Paris Eats - Azabu Style

Copain and I recently went to Azabu for his birthday lunch. We'd heard about it and had almost eaten there in the past, but we weren't in a big spending mood at the time, if you get my drift.

Now that I've gotten a taste of Azabu, I wish I'd tried it earlier - it is soooo good. Like, I don't care that this lunch is setting me back 60 Euros, good.

It's the tiniest little restaurant, located just off of rue Dauphine. There are maybe 15 seats on the main floor and about 10 seats downstairs. Normally, you probably need reservations, but somehow the stars were aligned and we got two seats at the bar.  

I'm assuming that the universe wanted Copain to meet Jacques Chirac.

Like most Japanese restaurants, they bring you a hot towel to wash your hands, and while you salivate over the live-cooking in front of you, they explain all of the delicious dishes you can choose from. We had Japanese tourists on our right eating seared duck, and Jacques Chirac's security agents to our left eating to-die-for looking shrimp and veggies.

So basically, there was no going wrong here.

Copain went with the flash-cooked red tuna steak and I went for the shrimp - because if it's good enough for Jacques Chirac's security agents, it's good enough for me.

The lunchtime menu was 29 Euros and we were served the following:

-a little mise en bouche seaweed and small potato creation (looked interesting, tasted good, didn't really know what the heck I was eating).

-a small custard soup with mushrooms, a mini egg yolk (I think??) and seafood

-a small salad with sesame seeds, seaweed and a delicious dressing

-main dish : rice bowl, miso soup bowl, 5-6 shrimp, mix of veggies - perfectly arranged and oh-so-tasty, little side of Japanese pickles.

Then we got to choose between a coffee or ice cream - either green tea or sweet red bean. We got the ice cream - duh. Copain got green tea and I got sweet red bean - both were super bon.

Beyond the whole, food being good part, there's also just the gorgeous aesthetic of the restaurant. Everything is presented just so, the dishes are beautiful, the chef only prepares food from tiny plates for individual servings. I mean, Copain's glove fell on the floor and the waitress picked it up and presented it to him like it was a Cartier necklace that had fallen on the ground. Like whoa.

I could get used to Azabu.

I'm pretty sure the prices go up for dinner service, but if you are in the mood to treat yourself to something wonderful, I think it's worth it (and so does Copain, which is saying A LOT). Clean, great service, a complete food experience really, what with the whole live-cooking bit going on as you wait.

Want to try Azabu (and maybe meet Jacques Chirac?) - 

3 rue André Mazet

75006 Paris

Tel: 01 46 3372 05

Metro: Odéon

All photos from Azabu website.

When Jacques Chirac Trumps it All

Yesterday, for Copain's 31st birthday, I planned a scavenger hunt around Paris based loosely on the theme "Thirty-Fun"- thanks Heather Spohr!

Each riddle took him to a new spot where he had to take a photo - photo with Victor Hugo (also born in February), photo at number 31 at Hôtel de Ville, ride around the Grand Roue (ferris wheel) at Concorde, etc etc. The whole time he told me that I needed to make it easier - that he was not a riddle guy. Duly noted...

He got especially stuck on this one:

The Academie Française would die if they knew the words we used and why! Do they even have a clue that royals can be dophines too? So find the street where fish would swim if they came to Paris on a whim. Extra points at 31 if you make a fish-face just for fun :-)

Ok. maybe it was a stretch that he would see "Academie Française" and know that it was about a play on words, then connect the French word for someone who is royal with the French word for dolphin (that I purposefully added an "e" to, in an effort to help him out!), then think - ah! yes! she must mean the rue Dauphine!

Yeah, that didn't happen at all. I had to coax him along and finally end with - you know, royals! Dauphins! but also - un dauphin! a dolphin! You know, like the rue Dauphine!

Not exactly the effect I was going for. But alas.

My plan for the rue Dauphine was to take him to a sushi lunch at one of our old standbys, but on our way to number 31 for the fish-face photo, we passed by the restaurant Azabu - one of the nicest, most authentic, Japanese restaurants in Paris. We had tried to go about 2 years ago, but hadn't realized that it was more of a special occasion kind of restaurant until we looked at the menu out front. In any case, it made my sushi plan look a lot pathetic. Despite Copain's claim that a sushi boat sounded really good, I knew it was the price tag that was keeping him from admitting he really preferred Azabu. Heck, I preferred Azabu! And, it was his birthday - so, feeling bad that I hadn't thought of it myself and made a special Azabu riddle (that he would not have understood) - I insisted that we eat there instead.

As we negotiated our way to the two open spots at the bar (instead of downstairs, where they initially suggested we sit), Copain hit my arm and whispered, "Do you know who that is??!!!!!" 

Ladies and gentlemen, Mesdames et Messieurs, Jacques Chirac, The President of France from 1995-2007, was eating lunch at Azabu.

