It started innocently enough.
Susan was coming for a visit.
Of course I was under pressure. I had a "rep to protect", as they say.
Yes, it was Susan Jung, Food Editor, coming to stay with me.
"I have no plans", she said, making sweat beads as big as the ones on Anime characters pop out on my forehead.
I ran through my list of usual suspects, crossed my fingers and started making reservations for her arrival.
Luckily, she is one of the most easy going and loveliest people I've ever had the good fortune to meet.
So, what did we eat?
Well she blew into town with the force that is Meei, one of her friends who commandeered the day and so tea at Ladurée followed by a "simple" aperos and food at Bellota Bellota in Lafayette Gourmet before her train that evening.
The next day, I took her to my favorite lunch place in the city, the wonderful couscous stall at the Enfants Rouge Market (soon to be blogged, not to worry), followed by my favorite dinner place in town, A La Biche au Bois. Please note that I did manage to cram about 4 scoops of ice cream (Berthillion, of course, and the Roboppy approved Deliziefollie) into Susan in between lunch and the huge but delicious dinner of veal kidneys.
On day three, we set out resolutely for Pierre Hermé , where be bought canneles, to be consumed after lunch at Le Comptoir du Relais, where we admired our neighbour down a three course meal and a whole bottle of wine on his own. After our canneles, Susan heroically returned to Pierre Hermé for a fortifying Miss Gla Gla (macaroon biscuits with ice cream), before an evening of shopping and dinner at L'Os a Moelle. By this time, I had to beg out and left her to dine with a friend while I tried to rest my horrifically distended belly at home.
Day four was market day at Bastille which could not be missed, following which I set my guest at work whipping up a delicious mayo and dining on brie de meaux, artichokes, andouillet charcuterie, St Marcellin cheese, fresh gorgeous vine tomatoes and radishes, pate de campagne, liver saucisson and Vourvray wine.
Following which a trip to the incredibly nice and talented Jacques Genin was made in order to pick up 2 kilos of delicious, tender caramels, before heading back to Pierre Hermé, where after a slight altercation (which they called a 'misunderstanding and I call plain rude), we managed to emerge with Miss Gla Glas and a Kouing Aman. Of course right around the corner was Poilâne, which we couldn't resist popping into, and La Grande Epicerie of Bon Marche, before going to dinner at the wonderful Ribouldingue.
On day five, L'As de Falafel couldn't be missed and more ice cream from Berthillon and a walk up rue Mouffetard and St Germain to many of the chocolate shops. Patrick Roger's reception was icy cold and unfriendly despite our smiles and calls of "Bonjour", while at Jean Charles Robouchoux, we had a warm reception, placing our orders for the Saturday fresh fruit chocolate specials and a large order as gifts for Susan's return. Finally a last dinner at La Regalade before finally coming to a rest back home.
Susan was coming for a visit.
Of course I was under pressure. I had a "rep to protect", as they say.
Yes, it was Susan Jung, Food Editor, coming to stay with me.
"I have no plans", she said, making sweat beads as big as the ones on Anime characters pop out on my forehead.
I ran through my list of usual suspects, crossed my fingers and started making reservations for her arrival.
Luckily, she is one of the most easy going and loveliest people I've ever had the good fortune to meet.
So, what did we eat?
Well she blew into town with the force that is Meei, one of her friends who commandeered the day and so tea at Ladurée followed by a "simple" aperos and food at Bellota Bellota in Lafayette Gourmet before her train that evening.
The next day, I took her to my favorite lunch place in the city, the wonderful couscous stall at the Enfants Rouge Market (soon to be blogged, not to worry), followed by my favorite dinner place in town, A La Biche au Bois. Please note that I did manage to cram about 4 scoops of ice cream (Berthillion, of course, and the Roboppy approved Deliziefollie) into Susan in between lunch and the huge but delicious dinner of veal kidneys.
On day three, we set out resolutely for Pierre Hermé , where be bought canneles, to be consumed after lunch at Le Comptoir du Relais, where we admired our neighbour down a three course meal and a whole bottle of wine on his own. After our canneles, Susan heroically returned to Pierre Hermé for a fortifying Miss Gla Gla (macaroon biscuits with ice cream), before an evening of shopping and dinner at L'Os a Moelle. By this time, I had to beg out and left her to dine with a friend while I tried to rest my horrifically distended belly at home.Day four was market day at Bastille which could not be missed, following which I set my guest at work whipping up a delicious mayo and dining on brie de meaux, artichokes, andouillet charcuterie, St Marcellin cheese, fresh gorgeous vine tomatoes and radishes, pate de campagne, liver saucisson and Vourvray wine.
Following which a trip to the incredibly nice and talented Jacques Genin was made in order to pick up 2 kilos of delicious, tender caramels, before heading back to Pierre Hermé, where after a slight altercation (which they called a 'misunderstanding and I call plain rude), we managed to emerge with Miss Gla Glas and a Kouing Aman. Of course right around the corner was Poilâne, which we couldn't resist popping into, and La Grande Epicerie of Bon Marche, before going to dinner at the wonderful Ribouldingue.On day five, L'As de Falafel couldn't be missed and more ice cream from Berthillon and a walk up rue Mouffetard and St Germain to many of the chocolate shops. Patrick Roger's reception was icy cold and unfriendly despite our smiles and calls of "Bonjour", while at Jean Charles Robouchoux, we had a warm reception, placing our orders for the Saturday fresh fruit chocolate specials and a large order as gifts for Susan's return. Finally a last dinner at La Regalade before finally coming to a rest back home.
Reviews of Regalade and Ribouldingue to come... as well as a week of light eating and rest. That Susan may be tiny but she does the foody world proud!!
6 comments:
oh god.
[wimpers]
You are an excellent fooding buddy. 1000%. And you are making me realize how much I haven't tried, which is like 99% of what you mentioned on this post.
AHHH.
No worries Robyn, come back, come back!
I promise we'll go to these places if, I mean WHEN you come back!
Congrats on your job at Serious Eats by the way!
Dear Jessie,
Robyn is right, you're an excellent fooding friend (and a great hostess). Thanks so much for making all those bookings for the gastro-bistros and being as food-obsessed as I am! It was such a fun food-focused holiday.
Let's go for typhoon-shelter crabs when you're back in HK.
ttyl,
susan
What an amazing foodie tour!
(secretly wishing I lived in paris)
To readers of Sui Mai,
I forgot to mention in my last comment that Jessie MADE ME eat those four scoops of ice cream after the couscous and before the veal kidneys. She also forgot to mention that we shared an eclair.
Also, she did well in the altercation at Pierre Herme - she didn't back down. The cashier (who implied we had jumped the queue) was incredibly rude.
Jess, how was the Kougin Annan?
susan
Hi Susan,
...that is *exactly* why you're a food editor while I'm just greedy...you remember an eclair you ate 2 weeks ago!
Hi Steamy Kitchen,
no need to dream.... just visit! All sorts of goodies await you!
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