to wait awhile.

First up you need to find someone to serve you - they will get your item and write out an invoice. Next you need to go to the counter and another person will take your money and stamp the invoice to say that you have paid. You then go to another person and they will package your purchase and then finally you can go.

So what did we buy?

The details:
E. Dehillerin
18 Rue Coquillière
75001 Paris, France

Phone:
01 42 36 53 13

Open:
Monday - 9h-12h30 and 14h-18h
Tuesday-Saturday - 9h to 18h
Closed Sunday and Public Holiday.
WEB

Eglise Saint-Eustache

2011-09-13T11:16:00.023+10:00

My first view of the Eglise Saint-Eustache was this

across a construction site at Les Halles.

It's much easier to get a sense of scale from a distance - when you're up close it's impossible to frame.

Inside it's a rival of Notre Dame

The best part - there's only a fraction of the tourists here and they are generally far better behaved.

WEB: Église Saint-Eustache

2 impasse St-Eustache Rue Montmartre
Paris, Ile-de-France 75001

Place Maubert Market

2011-09-13T08:31:00.087+10:00

First stop today is the Place Maubert Market.

To use its proper name, The Marché Maubert is the oldest market in Paris having started in 1547 and it appears three times a week on Place Maubert around the Maubert-Mutalité Metro station.

Situated on Boulevard St. Germaine it truly is in a prime position of Paris. My visit today is strictly to take photos - we've already got too many things to take with us to Italy.

First stop is the Saucisson stand:

Can highly recommend these sausages - there's over 20 types you're bound to find something you love.

Beautiful girolles

When the market closes you still have the benefit of some really good food stores

Fromagerie Laurent Dubois - service here isn't quite as friendly as the cheese stalls in the market and the prices are a little higher but they do have an excellent range

Le Cuvier - Wine Store - we found most of our wines from here - there are prices here to suit any budget.

Le Cuvier Wine store /Moisan - boulangerie de saint-germaine

Moisan - I suppose you could run around town finding the latest "in" bakery but why bother when you can find excellent bread so close to home

I love this Rotisserie at the Butcher

Fish Stall - there's also a "proper" Fish Shop

One of the market cheese stalls

The details:

Maubert Marché
Place Maubert
Boulevard St Germaine

Open:
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - 7.30am to 2.30pm

Paris - Jour 6

2011-09-12T23:07:00.046+10:00

We've got a few things planned for today - first up is a trip on the batobus

Our nearest stop is at Notre Dame and while we wait for the boat (it doesn't start until 10am) we can enjoy the view

I took a lot of photos from the batobus the last time I was in Paris so I'm not going to bore you with more but I have included a snap of the Eiffel Tower since it's the first time Paalo has seen it.

The ticket we bought from the batobus was one that also included the ability to ride the hop-on hop-off buses and we used these buses to find our way up to Montmatre and Sacre-coeur.

Montmatre seems to be the place to get a good view of Paris but I must say, we were both a bit underwhelmed by it. To be honest, Montmatre isn't particularly pleasant either.

It's all a bit dull - cool blue and grey. A far superior city view would be in Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo.

Oh look, there's Notre Dame!

Okay, where did that huge tower come from?

We had hoped to catch a taxi back down into civilisation but alas none were to be found and we ended up walking all the way to Gare du Nord station.

By this time it's almost 2 and we're tired, thirsty, hot and hungry so we elect to take a taxi to Gare de Lyon and see if we could get a table at Le Train Bleu.

Happily for us, we got a table straight away and enjoyed a much needed touch of luxury.

Well sated, it's a quick taxi trip back to the apartment.

Dejeuner - Le Train Bleu

2011-09-12T17:48:00.128+10:00

Le Train Bleu is located inside the Gare de Lyon station and has been in operation since 1901.

When you know what lays behind the door, the appearance of the entrance to Le Train Bleu seems a bit out of place.

The photos really don't do justice to the absolute splendour of the venue - visit their website to see some decent pictures.