Copain could barely contain himself. 

As I begged him not to take photos and embarrass me in this restaurant no bigger than 200 square feet (I could have thrown my chopstick and hit Jacques in the head), he immediately starting updating his Facebook status, texting his parents and telling me that I just couldn't understand. Then he told me that it would be like having Bill Clinton at the table next to us. 

What he doesn't know is that I would never take a photo of Bill Clinton. Or Brad Pitt, or Beyoncé. J'ai horreur de ça!

We ordered our lunch and started to dig into the deliciousness that had been cooked right before our eyes by Azabu's amazing chef.  It was obvious that the restaurant and all of its patrons were on pins and needles having The Jacques Chirac in their presence. Then, as the Chirac party finished their meal and stood up to go, Iphones suddenly appeared out of nowhere! Everyone wanted a photo with the man himself. Even top chef, and sushi chef, and tiny waitress in the back, and busboy from downstairs. 

And the Japanese tourists sitting next to us.

At 80 years old, poor Jacques was so weak from illness that he could barely walk or hold himself up; each new person who jumped in for a photo became his support cane.  Sometimes he'd throw a bisous on the waitress' forehead for good measure. 

80 years old and still a womanizer.

I could see Copain sweating - should I ask for a photo?! Finally, he jumped up, gave his Iphone to Bisous Waitress, plugged himself under Jacques armpit so he wouldn't fall over and said Cheese.

And that mes amies, is how Jacques Chirac trumped my birthday scavenger hunt, my Apple store gift card and my dinner reservations at Mama Shelter.

Paris Eats - Sushi Style

It's not often that I'm willing to trek to the 14th arrondissement for dinner out - but somehow, Copain convinced me that this sushi would be worth it.  And you know what? He was RIGHT.

When we arrived, we checked out the menu in the window and tried to decide what we would order.  A girl outside smoking a cigarette overheard our conversation and told us that the place "was excellent" and that we should definitely eat there.  So... we did.

It was full, full, full, all the way to the back - we were lucky to get a seat at the sushi bar! The servers and the sushi chefs were the real thing - Japanese all the way (right down to the very cool pony tails they were sporting).  Copain practiced his Japanese (learned from watching too many Mangas), while we waited for our food:

Our view of the goods

We got two platters - one sashimi and one sushi with the "superior" fish. Why go to sushi if you're not going for superior sushi?!

Close up on the sashimi

Close up on the sushi

The service was very friendly and the sushi, which was made right in front of us, didn't take long to be served.  We were in sushi heaven.  We also got some miso and rice to round out the meal.  

If you are looking for a delish, authentic sushi experience, go to Toritcho!! (Also, make a reservation - we were super lucky to find a spot at the bar, but next time, we are going reservation style).

Toilet report: I was very impressed with the "Sani-siège" in the women's bathroom (a self-cleaning toilet seat!), but I didn't want to push the button to see if it worked.  Toilet rating: thumbs up for Paris!

Toritcho

47 rue du Montparnasse

75014 Paris

Tel: 01 43 21 29 97

Metro: Gaïté (line 13), Montparnasse (lines 4, 6, 12, 13) or Edgar Quinet (line 6)

Paris Eats - Rue Sainte Anne Style

Copain and I first went to Higuma on a recommendation from our born and raised Parisian friend. It was a rainy night in Paris and Copain and I (still Toulousains at this point) were winding our way through the streets trying to find what I thought would be a romantic dinner for two.

Then we arrived at Higuma and there was a huge line out the door and this in the window:

Plastic food displays...yummy?

Long story short - I did not love Higuma.  Yes, the prices were cheap and the food was good but dude, no ambiance what-so-ever. It was une cantine japonaise - NOT my romantic dinner for two.

While my first experience with Higuma was less than amazing (dinner only lasted 30 minutes, if that!), I have now come to love the restaurant and experience for what it is. Whenever Copain and I want to go out but not spend a lot, we go to Higuma.  Check it out:

Open kitchen - watch them expertly make the gyoza!

No frills service - but hey, it tastes good

My favorite spicy soup dish! Kimuchi Lamen...so tasty

Be prepared to wait about 10 minutes before you are seated - I've never been to Higuma without waiting in line out the door. Copain and I get one main dish each (we never leave hungry) and usually spend about 20 Euros total.  The bathrooms are less than stellar - but try to forget they're even there and focus on the food. 

Last time we went, we checked out the Japonese grocery store next door (I love international grocery stores!!) - all kinds of fun waiting to be had:

Rice rice and more rice!!

Black sesame ice cream...hmmm

Kikkoman:-)

Unfiltered saki - my fave

Want to go to Higuma and check out rue Sainte Anne?

Higuma

32 bis rue Sainte Anne

75001 Paris

Tel: 01 58 62 49 22