Cafe de Flore -- 5/5

You may have noticed that I haven't written in some time. Or, as no one reads this, you may not have noticed. Regardless, I have a good excuse, which is that I've been in Paris for about a month.
"But wait!" exclaims the disenfranchised, albeit nonexistent reader, "Why can't you tell us about Parisian restaurants?"
"Well," I respond sagely, though in a voice tinged with resignation, "I had no time to write because I was enjoying them rather too much for the first few weeks, and now I'm too broke to enjoy them very much at all."
But hah! I just happen to be writing another blog in conjunction with my fellow Stanfordians and a few law students at ASSAS, in which I travel around Paris to sites of literary fame, and compare their past condition to their present experience. Which brings me to... Cafe de Flore, my first entry in that blog and, conveniently enough, a cafe, and hence appropriate for this blog as well. Like I said, automatic 5 out of 5 for being in the 5th arrondissement Paris and for having such a strong, cool history. Enjoy:

Popular as the Metro may be for its predictable (if not unfortunately diurnal) timetables and ability to get you to any destination with an alleged maximum of two train changes, Paris is a city made for walking. The reason I mention this is that, practically from the moment the plane touched down at Charles de Gaulle Airport four weeks ago, that’s all I’ve been doing. Pick a direction, and walk. 

After settling in to my host family’s apartment in the 15^th arrondissement, my first thought was, “So where can I walk to now?” Getting a feeling (which turned out to be more or less correct) that I was somewhere southwest of the action, I figured that east and up along Vaugirard would be the way to go. 

The turns are now a blur; the reasoning, forgotten. Eventually, however, I tore my eyes away from the mouth-watering storefronts of Rue de Rennes, took in my surroundings, and had to catch my breath. From left to right: Lipp’s, Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots. 

I’d only been in Paris for five days at this point – meaning I still had enough money to afford coffee and a croissant at one of these now upscale literary Meccas – and it was still a bit early for tourist season to have taken its toll on the available seating. Having become pretty (theoretically) familiar with Lipp’s and Les Deux Magots thanks to an Ernest Hemingway kick last quarter, I headed instead to the less familiar (and hence, less intimidating) Café de Flore. 

Clearly, I don’t read a lot of philosophy, or Café de Flore would’ve had me just as awed. Evidently, as I found out on Wikipedia later that evening, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir are known to have frequented this warm, busy café to discuss existentialism over drinks. Oh. Okay. 

Nowadays, the literary prize the Prix de Flore is presented each year to a budding French writer and includes not only a cash prize of about €6,000, but a glass of Pouilly-Fumé (a white wine from the Loire) every day for a year. Additionally, Sophia Coppola once mentioned that Flore was her favorite place to hold production meetings for Lost in Translation. 

Not like I knew any of this walking in there. For about three hours, I nursed some hot milk (side note: has anyone else noticed that dairy products in Europe, while delicious, taste very differently from the American variety? or do I have a taste bud-altering tumor?) and a croissant, and tried to coax my memory into remembering the past five days well enough to get them semi-accurately into my journal. 

Generally, I’m used to pressure to eat, pay, and move on, especially at such highly trafficked cafes, but the waiters didn’t seem to mind at all that I’d just sort of stationed myself in a booth with paper, pen, and no visible intention of leaving. A couple even dropped by to ask (in French, which was a little bit of an ego boost) about my studies, how long I’d be in Paris, where in the States I came from—apparently one of the waiters hails from Texas. Anyways, a few weeks have past, and maybe that kind of long-term hangout is no longer acceptable, now that tourism’s up and the pressure’s on to keep people moving in and out, but I’ve only been back once since then, and for a much shorter cappuccino break. 

They say that not much has changed at Flore over the decades, except for the fashion of the clientele. “The atmosphere, the energetic flow of conversations, and the mythology of the Flore mark it as an institution of Parisian culture,” remarked one observer. 

Who knows? Maybe they let me stay because they thought I was writing the Next Great American Novel. 

Hell, maybe I was.

