Aman & Nadya's Honeymoon Guide to Paris: Part 2

Aman & Nadya’s Guide to Paris: Food and Shopping

Le Petit Gourmet

39 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris, France

Our first meal in Paris was so gooood, we came back on the last day to have it again. Apart from the big hoo ha of us eating escargots (this is a personal choice, you did your research, we’ve also done our research so to each his own ok!), the food was magnificent.

Le Petit Gourmet is a small cozy restaurant and we were seated by the window. We ordered quite a bit of food because we were so hungry and I remember us being blown away by the steak and the duck confit. If you ever go there, please order the special duck confit. It’s the bomb diggity bomb, guys. The food serving is quite huge, every main will come with some form of carb, either spaghetti or potatoes if I’m not wrong. They also have a set menu, which comes with a drink, main course and dessert. The price is also quite affordable. Standard restaurant pricing, I would say.

If you’re staying near the Eiffel Tower, you have to take the subway. But if you’re staying near Gare Du Nord, the restaurant is just a short walk away.

Nasi Lemak Paris - @nasilemakparis on Instagram

I didn’t really have a craving for Malay food but I kept seeing Nasi Lemak Paris on my Instagram and I thought, ok let’s try. We’re going to have to go all Italian for the next couple of days, so I told Aman, let’s order! Plus, we were soooo tired from walking all around Paris that day, we thought ok let’s just order in.

I would definitely recommend them. Ordering was so easy, I just had to text the code number of what I wanted. We ordered Nasi Lemak with chicken and Prawn Sambal. Yums. We bought drinks from the supermarket just across the street and had our sumptuous dinner in the comfort of our hotel room. The whole ordering process was easy and delivery was free, quick and on time.

Ladurée and Pierre Hermé

I don’t know how to compare this two but I love them both. Bought a box of Ladurée as we were walking along Champs-Élysées. There is also a Pierre Hermé outlet there but I went to the one at Rue Cambon. If you’re thinking of buying Ladurée for your family back home, make your purchase at the airport (after immigration, at the duty free shopping area). Not only is it tax free, you don’t have to carry the fragile macarons all the way to the airport.

Crepes

I don’t know if it’s just my mentality or crepes in Paris taste so much better. You can find crepe stalls quite easily, there are a few around the Eiffel Tower area but take note that it is a bit pricey. Otherwise, you’ll somehow chance upon crepe stalls on your way back to your hotel. We shared a crepe, strawberries with Nutella, it was piping hot and we had it on a super cold day. Really syiok. There are so many fillings to choose from, so take your pick.

Le Napoli

102 rue de paris

A French family friend brought us to a certified Halal Italian restaurant. It’s not within the touristy area of Paris so we had to take a subway out from our hotel, Ecole Militaire > Invalides > Mairie de Clichy. From there, you have to walk a bit before reaching the restaurant. I had Chicken Cordon Bleu and Aman had Spaghetti Bolognese. Highlight of the dinner would be the Halal Foie Grae. The creamy texture of the foie grae, eaten with biscuits or bread and jam. Yummeh! Such an interesting experience for us :) Thank you Charlene!

Grand Mosque of Paris

Around the area of the Grand Mosque of Paris, there are several halal restaurants. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant we went to, but just ask the people working at the mosque and they will happily give you directions. Its just a 3-4 minutes walk from the mosque and you’ll find a row of halal restaurants. We settled for one and had kebab, couscous and the works :)

Supermarket – Pastries and Puddings

Get a hotel near a small supermarket so you don’t have to take the hotel room with breakfast. For all our hotels, we took it without breakfast as we prefer buying our own. Afterall, you’re in Paris. Try the croissants, pastries and the 1001 different puddings and desserts from the supermarket. We always made sure to buy some back so that we can have our breakfast in our hotel room, or even have it at night if you’re feeling peckish.

Shakespeare and Company Café

37 rue de la Bûcherie

75005 Paris

This was an unplanned rest stop for us. It was soooo cold so we thought, ok let’s get a hot cup of drink to warm ourselves up. If you’re tired from walking to the Notre Dame Cathedral from The Grand Mosque of Paris, this would be a good rest stop. The café is a bit small though so you might have to wait for a seat.

Shopping

Branded Goods - Printemps

64, BOULEVARD HAUSSMANN
75009 PARIS – FRANCE

Shopping in Paris is heavenly. If you’re thinking of buying branded goods, majority of tourists will head to Galeries La Fayette. I prefer going to Printemps, just a short walk away from Galeries Lafayette as it is less crowded and I get better service. Tax refund process is done in the same building. You can opt for cash or credit card but they will give you a lower amount if you opt for cash. Please remember to submit your tax refund forms at the airport before leaving Paris!

Souvenirs

Get the Eiffel tower keychains from the African sellers around the Eiffel tower area. They sell them wayyyyyy cheaper and you can bargain with them as compared to buying it from proper tourist souvenirs stalls. If you’re buying t-shirts or other souvenirs, head towards Sacré-Cœur Basilica.There are so many souvenir shops selling a large variety of souvenirs from t-shirts, postcards to actual figurines of Paris landmarks.

When it comes to food, always ask. Is there alcohol? Gelatine? Animal-based products? Whenever we bought anything from the supermarket, we always made sure to check the ingredients first before purchasing. Ingredients in another language? Get Google Translate. Its heaven sent. Just take a photo and it will translate all the ingredients for you.

We enjoyed every bit of our Paris trip. We walked, explored and tried many new things. I hope my entry has somehow helped you craft your own itinerary. At the end of the day, I am writing this blog entry not only as a guide, but as a way for me to remember my first trip with Aman :)

Much love,

Nadya Abd