KOSHER FOOD CRAWLS & TRAVEL: TO PARIS WITH LOVE

By: Gabriel Boxer

Rebeka and I recently went to Paris. For her it was a birthday present; for me, it was a food experience. But we found more — it was a perfect combination of culture, shopping, and of course, the food.

The direct flight on Delta was uneventful and our room at the Hilton was comfortable. Outside, the city of love was beckoning to be discovered.

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements or districts that define the city. Each arrondissement is its own little city. Each has a distinct character in which you can find those iconic Parisian elements — shops, history, and food.

To maximize our visit, we purchased a two-day hop on/hop off bus pass. That brought us to the Louvre, reputedly the world’s largest and most visited art museum, where we marveled at the famous Mona Lisa among other outstanding works of art. We also saw the amazing Opera House, also known as the Garnier Opera, which opened in 1875. We drove along the Seine River where we passed some of the famous bridges like the Lovers Bridge. We saw Notre Dame, drove along Champs-Elysees, the world’s most famous avenue which stretches from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. We got out to gaze at the Eiffel Tower and of course, get some cool pics.

We were lucky to meet chef Nerwin Guzman who took us to review the kosher scene in Paris. We started at a dairy cafe called XVII, famous for its quiche and Tunisian pastries. Across the street was Panser, known for the incredible charcuterie, which is like nothing you have ever seen or tasted.

Little did I know we were on a whirlwind night of eating and enjoying. At Chef Franc, we had foie gras and other authentic delicacies, followed by another restaurant called Bassar, and ending the night at Deli Khan, which was even more incredible. Finally, we returned to the hotel to get some shut eye before another crazy fun day.

ANOTHER MAGNIFICENT DAY

After a quick hotel breakfast consisting of hot coffee, we hopped back on the bus to get some views of the iconic cabaret Moulin Rouge, Gare du Nord railway station, the Bastille, Place de la Concorde - the largest square in the city, and Muse d’Orsay, the museum on the Left Bank of the Sein that holds French art from 1848 to 1900.

A stop in the Le Marais district brought us to the famous L’As du Fallafel that holds up to the hype in every bite.

For erev Shabbos, we made arrangements to eat at the Great Synagogue, which was a few blocks from the hotel. In the morning, we walked to the Chabad by the ChampsElysees and enjoyed a savory kiddish. After walking everywhere all day, we were ready for a yummy Parisian dinner. We had a melaveh malka dinner at a delish Italian restaurant called Maestro, where we tasted incredible Italian food in Paris.

The next day was a shopping experience. We got some sales at designer shops, and souvenirs to bring home to the kiddies. We met up with friends and spent the night on another culinary excursion, starting with the famous Deli Atelier and followed by Kavod, also incredible.

The next day, we decided to tour Versailles. Note to self: make sure the places you want to go to are open. As it turns out Versailles is closed on Mondays, but the gardens were open. So we rented a golf cart for an incredible tour of the gardens, fountains, and smaller palaces on the estate. It was really so much fun that in the end, the fact that we didn’t get into the palace was no big deal. However, next time I won’t go on a Monday.

We spent our last night in Paris with Rodchenko, located in the La Marais area. Then we went to Tikun Olam, which is always a party.

Paris is a food scene like no other. Each restaurant is unique and full of fun dishes like you cannot get anywhere in the world—and all have a good ambiance. Touring Paris was also full of culture, history, and art. We also enjoyed the shopping experience. If you want the perfect combination of culture, food, and shopping, then Paris is the place— and I cannot wait for an encore!