It does get hard to concentrate on the menu when all you want to do is just look at your surrounds.

We always had this on our list of places to visit but hadn't actually made any type of booking - so finding ourselves in the area we decided to try our luck and see if we could get a table - obviously we were successful!

As we were studying the menu, the amuse arrived

That does look like a devil on horseback - retro but tasty and an excellent onion tart - fantastically short pastry.

For starters:

Saucisson pistaché à la Lyonnaise en brioche, sauce périgueux - Lyonnaise Sausage with pistachios wrapped in Brioche, served on Périgueux sauce

I was expecting this dish to be half this size - the Périgueux sauce was perfect, rich and luscious and heavily studded with truffles. The brioche was light and wonderful for soaking up that sauce. The sausage too was really excellent - well spiced and not fatty, with the lovely crunch of fresh pistachio.

Boudin Blanc de Rethel

This particular Boudin has PGI status and can only contain pork, eggs and milk and cannot have any breadcrumbs.

The boudin is sliced and served in a puff pastry case along with a crayfish and mushroom bisque-like sauce.

Mains:

Tartare de bœuf de race Charolaise préparé selon votre goût, traditionnel ou juste poêlé,
pommes frites et salade mesclun - Charolais beef steak tartare served with a leaf salad and fried potatoes

I couldn't not order the Tartare. It comes out unassembled and the waiter then deftly mixes it and moulds it on your plate using only a couple of spoons. I'm amazed at the speed, it wouldn't even take a minute.

The charolais meat was wonderful, beautiful flavour, excellent texture and the spicing is spot on.

Joue de beouf

Braised beef cheek, served with cabbage sauteed with lardons and red wine reduction.

Perfectly tender beef, excellent sauce, lovely cabbage - classic flavours.

Dessert

After so much wonderful food we decide to share a dessert:

Baba au Rhum Traditional

You've got to love a restaurant that leaves the bottle of rum on the table so you give the baba an extra soaking of rum.

The baba was light and well soaked in syrup - the extra splash of rum, fantastic.

The details:

Le Train Bleu
Gare de Lyon, 1er Etage
20 Boulevard Diderot
75012 Paris, France

Open Every Day:
Lunch - 1130 to 1500
Dinner - 1900 to 2300

Phone:
01 43 43 09 06

Reservations online

WEB

Basilique du Sacre-Coeur

2011-09-12T11:59:00.087+10:00

You must visit Sacre-Coeur was the advice given by my mother and her advice on what to see in the past has been spot on. There are probably easier ways to get here than our route but I've got no real desire to use the Metro especially when the weather is warm and muggy.

If you take one of the hop-on-off tour buses it will drop you off a good block from the base of the complex - from there you'll have to walk up one of the streets lined with touts and scammers playing 3 card monty.

Once you reach the base you have the choice - a long steep walk along a path that zig zags up the hill or take the venicular. Oh, if you take the venicular a word of advice - don't mistake the queue for the toilet for the queue to buy tickets for the ride.

For some reason on the day we're here only one of the veniculars are working - so the trip takes a little longer than it should. Keep an eye out on the counter - it lets you know how many spaces are available in the car and theoretically once it reaches zero no one else can enter and the car will leave. I say theoretically because it doesn't stop experienced gypsies from bumming a lift up.

Once you reach the top it's really a few short paces before you see Sacre-Coeur.

It's another flight of stairs until you reach the basilica proper and from either levels you'll get panoramic views of Paris.

Statue of King Saint Louis IX

Statue of Saint Joan of Arc

If you decide to go inside the Basilica don't be like the a'holes that were here today. No photos are allowed inside and there are countless signs telling you this, they even have people stationed at the door especially telling people with cameras - no photos. I really just don't understand why it's so hard to follow this rule. Seriously, if you have such little respect, then do us all a favour and f&ck off.

If you do go inside, put the camera away and use your eyes - take the time and just enjoy the surrounds.

