A Taste of Paris

As much as I loved my study abroad in Paris last summer, I spent a lot of the trip really homesick, so much so that I did not really enjoy the city as much as I thought I would. Recently, I have been mysteriously missing Paris - the metro, the rainy streets, and of course, the food. 

Two of my friends from Paris, Ann and Madeline, have become my Parisienne confidants here in Los Angeles. We have wine nights every once in a while, and Madeline makes pasta sauce from scratch. Eating pasta with wine reminds us of the many nights we cooked farfalle in our tiny apartments in Paris.

For Ann's 21st birthday, we went to a French-inspired brunch at 189 by Dominique Ansel, a restaurant in the Grove shopping area near Hollywood and Beverly Hills. The brunch was family style, and the waiters brought around various dishes and served us whatever we chose.

I had some delicious scrambled eggs and sweet potato hash, along with buttermilk biscuits. The three of us split dutch pancakes, which are a pastry filled with lemon curd. Since we were celebrating Ann's 21st, she and I had a Chai Toddy, and Madeline had a Bloody Mary. We sat next to the window, overlooking a rather dreary Los Angeles day, but it felt like I was in Paris all over again.

Although I often buy good food from grocery stores, I rarely eat out at fancy restaurants. The experience at Dominique Ansel reminded me how food can be community-minded and even relaxing. Ironically, I am taking a Food History class right now, and I am learning so much about how food serves as a social glue of sorts.

In an effort to save money for museum trips and souvenirs, I did not eat out a lot in Paris. In some ways, this taught me so much about Parisian grocery culture, and I loved cooking for myself in my little apartment. If I ever return to Paris, I think I will seek out more restaurant experiences, and enjoy the experience of French cuisine.