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Stay in Paris: Hotel Lutetia

First opened in 1910, the iconic Hotel Lutetia has finally opened its doors again after 4 years of major refurbishment.

Built by the founders of Le Bon Marche, the famous Parisian department store just a few steps away, Hotel Lutetia has not only been known to play a major role during World War II, it has welcomed guests like Pablo Picasso, Charles DeGaulle, Peggy Guggenheim, to name a few.

Now the iconic landmark has been carefully and beautifully renovated with contemporary details, while preserving the heritage and the spirit of the historic building.

With 184 rooms, Hotel Lutetia offers a variety of room types depending on your needs and tastes; Superior, Deluxe, Junior Suite, One-Bedroom Suite, some offering a balcony with a view of Saint-Germain.

With numerous dining options, it is safe to say that Hotel Lutetia takes gastronomy quite seriously.

Intimate and refined, Le Saint Germain offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner under the historic glass roof.

Al-fresco dining is also available in the new art deco patio.

Peaceful and ethereal, L’Orangerie is a beautiful space for breakfast and brunch on weekends.

A tribute to Joséphine Baker, Bar Josephine is a modern bar combining historical heritage and contemporary aesthetics. In a beautiful jazz-setting, the bar offers scrumptious cuisine ranging from sushi rolls and bao buns to langoustines and caviar. The drinks menu also takes you on a whirlwind tour of the world by offering a variety of drinks from all over the globe.

Last but not least, the famous Brasserie Lutetia will return at the end of the year with the 3 Michelin starred chef Gérald Passedat.

Downstairs at Hotel Lutetia lies a holistic haven. Embodying the Indian philosophy of Akasha, which is based on four elements (air, water, fire, earth), Lutetia provides tranquility in all areas of its Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Center — pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, treatment and fitness rooms.

Thank you Hotel Lutetia for the incredible stay and making my experience truly a memorable one..

Hotel Lutetia (@hotellutetia)
45 Boulevard Raspail
75006 Paris, France

Stay in Paris: Nolinski

Nolinski is a 5-star luxury hotel situated just moments away from the beautiful Parisian landmarks such as the Opera, Louvre, and Palais Royal. Through the main entrance on the bustling Avenue de l’Opera lies the enchanting atmosphere of Nolinski, almost as if entering a whole new world..

Bright and luminous, the rooms and suites at Nolinski are stylishly decorated with contemporary artworks and custom-made furnitures and is the epitome of Parisian elegance. While each and every room offers its own color scheme and unique experience, they all have one thing in common: a special sense of indulgence and serenity.

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The Brasserie Rejane at Nolinski offers a traditional French brasserie experience with a modern twist in a sophisticated setting for whatever the occasion: a classic Parisian breakfast, business lunch, or a post-theatre dinner.

The wide menu offers plenty of options to choose from; ranging from fresh seafood and meat plates to Parisian specialties of stewed dishes.

With its swivel velvet armchairs and bronze fireplace, the Grand Salon is definitely my favorite area at Nolinski. The attention to detail is to be appreciated here in this room; from the spicy and musk scent and the blue and emerald green hues, to the precious velvet and tweed materials used in the custom-made furnitures and furnishings. They all harmoniously work together to exude an intimate atmosphere while providing secluded comfort..

Nolinski Paris (@nolinskiparis)
16 Avenue de l’Opéra, 75001 Paris, France

Eat in Paris: Poké Bar

Coming from New York, I was in dire need of searching for the best poké here in Paris.
After trying almost every poké spots, I have finally found my favorite: Poké Bar.

With 3 locations in the city (and expanding), Poké Bar Paris provides excellent poké bowls with the freshest ingredients.

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You can choose from the signature menus, or even create your own bowl.

The menu ranges from classic options such as salmon and tuna to seasonal ones like daurade and even offers vegetarian options, such as tofu.

My go-to is the Salmon Oahu, where all of the ingredients work together to create refreshing flavors.

