chocosnob's Profile
Les Cocottes de Constant?
I am not a fan either. I ALWAYS prefer Café Constant to Les Cocottes. Honestly, I think Les Cocottes has always been more about a certain trendy, young 7e crowd rather than about the food.
CDG to Montparnasse -- 630AM on Sunday -- what to do??
I like the Café Vavin. I also like the Vanves suggestion earlier. I love the Vanves flea market. I've met people up in Saint Ouen that buy there and resell. Vanves feels like the only flea market where you can still get a good deal. It used to be even better, but still...
CDG to Montparnasse -- 630AM on Sunday -- what to do??
I love the Vanves flea market. I've met people up in Saint Ouen that buy there and resell. Vanves feels like the only flea market where you can still get a good deal. It used to be even better, but still...
So much choice in Paris - help!
I have always loved Café Constant, so check that out when you get a chance. If you show up right when it opens (7 p.m. for dinner), you can almost always get a table. Make sure to have the chocolate quenelles for dessert.
Best Couscous in Paris?
Just thought I'd do a follow-up on my quest for the best couscous in Paris. Le Tourne-Bouchon (71, Boulevard Raspail--not far from the Epicerie du Bon Marché, so convenient for food lovers) has absolutely wonderful couscous between 10 and 14,50 euros (the higher price is for the royal). It's more centrally located than Les 4 Frères and better overall. This is the kind of place chowhounds should choose, in my opinion. It's authentic, it's friendly, it's high quality, and it's not overpriced or pretentious. Search over. The only drawback to Le Tourne-Bouchon is that they offer couscous only on Thurs, Fri, and Sunday.
Best Couscous in Paris?
Thanks for the link, but I already did search and had considered those answers to be the usual suspects. The only one I didn't know was Les 4 Frères, which I tried yesterday (a couscous royal—great beef and chicken, so-so merguez) and liked quite a bit. Also, the prices were ridiculously low, which is always nice.
Best Couscous in Paris?
Thanks, Theobroma. That sound like exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. It also looks vaguely familiar, like I may have had a tagine there several years ago. Either way, I will definitely go.
Best Couscous in Paris?
What's the best couscous in Paris in your opinion? I've eaten at Chez Omar, so I'd rather see some other suggestions—especially non-touristy, non-trendy places that just serve good food. I don't care about decor. I've already searched the forum here and found a big list that came from a guide. But I would rather know based on your personal experience—especially those who really know Paris. I have lived in Paris multiple times and am currently here for a few months, so I'm not a stranger to the food scene, but I'm looking to branch out from my routines and thought I would start by asking about couscous.
Sundance Resort - Any Experience?
Both the Tree Room and the Foundry Grill (less expensive) are excellent, as much for atmosphere as for good food. It's hard to beat (or get out of the rut of, depending on your perspective) the filet mignon with mango chutney at the Tree Room. However, since the major changes in management/chefs a while ago, Sundance seems to be coasting on its past reputation rather than innovating. Two former Sundance chefs can be found at Pizzeria Seven Twelve in Orem, which is wonderful. Also, the former director of Sundance food services is now in charge of food at Thanksgiving Point, and although I have yet to try it out, he seems to be doing good things (including hiring a new chef with a lot of ideas).
Are there any regional foods unique to Arizona and Utah?
One more plug for Orem, Utah. Hardly a local food, but Eliane French Bakery (1750 S. State St. in Orem) is the real deal. The people who own it were trained by a French boulangerie/patisserie chef who helped them import the right equipment and find the right ingredients. The croissants aux amandes are as authentic as anything in France. They have ridiculously copious portions of daily lunch specials (or at least did the last time I went) and all the pastries are top quality EXCEPT creme patissiere-based treats like eclairs (get a pear tart or a charlotte instead).
Are there any regional foods unique to Arizona and Utah?
Seth: "Fry Sauce?!" as a Utah specialty??? OUCH! Sadly, this is true for the mainstream. But for the chowhound, I enthusiastically recommend Pizzeria Seven Twelve in Orem, Utah. It uses only fresh, local ingredients, and as an added bonus, I believe they use Amano chocolate in their chocolate desserts (Amano--fyi--is among the best artisanal chocolates made in the USA and it's made in Orem). The chefs at Pizzeria 712 were formerly at Sundance. These guys have vision and are committed to quality.
I also like the Red Iguana in Salt Lake quite a bit (as opposed to the Blue Iguana), but right now I think Pizzeria 712 is the best thing Utah Valley has got going for it (for mid-range affordable dining)---for what it's worth.
Pizzeria Seven Twelve. Orem, UT
I finally had a chance to go to Pizzeria Seven Twelve a couple of weeks ago and I loved it! It is absolutely the best place to eat in Orem (I realize that may not mean much, but still...). You can take out of town guests to this place without shame. People from SLC should make the trip.
Paris - staying in the 7th (first time visitors)
Another plug for Café Constant (139, rue Saint-Dominique). Christian Constant has a much more expensive restaurant just a couple of doors down, but this little café is friendly, affordable, and the chocolate quenelles are to die for.
Thank you PCA San Francisco Chowhounds!
Sadly, I did not make it to Cocoabella, but I'll be sure to go there next time I'm in town.
Thank you PCA San Francisco Chowhounds!
I hope it's not out of place to post this here, but I wanted to thank the chowhounds of SF who took some of us from the Popular Culture Association conference on a tour of Chinatown. Also, the list of restaurants was great. I went to The Butler & The Chef Bistro the next day for lunch and had the best boeuf bourguignon of my life (and to contextualize that statement, I go to Paris at least once a year so I am familiar with the dish). My biggest regret: that the conference organizers put you on the second day of the conference, thereby limiting my chowhound-informed choices. The good news is that I'm now a newly registered chowhound and will travel in ignorance no more.
p.s. The chocosnob in me was thrilled to find a Richart only blocks from the hotel. My recommendations for anyone who likes their chocolate a bit on the avant-garde side (and who will pay through the nose to eat tomato basil or curry chocolate): get the "Un jardin en fête" sampler or the "Epicés" collection.
