Sunday, February 23, 2014

My trip to Paris - Part 4

A CULINARY TOUR THROUGH PARIS  II

Dinner at Le Chateaubriand, Paris

"The World's 50 Best Restaurants" by San Pellegrino & Acqua Panna:
No. 18
LAST YEAR'S POSITION 15
YEARS ON THE LIST 5
Le Chateaubriand may be a forerunner of the Parisian neo-bistrot movement, but it’s also traditional, buzzy, egalitarian and brilliant. The daily-changing menu features ingredients chef Inaki Aizpitarte and his young passionate kitchen team have managed to get their hands on that day and springs surprises, with techniques ranging from French to Asian and South American. For unconventional, unpretentious fare, it’s hard to beat.















Friday, February 21, 2014

My Trip to Paris - Part 3




After leaving the Fouquet's Barierre we had the pleasure to check in at a very special hotel, the Le Meurice on Rue Rivoli in front of the Tuileries Gardens.

Due to the ongoing renovations at the three Top Hotels in Paris (Ritz, Plaza Athenee and the Crillon), the Le Meurice is the first address to stay in the 1iere arrondisement of Paris! 



From the moment we arrived to our departure we were treated Iike Kings and Queens. The interior is completely how you are treated - like a real French Palace, with lots of attention to the details and modern touches, designed by Philippe Starck. 


Before you enter your room you have to walk through the elegant and good smelling hallways, which reminded me of those in the Titanic movie. Our Junior Suite was very spacious with an open living- and bedroom, as well as an oversized bathroom. I really appreciated the small Penhaligon's toiletries, the vast rain shower and the separate and deep bath tub. The doors in the shower and toilet did not fully close which occurred a small flooding next to the shower. Furthermore there were only two large towels. When we tried to turn on the light at 2 am, we had to look for the master buttom at the entrance to turn on the light again as the light switch beside the bed did not work. 


We would have enjoyed free wifi access, which is actually 24€ for 24 hours. We did not use it, as we could live without internet for a night! If you would stay there for a week or a few days, even wi-fi can get more expensive than a night at other Paris hotels.



Let's continue with the breakfast! Yes, in fact it is names as "Paris best breakfast", also because it's served in the award-winning and 99th Best Restaurant of the World (according to San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants Worldwide) - Alain Ducasse at Le Meurice! 
With a proud price of 58,00€/per person it is very expensive - even for Paris standards, and to be honest we did miss some things, like fresh strawberries, ham and cheese plate, salmon, a choice of sweets (cakes, pastries, etc.), as well as a glass of champagne or any other sparkling wine. All in all the service was excellent, the atmosphere upscale and the idea of an a la carte service takes away all stress in the early hours.


The concierge was very helpful and kind concerning all our requests before and during our stay. So did the reception staff and we would like to thank Tatiana for the welcoming tour to our room!0

I would like to thank the Le Meurice for the generous invitation to stay at this glamorous Parisian Hotel.







Tuesday, February 18, 2014

My Trip to Paris - Part 2

A CULINARY TOUR THROUGH PARIS

Lunch at Café de Flore in Saint Germain des Prés 

Lunch at Café de Flore in Saint Germain des Prés

Sometimes it's the best to stroll in a typical "Boulangerie"
Their Eclair was far better than the one at Ladurée! :-)

Of course, Galeries Lafayette - and they still had Winter Sale!

How can you leave Paris without even walking along the
Champs-Élysées at night?
The Tenderloin Steak at Jean George Vongerichten's Market Restaurant

An excellent Burger at Jean George Vongerichten's Market Restaurant

A Quartett of Crème Brûlée (!!)  at Vongerichten's Market Restaurant :-))

A very cool and fashionable atmosphere at the Market Restaurant

Walk-in kitchen at Vongerichten's Market Restaurant

Monday, February 17, 2014

My Trip to Paris - Part 1


As I reported in the prvious post, I was going to Paris last Monday. Now, after a week, I settled again back in Austria and I am glad to report you from my stay at two of Paris' most memorable hotels and also two of the more extraordiary restaurants!



As we were flying to Brussels, due to business reasons, we decided to take the Thalys train to the capital of France - Paris. To be honest, this was a great choice - after 1 hour and 20 minutes we reached the Gare du Nord in the center of Paris, without any stress. Of course Paris would not be Paris without a bit of stress, the taxi drivers striked and so the metro was the only (affordable) way to reach our hotel - and believe me, it was not the most luxurious way! 



Our first hotel to be tested was the Fouquet's Barriere, one of the latest five-star hotels, opened in 2006 in addition to the famous Fouquet's restaurant which already existed before the opening. We were impressed of the warm welcome, where we could let all the hustle and bustle of the city behind us, outside this modern Parisian Palace. After doing the check-in in the wonderful lobby, we were accompanied to the spacious room. 



The room itself was very generous, with a spacious entry, separate toilet, walk-in wardrobe as well as an oversized bathroom, including double sinks, an enormous separate shower and a tub with built-in television. In my opinion there could be better toiletries or even branded ones, but they will be replaced every day! The beds were excellent and there was no noise from outside. After a day of walking in Paris, you can refresh with a choice of 22 beverages from the minibar, which is included in the room rate!


As one of few Parisian hotels, the Fouquet's has an indoor pool, which is the perfect place to escape and relax after a rainy and cold winter day. Due to the fact that there are only four lounge chairs, it might look crowded at peak hour, but the pools (beside the normal indoor pool there is also a hydrotherapy pool) are spacious enough to immerse yourself. 

The best way to start the day is with a perfect breakfast at the Le Diane restaurant. The buffet, with high quality products, is on the small side, but everything you need can be ordered upon request. 

We would also like to mention the wonderful concierge staff, who made it possible to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower without waiting in the queues for 1-2 hours and without booking a ticket online 1 month in advance. They even reserved a table at nearby Market restaurant. 

As one of Paris most elegant and most stylish places to stay, the Fouquet's is the perfect place for everyone seeking to be in the heart of the shopping district of Traingle d'Or and all those loving modern French design paired with perfect service.






Sunday, February 9, 2014

Off to Paris!


Actually, i am on the way to the Airport of Munich to go to Brussesls. From the Belgian Capital I will take the high-speed train, called Thalys to Paris. 

I am so excited about the city of Love, although it's my thrid time now. Of course there are a lot of things on my to-do-list. Paris is such a wonderful city, as Brussels as well! The top 5 picks on my list are, Musée du Louvre (with fast track access tickets), Eiffel Tower, le Quartier de Saint-Germain-des-Prés (where I will stroll through the shops of diptyque, Le Labo, and Armani), the Champs-Elysées as well as the Opéra with the Galeries Lafayette next to it. 

In the following posts, I will present the hotels where I will be staying - and they are really worth to be presented! :-)

I wish you a wonderful week!

Daniel