HAPPY DAY IN PARIS

Tonight, I went dinner to Huabu, a new Chinese restaurant that opened a few weeks ago in the cool 10th arrondissement. I couldn't wait to test the place, as it was founded by the street food queen in Paris, Kristin Frederick. I never had the chance to have a burger at the chef's food truck, because, as everybody knows in Paris, you have to queue up for at least 45 min to get your food ready. I'm not that patient when it comes to street food. 

I had read a lot of articles about this new place, saying that the founder wanted to create a restaurant just like the Chinese dinners you could find in NYC. That's exactly the kind of atmosphere I enjoy, because I'm a States lover. Here's how it works: you choose then base you want (rice or noodles) and the meat you want (chicken, beef, pork or tofu). The plate costs 9.80 euros. If you want, you can get extra food, like nems or baos. 

I thought the food absolutely delicious: I had tofu, green beans and noodles (I'm a pescatarian) while my friend chose caramelized chicken with also noodles. I really enjoyed the atmosphere (the decoration is really original), even if I think that the place is better for lunch or take-away than for dinner. Indeed, the restaurant works like a self-service. Anyway, it was a really nice experience and I'll probably get back there soon. 

HUABU

67 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière 75009

I've decided to run a gelato crawl in the city. Actually, I'm completely crazy about ice creams. In spring and summer, I can easily have one or two sccops a day over a lunch or dinner. The more colorful they are, the better it is for me. I mostly choose a scoop for its color than for its taste.  In Paris, by luck, there's a lot of gelato stores. Which one do you prefer?

This one comes from the international chainstore Amorino. Flavours are ok (here: citrus, mango, strawberry). The taste is classical and refreshing and I mostly like to go to this store because gelatos are flower-shaped, and I love so much flowers!

http://www.amorino.com/fr/

This one comes from the rock'n roll gelato store Glazed. Flavours are just crazy (here: blueberry and coriander, caramelized banana and curry). This store opened a year ago after driving a successful food truck in Paris. This brand always proposes quirky flavour associations and names like Cococaine or Voodoo Chile. I wasn't very convinced by the first scoops I had last year, but the blueberry flavour totally convinced me and I'll taste all the seasonal flavours by the end of the summer. So, stay tuned!

Glazed, 54 rue des martyrs 75009

Le Marais has always been a food mecca, and more specifically a street food paradise. Everybody knows the famous fallafels from l'As du fallafel or Miznon, the burgers from Schwartz and most recently, the cool Cour bleue, where you can get delicious kebabs (by the kebab king Grillé) or gluten-free waffles by Yummy and Guiltfree. These last days, a brand new street food concept has just opened. Great news I thought, cause I'm getting SO tired of burgers restaurants which don't stop popping up in the city. L'improbable has  replaced a former cool restaurant (the Blind Pig), which used to be a bento food truck parked in a  huge garage, decorated with a swing in the middle of the place. I never had the chance to eat there but just stepped by to take a pic. 

When I heard that Blind Pig got turned into a new restaurant, I was very intrigued, as the place offers a new product: les pistolets (litterally "guns" in French), Belgian sandwiches. L'Improbable kept the former concept of the Blind Pig: there's still this huge garage with the food truck in there, where the pistolets are made. But most of the decoration has changed: the place is full of swings, huge bean bags, vintage seats, wooden tables and shelves and plants. Honestly, it's one of the most beautiful and quirkiest spots I have ever seen in Paris, 

it's so friendly that you can chill there for hours. I got there on a sunny Sunday afternoon and it was crowded, nevertheless, my friend and I could seat. I didn't eat anything because it was Passover (bread and starches are forbidden for Jews for a week) but I'll definitely get back there to have a pistolet. Can't resist this name!

L'Improbable

3-5 rue des Guillemites, 75004 Paris

Metro Station Saint Paul

Last day, when I was walking back home  boulevard Rochechouart(I live in SoPi), I raised my head and discovered with surprise this archaic, tiny and lovely  wooden house. It  is almost impossible to find some in the city (except for example rue Mouffetard) and I got delighted to see a call from the past in this area. Barbès is in a working-class hood, where a lot of immigrants live. This district is badly reputated, as a lot of street hawkers haunt the place, however this neighborhood is also very lively (Montmartre is nearby), and crowded because many stores offer  cheap outfits and devices. 

There's a huge contrast between this cutie house and the messy sidewalks. Seriously guys, when you walk in Paris, keep your eyes wide open, to catch the city's beauties!

Today, I went shopping to a new American concept shop that I've  heard about for a while. Deli Drop is located in la Halle Pajol, a very  hot hood, where a lot of hip places have already settled down. Indeed, the most famous American baker of Paris, Marc Grossman, opened there last year his new store, Bob's bake shop, that makes delicious bagels. His neighbour, le bistro Les petites gouttes, is reputated as one of the coolest bars and restaurants of the capital. Unsurprizingly, Deli drop has elected this gentrificated area to spread its American vibe. 

As you get to the shop, you immediately feel like in the States: not only are the decor, the choice of the shelves, and  the products displayed 100% American, but so is the welcome. I had a chat with the owner, obviously American, who is incredibly friendly and curious to get to know her clients. Her behaviour reminded me why I loved so much going to the USA, where everybody is so nice with you when you enter a shop. This is so different from the French salesmen's attitude, so despising, who always seem annoyed to attend you.

 I felt so happy to find the cereals that I used to have for breakfast when I was a child: Fruit loops and Lucky Charms, which are  American best-sellers, don't exist anymore in France. I didn't buy them though, because they were over priced: 9 Euros the pack! Eventually, I chose a marshmallow pack, a tiny Lucky Charms pack and some Flamingo clips ( yes, I'm suffering from a flamingo addiction).

You can obviously shop at Deli drop, but also have a hot dog or a hot chocolate with marshmallows (I'll probably get back soon to have one, I adore marshmallows!)

Here's a sneak peak of the place: 

Deli Drop

16 esplanade Nathalie Sarraute 75018 PARIS

Metro Marx Dormoy or La Chapelle

Tues-Sun, 11am- 8pm

www.deli-drop.com

Hey!

My name is The Frozen Parisian, born, raised and living  in Paris. I'm in my late 20s and I'm passionate about my city, especially when it comes to food, street art and quirky events in the capital. In my blog, I'll show you my latest crushs in the city. I hope you'll love the visit!

By the way, I also run tours in Paris, which are atypical, cause I'll take you to the places I do like, which are not touristy, to make you feel like a Parisian. And believe me, there's a bunch of it! 

Interested? Send me an email: happydayinparis@gmail.com

You can also follow my posts on my FB page: Happy Day in Paris and on Instagram: @thefrozenparisian

See ya!

The FROZEN PARISIAN