Kat's 9 Lives

Ever since my first trip to Paris eons ago, I've been going to Cafe Angelina for their famous African hot chocolate served with Chantilly cream.  They offer a wide variety of French pastries and typical cafe items. On my first trip I bought their famous African chocolate shavings to bring back and make my own hot chocolate.  Sadly it wasn't nearly as good because I'm sure they slow churn the chocolate at the cafe to give that velvety thick texture. When you make it at home it is so watery.  Now they actually sell the chocolate drink in a bottle.  I've bought some but haven't had a chance to drink them yet.  The consistency looks more like what's served at the cafe.  

Poilane is a Parisian landmark full of rich history.  The original location is close to Saint-Sulpice.  It's a must for anyone who goes to Paris.  I often think about the pan au chocolat!
Be sure to go early in case they run out.  In the past, they would run out of the croissants but I feel that now they have established themselves further that even if you go later in the day you will be able to find some goodies.  Having a tasty treat while you prepare to spend the luxurious day in Paris is the only way to live!
Normally I come down this way when I want to hit all the goodies in this area.  I come out to shop at Le Bon Marché for their high end groceries.  You can find many splendors from all over France in one place.  Don't forget Pierre Hermé near Saint-Sulpice for the delectable French sweets.  I love their macarons and the mille fueille.
Originally Poilane is known for their bread.  Ms. Lin Guide has had the bread before and only think they are okay so I never bothered to try the breads.  The designs on their bread often changes and I find it endearing that they call them "cushions".
They had me at their buttery flaky croissants.  Be sure to get one or a couple of each.  We always bring some on the plane and home.  It's rare that you get them fresh and hot out of the oven because I like to toast my pan au chocolat for the melty goodness.
The reason I knew about Poilane was from a fellow blogger and he recommended me to try the shortbread cookies called punitions.  They are light in taste but nothing I would say that blows my mind.  I come back often for only the croissants.  Of course there are many items to check out and maybe one day I will try everything.
All in all Poilane is a must.  If you are true foodie, then you must come here for a taste... and bring me back something! lol

Poilane
8 Rue du Cherche-Midi 
Paris, France 
+33 1 45 48 42 59

What is the number one thing that Ms. Lin Guide and I miss most about Paris?  It is the African Chicken! It sounds weird but believe me, it is the best thing and for a great price!
Where else can you get a full delicious meal for around 20 euros?  We use to love going to Chez Alex, but it closed down so we have tried all the poulet braisé places in Paris and found Babylone near Etienne Marcel.
This place can be a little deceiving.  It is open super late when everything else is closed.  I believe they open late and runs until the early morning.
There is a door that you ring the door bell to and wait for them to come and open the door for you.  Just because they looked closed, don't give up and ring the bell until they come and let you in.
Once you head inside you will see the decorative wall and all the photos of famous celebrities.  They usually have music playing and the servers are all dancing and singing happily as they work.  It feels very family run and a very fun and open environment.
Warning, this is Paris and they are very open.  There are some nude photos on the wall and the artistic wall has a very sensual fertility feel.  It is hard not to look at all the interesting photos and artwork around the restaurant.  You will see photos of Rihanna and more.
Now onto the yummy food.  Don't question what to get, you have to get your own plate of poulet braisé.  It is the best thing and what everyone else will be eating.  I am not a big chicken fan but I would fly thousands of miles just to get this! Oh wait, I do every year! lol
They have gotten very fast in getting the chicken done as more and more people discover the wonders of poulet braisé.  There are these 3 magical sauces that taste like ambrosia when mixed together and then enhanced by some heat.  They will warn you about the chili sauce if you have never had it before.  It is definitely not for the weak as it may burn your whole mouth, but definitely work up the courage to drizzle it in.
There is a trick on how you eat the chicken.  It may just seem like an ensemble of food.  You have the braised chicken and you will need to order the rice.  If you are hungy then you can order the alokos, fried bananas, to munch on as a side.  Make sure to ask for the Maggi sauce for the savory component.  I could be blinded by the label but I think the ones made in Europe taste more fragrant
I prefer to sauce my rice first.  First drizzle on the sauce one by one and then evenly add the Maggi for that extra flavor.  If you are able to hold your own on spicy food then drizzle a good amount of their chili to set your mouth ablaze with flavor.  Then mix the rice and start digging into the chicken accompanied with a mouthful of flavorful rice.
Ms. Lin Guide does it differently where she does not mix it in with the rice.  She starts first with the chicken and layers it over the rice.  Then she begins to drizzle all the different sauces one by one on top of the chicken.  You would think that there would be no difference in flavor but I made Ms. Lin Guide try my chicken versus her own concoction, but the flavors come out different.
If it is your first time having the poulet braisé, then you should try both ways with a little portion of the chicken so you can determine the best way to enjoy the heavenly meal!
Babylone
34 rue Tiquetonne
75002 Paris France
+33 1 42 33 48 35

