Gay Paree! Part one.

Matt took me to Paris for my birthday.... Am I not a lucky girl?!

We left on the day itself, a day where I had one too many drinks at work for lunch, and then yet more, when someone set up an 'off-site meeting'! Barely made it to the Eurostar in time for the train...

But made it we did. The train ride to Paris took about 2 hours... Was very weird when we had the 20 mins of total darkness outside while we were under the English Channel. We got into the Gard du Nord station at about 10pm Paris time and walked to our hotel. More a motel. Located in the 16th arrondissement, on a bustling street. Not much else to say, except the bed had one of those polyester, non-descript floral-patterned bedspreads on it. (i dunno, I just had to remark on it) We crashed out pretty quickly, that night.

Next day: Paris! we're in Paris! Rushed out after getting ready and had a good wander down the street. First stop on the tourist map-the Arc de Triomph. The streets were rather full of people- LOTS of little dogs everywhere (Le Chien- seemed like each suburb had it's particular breed of dog!). Went into a French Bakery and got a baguette (oo la la!) to share. Pretty yummy. It's such a sunny day- Paris has really pretty buildings- all sand coloured stone and wrought-iron railings. Not many parks or flora, but cobblestones abounded.

On our way to the Arc, we nearly got run over by some cars. It's really as they say- Parisian drivers are nuts! Not very good road signage, and you think that you should be safe from them crazy drivers coz you're in a no-car area... but where you're standing is actually the middle of the path for cars to zoom in and out of underground carparks!

Anyway, still alive, we make our way towards the Arc, and I turn my head, and see the Eiffel tower, standing tall and proud, in the distance. That view, just encapsulated what the whole idea of Paris was- I wasn't watching it on TV, and it wasn't a postcard, but the real thing. However, the sandy/pebbly walk that was the last bit of the trek to the Arc was hell on my poor feet. I know that everyone walks everywhere in Paris, but really, not when I'm trying to look tres chic, in my little green shoes (going the minimalist look- minimal cushioning and support)! We see the Arc, took some photos, but didn't get to go up there. We had the 1pm reservation at
Hiramatsu to go to!

Were early, so we duck into this bistro, and have a glass of wine each, standing at the bar- very reminiscent of the bars in Spain- ciggie butts and ash on the ground. Broad range of characters. Grumpy barmen.

At 1- we trouped out of the bistro and into Hiramatsu- michelin starred restaurant that (regardless of what the name suggests) specialises in modern french cuisine. We walked into this oasis of calm- lush indoor plants and flower arrangements... there were cool coffee tables with different spices embedded in the glass table top. (photos are courtesy of the restaurant's website)


The restaurant was empty. Which brought the atmosphere down, but that also meant we had pretty much all the waiters' attention (which matt would argue wasn't necessarily a good thing, either). Looking at the menu, Matt went for the 3 course lunch special, and I decided to go for the 'delice gastronomique' menu. I wasn't
going to eat it all myself! My intention was to share with Matt, the whole time! Not THAT much of a guts!

We both started off with some still-warm cheese puffs. yummy. Salty, cheesy and buttery flakes of pastry. I THINK I had some sort of gazpacho in a teeney tea cup, but I've forgotten... My next course was then some medallions of lobster, with slices of truffles on top, some grilled asparagus, with hollondaise sauce and some truffle oil. Very yummy- mix of lighter lobster with the truffles... and the hollondaise.... really fluffy.

I think I liked the next course the best- I had a couple of ravioli stuffed with foie gras and they had morel (wrinkly looking mushroom) froth over the top of it. EEEYUM! you wouldn't think that a froth could have such strength of taste, would you? It was PERFECT. Went really well with the silky pasta and neither the morels nor the foie gras tastes overpowered each other. I
didn't want that dish to end.

Then came the salmon. Says that it was smoked ever so slightly- It's salmon. I don't think I have an opinion on the taste of the fish- but it was pink in the middle, and very tender and I liked the artichoke hearts in orange that it came with.

Matt, at this time was eating his main- lamb. I can't remember how it was cooked.... hang on... grilled or panfried lamb ribs with some sort of potato cream and roasted cherry tomatoes? Matt??? It was yummy, compared to my salmon and pigeon.

Next came a 'supreme' of pigeon- I think that's when they have the breast and the second joint of a bird. ANYWAY- it came rolled up and very lightly fried on the outside, and pink in the middle. Also on the plate were cubes of foie gras, lightly seared, and crushed coffee beans and some cocoa powder. At that point, Matt and I had already had the majority of a bottle of wine, and so I don't think I could adequately describe the pigeon, but I liked the cocoa and coffee tastes with it, and the foie gras was yum.

Then had a cheese platter. They wheeled out this trolley, the top being covered by cheeses of all shapes and sizes.... soft squidgey bries and camemberts, smelly washed rinds, monstrous slabs of cheddars, blues with varying amounts of growth... and we got to have 4 different cheeses! Not big pieces, but enough for two to taste and enjoy. Asked for a French blue, english cheddar, swiss holey cheese and a smoked cheddar.

THEN, we both had a fresh fruit salad with a pinapple granita on it.

I think it was about 3, when we finally trundled out of the restaurant.

What did I think? Um. Small portions. Lovely pairings of tastes and textures. Though I wouldn't have said that I thought that of every single dish. LOVED the cheese platter.... and I guess I would have prefered to have something a little more elaborate for dessert- though I probably
wouldn't have been able to fit anything else in! to tell you the truth, I think I would have preferred to go to the restaurant that I originally wanted to go to, regardless of the higher prices. But, Paris is only two hours away, and I can't imagine leaving the UK without ever heading back to it.

Anyway, we decided to head up the Eiffel tower after lunch. It was huge, though heading up there was not as awe-inspiring as seeing it as part of the scenery. hehehe. I guess you all know my priorities, no?

I'll tell you what the view was like, from up the Eiffel tower, in the next post!