Hungry for Paris
In any given week, Alexander Lobrano tries out a half dozen new restaurants and revisits old favorites. And as European correspondent for Gourmet Magazine, he鈥檚 the perfect host to introduce us to everything we need to know about dining well in Paris. Part food memoir, part enticing restaurant guide, Hungry for Paris leads visitors to Paris through a maze of information that makes dining in the French capital as simple as grabbing a bite at your neighborhood eatery. A cook as well as a food writer, Lobrano invites us to become his pal, his accomplice in navigating the Parisian restaurant scene.
For those who wonder exactly what is French food, he presents 10 dishes that define the cuisine for him, from his childhood favorite boeuf bourguignon, to cassoulet and pot-au-feu. If you鈥檙e confused by bistros versus brasseries, about dress codes, or whether to bring young children to a fine dining establishment, Lobrano will have you eating like a Parisian before you even get to his list of recommended restaurants.
And oh, those 102 restaurants! Arranged by arrondissements, each place he鈥檚 sampled is remembered with a story, a dish, and a short 鈥渄on鈥檛 miss鈥� recommendation. From Le Bristol, in the eighth, for a 鈥渢op-flight business meal ... one of the city鈥檚 best addresses for romantic dining,鈥� to Le Pamphlet, tucked away in the Marais 鈥� a 鈥渄ark horse of a bistro鈥� with delicious Basque-b茅arnaise-inspired cooking 鈥� the list will tantalize serious foodies as well as bargain travelers. But beware, Lobrano鈥檚 charming and detailed descriptions make it impossible to put this book down long enough to plan that trip to Paris.
With the French fetish for freshness and the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines surrounding the country, Paris is Europe鈥檚 best city for seafood. Conquer your fear of the unknown, sample oysters or even a sea snail, if you will. In his essay, 鈥淓ating the Unspeakable,鈥� this formerly shy kid who hated messes 鈥� including lobsters served by his grandmother 鈥� poses the question, 鈥淲hy fly all the way to France to eat chicken breasts or steak?鈥�
You may discover you enjoy pig鈥檚 feet or calf鈥檚 brains. At the very least, you鈥檒l have a delicious tale to share when you return home.
Augusta Scattergood is a freelance writer in St. Petersburg, Fla.
