There's nothing like a quaint Parisian cafe serving up authentic sandwiches made from a perfect baguette. Every time I'm in Paris, I'm seeking out the next best sandwich.

Previously, my search led me to the bar at Le Petit Vendôme, still one of my favorite places for a delicious traditional sandwich made from top quality charcuterie, terrines, and pickles. It also led me to discover Chez Alain Miam Miam inside the old traditional Parisian market Marche des Enfants Rouge, another fantastic choice. (and the bustling market itself is so worth a visit.)

This time around, we discovered Le Mache-Dru Paris, another lovely shop tucked away on Île Saint-Louis—the charming little island in the Seine River that bridges La Rive Gauche and La Rive Droite (the Left and Right Banks).

It's right next to the famous Notre Dame

We ate here because we had purchased tickets for a 2PM entry to Notre Dame, so the location was perfect.

We hadn't been here since the awful fire in 2019. It took several years to rebuild, but finally opened back up to the public in December 2024.

It's still awe-inspiring.

Definitely book a slot beforehand. The line to get in without a pre-booking was INSANE. We were so glad we had pre-booked a timeslot (it's free!).

Back to the Sandwich

Because we arrived pretty early by French standards (right at 12PM), there wasn't anyone else at the restaurant, and we got a seat pretty easily.

We very much enjoyed our sandwiches - everything from the freshly baked crusty bread to the nice ratio of jambon, cheese, and cornichon (pickles) inside. It was perfect for what we wanted.

They offer beautiful looking charcuterie + cheese boards that you can enjoy with wine. Perhaps if we come back, we can try that!

It's also fun to explore this tiny little island (île Saint-Louis) within the river Seine within the center of Paris. I loved people watching while munching on our tasty sandwiches together with a carafe of wine.

All in all, a great lunch spot!

Le Mache-Dru Paris
60 Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île
75004 Paris, France

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New England is famous for its fall foliage. The colors start in the north (Vermont/New Hampshire) and make their way south as the weeks go by.

Last October a couple of my close friends and I decided to organize a quick girls weekend trip (without husbands and kids!) to Vermont to see the foliage and just enjoy some unhurried time together. It was sort of a joint birthday celebration.

But First, Run a 10K??

Haha YES! Before we left for Vermont, that morning I ran my first 10K in probably 15 years (!). I had been slowing increasing my mileage during my morning runs (in the Hong Kong heat, no less!) and was inspired to try and sign up for a race. I was so excited to see the Women's 10K happening right around the time I would be in Boston!

(I really think the last time I ran a 10K - probably also the Women's 10K - was back in 2009!)

I was thrilled at my sub-1 hour time.

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Energized by the race, I quickly headed home to change and head back out to meet my friends. After a lovely Indian lunch in Waltham, we hopped in the car and started driving up the beautiful backroads of Massachusetts to eventually arrive in Vermont.

Our goal: foliage during peak season!

We planned our Vermont foliage trip during mid-October, supposedly still a pretty peak season?

Alas, 2025 was NOT the year for beautiful fall colors in New England. The area suffered from one of the worst droughts in centuries, and therefore the trees were dry and not nearly as colorful as years’ past.

Despite less-than-ideal fall colors, Vermont is still a fun place to visit. It’s got fantastic beer, cheese, and hiking. Some cult beers, like Heady Topper, are from Vermont. There’s also an insanely amazing cheese scene, and you can even drive along a cheese trail and try numerous types of cheeses.

Wilmington Vermont

We booked an Airbnb in Wilmington, Vermont. Our main goal was just to get away somewhere new, chill, and spend time together in a relaxed, unhurried environment. In all honesty, because October is SUCH a popular time to go to Vermont, our options were quite limited when we were looking. The Airbnb we found in Wilmington happened to be brand new (not many reviews), so it was still available!

One of the most relaxing parts of the trip was just hanging out at our AirBnB, sitting by the fire, and catching up.

Of course, during the day we also made time to visit some sites near Wilmington.