Poke Bar Paris (@parispokebar)
OPERA: 24 Rue du 4 Septembre, 75002 Paris
MADELEINE: 3 Rue Vignon, 75008 Paris
LAFAYETTE: 60 Rue de Provence, 75009 Paris

Eat in Paris: Klay Saint-Sauveur

Klay Saint-Sauveur is a restaurant-bar (and also a sports club) located in a quiet street in a bustling Montorgueil district.

In the inner patio, the ambiance is tropical and welcoming with beautiful plants and greens.

The menu offers light dishes such as salads, superbowls, and eggs, as well as main dishes like meat, fish, and vegetables.

We opted for the Klay’s Caesar Salad, Avocado Toast, and Raspberry Quinoa Superbowl.

My personal favorite was the avocado toast, which came with crabmeat.

For dessert, we decided to share the Mango & Coconut Pavlova, which is a meringue-based dessert, and quickly after our first few bites we regretted ordering just one.

Klay Saint-Sauveur (@klaysaintsauveur)
4 Rue Saint-Sauveur, 75002 Paris

Hotel Byblos, St. Tropez

During our recent trip to St. Tropez, we had the incredible opportunity to visit the legendary Hotel Byblos.

With timeless history and elegant luxury, the 5-star hotel has lived through decades without giving into trends, and remains to provide top-notch service and excellent comfort up to this day.

Each of the 91 rooms and suites are uniquely decorated in a Provençal theme, and reflects the coastal region’s lifestyle.

Along with the gorgeous pool, and fitness center, the Tropezian palace also offers exceptional treatments at the Spa by Sisley Cosmetics.

At the most miraculous spa I have ever set my foot in, there were the Lebanese room dating back to the 17th century that was transported stone by stone from a palace in Beirus, the extraordinary Moroccan shower, a hammam and a resting bed..

After the magical tour of the hotel, we were taken to the RIVEA Restaurant for a surprise tour behind the kitchen and our delightful aperitif with the chef Vincent Maillard..

We finally sat down in the beautiful atmosphere, and started with the Byblos’ signature Rosé, which was absolutely delicious..

For our starters, we chose the assortment of 3 appetizers: squid fritters, burrata tomatoes, and fresh vegetables.

Moving onto our main dishes, I ordered the Veal chop with country bacon and green peas ‘à la Française.’ I had trouble taking these photos because I wanted to devour my plate already! I also appreciated our waiters’ attention to details, such as asking to switch my wine from rosé to red, as I had ordered red meat. It’s really in the simplest things like this that makes me appreciate the service.

Our other main plate, and my favorite, was the grilled wild bass, accompanied by tender fennel with saffron. The fish was cooked perfectly and each and every ingredient (especially the sauce) worked together to highlight the dish.

And for the grand finale, the Tropézienne (St. Tropez’s signature pastry) in the Byblos style. We had been meaning to try the Tropézienne during our trip and we were so happy to have done so right here at Rivea.

Wonderful atmosphere, excellent service, and the outstanding food.. We couldn’t have asked for a better dining experience, and we are still dreaming of ours.

Thank you to everyone at Hotel Byblos and RIVEA for the incredible night anyone could ever ask for.. À bientôt!

HOTEL BYBLOS (@byblossttropez)
20 Avenue Paul Signac, 83990 Saint-Tropez

Eat in Paris: Restaurant Anne

Restaurant Anne is a newly opened restaurant at the beautiful Le Pavillon de la Reine.

We sat down in the stunning courtyard under the sun..

We opted for the tasting menu, which consisted of
– Lightly Cooked Langoustines
– Filet of Sole Meunière
– Roast Palette du Béarn
– Lemon Bontemps

as well as some a la carte dishes…

Click HERE to see the full menu.

Entrées – Foie Gras / Langoustines

The Langoustines were light and refreshing, perfectly preparing me for the next course..

Plats – Filet of Sole Meunière / Roast Palette du Béarn / Saddle of Lamb with Estragon

The Roast Palette was scrumptious with its flavorful glaze, but my favorite was surprisingly the Saddle of Lamb, as I am not usually a big fan of lamb in general. It was perfect cooked, and the gnocchis were the most wonderful companion.

