I hesitated quite a while about jumping back into new content and travel stories when many of us are still reeling from last week’s events and closely following ongoing investigations. But then I thought, we can’t stop writing nor should we stop giving people all over the world reasons to visit France. So we plough ahead. Well, in this case it’s more like looking back since I want to share some of the people and places that infused the (rocky) end of the year with joy in all its forms.

So let’s look back:

1/ Lunch at Clown Bar 
When one of your editors comes to town and asks you to lunch, particularly someone who writes often about food, you select the destination carefully. Given Jen Murphy’s culinary writing for Afar, I was confident she would love Clown Bar, the historic bistro (1902) and former watering hole for the Cirque d’Hiver staff. The space was taken over by former Saturne talents who propose a market-driven menu of shareable small plates and natural wines offered by the glass. And while the interior was refurbished for its May opening, the most whimsical elements have been preserved beautifully: tiling featuring Sarreguemine clowns that adorn the wall behind the zinc bar as well as on the painted glass ceiling.

Favorite dish: beef tartare with homemade spiced ricotta and raspberries.
To see the iconic tiling inside, click HERE.

 
2/ A weekend to remember at the Royal Monceau 
I knew very little about the historic palace hotel Le Royal Monceau but what I discovered left me with a whole new appreciation for the space as a convening point for locals and for the work of Philippe Starck who led every stage of the renovation (completed in 2010) from concept to design. Baccarat light fixtures were preserved from the original hotel and brick from the monastery that stood in the hotel’s place before 1928 was incorporated into the wall running up through the central staircase. Starck’s quirky touches and penchant for street art finds its way into the rooms but what struck me most was the harmonious balance of styles – warm woods, deep armchairs and a library full of art books and artifacts in the Grand Salon, mirrors at every turn in corridors and in the bedrooms, and touches of orange, Starck’s signature color, in surprising places. It’s the first time I could genuinely say I loved Starck’s vision. It was inviting in the all the ways I feel a hotel should be.

My reluctance to spend time in luxury hotels in general is a result of the mood, which is often staid, even cold despite attentive service. If I feel like an interloper from the moment I step through the doors, the experience ends there. And that detached, nobody-in-a-sea-of-wealthy-somebodies feeling was noticeably absent at the Monceau where its history as a hangout for intellectuals and local creatives lives on. Though they might not be spending the night, many of the guests sharing the space with me in the Grand Salon, in the restaurant La Cuisine, at the bar Le Bar Long and even in the Clarins spa were French, many of them regulars. Some were having meetings, some came to chat with friends over tea and others to dine with their families. Foreign guests were of course present but the locals added warmth and familiarity.

While I was blown away by the interior, I was most keen to dine. Pierre Hermé created the pastry program and has temporarily replaced afternoon tea with a Bar Chocolat (through March 31st), which is as divine as it sounds. He concocted four original hot chocolate drinks and several pâtisseries. If you can’t make it to that, his bestselling desserts make the menu at La Cuisine and at weekend brunch which is worth a visit of its own. Both restaurants, La Cuisine and Il Carpaccio, have one Michelin star each (the latter is the only Italian restaurant outside of Italy to boast a star) and are delightfully unfussy. We dined at La Cuisine for a meal that was refreshing in its simplicity and creative in presentation and would love to return in the spring.

So go when you’re in town, not only to see Starck’s impressive work but to experience what I believe is one of the best Palace hotel dining experiences you can have. And remember: Pierre Hermé has dessert covered, you can’t go wrong.

For a few more photos, click HERE.

3/ Dinner at Pierre Sang’s newest restaurant 
Since Pierre Sang, Top Chef finalist and former Christian Constant pupil, opened his first restaurant in 2012, I’ve observed his evolution with studied interest. His market-to-table ethos carries over to his new restaurant Pierre Sang on Gambey, which opened in August, but he has greater confidence. Here, he plays up more of the Korean flavors that recall his origins in a space that feels like a cross between New York loft and wine bar. The five-course meal is carte blanche which some might consider a tired trend but here I think it works well as an introduction to Sang’s passionate cooking style.

About the chef’s talents, fellow food writer Wendy Lyn said “Pierre doesn’t just cook for you, he feeds you”. And therein lies the difference between him and many of the other young chefs that opened restaurants around the same time. He wants nothing more than to give you the best of what he’s got, introduce you to new flavors and share his unwavering passion for cooking with every single guest. There’s a little bit of showman in his sociability throughout the dining experience but it’s all done with heart.

Select tables available by online reservation, no telephone.

4/ Holiday adventures in Philly & New York 
Family, friends and incredible food. That’s all I wanted to conclude the year and that’s what I got. I’m always astounded by how much Philly has changed over the years and it makes me wish I could be part of it, following the emerging chefs, artists and creatives who are transforming the city year after year but I caught up on all that I have missed with a serious 2.5 day dining and exploring mission. I won’t go into much more detail for now but here are some the restaurants and cafés I loved in NY & Philly this trip (not all are new):

New York: 
Toby’s Public House (pizza!) in Brooklyn
Maison Première (oysters, cocktails)
Narcissa (brunch) at the Standard Hotel
Toby’s Estate Coffee
Little Collins (Australian coffee + sandwiches)
Jacob’s Pickles (rich, southern fare)
Breads Bakery

Philly:
Terrain Café 
Menagerie Coffee 
Elixr Coffee
Shane Confectionary (old school candies, get the buttercream)
Talula’s Daily & Talula’s Garden 
Serpico
High Street on Market 
A. Kitchen 


5/ New Years Celebration with Friends 
I already feel fortunate to have seen my dear friend Susan of the site Fleurishing earlier in the year (more on that here) but it was a real pleasure to ring in the new year with her and her family at their home in historic West Chester, PA. They regaled us with an Alsacean-inspired menu (with a decidedly American bent – fried turkey!) that featured cheeses and treats from nearby artisans. We read bedtime stories in French to their twins who, as the evening proved, are poised to become equally as enamored with France as their mom. Keep an eye on Susan, she just launched a fun new French-inspired series!  www.fleurishing.com How did you ring in the new year?