Eat ya heart out !!!

We are !!! One can't visit France without enjoying the food of the region. So a comment here about our calorie consumption to date... and yes, there have been a few!!!

While our life in Paris hasn't exactly revolved around the food, it is an important part of our routine. After a week, we have easily adopted the casual approach that is so evident here. One of us dared to suggest lunch at 2.30 pm - far too early!! Tonight we had dinner at 9.45 pm. And the streets are still humming at midnight.

Eating out in Paris is more expensive than Perth, but not excessively so, unless you choose a Michelin Star establishment. For example, a very good meal by a reputable chef at a reputable restaurant (in a good location), with accomplished service will set you back around $300 for 2 courses and a bottle of wine. At the local cafe / bistro you could have two courses and a bottle of wine for around $100. These are city / tourist prices and no doubt the locals do better. The service is usually very efficient, some times friendly and mostly professional.

Some of the meals we have enjoyed include escargot (snails) in garlic butter, pork hock sauteed in beer with sauerkraut, double cooked pig trotter with Bearnaise sauce, the ubiquitous soupe a l'oignon, risotto au noix et Coquilles St Jacques (scallop and walnut risotto), pofiteroles au chocolat, and smoked sausage with lentils; not to mention the bread and the patisseries.

We have also discovered some convenience foods and have indulged in cassoulet (legumes, duck and sausage etc) at home from a can (!!!) as well as the yummy fromages (cheese), terrines and all those preserved meats.

Navigating our way through the menu has been manageable (particularly for Bill) and so far we have only made a couple of gaffs. Ordering two 'cups' of wine caused a bit of mirth for the waiter. To be honest, we would have been happy with a cup for the glasses are quite small!