This might be the worst and most boring food post that you have ever read, especially after I tell you the sad truth which is that…I am not a foodie. Don’t get me wrong, I would never say no to a delicious meal, moreover, I am not scared of trying “weird things”, my current list of those ranges from the traditional Tatar Kazy (smoked horse meat sausage) to boiled baby octopus with an egg inside (which I tried in one of the street markets in Japan). However, being brought up in Russia, where the restaurant eating culture is still developing, I never considered trying local foods as being a central or one of the most important parts of my travel. After living in the US for a very long period of time, I notice how my habits are slowly changing.
My favorite part of the Parisian food scene is the infinite amount of small bakeries, wine and cheese stores (well, add fancy French language here by calling them Fromagerie, Boulangeries-pâtisseries etc.). All the best components of the American favorite tasty/local/organic formula can be found in those places…and couple additional kilos/pounds can be found there as well 😉
I was surprised to find out that many cafes in Paris do not allow use of electronic devices, which significantly limits the number of places where one can quietly work on their laptop while enjoying a cup of delicious coffee. Those places are limited to the anti-cafes, Starbucks (where I personally has had the worst coffee+work experience in Paris) and couple other places, like, for example, the place called Lomi located in the 18th arrondissement. Taking this into account, my best cafe experience was certainly at the cat cafe located right next to my apartment building, truly delicious coffee and hot chocolate and a nice fuzzy company.
Take out is popular. Very popular. foodora.fr is your gateway to the world of delicious foods. Some of the best Sushi in Paris can be found in the chain called Sushi Shop and they also do takeout only.
A little bit about dining scene near Sciences Po. Well, it seems that all the Parisian universities are located in the most expensive neighborhoods of the city, that is why your best bet for affordable, fast and good lunch will certainly be Sciences Po cafeteria located in the basement of the main building. Good sandwiches, pastries and coffee; and never more than 5 euros for the combination of three. My another suggestion certainly would be taking a walk to Paul Bakery and taking advantage of their sandwich/salad combo offer…and maybe eating at the nearby Luxembourg Garden afterwards.
Famous Russian saying goes: don’t have a 100 rubles, but have 100 friends instead. Well, the only thing I would add is “have 100 international friends,” because nothing can be better than a home cooked meal. I wish you could try it but the most I can do is show you the picture of the Turkish breakfast made by one of my friends at Sciences Po…