Sprinkles Cupcakes -- 4.5/5

1. Food -- 5/5 I've only had Sprinkles three times during my college career -- teenage-girl heresy, I know -- but I think I've had enough to know that this place is amazing. Vanilla with vanilla frosting: a little dry, but the frosting totally makes up for it. St. Patrick's Day Special: you have got to try this when that time of year rolls around. Red Velvet: super-popular for a reason--all the chocolate flavor without feeling like you've got a brick in your stomach. Peanut butter chocolate chip: Orgasmic. Yup, I said it. (But I'm super-biased towards all things peanut butter-y.)
2. Service -- 4/5 Super friendly, despite constant buzz and crowds! Pretty pink boxes, always more available of the flavor you want, and daily specials that you can only find out about by "liking" them on Facebook.
3. Price -- 3/5 Three-fifty per cupcake. I will never say it's not worth it.
4. Location and Setting -- 5/5 Stanford Shopping Center. Totally gorgeous, pretty expensive, but lots of nice gardens and benches to enjoy your cupcake. Or, just head back to school (5 minutes by car or bike) and celebrate the end of finals with your new best culinary adventures friend.
5. Good for... girl time or kid's birthday parties. The occasions where I've had Sprinkles: outing with archaeology girlfriends, a Greek Life seminar, and (as previously mentioned) an end-of-quarter wine-and-Sprinkles celebration with my co-qualitative research expert and beautiful fantastic grant winner, Amy.

Lulu's Mexican -- 3/5

1. Food -- 4/5 Okay, so I wouldn't call it the most authentic Mexican food of all time. I mean, it's in the Town and Country shopping complex. It was, however, pretty delicious -- I'm picky about my breakfast burritos, and this one didn't disappoint. Everything is fresh and put together right in front of you (a la Chipotle, but much better and less overrated), with soft-but-not-runny eggs, tenderly crisped potatoes, and salsa -- spiciness of your choosing -- in a warm tortilla. Yum. They have a pretty extensive menu, as well. Like, extremely extensive, actually.
2. Service -- 4/5 Very kind and speedy service, didn't make fun of my Spanish (always worth bonus points), and let me hang out inside for a surprisingly long time to do some reading for my French Lit class.
3. Price -- 2/5 Nine dollars is a lot to pay for a breakfast burrito, no matter how good. That's all I'm sayin.
4. Location and Setting -- 4/5 Town and Country is super pleasant and convenient, if not kind of gentile, and Lulu's is conveniently situated in between a trendy shoe store and Kara's cupcakes. Who needs anything more? Not a whole lot of indoor seating -- one table, actually -- so if the weather's poor, you're out of luck. That having been said, most of the orders I observed were taken "to go." So non issue if all you want to do is eat, but don't go there planing to hunker down and study or have an intimate conversation over burritos.
5. Good for... on the go with sufficient cash to spare. This was back in the day when I actually had an income.

Monique's Chocolates -- 4/5

Ok, so maybe truffles and hot cocoa don't exactly qualify as lunch.

It's been a rough week.

1. Food -- 5/5 The fantastic thing about eating out with other people is that you get to try more of the menu than you would alone. Especially in a chocolate shop where truffles are labeled according to their exotic single origin. My friend and I split two chocolates: the "House Blend" truffle, mixture of Belgian dark chocolate and San Francisco milk chocolate, and a Fleur de Sel caramel. I preferred the truffle -- caramel is a little too sweet for me -- but they were both wonderful and totally hit the mid-Winter quarter stress spot. We also ordered hot chocolate, because this place is kind of famous for it. I got the Dominican Republic variety (74% dark), any my friend got a dark-milk blend. Wow. This is what hot chocolate should be. And the two tasted totally unique from each other -- not just on a dark vs. milk level, but they each had very different flavors. More cocoa than sugar, which was a nice change.
2. Service -- 3/5 Pretty average. Not crappy, not stellar. There was some mishap behind the counter, and we were held up for a minute or so by some missing receipt paper or something like that, but no big deal. Eh.
3. Price -- 3/5 Let's face it: two to three bucks is a lot of money for a piece of chocolate, even if it is really, really, really good chocolate. The hot chocolate is more reasonable -- about the same price as the same product as Starbucks, and much better.
4. Location and Setting -- 4/5 Great location on Bryant Street, right across from the back entrance to Three Seasons. The store itself is shiny, white, and deco, but honestly it felt a little sterile. Doesn't go so well with all the exotic chocolate, but my interior decorating tastes are a) questionable and b) irrelevant.
5. Good for... girl time. At least that was my impression. Oddly, the only other customers were some businessmen mid-negotiation. Hmmm. A new way to soften up the opposition?

Village Cheese House -- 5/5

As I mentioned a couple entries ago, my new friend and I have decided to dedicate our Thursday afternoons to lunching at new restaurants across town. Our first stop was a made-to-order sandwich shop that I've heard pretty good things about and wanted to check it out.

