If one was to say what words comes to mind when one thinks of Paris, many would probably say Cafés. Indeed, café is very much a part of Parisian life. We meet friends there, we think there, we write there, we break up there, we fantasize there (mostly about having an apartme
nt bigger than a shoebox), but most of all, we people-watch there. People watching is a favourite past time of most Parisians and tourists who come to Paris. Chairs in Paris cafés, especially on the terraces, would not be set up around a table to facilitate conversation; instead, all chairs face the street so we can easily watch people pass by. We huddle around one side of a table making for intimate (if shoulder to shoulder rather than face to face) conversation whilst all the while also enjoy the beauties that pass in front of us. Often cafés do not even have terraces but chairs are set up against the outside walls of the café on the sidewalk with tiny tables to hold our drinks. It is not uncommon for passers by to bump your table and spill your drink all over you (a very efficient if embarrassing ice breaker).
Traditional Parisian cafés of dark red awnings, floor to ceiling glass and rather dark wood-y interior, straight back rattan chairs, a zinc top bar to one side where people can stand and drink, and older waiters in white shirt and black pants (and black apron) are becoming rare in certain areas (for instance, in the 4th arrondissement). And soon, a very integral part of Paris café, namely cigarette smoke, will also disappear with the anti-smoking law that comes into effect next year (2008). This is such a shame. I cannot imagine a Paris café without people smoking and without smoke! Many cafés now have also been r
enovated to look modern with bright primary colors (instead of the usual predominantly brown or other less bright colors) and comfortable chairs or poufs. Older male waiters have been replaced by hip looking young waiters and waitresses who indeed smile more and generally friendlier but often are less professional. The traditional professional waiters take pride in their job, unlike the new waiters/waitresses who are there to make money whilst waiting for something else to happen in their life. Professional waiters may be more arrogant, service less friendly, but those are part of the Paris café experience. And once you have their confidence, they can anticipate your every need (limited to café going, of course!).
In a café, you can either stand at the counter and drink your coffee or sit in the main room (salle) or in the terrace. The coffee would be priced accordingly, the cheapest being at the counter (about 1euros 50 for an espresso), followed by the salle (2 euro 50 or about) and finally t
he terrace (even more). If you order a coffee, they will probably serve you an espresso in a very tiny cup (but very strong and mostly excellent!). The other options would be a café au lait (or simply say crème, as Parisians call it). In more modern cafés you can order Cappuccino, Latté etc. but I prefer to stick with the traditional. Parisians drink crème in the morning (and dunking your croissant in it is an acceptable behaviour even in cafés), and espresso the rest of the day.
Drinking your coffee in the terrace gives the best view to watch people, but standing at the counter also has its advantages. Aside from the price, this is also much more conducive to conversation with strangers or with the bartender. People discuss and interrupt each other loudly. The bartender and waiters put in words every so often whilst zipping around like Speedy Gonzales serving and preparing drinks. Of course, you can order any other drinks in cafés, alcoholic or non alcoholic. In the summer, the green drink that you see a lot of people drink is called Menthe à l’eau (Normally, Perrier or other water mixed with mint syrup which is really yummy when you’re hot and thirsty). The pink colored drink is proba
bly a Monaco, a beer mixed with grenadine syrup. If sweet beer is not exactly your cup of tea, so to speak, try a Picon biere (beer mixed with Picon which is bitter and caramel colored syrup and comes from the north and east of France). White beer is excellent too (called blanche) and usually served with lemon. A popular drink before dinner (aperitif) is Kir. Normally, it is a mixed of white wine with crème de cassis (or blackcurrant creamy syrup). There is also the Kir Royal which uses champagne instead of white wine. But of course, wine is the drink that everyone associates with France. Drinking mostly red, I like to have either Gamay or Brouilly for aperitif as it is quite light. A side note: Given the importance and the choice of wine in terms of origin and prices, if you’re invited or are inviting people for dinner, the best way is to go to a wine merchant and tell him what you plan to eat. He/she would give you a very complete suggestion of what wine to drink with each part of the meal (aperitif, entrée, main course, cheese and dessert!). For instance, white sweet wine is drunk with fois gras if you eat it as an entrée. This would avoid unnecessary headache of choosing what wine to serve or to bring, and avoid a disappointed smile from your host or hostess when you show up at their door bring wine that would not complement (or may be kill) the meal (if invited, host or hostess often tell you what they will be serving ahead of time, so you can safely ask for suggestion from the wine merchant).
