A Practice Run: Paris in New York
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New York is of course the city with it all, a place that misses nothing and has everything to offer. This includes a fine helping of all things French, from premiere restaurants, theme nights, and bars to cafés and whole neighborhoods. On my recent trip I even heard several snippets of French spoken in my wanderings throughout the city, which can provide a peek into how well you’ll be able to understand once you’re over there!
A good place to start finding Paris in New York is on the corner of Stanton and Orchard Streets on the historic Lower East Side; a slight tilt of the head upwards will make you feel like you’re standing on a quaint corner of even quainter rue. Upon close inspection the street sign (which reads rue du Commerce) is a perfect imitation, and the other decorative efforts (the tabac sign, and awnings reading cremerie and epicerie) do give one pause. This is the corner of Epicerie/Café Charbon, a lively French bar-restaurant with authenticity to spare. I partook in the (affordable) brunch, which reminded me of what you can run into in select establishments that bother with Sunday brunch in Paris (including a sumptuous salade norvegienne , poached eggs and salmon). People were schmoozing in French in the lounge, and the service was temperamentally friendly – which gave me certain nostalgia for la France! And to finish off, the walls of the eatery are lined with your favorite canned French goods from the local epicerie, hence the title.
Not far uptown is Resto Leon, on the corner of 12th Street and Avenue A, which serves killer moules frites , with different flavors/themes each night. For a less downtown, more old-Paris feel, pop up to midtown, where rue 57 stands as one of the premiere bistro/brasseries in town. The filet-mignon is perfect, and although not-so-French, the sushi here is also top notch. The added bonus of the décor, replete with banquettes, makes for an unmistakably Parisian experience. And the stars agree; I’ve seen Ron Howard, among others, dining at rue 57.
Although French only by name, the Paris Movie Theatre further down 57th near the Plaza Hotel reminds me of a passion that New York and Paris share; that of the movies. A showy entrance, due mainly to its location, opens onto a luxurious theatre notable for its propensity for playing European (read French) films. I saw the last Jeunet there, and it seemed quite fitting. Another common passion – shopping. Going back downtown, wandering through Nolita with out-of-focus eyes could trick anyone into thinking they’re Parisian streets, low and filled with boutiques. Same goes for the West Village (which any French person will still pronounce "Grinetch Veelage"), where more esoteric and teeny shops wait for the discerning and international shopper (you know you are one).
Back to food. It’s no small bit of news that Michelin has set its starry sights on the 5 boroughs, as reported by our very own Margaret Kemp here. This will add to the glitz and glamour of already world-class dining experiences such as Daniel and the very French Alain Ducasse, however those restaurants are not examined here, because both Paris and New York are cities also rich in quality dining that isn’t sky-high expensive (well, comparatively anyway). If you’re hankering for a real boulangerie -type experience while stateside, you should settle for (and settle in at) Patisserie Margot on 74th street on the Upper West Side (my stomping ground). And it’s not even such a compromise; the croissants might not be their proudest offering, but the snacks are delish and mixed and you can even get soy milk in your hot drink to go (this is, after all, America).
Even if my natural inclination is to avoid chains of any kind, there are two French resto chains in New York that I have come to love. The first and foremost, Le Pain Quotidien, is something I discovered in Paris years ago, and I’ve been hooked since. I couldn’t get over their spacious, group-style wooden tables, the copious salads and delicious breads at brunch time, and above all their tartine dessert spreads (to DIE for, especially noisette). Most Parisiens turn their noses up with a ‘Bof !’ at the place, but when I stumbled upon a Pain in New York I was overjoyed. They are now everywhere, but my favorite one is in SoHo. Another charming chain (populating the West Village and Tribeca areas) is the Petite Abeille, famous for its waffles and hearty sandwiches served on wood cutting boards (Pain au Quotidien does this too). Yes, yes, it must be said that the Petit Abeille is a Belgian chain, but once you enter the enchanting atmosphere (all things French and Tintin adorn the walls) you really won’t mind. And try the omelettes!
And what would a French-themed spin around the city be without a bit of pretension? If you find yourself with nothing to do on a Tuesday night, hope that it’s one of the bi-monthly French Tuesdays! This ‘hip gathering’, which takes place in trendy spots-du-moment in the big Apple, corrals together urbanites with a (sometimes rather oblique) connection to France. No bother really – all you need is to love French living…and to be a member! Here is where the pretension comes in: you must be recommended by two existing members, or meet with one of the organizers as a ‘non-member’ in order to be sponsored. French Tuesdays have become quite a mainstay; with a 5,000 member network and counting. I unfortunately was unable to attend an event (left on a French Tuesday), but heard VERY good things. Plus their venues are not to be missed (recent parties were held at Duvet, Pacha Club)…
And how to impress people with your knowledge of French? There’s always the Alliance Francaise, a long-standing institution (in both France and the States) where both my parents have attended classes to better their knowledge of the romantic and sumptuous language of French. As my father puts it: " here were lots of evening classes to accommodate working adults and there were lots of beginner’s classes…The approach was good because the teachers only spoke French in class so you began learning immediately via immersion." I have witnessed the effects of the classes myself and I can attest to their efficiency! Check them out (info below) for the various cultural events they sponsor…
The French-ness doesn’t stay relegated to Manhattan. It abounds in all the boroughs, surely – I was only back home for two weeks and could not get to it all (and therein lies the beautiful enormity of the city). But in Long Island City, Queens, you can visit Tournesol, a southern-French style eatery with a bouillabaisse that the staff swears by, and in Fort Green, Brooklyn, you can walk down the largely French-tasting restaurant row on
Dekalb Avenue (including Chez Oskar).
In fact, the more you look for it, the link between New York City and Paris as sister cities isn’t so far-fetched. Accordions are even played on the subway and in the park. One of the few glaring differences that can be spotted on almost every corner in Manhattan: the multitude of pharmacies in Paris translates into Starbucks in the Grande Pomme. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Epicerie/Cafe Charbon
168-170 Orchard St.
NYC 10003
212.420.7520
Sun-Thurs 11.30am-12am; Fri, Sat 11.30am-4am
[email protected]
Resto Leon
351 East 12th St.
NYC 10003
212.375.8483
Patisserie Margot
02109 Broadway
NYC 10023
212.721.0076
Le Pain Quotidien
New York, Soho
100 Grand St.
NYC 10013
212 625 9009
www.lepainquotidien.com
Petite Abeille
466 Hudson St.
NYC 10014
212.741.6479
www.petiteabeille.com
rue 57
W 57th St.
NYC~10019
At 6th Ave
212.307.5656
www.rue57.com
Paris Theatre
4 West
NYC 10019
212.688.3800
Chez Oskar
211 DeKalb Ave. at Adelphi Street
Fort Green
718.852.6250
Tournesol
50-12 Vernon Blvd.
Long Island City, NY 11101
718.472.4355
www.tournesolnyc.com