Here are just a few tastes of what I’ve been sampling:

Onion Galettes
The first thing I smell before I even see the market is the hot onion and potato cakes sizzling on a grill. Every Sunday one of Paris’ only organic markets graces the Boulevard Raspil in the 6th arrondissement. At the entrance to the market is one of the most popular stands. A lovely 6 foot Frenchman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes makes small talk with his customers while frying up flat, round cakes made from grated potatoes, onions, and cheese.

But instead of stopping to pick up a galette (cake), we make our way through the market, admiring the fresh from the farm vegetables, meats, cheeses, wine, and other goodies. We make a few purchases here and there, but make sure we save enough cash for the galettes. When we’ve finished our shopping and are about to leave, we stand patiently in line while the earthy smell floating off the grill makes our stomachs growl.

He hands us two cakes directly from the grill wrapped in waxed paper and a napkin. As the heat burns our fingers, we take our first bite. The outside is crisp and brown while the inside is just tenders and cheese nicely melted. We walk slowly in silence toward the metro, each wrapped up in the culinary perfection the $3 bought us.

Go early to avoid the lines.

Marche Biologique
On Boulevard Raspail at the intersection of Rue du Cherche Midi
Metro Sevre Babylon on lines 10 and 12
Sunday mornings

Bistro Heaven
Instead of dining at a three-star Michelin restaurant this trip, we’re opting for smaller, less expensive bistros. Buried deep in the 15th, we discover L’Os a Moelle. With seating at 7:30 or 9:30 every night but Sunday and Monday, this tiny bistro welcomes visitor and locals alike. We are charmed by it’s warm atmosphere, friendly staff, and inviting menu. The five-course menu costs 38 Euros per person and includes a starter, usually in the form of a soup, an appetizer, a main course (meat or fish), a cheese course, and dessert. With two or three choices per course, the menu doesn’t overwhelm and makes you wish you could have one of each.

Chef Theirre Faucher hails from famed Michelin starred restaurants, but he gave it all up to serve good food to gastronomes at reasonable prices. The wine list is well chosen and even if you choose a glass of the house red, you can’t go wrong. The staff speaks excellent English so those who are French language shy feel just as welcome.

L’Os a Moelle
3, rue Vasco de Gama
15th arrondissment
Metro Lourmel on line 8

The Perfect Macaron
Out of all the pastry shops selling macarons, Pierre Hermé is still the best. I had begged Geoffroy to buy a limited time flavor back in June: peach and saffron. When I quizzed him if he bought them for me, he told me they were sold out. Little did I know he bought a whole box and froze them as a surprise.

The small peach colored macarons hide a white chocolate ganache carrying the subtle flavors of peach and saffron. The crust is just crisp enough and gives easily to your first bite. The inside is tender but not sticky or heavy like other macarons. It’s just perfect.

Pierre Hermé
72, rue Bonaparte, 6th arrondissement, metro St. Sulpice, line 4
or
185 rue Vaugirard, 15th arrondissement, metro Pasteur, lines 6 and 12

Naples-Style Pizza
I didn’t discover Le Petit Naples until after I graduated from Le Cordon Blue Paris, which is ironic considering it’s just around the corner from school. We were constantly asking ourselves where we wanted to go for lunch having exhausted many choices near by. But perhaps it’s a good thing we never found it. I probably could have eaten there every day.

This tiny six-table pizza restaurant is always packed. You watch as the Italian owner, hailing from Naples of course, rolls out the dough, places the toppings on, and slides them into the hand-built brick oven. He also serves as host, waiter, and bus boy. We did get a glimpse of one other person working in the back, but mostly it’s just him. He turns people away constantly, so it’s best to reserve the day before. Either that or go at 6:00 – and hour most Parisians feel is way too early to eat.

There are a variety of ingredient choices, even a fresh egg if you’d like. The pizza arrives at your table piping hot and almost covering the plate. Make sure you sprinkle on a bit of the red pepper-steeped olive oil made in house. If I’m feeling naughty, I’ll eat the whole thing, savoring each bite. Geoffroy loves the tiramisu and often orders one to take home.

Le Petit Naples
8, Rue D’Allerray, 15th arrondissement, metro Vaugirard, line 12

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