Paris: Falafel Chez Marianne

Chez Marianne

2 rue des Hospitalieres-Saint-Gervais

75004 Paris

Recently another lucky couple of friends had a weekend in Paris and asked me for some recommendations, so I am going to try and get back on this blog wagon and get suggesting.

For me, a trip to Paris is simply incomplete without a walk through the Marais and a pilgrimage to Chez Marianne for a classic falafel. Unfortunately I think C and Z ran out of time for this particular indulgence, but I always find a way to fit one in.

Although a trendy area now, a few blocks from the modern art museum (Centre Pompidou), the history of it as a Jewish community is still evident along Rue des Rosiers in particular. This street is dotted with kosher bakeries and restaurants, and Jewish bookshops. It has become especially popular for falafel, and at any time of day you will notice queues of people snaking down the street out the doors of the tine establishments which usually have only a few tables inside.

One place in particular, L'As du Fallafel seems to have found fame via New York reviewers, but my go to is Chez Marianne on the corner of Rue des Rosiers and rue des Hospitaliers-Saint-Gervais. It has a maroon awning and you can go inside to sit down, though I always grab a take away and perch around the corner outside. Go inside and pay for what you like (classic falafel pita, always) and take your ticket outside to the little window where an always smiling person puts together your monstrous handful of deliciousness. I usually can't pass up a Jewish pastry from inside 'for later', but the pita is definitely the star.

Fresh, hot falafel pita

The falafels are fresh, hot, crispy and served with salad, hummus, a harissa-y red sauce and the most incredibly melty aubergine, topped with yogurt sauce. Serve yourself with pickles and chilli and you have a seriously amazing meal for about 6 euro.

Took Mum in May, she loved it too

Berlin

I don't think I had ever heard of anyone describe Berlin as anything other than achingly, uber cool, and with another ex-Tasman flat sibling to visit, I had no excuse not to investigate for myself. I have absolutely no plans to start reviewing technology here, however the Easy Jet app is so dangerously easy to use, that after a few wines and a couple of text messages one November night, I found myself with a gmail confirmation of a ten day trip booking to Berlin.

Back in NZ, Tasman Street really did become a home for a consistently excellent bunch of flatmates, and although we never advertised with a keen interest in representing multiple continents under one roof, A-M and I very often found ourselves to be a kiwi minority. Jess from Berlin was one of the lovelies to grace the villa, and gets some bonus points for purchasing my van off me then travelling the South Island in it with her lovely man (before enterprisingly on-selling it to a dude in the Hutt, for at least the same as she paid for it).

Anyway, after an obligatory bretzel on arrival at the airport (time to kill as my hostess would be at work), I followed some excellent instructions to meet her - immediately buying in to the affordability of Berlin in that the bus and u-bahn cost me hardly anything to get all the way to Cool-berg (can't recall the price, or the exact name of the area I arrived to, but it was cool and there was an amazing health food supermarket for more time killing).

As I was there for over a week, I'm not going to go into much detail about activities, just a list and some pictures of favourite/must-do things. There is so much to do there, eat there and photograph there, and as someone who at 17 didn't know what the 'iron curtain' was (shame) and then proceeded to study it at uni, there is so much history to absorb.

1. Started with a walking tour - great way to get bearings and do some touristing without having to make any effort  / look at a map / make any decisions. It wasn't free, those 'pay what you like' ones annoy me, certainly good value though.

Important landmark on walking tour: hotel where Michael Jackson dangled his baby from the window

2. Templehof airport. Make no mistake, this is *just* a big open space of a disused airport. However if you have been living in London yet hail from somewhere far less populated, then like me, you might not know how much you miss big open space until you go here. Well I didn't. Cool architecture too.

Flying kites at the ex-airport

Main terminal of American military during the Cold War.
One of the world's 3 iconic airports pre WWII

3. Christmas markets. Pretty ace that these pop up everywhere. So much delicious food and hot alcoholic beverages. Whatever the Finnish version of gluwein is, we had too much of it one night at the Scandinavian themed market in Prenzlauer Berg, and had to walk quite a number of miles in a vaguely homeward direction before finally finding a taxi.

Jess and I and some hot alcoholic beverages at the Christmas markets.

Currywurst - probably wouldn't have again (fried sausage, ketchup, curry powder)

4. Brunch. I don't know if this is a new-ish phenomenon like in Paris, or if Germany has always been big into brunch, but either way they do so many options and lots of really delicious drinks. Don't mind if I do have a bowl of fruit, a sparkling rhubarb drink, milky coffee and scrambled eggs with bacon and bread..in one sitting.

Cute presentation of scrambled eggs at Suicide Sue

When I have my own café, this is definitely the vibe I would be going for
Suicide Sue, Prenzlauer Berg (Dunckerstraße 2  10437).

5. The Wall and all of its outside exhibitions / galleries / interactive information.
The city acknowledges and informs the public of its own recent history with facts and anecdotes from what different populations went through on both sides of the wall. It is impressive and extremely well curated in my opinion. You can spend hours walking the city reading the info boards and looking at the landmarks of life along the wall.

Wall exhibits

Structural remnants of the wall between former East and West Berlin
 

6. Turkish Markets by the canal in Kreuzberg. Berlin has a significant Turkish population, largely due to influx of workers who came in the 1960s to address labour shortages. The Turkish market by the canal is full of trinkets, fabrics, jewellery and food. Produce is cheap and it is great for people watching and the surrounding area has some funky boutiques and cool cafes.

Textiles for sale and some hipster Fjallraven backpacks munching on a gozleme (Turkish pastry)

Canal

The more I write, the more I remember that I loved about Berlin. Jess and Tim are becoming a family of three in a few months, so hopefully another trip won't be too far away, to see the bump or hold the baby.

Paris: Bouillon Chartier

7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre • 75009 Paris
According to their website, Bouillon Chartier has only had four owners since it opened in Paris in 1896 and on my only visit I've taken there I can see why it has established itself as a bit of a Paris legend . It is simple, authentic and excellent value for money.

I experienced Chartier first hand over dinner with French flatmates from home, Audrey and Julien on their turf in Paris last Autumn.

Although we arrived late in the evening after initial catch ups over a few beers, we had to line up behind a velvet cordon to wait for a table - only a few minutes but enough for a token reunion selfie:

Together again

Inside, it resembled a very typical French brasserie with big high ceilings and lots and lots of tables. My favourite feature is the overhead racks and coat hooks where you can store your mobylette helmet / shopping / leather jacket, as well as the paper table cloths. It feels like a little bit of a time-warp, and reminds me of the meals-with-grandma scenes in one of my favourite French films, 'La Boum' (1980, starring a very young Sophie Marceau).

High ceilings and typical décor belle époque

 Food and drinks are cheap and there is loads to choose from.

 

Menu items crossed out in pen once they run out

France has an impressive array of wholesale pre-made and frozen foodstuffs, and at these prices I have no doubt that many of these items would arrive on site mostly done. That is not the point here though, and for the prices, who cares?! Go for a charming and lively dinner and delight in it for what it is. A good place to try 'classics' like snails, duck confit, or even andouillette without breaking the bank that you'd feel guilty if you didn't like it.

Choucroute Alsacienne

For the record, I think I had Roquefort to start, followed by choucroute. One of my French mums was from Alsace on the border with Germany, so I learned to love this regional specialty. Basically tangy sauerkraut, steamed potatoes, and assorted pork cuts and sausages. Fab with hot French mustard and a wine or beer to wash it down.