Restaurant Lasserre
A precursor of many of today’s French cuisine luminaries, Lasserre was established by entrepreneur Rene Lasserre in 1947 in a derelict warehouse. Today it is situated in the moneyed and desirable 8 arrondissement. A simple sign on the front of the building confirmed we had arrived. Inside, attentive staff members appeared as soon as we passed the threshold of the automatic doors. They took our coats and whisked us to the upstairs dining room.
Senderens – Paris
For years Lucas Carton had found the formula to accommodate diner’s varying wants and needs consistently serving delectable dishes with extraordinary service. Its lunch menu was a great buy. On and off the menu we always found dining there an enjoyable affair. In 2005, the owner and chef decided to shake things up a bit by closing Lucas Carton and opening a new, more informal restaurant, Senderens. We were a little anxious as made our way to the reincarnation of Chef Alain Senderens old culinary home, Lucas Carton, on a snowy day soon after it opened.
L’Astrance
We decided to try L’Astrance, named for a wildflower, after an acquaintance from a top Parisian restaurant recommended it as an up-and-coming gourmet hot spot. Although we heard from friends it was nearly impossible to book on short notice, we only had a few days left in Paris and nothing to lose so we called. Lady luck smiled in our direction, allowing us to book a table for that same night. Before finalizing our reservations, the polite gentleman explained all meals at L’Astrance were “surprise” menus.
St. Germain – Rue des Ecoles rental apartment in Paris
A friend asked recently, after hearing our complaints about the cold weather in Paris, why we were there in winter. Summer, he reasoned, was warm and we wouldn’t need heating or cold weather clothes. Right he was. And yet, we enjoy the holiday spirit and seasonal foods available in Paris at the end of the year. People seem to be in good spirits and we make time to take advantage of the countless choices the City of Lights has to offer or just relax and enjoy being there. The 700 square-foot apartment on Rue des Ecoles enhanced our stay, providing a centrally located, pleasant, clean and comfortable corner to call our own for our month long sojourn.
Jacques Cagna
We wound our way on foot from our nearby Latin Quarter rental apartment through the cobblestone street of one of the oldest parts of the city to meet friends for lunch at a neighborhood restaurant, Jacques Cagna. Although it was a short walk and we found the restaurant easily, it was cold and by the time we reached Jacques Cagna we were ready to be in doors. Walking in from the freezing cold on a gray Parisian winter day we were thankful for the warm welcome and English friendly attitude.