Tipping is becoming more and more common in Parisian cafés though, in fact, service is already included in the bill (unlike in the US). However, it is common practice to round up as a tipping practice, so not quite a fixed percentage of the bill as we do in the US. Also remember that a cup of coffee gives you the right to hog the table for hours without so much as a dirty look from the waiters or waitresses! This is just as well, as there are so many beautiful men to watch in Paris. Parisians I found to be sharp dressers (ok, maybe not all over Paris, but at least in areas such as the gay areas such as le Marais, and tourist areas and so called rich areas such as the 16th, the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th arrondissements). Interestingly, tourists in Paris seem to have taken up the habit as well. OK, sometime we do see a group of Americans wearing the same baseball cap so they would not loose each other, but most actually seem to have tucked the traditional tourist garbs of shorts and t shirts (mostly on those whose legs were better off not shown to the world) in the deepest pocket of their suitcase or backpack. I love especially watching the Japanese tourists who seem to have successfully integrated French couture with their sense of refined dressing. Many friends who come to Paris indeed said they feel they should dress better here because they stick out when they take out their usual comfortable tourist garbs!
Cafés also serve food, mostly traditional French food that may not be as refined as restaurants but simpler though often not less good. Beware though that traditional cafés do not serve food at all times. The French are quite disciplined when it comes to eating (is that why they are all so slim?). So lunch would be served between 12 and 14h or 15h and dinner between 19H to about 23h. There are exceptions, of course. And there are also certain types of food that you can get at café anytime like sandwiches (baguettes with either cheese or meat) or toasted bread with cheese and meat (Croques Monsieur). Aside from Croque Monsieur, forget about wonderful hot sandwiches that we get in NYC or San Francisco. No Ruebens or Hot Pastrami or Corned beef sandwiches here! And they don’t come with chips and pickles either!
Living in the 4th arrondissement, I have seen traditional cafés go and are replaced by their more modern version that, to me, resemble a lot those I frequented in San Francisco or Sydney. A favourite of mine that still retains somewhat its old character is the Pick Clops on rue Vieille du Temple. Otherwise, I go towards Republique or further up towards the 18th and 19th arrondissements. Across the river Seine there are also cafés that retain their traditional characters such as those along the river Bank near Saint Michel. And of course, you probably want to pay a visit to those famous cafés of all times (at least for Anglos) Les Deux Magots and Café Flore. Always crowded, always noisy (with all languages) and have the most eclectic people as clients (from tourists to habitués who sit in their usual table, reading, writing, and smoking). Going there reminds me of how fun it is to be a tourist in Paris...
nt bigger than a shoebox), but most of all, we people-watch there. People watching is a favourite past time of most Parisians and tourists who come to Paris. Chairs in Paris cafés, especially on the terraces, would not be set up around a table to facilitate conversation; instead, all chairs face the street so we can easily watch people pass by. We huddle around one side of a table making for intimate (if shoulder to shoulder rather than face to face) conversation whilst all the while also enjoy the beauties that pass in front of us. Often cafés do not even have terraces but chairs are set up against the outside walls of the café on the sidewalk with tiny tables to hold our drinks. It is not uncommon for passers by to bump your table and spill your drink all over you (a very efficient if embarrassing ice breaker).Traditional Parisian cafés of dark red awnings, floor to ceiling glass and rather dark wood-y interior, straight back rattan chairs, a zinc top bar to one side where people can stand and drink, and older waiters in white shirt and black pants (and black apron) are becoming rare in certain areas (for instance, in the 4th arrondissement). And soon, a very integral part of Paris café, namely cigarette smoke, will also disappear with the anti-smoking law that comes into effect next year (2008). This is such a shame. I cannot imagine a Paris café without people smoking and without smoke! Many cafés now have also been r
enovated to look modern with bright primary colors (instead of the usual predominantly brown or other less bright colors) and comfortable chairs or poufs. Older male waiters have been replaced by hip looking young waiters and waitresses who indeed smile more and generally friendlier but often are less professional. The traditional professional waiters take pride in their job, unlike the new waiters/waitresses who are there to make money whilst waiting for something else to happen in their life. Professional waiters may be more arrogant, service less friendly, but those are part of the Paris café experience. And once you have their confidence, they can anticipate your every need (limited to café going, of course!).In a café, you can either stand at the counter and drink your coffee or sit in the main room (salle) or in the terrace. The coffee would be priced accordingly, the cheapest being at the counter (about 1euros 50 for an espresso), followed by the salle (2 euro 50 or about) and finally t