One of the best lunches I have had in all of France was in Lyon at L'Ourson Qui Boit.  Just the name itself was so adorable and alluring on their business cards.
Ms. Lin did a lot of research and found this quaint establishment.
First we took the metro to the Griffon - Royale neighborhood where along the way you can also check out the Roman Theatres at Minimes.
The summer scenery was beautiful with the sun shining brightly, but at a price... the sweltering heat.
It's refreshing to see the lush foliage in a city.
L'Ourson Qui Boit is very close to the station.  For a two course lunch it is only 14 euros and for a full three course lunch it is only 17 euros.  Even with the dollar being weak, it is a great deal for fine cuisine.  They serve French cuisine with Japanese influences.
Everyone there was Asian and spoke perfect French.  Don't worry, they speak English as well for those who speak limited French.  They immediately greet you with a smile and seat you right away.  I would definitely recommend a reservation as it is a small restaurant and quite busy.
Their simple and classic decor is very welcoming.  The doors are open throughout, allowing a refreshing breeze to course through.  We started the magnificent lunch off with a glass of sweet wine and my favorite Orangina bottle.
First they bring some fresh baked French wheat bread to get your taste buds going.  I leaned against the stone wall to further cool off from the heat.
There are only two choices for appetizer and entree.  Both looked amazing and it is great when you have a foodie in crime to share and try all the dishes.  My favorite dish, almost for the whole trip, was the Filet de Canette en Teriyaki with a hint of wasabi.  It was the most succulent, melt in your mouth slices of heaven.  The flavor was on point with a mix of savory and sweet.  Slices of duckling was placed atop the crisp shell and dressed with fresh green with eggplant on the side.  Everything came together harmoniously.  I almost wanted to order 2 or 3 more sittings of the lunch just so I could have more of this! Sharing is bad! **that's how I felt after the first bite**
The other appetizer was also great but I love the canette and still dream about it! For seafood lovers, they offered crab with Ricotta and tomato confite in a "creme froide de laitue au basilic".  It was a savory concoction.  The portions are very generous.  Everything is beautifully plated and well thought out.
For the "plats" they offered a delicate poached fish swimming in a seafood broth made with small shrimp, Chinese cabbage, and small peas.  I must say that French people love peas as it has become a theme.  The fish was tender and the seafood flavor was very strong.
We also got the the Chicken served in a Foie Gras Creme and an assortment of vegetables.  This dish was much lighter in flavor until you mix it with some of the foie gras creme to add that extra layer of flavor.  The chicken was very tender.
They had three choices for desserts.  After a long debate, we decided to have the Raspberry Tarte drizzled in a caramel sauce and served with a Caramel Ice Cream.  French people love raspberries (framboise) but it is my kryptonite as I disdain the taste.  Ms. Lin loves caramel so we ordered everything with caramel.  The tarte and ice cream were rich and creamy.
Ms. Lin chose the Creme Caramel with Chocolate and a Fruit Salad surrounding a White Chocolate Ice Cream.  I enjoyed the crisp pastries atop the ice cream.  This was much lighter and refreshing.  It's nicely paired with the rich creme caramel.
Of course we had to end the meal like Europeans would, with a piping hot cup of espresso!
All in all this was definitely one of the best meals throughout the trip and for a great price! You don't have to break the bank while in one of the greatest cities in France.  The ambiance, service, and food were all wonderful.  I can't stop thinking about the canette that throughout the trip I was looking for something similar anywhere I can.  If only I wasn't there for a day or so, I would go back again and again! Be sure to add this to your to-do-list if you ever go to Lyon.  Also plan some extra days as they have a wonderful culinary assortment of restaurants to keep you busy!
L'Ourson Qui Boit
23 rue Royale, 69001 Lyon, France (Griffon - Royale)
04 78 27 23 37

