10.23.2018

Paris - All the Steak Frites in Saint Germain

Boulevard Saint Germain


This blog has been woefully neglected for past several years, I just haven't made the time for it. I do feel badly about it, mostly because I have so many unfinished posts sitting in my drafts folder! Post full of memories and photos and, I think, useful information for travelers. A friend is planning a trip to Paris this fall and her excitement reminded me of all the beautiful food and sights I want to recommend to her and, really, anyone. Said co-worker has visited Paris before and loved the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood, recommending I visit the famous Cafe de Flore which, like the Saint Benoit location of Relais de l'Entrecôte, is located in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood. Maybe I'll get to that blog post too...

At Relais de l'Entrecôte Saint-Germain, choose a seat near the huge, open windows for prime people watching opportunities.
The famous steak frites at Relais de l'Entrecôte Saint-Germain in Paris..



The food at Relais de l'Entrecôte is very good and extremely plentiful. But more than anything, the restaurant is a fantastic spot for people watching. When the weather is nice the large windows are left open. This creates a balcony-like seating arrangement for the window seats, which overlook the narrow streets of Saint Germain. I arrived unfashionably early, just as the restaurant opened in order to snag a prime spot. And I'm glad I did. By the time I left the restaurant was packed! Bustling with locals and tourists gathering for lunch on a beautiful, sunny day.

Meals at Relais de l'Entrecôte begin with a light salad topped with a mustardy vinaigrette and a small handful of walnuts.
Meals at Relais de l'Entrecôte begin with a light salad topped with a mustardy vinaigrette and a small handful of walnuts.

Meals at Relais de l'Entrecôte begin with a light salad dressed in a mustard vinaigrette and a handful of walnuts. Like the salad, the menu is simple. The one and only entree option is steak. You may request how your meat is cooked and, of course, what you would like to drink. Thin slices of contre-filet are drenched in the restaurant's signature sauce. It's a buttery affair, laden with herbs (tarragon, I believe,) wine, and a hint of liver. A generous helping of frites are heaped alongside, golden and, to my taste, slightly over-crisp. But they soften beautifully after some quality time in the dreamy sauce. Just as you finish your portion, efficient waitstaff arrive with more food, offering additional steak, extra pours of sauce, and piles of frites.


The steak and frites were plenty but I couldn't resist ordering something sweet to finish off my meal. While the main menu is brief, the selection of desserts is epic. Le Relais de l'Entrecôte is renowned for their elaborate towering sundaes and piles of chocolate drenched profiteroles. I chose a slightly simpler option, sablé de fraises au citron, a buttery shortbread cookie topped with lemon curd, strawberries, and a scoop of ice cream for good measure. It was (relatively) light and all around delightful.





After stuffing myself with enough protein to last a good 24 hours, I headed out towards the nearby Musée d'Orsay. What a beautiful space! The museum is housed in a converted train station. It's jam packed with Impressionist masterpieces alongside epic canvases from French academy artists. But if you're too full for an afternoon of art, try a peaceful visit to the Church of Saint-Sulpice. And make sure to stop at the nearby Pierre Hermé shop to pick up a macaron or canelé on your way home.

Le Relais de L’Entrecôte - 20 Rue Saint-Benoît, 75006 Paris, France
Pierre Hermé - 72 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France

The Musée d'Orsay was once a Railway Station.

6.19.2018

Paris - All Around the Eiffel Tower

A young buy dribbles a soccer ball past the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.


While the Eiffel Tower may be crowded, full of tourists and souvenir hawkers, it remains an absolute must see in my book. Up close the elegant metalwork of the tower is powerful. And the surrounding gardens offer peaceful green spaces that balance out the crush of visitors. I didn't go up, but I wouldn't be opposed to doing so in the future. But I would make sure to plan to visit at a slower (does that even exist?) time.

Crowds of visitors gather beneath the Eiffel Tower to marvel at the monument's strong yet delicate design.
A couple readies themselves for a wedding photo session in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
A sunny day at the Eiffel Tower, crowds of visitors picnic on the green lawn of the monument.
Glittering fountains decorate the plaza in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.


Choosing a restaurant around the Eiffel Tower can be a daunting task. I ended up at Cafe Constant, a charming corner spot just a few streets away. I found it recommended frequently for its lunch prix fixe meal. I enjoyed three beautiful courses for just €18. A cold ham roulade with salad as an appetizer, crisp roasted chicken with homemade chips for the main, and a gorgeous arrangement of meringues, fruit, and custard for dessert. Run by a Michelin star chef, it's a popular spot that doesn't take reservations. I hit it at the after lunch sweet spot, when most of the crowds had cleared out. It was a lovely lunch and felt like the perfect pairing to my Eiffel Tower visit.

A delicate dessert of berries, cream, and meringue at Cafe Constant in Paris, France.
A first course of Ham roulade and a light salad at Cafe Constant in Paris, France.
A main course Juicy roast chicken is complemented by crispy chips at Cafe Constant in Paris, France.
A refreshing glass of rose complemented a Prixe Fixe lunch at Cafe Constant in Paris, France.
A delicate dessert of berries, cream, and meringue at Cafe Constant in Paris, France.
A small coffee to complete the Prix Fixe meal at Cafe Constant.
Petty cabs ready for riders at the Eiffel Tower.
A view of the Eiffel Tower from below on a sunny day in Paris, France.

11.10.2017

A Day in Cordoba + More Tapas at Las Teresas

Blue skies over Córdoba in Spain.
I split my Andalusian adventure up into three parts: Five days in Sevilla, a day and a half in Ronda, and three days in Granada. The extra days in Sevilla left me time to take a day trip to the beautiful city of Córdoba. The train ride is fairly short, around an hour and half. Or you can take the fast AVE train and get there in 45 minutes, but shell out a bit more money. I took the longer ride and it was just fine. I really lucked out on weather, it was a warm, sunny day with perfect blue skies.

A canal leads the way to the historic center of Córdoba, Spain.
A horse rests outside of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.
The triumphal arch marks the start of the bridge over the Guadalquivir river in the historic center of Córdoba.


First up, a wander up and down the Puente Romano. The bridge crosses the Guadalquivir River punctuated by the Triumphal Arch on one side and the Torre de la Calahorra on the other. Originally built by the Romans in the 1st century, then reconstructed by the Moors in the 8th century, the bridge underwent significant restoration ten years ago. After my walk I visited the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, a stunning building brimming with history which deserves a post of its own.

A view over the Roman Bridge looking towards the historic center of Córdoba, Spain.
A sunny view of Córdoba and the Guadalquivir river from the Roman Bridge.
A sunny view of Córdoba and the Guadalquivir river from the Roman Bridge.



My last stop was the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, or, the Castle of the Christian Monarchs, once the home of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. The buildings are more in the style of a fortress than castle, but the gardens are as grand as can be. They're definitely the real draw of the property. I spent some time exploring the grounds, discovering hidden sculptures and lounging around on shaded benches.

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, or, the Castle of the Christian Monarchs, once the home of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. The buildings
A view through a window at Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos in Córdoba, Spain.
A monument in the gardens of Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, or, the Castle of the Christian Monarchs, in Córdoba, Spain



After a bit of a snooze at my hotel I hopped across the street for another meal of tapas at Last Teresas. I ordered my new go to drink, a tinto al limon, and settled in with a bowl of plump cured olives and a tapa of nutty hand sliced Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. I chatted a bit with a nice couple from Australia who had just arrived from Granada. Once the kitchen opened up I ordered a racione (like a larger portion of tapa or a small entrée) of fried puntillitas, baby squid. The squids were lightly battered and seasoned with just salt and pepper. A lovely end to a busy day in Andalucia.

The rustic and traditional interior of Las Teresas tapas bar in Sevilla.
Marinated olives are a great start to a tapas tasting at Las Teresas in Sevilla.
Tile work and small tables populate the colorful, traditional interior of Las Teresas in Sevilla, Spain.
Manchego & red wine an excellent pairing at Sevilla's Las Teresas.
Masterfully cut Jamón ibérico is a must at Las Teresas in Sevilla, Spain.
Masterfully cut Jamón ibérico is a must at Las Teresas in Sevilla, Spain.
A tapa of fried squid and calamari is definitely suitable for sharing at Las Teresas in Sevilla, Spain.
You know a restaurant is serious about their Jamón ibérico when they're stocked with this many legs.


Courtyard decorations in central Córdoba, Spain.
A quiet spot at Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, also known as the Alcázar of Córdoba.
The immaculately maintained gardens at Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, also known as the Alcázar of Córdoba.
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