WEB: Basilique du Sacré Coeur de Montmartre
35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre
75018 Paris, France

Open: 6am - 10.30pm

Paris - Jour 5

2011-09-11T06:56:00.019+10:00

It's a quiet morning after last nights feast at Restaurant L'AOC and lunch is a casual affair with Curtis and Leigh.

All too soon it's time to bid them farewell as they return home but we're hoping that there will be another get together in Italy.

Paris - Jour 4

2011-09-10T23:32:00.111+10:00

Still haven't got over the jetlag so we're up quite early but it allow us to enjoy the lovely view of Notre Dame.

This morning we're shopping for lunch so that means it's back to Place Maubert Market - it's an extra special day as we're expecting a special guest - Jamie.

We always have to stop and look at all those contrails - mind you we have to adjust our tinfoil hats first.

I might be shopping for food but I can still be distracted by other things - I just love love love that chest of drawers.

As soon as we're back at the apartment it's time for breakfast - I must explain that my last shopping task was to get bread from the bakery and as it neared my turn, the trays of just baked croissants were just being pulled out so seriously, I was left with no other option but to indulge.

Still warm and the coffee is about to be poured.

These are seriously good croissants, exceptionally buttery and as light as air.

For lunch, we are going for share plates - various saucissons and cheeses, lovely coeur de boeuf tomatoes, crisp radish and beautiful Charentais cantaloupe, those Tour d'Argent terrines, and this dish of Girolles à la Forestière

I've also made steamed baby potatoes tossed in chive butter and

the Roast coquelet has a second life in a salad with Baby Cos and Onion all tossed in a Green Mustard Dressing.

Of course, there is bread - various baguettes and this Olive Fougasse from the Market.

Happy plates all around.

For dessert, a little Paris-Brest courtesy of Curtis and Leigh.

For dinner, we're off to Restaurant L'AOC.

Diner - Restaurant L'AOC

2011-09-10T19:46:00.156+10:00

We've been inside for most of the afternoon in air-conditioned comfort so it's a bit of a shock to the system when we step outside for the walk to Restaurant L'AOC. It's quite balmy and I'd much rather be inside but from past experience, our destination will be well worth it.

Tonight we've all gone for dishes from the A la carte menu and for starters we enjoy:

Carpaccio de tête de veau, sauce gribiche (Veal head cheese with gribiche sauce)

Don't be fooled there are actually two layers of head cheese on that plate - an incredibly generous serve. The Gribiche was a tangy, fresh sauce made with parsley, capers and chevril.

Os à moelle rôtis à la sel, pain Poujauran frotté à l'ail (Bone Marrow, Garlic rubbed toasted Poujauran bread)

This had to be Paalo's choice - two huge ox bones, heavily infused with garlic - the marrow perfectly cooked, it effortlessly melted in the mouth.

Terrine de Foie Gras de Canard maison (Foie Gras Terrine)

Curtis choose this rather decadent Foie Gras Terrine and the size of this left us quite staggered - I don't think I've ever seen so much foie gras on one plate before.

Terrine de L'AOC et sa confiture d'oignons (L'AOC Terrine with onion jam)

There are a few terrines on offer and Leigh choose the Terrine de Campagne - they bring the whole terrine, a huge bowl of onion jam and that large container of pickles to your table and you can then serve yourself. Leigh decided to ask the waiter to serve the terrine and he certainly gave her quite an enormous slice.

At this stage we've been amazed by the quality but also the quantity and in reality you could probably call it an evening but as we've already ordered our mains we must go on.

Mains:

Tartare de boeuf d'Aubrac haché à la commande

Both Curtis and I have ordered the Beef Tartare - when you order it, they ask if you want it mixed or not and if you have them mix it, they then ask how spicy you'd like it.

First thing I immediately notice is that it is huge - the second is that the it's not served with an egg yolk on top. It has also been chopped to order so the flavour and texture is incredible. It's soft and velvety and quite creamy.

Foie de Veau aux girolles (Veal Liver with Girolles)

Paalo can't resist his liver so ordering this was a given. It's presented as a whole piece - we're used to seeing liver served in thin slices. It's utterly delicious and perfectly cooked with a tinge of pink running through.

