Paris - All the Steak Frites in 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...

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 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

Just Paris Things - Pierre Herme & Arc de Triumphe

Quick - what are the first two things that come to mind when you think of Paris? The Eiffel Tower most likely. And, for me at least, the most Parisian of pastries, the French macaron. It's the perfect portable dessert to savor wherever your wanderings take you. May I suggest a picnic with a view? You can see the Eiffel Tower from all over the city but my favorite vantage point is from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. And once you reach the top there's no rush. Take your time, enjoy the view and your macarons.

I picked up my cookies at the Pierre Hermé shop in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood. The elegant little macarons are made from two almond meringue like cookies which sandwich a creamy ganache or icing layer. I chose three, the Infiniment Vanille and the shimmering Pistache et Griottine, an amazing flavor combination of pistachio, ceylon cinnamon and griottine cherry. Plus an oversized mogador macaron, tart passion fruit cookies filled with decadent milk chocolate. So good. I visited twice during my trip and didn't even bother with Ladurée (Paris' other famous macaron emporium) until I got to the airport for the flight home.

I was also eager to try another famous French pastry, the Canelé. While not a Parisian thing, Canelé are a Bordeaux specialty, one of my favorite food blogs recommended the Pierre Hermé version. And it was delightful. Edges crisp with burnt sugar with a light, vanilla scented spongy-custard interior.

The only thing more French than the Eiffel Tower is the Arc de Triomphe. The traffic around Paris' second favorite monument is intense. A dozen boulevards, including shopping mecca, the Champs-Elysées, converge in a roundabout from hell. To get to the Arch, pedestrians take an underground tunnel that bypasses the mess at ground level. I visited in the early evening and there was no real line to speak of, but I did use my Paris Museum Pass to get faster access. There's no elevator and the dark, seemingly endless, spiral staircases are a bit daunting.

The view is totally worth it. There's the hustle and bustle of the Champs-Elysées to the east. Then, to the north, the hills of Montmarte and the glowing white dome of Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Looking west you'll see the metropolitan business district of La Défense with it's own Grande Arche, a modern counterpart to the Arch de Triumphe. And of course, to the south, you can't miss the Eiffel Tower. I recommend visiting an hour or two before sunset, when the city takes on a golden glow and and the trees cast long shadows over the wide boulevards and architecture.

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