The Great Plate Debate

The challenge is over and we won. Well, kind of. We did technically finish in the planned amount of time, but if you read some of the last entries, it may or may not have damn near killed us. But what is a challenge if it does not make you stronger?

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The sign standing on the sidewalk boasts “Wines!” and a quick glance at the windows proves it true – one can barely see inside the bar due to the bottles beckoning cheerfully to you through the panes. If windows full of wine don’t tempt the passerby, the purple façade of Le Verre Volé certainly grabs the attention. Upon passing through its doors, you must resist the urge to fall to your knees and thank the Gods of Wine for such a temple; Le Verre Volé’s walls are packed with wine resting there happily in a rainbow of green, burgundy, and rose colored bottles.

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I could fit into a solitary thimble what I recall about Les Arts Metiers. I remember that Constantino accompanied Dan and I on this final twilight mission, the only one brave enough to respond to our desperate pleas for assistance. I know that it was a Sunday. I recall that the streets were empty, as fittingly were 95% of the tables at Les Arts Metiers.

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Higuma isn’t a swank sushi place; it’s a dive noodle shop. In a plot twist that many Americans might find hard to believe, they don’t even serve sushi. There’s always a quickly moving line out the door and while there’s a dining room in the back, we requested stools at the counter.

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We met at Grand Corona around 6 and began what was quite possibly the hardest bottle of wine I’ve ever drank. We were both in such a sorry state that for the first hour I think we spent more time calling everyone we knew than drinking as we tried to convince them to come help us out for the last three bottles.

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The butte of Montmarte in the 18eme arrondissement has traditionally been the stomping grounds of those creative bohemian artists, carousers, seekers of illicit adult-themed entertainment, and Russian invaders who not only bombarded the city during war time but also started the first ever bistro. So it’s no surprise that our visit to the summit turned into one of the more bizarre and entertaining Great Parisian Plate Debate experiences.

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Le Rendez-Vous des Amis is a neighborhood dive situated high up in Montmartre. Just a few minute walk from the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, it is happily free of the throngs of tourists little more than a flight of stairs away.

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Vieng Siam is a Thai restaurant in Paris’ second arrondisement with all the typical décor one has come to expect from such establishments: chopstick packets on the table, a disco ball hanging pendulously from the ceiling, statues of various deities adorning a flat surface, overpriced Thai beer at the bar, and little wicker containers holding secret condiments.

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We chose Le Bistro les San Culuttes because A) they had wines prominently listed on blackboards outside their café, and B) Paris had granted us pleasant weather, and there were outside seats available. A quick glance at the interior showed what I like to call a “rustic” look – nice wooden floors and tables, comfortable lighting, an inviting bar…dare I say there was even a hint of English pub??

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I love markets. When I lived in London I could be found most weekends at one of their many. I’d even say that Borough market was one of my favorite places in the entire city. While almost every Paris neighborhood has its own street market, few offer the smorgasbord of street food that was quite common in London. The Marché des Enfants-Rouges is the closest that I have found.

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