Cochon de lait rôti (Roast Suckling Pig)

Leigh's dish of Roast Suckling Pig gave us the case of saucer eyes as we sat amazed at just how much pig was on the plate. Beautifully cooked it was napped it a seriously delicious jus.

We are all left quite stuffed and none of us can finish our mains let alone think about having dessert but we have been impressed by the quality of all the dishes we've enjoyed. I know that if we're coming back to Paris in the future, we'll definitely be dining here again.

The details:
Restaurant L'AOC
14 Rue Fossés St Bernard
75005 Paris, France

Open:
Tuesday - Saturday 12pm to 2.30pm and 7.30pm to 11.30pm

Phone:
01 43 54 22 52

web

Paris - Jour 3

2011-09-09T23:51:00.088+10:00

For breakfast this morning Paalo is enjoying Coconut yoghurt while I have found something that I've absolutely fallen in love with

This is a sheeps milk yoghurt and it has the most amazing texture - a cross between a junket and a custard.

After breakfast it's time to go hunter-gathering. Today, we're getting ready for the arrival of Curtis and Leigh - they will be arriving later this afternoon so first up is a trip to Carrefour and Place Monge Market to see if we can find the elusive Bresse chicken.

Unfortunately the journey proves fruitless and finally I have to admit defeat and alter our dinner plans. It wasn't just a lack of chicken, it was also a case of not quite having the right equipment in the apartment.

We're back at Place Maubert around 12, just in time to pick up some provisions for lunch and dinner.

Excellent bread from the bakery coupled with a few things from the butcher's rotisserie

Along with a piece of saucisse du bucheron (pork, beef and veal sausage), I just couldn't resist this lovely coquelet (which is a cockerel)

For lunch, it's crusty baguettes filled with either meaty shards of chicken and green pepper mustard or sausage.

Simple but extremely flavoursome.

We finish with something sweet - a lovely little fig tart.

The rest of the afternoon is spend pottering around the apartment, Paalo is in charge of the wine

and I think we've got enough for rest of the evening - as long as we don't keep drinking it ;)

A light dinner is on the cards tonight - a selection of cheese and charcuterie, salads and naturally, copious amounts of excellent bread - best of all, it's the perfect environment for conversation and catching up with the much missed Curtis and Leigh.

Place Monge Market

2011-09-09T11:27:00.113+10:00

You'll find this market conviently nestled around the Place Monge Metro and is open Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

At it's center is a fountain

and the stalls sit comfortably around and in between a grove of tall, slender trees - it is a picturesque market.

You do feel like you're having a market in the middle of a forest.

There are organic stalls here.

These tomatoes were just incredible - just about every size, shape and colour - I could have bought them all

Like the Place Maubert market, it's not just produce, you'll also find clothing and jewellery, books and

you'll always find s a plant and flower stall too.

Monster Artichokes - you can compare them to the regular sized ones to the left of the photo

Lovely apples

The breakfast radishes are particularly good at the moment.

The cheese at this stall was quite surprising- it looked a lot more "mature" and I hate to say, not very appetising.

The details:
Place Monge Market
Place Monge
75005 Paris

Open:
Wednesday and Friday: 0700-1430
Sunday: 0700-1500

Bus : 47, 67
Métro : Line 7 - Place Monge

Paris - Jour 2

2011-09-08T23:50:00.006+10:00

Even though we have the most amazingly comfortable bed in this apartment, jet-lag sees us awake at some ungodly hour.

As we have plenty of time we take the long way round to the Place Maubert Market and stop for breakfast at Café Segafredo.

The market is one of the reasons I've returned to this area - along with the fact that I just loved being so close to Notre Dame - and walking around the stalls, there hasn't been a lot of change in six years, not even in the prices!

Our visit today is to buy food rather than taking photos - I'll do that before we leave, for now I want to shop and that is exactly what we do. Naturally we buy way too much but the combination of incredible produce and bargain prices is lethal. Armed with bread, cheeses, meats, fruit and veg, we head for home to survey our loot.