Who doesn't love a summer trip to France?  Well, this year there was some weather issues.  Sure, it was gorgeous outside with the sun beating down but don't forget the heat that comes with the intense sunlight.
After a long flight from the US to Lyon, France, we headed straight for the closest public transportation.  Always plan where you are flying into and how you would get to your hotel.  One must choose the hotel carefully as it will be the primary location for you to travel in and out every day.  Don't forget that you will have to depart from this hotel to your next destination.
Ms. Lin Guide and I are very good at planning.  Of course she taught me a lot from her experienced travels.  To get from the airport to Lyon you can take the Rhonexpress, Rue de la Villette Station.  After we arrived, we dragged our luggage across the tracks through the Gare Part-Dieu where newly arrived tourists can see the beautiful ONLY LYON sign.
I thought the sign was very creative.  It almost seems like a palindrome but I like the idea of using their own name to represent their city.  With the beautiful sunset hitting the lion is an eye catcher.  Tons of people resting and sitting around the sign brings out the liveliness of the city.
Across from the station is a large shopping center for most of your shopping needs.  They have a Monoprix and Carrefour for groceries.  The first thing we did is went in to pick up a nice bottle of Oragina.
From the station we could see our hotel, the Radisson Blu Hotel that peaks out above all buildings.  Even though we could see our hotel, we had to figure out how to get to it.
First we thought we could walk through the shopping center as it is a huge mall, but alas there was no direct way out.  So don't make the mistake to cross through the shopping center.  It sent us on a huge loop that we could not really get out of.
Even though we were walking towards a towering Radisson, it was not as simple as one would think.  The hotel is elevated and has a unique entrance way.  You can enter from the bottom and take the elevator up to the 32nd floor to check in.  Little did we know that the simplest way was the most direct way.  On the last day when we left we just walked under the tunnel to get to the train station.  It was pretty simple and quick, especially in the early morning.
The inside of the Radisson was very interesting.  As we were checking in, I sat down at the nearby couch and looked up to check out the entire hotel.  I think the inside looks like a beehive, as if we are all living in our own honeycomb.
There's only two elevators to take guests to their room and floor.  The other two elevators take guests to the ground floor where you can grab a taxi or have them call you one and across the street was the Part-Dieu Servient Tramway stop that is convenient to travel around the city.
As many people know that space in Europe is limited so the hotel rooms are always smaller than what we are use to in most of the US.  We got two beds but as you can see they are set next to each other so there is not much space in the room.  On top of the bed was one pair of slippers for guests to use.  Most king sized beds in Europe are two small beds pushed together as well.  I always keep an eye out because there is a chance that the two beds begin to separate and you will fall through the cracks if you are not careful.  =D
They have a small mini bar station next to the bathroom.  The room was clean and had your usual table/desk plus TV.
Being that the Radisson is so high up, you get a very good view of the city from the window as well.
Their bathroom was very clean and offered a nice blue hue. They offer a robe for guests to use in the room.  There is a wall hair dryer as well.
All in all the hotel was clean.  Their location is convenient to come in and out of the city.  The tram right outside the lower level is convenient too to get in and out of the city.  We were barely in the room.  Most of the time when we were out traveling so it doesn't matter where we slept as long as it was clean and convenient.  The Radisson Blu Hotel would be a good place to stay if you were only staying a few nights.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Lyon
129, Rue Servient
F-69326 Cedex
Lyon France
Tel: +33 (0) 4 78 63 5500
Fax: +33 (0) 4 78 63 5520