Desserts – Gariguette Strawberries / Lemon Bontemps

Restaurant Anne (@pavillon_de_la_reine)
28 Place des Vosges, 75003 Paris

Eat in Paris: Restaurant Cléo

After a wonderful staycation at Le Narcisse Blanc, we recently had the pleasure of returning to the elegant hotel for lunch at their on-site restaurant Cléo.

Cléo offers set lunch options, and we opted for the Menu Narcisse, which consists of Entrée/Plat/Dessert.

From the first bite of our entrées (Burrata with anchovies, Smoked mussel salad) we were pleasantly surprised with the unique flavors; they were nothing like anything we have ever had.

One of the main dishes we ordered was the Saint-Pierre John Dory. With grilled eggplants, zucchini, and dried tomatoes, the dish was very palatable and rich in flavor.

Light and savory, the Pollock was another main plate we ordered. The delightful fish was accompanied by fregola sarda pasta, pickles, and arugula pesto.

To finish off, the «Cléo Cheesecake» with fresh strawberries and short bread crumble is not to be missed.

Thank you to Chef Zachary Gaviller, the team at Restaurant Cléo and Le Narcisse Blanc!

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Restaurant Cléo @ Le Narcisse Blanc
19 Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, 75007 Paris

Taste of Paris 2018

Taste of Paris is the World’s Greatest Gastronomy Festival.

The annual event, once again, took place at the beautiful Grand Palais, with the capital’s best restaurants for four days of delicious food tastings, cooking shows, and meet & greets with the chefs.

Pierre Sang

Frenchie

La Maison Lenôtre

… and more from, EPOCA, KEI, UMA …

At Taste of Paris, there are also an array of 100+ artisans and food producers you can shop from.

For the full menu of 2018’s event, click HERE.

For more information on TASTE OF PARIS, click HERE.

Eat in Paris: Le Roch Restaurant

After my staycation, Le Roch Hotel has quickly become one of my favorites in the city, and recently I had the pleasure of returning for a spa treatment + dinner.

As always, it was such a delight coming back to this lovely hotel, where I feel instantly at home, thanks to the wonderful staff members..

Upon being greeted, we were guided downstairs to the Codage Spa. Our 1-hour spa treatment was everything we could ask for and more.. It was clear that the masseuses were passionate about providing treatments tailored to the needs and characteristics of each and every skin/body with carefully measured formulations. Learn more about the French beauty brand CODAGE here.

After our heavenly massage, we went back upstairs for our dinner, which we were very excited about..

In the kitchen, Executive Chef Rémy Bérerd is known to work wonders by blending flavors and bringing us on a culinary journey with his gastronomic creations.

With high hopes and expectations, we chose, for starters, the burnt langoustines, and white asparagus, which both had vibrant flavors to work up our appetite..

For our entrees, we had Linguine with Shrimp (which came with an incredibly generous amount of caviar on top), and Veal cutlet from Piedmont with candied lemon gnocchi, which also did not disappoint..

Though already well-fed, we of course couldn’t skip dessert.. The seasonal fruit plate with homemade banana-sorbet (and an extra glass of wine) was the perfect way to end our meal.

I feel extremely grateful to have spent the night surrounded by my loved ones, here at one of my favorite spots in Paris.

Thank you to Le Roch Hotel for welcoming me back for another amazing experience.

Le Roch Hotel (@lerochhotel)
28 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 Paris

Eat in Paris: ZIA

ZIA is a small family-owned cafe located in the 7th arr. of Paris.

Inspired by fresh produce and vibrant flavors, chef Justin Kent, who has previously worked at L’Arpège, a 3 Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris, decided to open ZIA.

All-day brunch menu features dutch baby pancakes, breakfast burritos, avocado toasts, and salads..

As the word “ZIA” symbolizes the Zia people, an indigenous tribe to New Mexico known for their ability to farm, ZIA pays homage to them with dishes featuring tortillas, corn, and chillies..

My personal favorite was the savory Dutch Baby Pancakes, with fried eggs and bacon.

ZIA is also open for lunch and dinner, featuring market-driven dishes using fresh and light ingredients.

Zia Paris (@ziaparis)
22 Avenue de Tourville, 75007 Paris