Stop 1: Hogback Mountain

There's a pretty lookout from Hogback Mountain where you can see a vast expanse of trees and the surrounding mountain range. If the foliage is in top shape, this would be an amazing lookout.

We could certain see some color, but you can see it's a bit past peak, and several of the trees were already bare.

Stop 2: Vermont Distillery

Right near the Hogback Mountain lookout, you can also visit Vermont Distillery and taste some fun liqueurs, including maple syrup flavored spirits!

My friend ended up purchasing Vermont Maple Liqueur from Metcalfe's after tasting a number of different varieties.

It was really chill to just hang out here. There are a number of chairs where you can just sit down, enjoy a drink, eat popcorn (or other food), and listen to live music.

Stop 3: Flea Market

My friend ended up buying a bunch of potted flowers because the price was insanely reasonable.

Stop 4: Wandering Around Wilmington "downtown"

The main street of Wilmington has a number of small shops and restaurants, similar to many other New England towns. We visited country stores, craft shops, and enjoyed local seasonal fare at the restaurants in town.

Enjoying Our Haul of Vermont Snacks

Cherish these times . . .

Overall, I think the Vermont foliage trip was a success (despite lackluster foliage colors). I am so thankful for this opportunity to travel with close friends on a trip where it was just the three of us. After all, it was rare and quite special that we were all together: one friend flew in from California and I flew in from Hong Kong.

It kind of felt like we were back in college!

As we get older (and our daily responsibilities occupy a majority of our time and energy), these moments are indeed precious. It's such a treat to truly get away (even if just for a day or two) and just have the freedom to enjoy a few unhurried, zero-pressure, totally relaxed days in the presence of good friends.

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New York City is a place known for notoriously difficult reservations. Mario Carbone's original, iconic, eponymous Italian American restaurant Carbone is one of the hardest to get. There are threads and articles online devoted to this topic, with titles like "[t]he hardest reservations to get in NYC right now", "is there ANYWAY to get into Carbone" and "is Carbone just outright rejecting normal people?".

Many eventually get a taste of Carbone at one of its other locations, such as Miami, Las Vegas, or overseas. We've dined many times at the Carbone in Hong Kong, and we've always enjoyed it. Although it's reasonably bookable, you still have to book at least a week in advance, especially for prime weekend spots.

But we've always been mildly curious what it would be like to go to the ORIGINAL location in New York. We think the one in Hong Kong is actually already quite good. Yet we also knew the crazy hype surrounding the NYC location. Would it be different? Better? Would it feel exclusive? Why is it so hard to book?

We finally found out during our most recent trip to New York City this past spring! It certainly wasn't easy to get the reservation. In fact, we had to go through the Hong Kong Carbone - who connected us with the New York City Carbone - to finally get a booking. It was certainly a huge favor, and we're quite thankful to Carbone HK (where we are kinda regulars) for helping us in this way.

The Vibe

First, the space at this original Carbone is quite special. There's a long history behind the space, where originally Rocco Restaurant stood for many years. The inside has a 1950's vibe, with dark wood paneling, lots of velvet, and waitstaff wearing bowties.

The original New York location is a smaller, tighter space. The alleys are narrow, and there isn't much space between tables. You almost feel like you're in a cave!

Bread, Soprasetta, and Cheese!

The meal started out very similar to what we see in Hong Kong, a delicious overflowing breadbasket full of three types of bread: garlic, seeded, and a tomato foccacia. There's pickled caulifower and soprasetta.

To us, the quality was pretty comparable to Hong Kong, and not noticeably different.

But the cheese . . .

On interesting difference was the cheese! In Hong Kong there is a dramatic presentation where the server wheels out a whole cheese wheel (on a cart) and scoops out pieces of Italian grana padano for each diner. It's a dramatic presentation, and everyone always loves it.

Perhaps due to space constraints in the New York City location, the server just brought over a much smaller cheese round (no cart), and scooped out some cheese for each of us. The cheese was still delicious, but it was different!

Another fun fact. In Hong Kong we had Italian grana padano cheese. In New York, the cheese is actually from the US! It's made by an Italian immigrant who moved to Wisconsin! He took old world techniques and made an American versions of Parmesan, which they call "American Grana."

Appetizers

Pasta

But you MUST order a side of meatballs to go with this dish. The combination of the rigatoni with the meatballs is divine, and the sum is truly greater than the parts.

Main Dishes (Good to Share!)

Sides

We ordered several sides that we'd never tried in Hong Kong before.

In fact, we were so stuffed at that point (we packed quite a bit of leftovers!) that we just didn't have room for dessert. Yes, we had to say no to dessert.

General Thoughts - Carbone New York City

It was a bit surreal to finally be able to visit a place that is so notoriously hard to book. Yet, at the same time, it felt so normal and so familiar. I think I have to say kudos to the Hong Kong team, who have really captured the feeling and quality of the original New York location. The food is tasty, and service was good, and the whole vibe of the place is pretty special. You do feel like you are being transported by into the 1950's, and it's fun for fans of the movie The Godfather (it's one of Bryan's favorite movies!).

It's still pretty impossible to book the Carbone in New York. If you're willing to travel, at least the Hong Kong location is much easier to book, and I think the overall experience is similar. Sure, the New York location is a bit cozier, tighter quarters, darker spaces . . . but I still think the Hong Kong location captures the overall feel pretty authentically.

Must order dishes: Spicy Rigatoni Vodka with a side of Meatballs, Caesar Salad, and maybe the Veal Parmesan. I personally really loved the angel hair pasta as well.

Carbone New York
181 Thompson Street
New York, NY 10012

Related Posts

Carbone Hong Kong: It's amazing how impeccably Carbone Hong Kong execute the "red velvet and leather" old-world Italian-American aesthetic, everything from the spicy rigatoni to the massive veal parmesan.

Torrisi Italian Specialties: Before Carbone became the global sensation it is today, chefs Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi were making waves in NYC at Torrisi Italian Specialties. This post from 2012 (!) covers a visit from back when the duo was serving highly creative, affordable tasting menus out of a tiny New York storefront.

Contessa Ristorante – Great Italian in Boston Opened by the same team behind Carbone, Contessa is has distinct "Carbone vibes", but is a bit lighter, brighter, and Northern-Italian leaning.

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Ah Il Buco Alimentari. I fell in love with this restaurant when I first visited back in 2012 (!). It was one of those rare places in New York that we repeatedly visited, despite usually wanting to try new places. 

It was just THAT good.

We also loved the restaraunt-within-a-market concept (reminding me of our beloved Roscioli in Italy). Who could have ever imagined that - 14 years later - we’d be back in New York, and Il Buco would STILL be here. Not only that, even Roscioli would have opened a location in New York City!

And we’d visit them BOTH in one trip.

Our visit to Il Buco this time was amazing

It has maintained its market-like concept, and business is as good as ever. It was fun to sit at the bar, staring at delicious cheese all night long.

The place certainly has A LOT of energy, and can be quite loud. We were glad we were seated near the end, closer to the door where it was a bit quieter.

Il Buco specializes in “house-cured meats and home baked breads and pastries." Their restaurant is centered around the concept of the Alimentari, or market, "where a multitude of local and Italian imported artisan products line the shelves, including the il Buco original product line of Italian extra virgin olive oils, vinegars and sea salts.”

Indeed, it is so tempting to purchase many of their excellent ingredients (like olive oil, for instance!), after trying them at the restaurant.

What We Ate

And the there was this Occelli al Barolo cheese (aged for 7 months)!

I fell in love with this stunning cheese, which is wrapped in the spent skins of barolo grapes! I even searched whether I could buy it in Hong Kong, and was pleasantly surprised to find out our local Italian market, Mercato, indeed carries this cheese!

(Since our New York trip I've gone back TWICE to buy this cheese. Still can't believe I can get it here in HK.)

You wonder how we still had room for the rest of the meal? Suffice it to say, we skipped the second and just focused on pasta for our main course!

Pasta + Sides

General Thoughts: Il Buco Alimentari

What can I say, am I biased due to nostalgia that I had an amazing time at Il Buco? It was hard not to compare it with Roscioli, since we had just eaten at the new NYC location a few days earlier. Even though I originally loved Il Buco because it reminded me of Roscioli (in New York), this time I actually felt that the market at Il Buco felt more authentic than the one at Roscioli New York. Perhaps a "local" restaurant will feel more local compared to a transplant trying to re-plant a "foreign" concept into another city.

I loved both, and the food at both places were excellent. There was just something about promoting a (sort of) local Vermont cheese, or maybe the fact that there's a real market inside the restaurant, that just made Il Buco feel a bit more authentic and local.

I'm thrilled they are doing so well. In fact, so well that the noise level in the restaurant was a bit borderline for me to handle. I am very thankful they let us move seats to the corner of the restaurant, which made all the difference in our enjoyment of the meal. What can I say, New Yorkers are energetic people!

Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria
53 Great Jones St.
New York, NY 10012

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I've been a fan of Eric Ripert's Le Bernardin for as long as I can remember. There was my first full tasting meal (dinner) in 2009 (where I promptly declared it as my "favorite restaurant in the world" and "it's rare that every single course of a 10-course tasting is a "wow" dish").

And then there were those subsequent lunches in 2014 (where he happened to be in the kitchen that day!) and in 2016, when a college friend and I celebrated our milestone birthday.

Each time the seafood was executed perfectly.

I never would have imagined back in 2016 that it would be over ten years before I would return.

Le Bernardin had three Michelin stars back then. Throughout all these years, the restaurant has maintained its high-precision excellence (and its three stars). Chef Ripert has continued to stay focused on his flagship restaurant instead of expanding rapidly, like some other celebrity chefs.

Lunch 3-course Menu

"Where do you want to eat in New York this time?" Bryan asked.

"I only have one request," I said. "Le Bernardin".

We were taking some friends to New York (their first time), and it had been SO LONG since I'd been. Plus, we wanted to show our friends some of our favorites.

Honestly, upon walking in, it felt as it nothing had really changed (despite a whole decade passing!). The space felt familiar. I could still look at certain seats and say, "I remember sitting there."

Partly due to time limitations (our friend was flying out that afternoon), we chose the 3-course lunch menu ($139). This tasting allows you to choose 2 courses plus a dessert. Typically people will choose a lighter one as the first course (e.g.. something from their "raw" or "barely cooked" sections) and then a "heavier" one (from "lightly cooked") as their second course. However, it's pretty flexible and you can choose whichever two dishes you want.

I'm happy to report that the food is still excellent.

Almost Raw

Even after over a decade, certain dishes never leave the menu. This signature TUNA dish (layers of thinly pounded yellowfin tuna over foie gras and a toasted baguette plus chives) is still fantastic.

Lightly Cooked

Dessert (or a Salad?)

Bryan thought a salad was a bit weird at this stage of the meal. He thought it odd that they couldn't even offer a coffee. This at least makes more sense at the end of a meal. In the end, he forewent any dessert (technically skipping out on ⅓ of the 3-course tasting). Instead, he ordered (and paid extra for) a double espresso.

It's an interesting bigger question of what a 3-Michelin star restaurant should do in this situation. The restaurant doesn't really offer an a la carte option. Thus everybody has to order a set menu of some sort (and they ALL have a dessert course). It seems like offering a coffee (as a substitute for dessert) wouldn't be very expensive. This would at least make the guest feel a bit better about the whole situation.

In any event, Bryan left with sort of a sour feeling, at least with respect to the hospitality aspect of that meal.

Don't get me wrong. The food is still excellent, and we have absolutely no complaints about the rest of the meal. Overall we really enjoyed our whole experience. It was just that final "salad for dessert is your only option" that was a bit odd.

Le Bernardin
155 W 51st St
New York, NY 10019

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