Eating our goodies will have to wait for dinner - we have lunch booked and getting there is a gentle walk along the Seine.

Our lunch destination is Restaurant L'AOC which proves to be an inspired choice - we can't wait to get back there on Saturday.

The walk back to our apartment is at a slower pace although we do manage to visit the Tour D'Argent shop.

After such a great lunch, our dinner is simple - a selection of cheese and charcuterie

Later this evening the apartment manager arrives to make sure we've settled in okay. We take the opportunity to ask where we'd be able to find Bresse chicken - surprisingly none were to be found at the market this morning. He thinks that the Carrefour Market near the Place Monge Market is where we can find them so with that little tidbit, we have tomorrow morning planned.

Les Comptoirs de la Tour D'Argent

2011-09-08T16:53:00.072+10:00

Located just opposite the legendary Tour D'Argent is its shop - Les Comptoirs de la Tour D'Argent.

We had originally planned to have a meal at the Tour D'Argent but eventually decided against it - but that didn't stop us from visiting it's shop.

You have to ring the bell for entry and on the day we visited it was empty - might have been because the heating was on inferno setting, that is certainly one way to make sure people don't linger.

As we glanced about we couldn't help but notice how reasonably priced everything was - though I wasn't sure what the heat was doing to all that lovely chocolate. There were so many things we could have bought - wine, oil, vinegar, tea, biscuits - but we eventually settled on something we could serve up tomorrow.

An extra bonus was the rather cute bag that held our purchase.

So what did we buy - three jars of duck and foie gras goodness.

Terrine de Canard et Foie Gras a l'orange - Rillettes de Canard au Foie Gras - Terrine de Canard et Foie Gras au Poivre vert

The details:
Les Comptoirs de la Tour D'Argent
Corner Quai de la Tournelle and Rue de Cardinal Lemoine

Dejeuner - Restaurant L'AOC

2011-09-08T12:21:00.151+10:00

When we first decided to stay in Paris we took advice from our French Guru, En as to finding, not necessarily the most popular but the more interesting places to dine in this city. As soon as he told us about L'AOC we knew it would be a place we'd have to visit - and on visiting the website and finding out more, we're actually going to be dining here twice.

AOC refers to Appellation d’origine contrôlée - controlled designation of origin and Restaurant L'AOC sources those top rated ingredients - be it produce or wine.

When you walk through the door you're greeted by a lovely sight - assorted meats happily turning on the rotisserie. The decor is as you'd expect a French bistro to be - leather and wood, close set tables, check cloths.

Menu choices at lunch are a al carte or a menu of the day - an extraordinarily reasonable €21 for 2 courses (lunch only) or €29 for 3 courses (lunch and dinner).

Working our way through the menu was easy but as we are not well versed in French wines our choice took a little longer but we finally settled on a 2005 Vin De Pays D’OC Domaine Philippe Chesnelong "Les Creisses" which you can see in the decanter below.

Starters:

Terrine du Chef

I do so love the pig shaped board but even better that it was that gorgeous slap of terrine accompanied by a dollop of caramelised onions. You'll also notice a large jar of cornichons by the bottle of wine in the previous photo, that was served with this terrine. Perfect seasoning, fabulous meat, well studded with pistachio - this alone would make a brilliant lunch.

Oreilles de cochon en salad

Paalo's choice was a pig's ear salad - he had expected strips of deep fried crispy ear but this was something completely different. There was no hiding the fact that this was ear. The pigs ears have been poached in a court bouillon leaving them with a sometimes crunchy, sometimes gelatinous texture depending on which part of the ear you were eating. This collection of odd shaped bits was simply dressed in a white wine vinaigrette.

Oh bread, must not forget to mention the fabulous little sacks filled with fantastic Poujauran bread that we enjoyed through the meal.