he terrace (even more). If you order a coffee, they will probably serve you an espresso in a very tiny cup (but very strong and mostly excellent!). The other options would be a café au lait (or simply say crème, as Parisians call it). In more modern cafés you can order Cappuccino, Latté etc. but I prefer to stick with the traditional. Parisians drink crème in the morning (and dunking your croissant in it is an acceptable behaviour even in cafés), and espresso the rest of the day.Drinking your coffee in the terrace gives the best view to watch people, but standing at the counter also has its advantages. Aside from the price, this is also much more conducive to conversation with strangers or with the bartender. People discuss and interrupt each other loudly. The bartender and waiters put in words every so often whilst zipping around like Speedy Gonzales serving and preparing drinks. Of course, you can order any other drinks in cafés, alcoholic or non alcoholic. In the summer, the green drink that you see a lot of people drink is called Menthe à l’eau (Normally, Perrier or other water mixed with mint syrup which is really yummy when you’re hot and thirsty). The pink colored drink is proba
bly a Monaco, a beer mixed with grenadine syrup. If sweet beer is not exactly your cup of tea, so to speak, try a Picon biere (beer mixed with Picon which is bitter and caramel colored syrup and comes from the north and east of France). White beer is excellent too (called blanche) and usually served with lemon. A popular drink before dinner (aperitif) is Kir. Normally, it is a mixed of white wine with crème de cassis (or blackcurrant creamy syrup). There is also the Kir Royal which uses champagne instead of white wine. But of course, wine is the drink that everyone associates with France. Drinking mostly red, I like to have either Gamay or Brouilly for aperitif as it is quite light. A side note: Given the importance and the choice of wine in terms of origin and prices, if you’re invited or are inviting people for dinner, the best way is to go to a wine merchant and tell him what you plan to eat. He/she would give you a very complete suggestion of what wine to drink with each part of the meal (aperitif, entrée, main course, cheese and dessert!). For instance, white sweet wine is drunk with fois gras if you eat it as an entrée. This would avoid unnecessary headache of choosing what wine to serve or to bring, and avoid a disappointed smile from your host or hostess when you show up at their door bring wine that would not complement (or may be kill) the meal (if invited, host or hostess often tell you what they will be serving ahead of time, so you can safely ask for suggestion from the wine merchant).Tipping is becoming more and more common in Parisian cafés though, in fact, service is already included in the bill (unlike in the US). However, it is common practice to round up as a tipping practice, so not quite a fixed percentage of the bill as we do in the US. Also remember that a cup of coffee gives you the right to hog the table for hours without so much as a dirty look from the waiters or waitresses! This is just as well, as there are so many beautiful men to watch in Paris. Parisians I found to be sharp dressers (ok, maybe not all over Paris, but at least in areas such as the gay areas such as le Marais, and tourist areas and so called rich areas such as the 16th, the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th arrondissements). Interestingly, tourists in Paris seem to have taken up the habit as well. OK, sometime we do see a group of Americans wearing the same baseball cap so they would not loose each other, but most actually seem to have tucked the traditional tourist garbs of shorts and t shirts (mostly on those whose legs were better off not shown to the world) in the deepest pocket of their suitcase or backpack. I love especially watching the Japanese tourists who seem to have successfully integrated French couture with their sense of refined dressing. Many friends who come to Paris indeed said they feel they should dress better here because they stick out when they take out their usual comfortable tourist garbs!
Cafés also serve food, mostly traditional French food that may not be as refined as restaurants but simpler though often not less good. Beware though that traditional cafés do not serve food at all times. The French are quite disciplined when it comes to eating (is that why they are all so slim?). So lunch would be served between 12 and 14h or 15h and dinner between 19H to about 23h. There are exceptions, of course. And there are also certain types of food that you can get at café anytime like sandwiches (baguettes with either cheese or meat) or toasted bread with cheese and meat (Croques Monsieur). Aside from Croque Monsieur, forget about wonderful hot sandwiches that we get in NYC or San Francisco. No Ruebens or Hot Pastrami or Corned beef sandwiches here! And they don’t come with chips and pickles either!
Living in the 4th arrondissement, I have seen traditional cafés go and are replaced by their more modern version that, to me, resemble a lot those I frequented in San Francisco or Sydney. A favourite of mine that still retains somewhat its old character is the Pick Clops on rue Vieille du Temple. Otherwise, I go towards Republique or further up towards the 18th and 19th arrondissements. Across the river Seine there are also cafés that retain their traditional characters such as those along the river Bank near Saint Michel. And of course, you probably want to pay a visit to those famous cafés of all times (at least for Anglos) Les Deux Magots and Café Flore. Always crowded, always noisy (with all languages) and have the most eclectic people as clients (from tourists to habitués who sit in their usual table, reading, writing, and smoking). Going there reminds me of how fun it is to be a tourist in Paris...
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment