Should everything go to plan, I will be headed to Paris for a quick trip April 11-15 and then be in the Loire the 15-18 (come back to NYC on the 18th). When I say according to plan, the first 3-4 months of the year are nuts from a work perspective, and I will be in London for work from March 30 to the 11th of April. We are working to sign off on our big UK entities the week of April 7th, so provided that happens, I will be on a train to Paris Friday afternoon.
I am starting to book restaurants. I want to think the poster that explained what time reservations for MoSuke opened. I am on tap to try and grab a Friday night MoSuke reservation tomorrow. So the plan, thus far is as follows:
While in Paris, rather than staying in a Hotel (with the Marathon on Sunday, hotels were $$$$), rented an apartment in the 2nd Arrondissement.
April 11 - Dinner @ MoSuke
April 12 - Lunch at Coretta in the 17th and Dinner at Kubri
April 13 - Going to see the Fashion Exhibit at the Louvre at 9 AM (it is also the Paris Marathon that day, so that will be fun), then headed to lunch @ Sushi B at 12:30. Dinner, planning a revisit to Amalia.
April 14 - Lunch at Le Truffaut and Dinner at Cafe des Ministeres.
April 15th, will head out of Paris and into the Loire. Staying at Fleur de Loire in Blois. This is home to Christopher Hay’s restaurant, so will do dinner there at least one evening (probably, Thursday night, April 17th. Plan while in the Loire is to see a few chateau’s and just enjoy the countryside.
I know I have been absolutely horrible at writing up my travels, but I am still finishing off some past Paris trips, then I am caught up and can hopefully do this one a bit more real time.
Slight changes due to when I could the reservation at MoSuke (dinners filled up quick, but I got Monday lunch). So looking like now, we have:
April 11th - Planning on taking the Train from London to arrive right around 3 PM. Going to stroll Rue St. Honore and do some shopping (hopefully) and then head to dinner at Le Truffaut in the 17th.
April 12th. - Spending a day in the Marais at Brocantes and vintage shopping. Planning on hitting up the Carnavalet for a few hours as the history of the city of Paris fascinates me. Lunch is going to be at Bistrot des Tournelles and dinner at Kubri.
April 13th - Fashion Exhibit at the Louvre. Lunch at Sushi B, then dinner at Amalia. Planning on spending the afternoon just wandering around.
April 14th - If I cannot finish up my shopping on Friday, will do some of that in the morning on the 14th. Lunch at Mosuke at 12:15. Then dinner that night at Cafe des Ministeres. Planning on spending the afternoon wandering around the 6th Arrodissement.
15th - Definitely taking an early train so I can get down to Blois and drop my bags off. Might spend time exploring Blois and hitting up the Chateau there.
16th - Most likely hitting up Chambord on this day. Have really wanted to see this chateau for years now.
17th - Amboise. I want to see more, but I also want to take time and relax. Dinner at Chrisopher Hay that night.
18th - Back to Paris to fly back to NYC. Debating the direct flight on American vs. the connector through London.
This looks like a great mix of places. I’ve never been to Le Truffaut, but its location near Square des Batignolles is very appealing. I don’t how well lit the park is, but if it is try to walk around a bit before or after dinner.
Glad you got into Mosuke. I noticed recently that their tables didn’t open up at midnight Paris time (as I had previously posted), but maybe shortly thereafter. I also noticed that there are still lots of 4-tops available for lunch in April (and one night for dinner). So I guess it’s a good place to bring friends!
I’ll be interested to hear what you think of Amalia, which I loved when I was there for lunch last October. I can’t wait to return.
I went to Amalia when I was in Paris last April. I loved it then, and I wanted to revisit it again this trip. I actually spent two weekends in Paris last year, but am still writing up my 2022 trip. LOL. Before I go in April, I am going to try and crack through those two and Spain from 2023.
Slight changes thanks to MoSuke being closed on Monday. They reached out and were able to get me in on Friday evening for dinner, which is when I originally wanted to go.
April 11th - Planning on taking the Train from London to arrive right around 3 PM. Going to stroll Rue St. Honore and do some shopping (hopefully) and then head to dinner at MoSuke.
April 12th. - Spending a day in the Marais at Brocantes and vintage shopping. Planning on hitting up the Carnavalet for a few hours as the history of the city of Paris fascinates me. Lunch is going to be at Bistrot des Tournelles and dinner at Kubri. I had thought about substituting Aldehyde in for Bistrot des Tournelles, but after @onzieme’s recent lunch report, I am going to hold off until I can go for dinner.
April 13th - Fashion Exhibit at the Louvre. Lunch at Sushi B, then dinner at Amalia. Planning on spending the afternoon just wandering around.
April 14th - If I cannot finish up my shopping on Friday, will do some of that in the morning on the 14th. Open for lunch at the moment. Then dinner that night at Cafe des Ministeres. Planning on spending the afternoon wandering around the 6th Arrodissement.
15th - Definitely taking an early train so I can get down to Blois and drop my bags off. Might spend time exploring Blois and hitting up the Chateau there.
16th - Most likely hitting up Chambord on this day. Have really wanted to see this chateau for years now.
17th - Amboise. I want to see more, but I also want to take time and relax. Dinner at Chrisopher Hay that night.
18th - Back to Paris to fly back to NYC. Debating the direct flight on American vs. the connector through London.
Places in bold, I have confirmed reservations. I am also debating coming back into Paris on Friday and then flying out on Saturday. But really looking forward to this little break. Will be the first vacation I have taken since I went to Cambodia and Vietnam in January 2024.
Yeah, I am still not 100% sold on that choice. I have thought about going a bit out of the way and hitting Reyna, which I have heard a lot of good things about.
This trip, I am really trying to get out and try the different culinary offerings of Paris, thus the reason I have Kubri and Sushi B on tap. I figured I will get enough Haute Cuisine and classic French when in the countryside, that I can try different things in Paris.
It’s difficult in the Marais. Sometimes when we have a substantial dinner planned, we head over to the charming and beautiful Carette on the north side of the Place des Vosges. It’s primarily a pastry shop but they have plenty of lunch items on the menu. On a cold afternoon we might have a hot chocolate. But usually we have a soup, salad or a hot sandwich. Surprisingly a lot of French stop by there too. If it’s cold or raining we wait for a table inside which never takes long.
Then there’s always the somewhat overpriced, but fabulous location for watching all the street theater, Ma Bourgogne, on the northwest corner of the place.
Of course if you really want something a little different, you can head down rue des Rosiers for a falafel. Or head up to the rue de Bretagne and get a great sandwich from Caractère de Cochon, 42 rue Charlot, and head to a bench in the nearby Square du Temple.
One other thought is oysters. We often stop at Le Comptoir des Mers at 1 rue de Turenne for a light lunch or dinner. There are tables inside and outside, although in the evening we usually sit at the bar. The entire St. Paul quartier is a foodie paradise, with great shopping for everything else on the streets north of there.
For oysters way on the north side of the Marais, L’Ilôt is always a good bet.
I ended up decided to check out Kubri for a lighter, late lunch (doing a little breakfast at Carette in the AM before browsing the brocantes around Place des Vosges). Then hitting Reyna for a late dinner. I have heard really good things about both, so thought it might be fun to not do the typical French fare that Saturday.
I think Paris is pretty much completely in hand now. What I am trying to focus on planning now is the Loire and of course, my Italy trip. I am going to be really pissed if I have to cancel some of that due to work.
I would love to hear you impression of that hotel. We dined at his restaurant is superb in 2021 at the old location and it was superb.
Chambord is magnificent (but empty inside) be sure to go up to the roof.
Afterwards, walked around the Marais, popping in and out of vintage shops. I am not a Gucci handbag fan, but found a Tom Ford era piece that I decided to purchase as it was fire.
Lunch was at Kubri. I really enjoyed it, but the salad…so, so good. Again, will write more later.
Now continuing to schlep in the Marais. Dinner is at Reyna tonight.
Went to Cambridge Public House and had way too many cocktails, but made friends, and they came to Reyna with me. Reyna is very interesting. The fried chicken wings absolutely live up to the hype. Im definitely struggling to get going this morning thoigh.
I have a 9 AM entry into the Louvre then a 12:30 Res at Sushi B. I think i might take this afternoon to come back and nap. Dinner tonight is at Amalia, and I think I am going to keep to champagne tonight.