Mains:

L'Onglet de Boeuf

A beautiful piece of meat, served with onions and roasted potatoes (the potatoes sit at the bottom of the rotisserie to cook)

Served rare with a beautifully seared exterior, it was fantastically tender. Great flavour.

Boudin Noir

Paalo's choice was a Black pudding and this was quite different again - it was very loose structurally but the flavour was superb.

Dessert:

Charlotte au chocolat

Tarte Fine

Short pastry topped with thick slices of apple and doused in an almost savoury caramel. The thickness of the apple slices surprised me as I most associate a tarte fine with ultra thin slices of apple. I also enjoyed the fact that it wasn't overly sweet - the vanilla ice-cream worked well to cut through the intense caramel.

Inside the charlotte - it sits on a short biscuit and is made from sponge fingers that surround a rather dense chocolate mousse. Once again, not overly sweet.

Cafe:

To finish - coffee and a little financier.

We were very impressed with the meal - the quality was exceptional and for the price an absolute bargain. Paris has the reputation of being an expensive city but seriously a meal like this in Melbourne would cost a hell of a lot more.

The details:
Restaurant L'AOC
14 Rue Fossés St Bernard
75005 Paris, France

Open:
Tuesday - Saturday 12pm to 2.30pm and 7.30pm to 11.30pm

Phone:
01 43 54 22 52

web

Petit-Dejeuner - Cafe Segafredo

2011-09-08T09:15:00.043+10:00

We took the long way to the market this morning and as we perused the various cafes Paalo's attention was caught by a sign offering Petit-Déjeuner Complet.

"€5.80 for all that, it can't be" he exclaimed "you must have to choose."

"Oh no, that's the price for all of it - you get coffee, orange juice, tartine and croissant, the only choice you need to make is what type of coffee you want." There might have been a slight tone of smugness in my voice - having indulged in a couple of breaksfast deals in my previous visit, but it was tempered by the fact that 6 years ago, I paid more!

You might be thinking "oh those croissants are probably rubbish at that price" guess what, they aren't. I don't know where they buy them in from but they were incredible - served still warm, they had that magic combination of buttery lightness and fragility. The baguette was also very good, it was served buttered with a glass of strawberry jam.

The cappuccino was also pretty good too - in fact we even ordered another to tide us over for the market visit.

The details:
Café Segafredo
72 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75005 Paris

Paris - Jour 1

2011-09-07T23:50:00.001+10:00

There is always a bit of nervousness when you book accommodation online as to whether it will actually live up to your expectations but any shadow of doubt disappeared as soon as we opened the door.

I've only taken a few photos now as we need to find the nearest supermarket to get a few necessities.

There's quite a lot of religious bits and pieces dotted around the apartment and the view from our window is just perfect

I find something very comforting about being so close to Notre Dame.

The view down our little street isn't too bad either.

Our bedroom is also quite interestingly decorated - after so little sleep on really bad beds, that bed is looking mighty fine to us but we must resist there are things to do first.

As we are really in the center of things there are at least 3 supermarkets within a couple of minutes walk away - so we've stocked up on water, along with a few things to tide us over until we visit the market tomorrow morning.

We have an early-ish dinner at Le Navigator and then wander over to take a closer look at Notre Dame.

I had caught a few glimpses of it on the taxi ride over and thought it looked a bit different - well the reason for that is that it is now clean. It's no longer a dirty grey, it's light and bright.

Then it's back home where there's time to take a couple more streetscapes from our windows. I don't know, I just think at night, Paris was made for black and white.

Dîner - Le Navigator

2011-09-07T22:50:00.002+10:00

After all our travelling we didn't really want to go too far for dinner. While on our shopping outing we made mental notes on the various restaurants around us and decided to try Le Navigator.

I can't give you a particular reason why we choose it but it seemed to fit the authenticity test - the menu was in French, most of the diners were French and there was a menu that seems to cater to most tastes.

