Food Journeys - Biking Around Paris

If, like me, your view of Paris has been confined to a series of mole-like emergences from the depths of the Metro – popping up here and there with no real idea of the ebb and flow of individual neighbourhoods or the city landscape as a whole, you will be very pleased to know that there are now some thousand bicycles available to rent. For a single euro (plus security deposit on your credit card) you can unplug a bike (complete with shopping basket) and head off to explore Paris (note, a strong sense of confidence and bravado is required, along with sensible shoes).

My first such bicycling adventure was on a picture-perfect Sunday autumn afternoon – clear blue skies, not a breath of wind, balmy temperatures and none of the weekday traffic of trucks and buses. In the company of my great Parisian friends, Andre and his wife Georgina, we set off to explore the city after a somewhat indulgent lunch at L’Auberge Bressane (16 Avenue de la Motte-Picquet on the 7th, 0147 05 98 37), a restaurant famous for its soufflés and dishes such as Soft Boiled Eggs in Beaujolais Sauce. (Check out the menu here)

Our first stop was the Isle de la Cité where hundreds of people were enjoying a walk along the river and an ice cream. Outside that most illustrious ice cream institution, Glacier Berthillon (29- 31 Rue Saint Louis en L’ile, 75004), the queues went down the block and right around the corner, requiring us to get off our bikes and push our way through the throngs. Then it was back on our pedals to whiz over to the 4th to the buzz and hustle of the Jewish quarter. Here the narrow, carless streets were jammed with people on their Sunday promenade, lining up for a felafel fix from any one of a number of the hole in the wall eateries.

Next, a quick ride to the Bastille where all the beautiful people were taking in the late afternoon sun at the many street side cafés.

Along the way there were shops to stop and look at, new restaurants and galleries to discover and note, all taken in with a sense of exhilaration at having survived the traffic.

After three hours on the bikes our lunch was worked off enough to start contemplating supper. Back at the apartment we constructed a simple menu using fresh ingredients purchased earlier that morning from the market on 15th.

We started with fresh oysters with chardonnay, vinegar and pepper, followed by a light potage of carrots and fennel with Moroccan spices (ras el hanout and cumin) served with goat’s cheese croûtons. Our main course consisted of a light salad of crispy bacon with figs and pomegranates.

To make: cook 4 bacon rashers in 3 tbsp oil, cool in oil then mix that oil with 1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp fish sauce, ½ tsp salt and pepper, tossed with 4 big handfuls baby rocket or spinach, then add seeds of 1 pomegranate, 6 sliced radishes, 6 quartered black figs and an avocado.

To finish we enjoyed a plate of perfectly ripe cheeses, fresh bread and juicy Anjou pears.

In the background, the latest songs of Ayo , Mariana Aydar , Bebel Gilberto and Mayra Andrade soothed our spirits, while outside the Eiffel tower sparkled on the hour. Danny Kaye got it right – I love Paris in the springtime, I love Paris in the fall…

Other Good Eats In Paris

Le Saint Vincent
26 Rue de la Croix Nivert (near the metro Aerien) 01 47 34 14 94

A well-known hole in the wall sports café; a great place to watch rugby and eat some very good food, including a fabulous terrine de maison, foie gras pressed with fig confit, a light and very tasty skate terrine and a main of braised pig cheeks. The wine list specializes wine from the Beaujolais area.

Le Timbre

3 Rue Sainte Beuve
01 45 49 10 40

Le Timbre is sited on a small street of mostly ethnic eateries in the Rue St Beuve on the 6th. The young chef, Chris Wright, is British and his blackboard menu offers a choice of entrées at 8 euros and mains at 13 and 17. The kitchen is the smallest I have ever seen, and the seating area is intimate with room for only 22 diners.

On the night I visited I was greedy enough to choose three entrées and a dessert: a leek and endive soup; a superb little tartine of anchovies with caramelised onions; followed by a Boudin noir with apples (utterly sensational – the apples were pan fried to puffy perfection, tasting only as a Golden Delicious can); then for dessert, baked prunes with spices, all plump and intense with star anise.

Other entrées included: a home-made Terrine, Pot of Snails with Lentils and Ham, Fried Pig’s Head Rillettes with Capers, and Asparagus with Vinaigrette and Cheddar.

Mains: Cod Fish with Sweet Peppers, Duck Breast and Shallots, Sweetbreads with Cucumber, Roast Leg of Milk Lamb from the Pyrenees, and Duck Confit with Mashed Potatoes.

Desserts: a house-style Mille-Feuille and Baked Pears with Spices.