The menu was a well-worn document and when it comes to French wines we aren't what you call experts. There are certain styles we like and wines with some age on them appeal so we started with a lovely half bottle of this:

2004 Chéreau-Carré Château L'Oiselinière de la Ramée Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

STARTERS

6 Escargots de Bourgogne
the snails were more meaty than ones we've had back home but still delcious and the garlic and parsley butter that filled their shells were brilliant.

Foie Gras
It's a very simple presentation, a bit of jelly on the side with toasted bread but you know, it was delicious - the foie gras just melting in your mouth.

To go with our mains we chose this:

2007 E Guigal Saint-Joseph Rhone

MAINS

Ris d'agneau aux girolles
The ris d'agneau are lamb sweetbreads and I don't think I've ever seen so many on one plate. The sauce was rich and complex and utterly delightful as one could hope for. The sweetbreads were soft and tender and a real pleasure to eat.

Confit du Canard
I don't think I've ever seen a duck maryland as big as this but once again it really couldn't be beaten. The meat just flaked from the bone at the touch of a fork - the meat itself was dark and more flavoursome than I'd experienced back home. It was served with sauteed girolles and a cheesy potato gratin.

Although we couldn't quite eat all our dinner, it was quite an excellent way to end our first day in Paris.

Details:
Le Navigator
63 Rue Galande
75005 Paris, France

Phone:
01 43 54 35 86

Open:
Daily 12pm-2:30pm, 7pm-11pm

web

Eurostar - London to Paris

2011-09-07T17:49:00.001+10:00

After enjoying ourselves at The Champagne Bar it was soon time to head back downstairs to catch the Eurostar. It was then a case of "typical" that all the elevators and escalators heading down were no longer working which meant we had to carry our bags down the broken escalator. Maybe we shouldn't have had that extra Champagne.

When we then turned up to check-in, there were rather large queues and it seemed that the electrical problem was also effecting the entry gates.

The last time I was on Eurostar was in 2005 and things have changed a little from then. There are still different classes but they are now called Business Premier, Standard Premier and Standard. After studying the differences I can tell you that the standard premier and the business premier have exactly the same seats so the considerable amount extra you'll pay for going business isn't really worth it.

After queuing to have our e-ticket scanned, there was another queue for the x-ray machines and then a bit more queuing to go through immigration - we both managed to get a particularly surly Frenchman who gave Paalo an especially long once over.

The final bit of farce was the complete balls up in regard to boarding the train. It seemed that only one up travelator was working and instead of letting people go up on the non functioning downwards travelators they were just allowing the crowd to build and build. Finally someone decided to allow people to walk up the broken travelators to the platform but only if they didn't have any luggage.

The reason for this became apparent as we began our ascent - these were on a seriously steep angle and even just trying to hold onto your luggage was difficult - I can't imagine how difficult it would be with the travelator not working.

After all this, the train left pretty much on time and there's only one stop, just outside of London - from there it is non-stop to Paris.

As part of the Standard Premier ticket we've given a light lunch

On the tray we have

Roasted vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, red pepper) with pesto mayonnaise
A slice of Ham and Mustard Tart
Honey Pannacotta
along with a mini bottle of Chardonnay and a bottle of mineral water.

Actually, the food was surprisingly tasty. The tart had a good short pastry while the filling was tasty, the roasted vegetables were especially nice and the pannacotta, though probably a little too stiff had a lovely honey flavour.

Arrival:

I knew from past experience that getting a taxi takes time but things have certainly improved in six years. Where once a makeshift line would form there's now a permanent covered barrier where you queue for your taxi - they have officials working to ensure a speedy turnaround and all up I think the wait took about half an hour.

When we gave our address to the taxi driver it was met with a blank stare - ahh, yes we should have printed a map showing the street, will remember that for next time. So we told him to head for Notre Dame while we searched his street directory to show him exactly were the street was. He still hadn't heard of the street but at least he knew how to get us there.

So finally, after leaving home on 6.15am on Tuesday Melbourne Time, we opened the door to our new temporary home in Paris at around 4.15pm Wednesday (12.15am Thursday Melbourne Time). All up we'd been travelling for 42 hours!