1. Food -- 5/5 This is what a sandwich should be. (Don't kill me if you're a die-hard Ike's fan!) A beautiful, soft, albeit enormous whole wheat roll + tender deli chicken + fresh lettuce and red onions + provolone + the special house sauce = love. My friend got smoked turkey, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and the special house sauce on their famous Dutch Crunch bread; I only had a bite, but considering that she tried to save the 2nd half for dinner and then ended up giving in and eating it during class really says something. Sandwiches are made-to-order off of a list of dozens of possible meats, cheese, veggies, and sauces. The shop also stocks a variety of drinks, chips, and novelty snacks and European chocolate.
2. Service -- 5/5 Very efficient order-takers, especially considering the volume of customers around lunchtime, and skilled sandwich-makers.
3. Price -- 3.5/5 So maybe $8.50 is a little much for a sandwich, but like I said, they're huge! Half is definitely enough for a meal, leaving you with the other half for dinner or a convenient bag lunch the next day that will have all your peers slobbering with jealousy.
4. Location and Setting -- 5/5 Located in the back corner of the Town and Country shopping center on El Camino, the Cheese House is tucked away to the left of CVS, behind the high-end sportswear store and next to the state senator's office. It's a surprisingly spacious unit with a nicely organized line, good deli atmosphere, and a beautiful patio with plenty of wrought iron tables and benches for a sunny day. Plus, it's like two blocks away from Stanford. So you have 20 minutes to grab one of the best subs in town and get back to class? Not a problem. Also conveniently located in the same center as Trader Joe's, CVS, Kara's cupcakes, Cold Stone Creamery, and a bunch of other random rich people stores. Get your sandwich on the go if you've got a busy afternoon of errand-running ahead!
5. Good for... a much-needed lunch break in the sun. Or in the rain. Or whenever, really. I also hear it's a good morning-after/hangover recovery place. Don't know from experience, but I believe it.

Caffe del Doge -- 3.5/5

1. Food -- 5/5 Less food, more coffee. But very good coffee. So flavorful and smooth, very easy to take black. They're also very creative, with everything from Americanos to fancy concoctions served in martini glasses with chocolate layers, exotic spices, and all kinds of foam. They also make a very nice pear tart -- dense and not too sweet -- and the mousse was quite tempting. Many varieties of coffee are also available in bulk, a perfect gift for your favorite non-materialist coffee gourmand.
2. Service -- 5/5 The girl behind the counter was so sweet! There was no one behind us in line, and we got to talking. She actually graduated from Stanford last year with a degree in Anthropology (just like me! except I also do Archaeology). Before you get all cynical and make the post-hoc fallacy of assuming this means my degree will amount to working in a high-end cafe, take into account the facts that
1. It's Palo Alto, and she probably has a lot of student loans to pay off (financial aid wasn't as good then).
2. Sometimes, the last thing that a girl who's just completed four of the most academically and organizationally rigorous years of her life wants to do is jump straight into the professional version thereof. Burnout is bad.
3. Price -- 2/5 More expensive than Starbucks. Certainly better coffee, but definitely a splurge.
4. Location and Setting -- 3/5 It's a bit far down University, and customers are all rather squished in together. Not a very good place for exchanging confidential information, I think. Nice atmosphere and music, though, as well as a television that's constantly showing (silently) artsy French and Italian films.
5. Good for... high-end study sesh, dessert with girlfriends after dinner at Pasta? or Three Seasons, or maybe after an old movie at the Stanford Theater.

Pasta? -- 4/5

Welcome back, non-readers! Apologies for my extended absence. First of all, WINTER BREAK. It was fabulous--lots of cooking, skiing, sleeping, and reminiscing with high school friends about how ridiculous we really were and still really are. Anyways, I realized upon returning to school that Sundays are no longer a good day for restaurant visits, what with skiing every weekend and all. This boded ill for my blog, but fortunately I made a new friend in my Qualitative Research Methodology class, and we have decided to go out to lunch to a new restaurant every Thursday before class. Fear not, review-readers! The sortof-kindof-critic isn't done yet.

At least not until she leaves for Paris in April. Somehow I don't think reviews of their restaurants would prove very useful for y'all.

1. Food -- 4/5 Sometimes, you just crave Italian. Complex carbohydrates, Parmesan cheese, fresh tomatoes and basil and garlic and you probably get the idea, because you've been there. We asked for our salads lightly dressed (you know how restaurants can be...more dressing than salad...), and they were lightly dressed alright. Like, no dressing. They were plenty nice about bringing some out on the side, though. As an entrée, the penne giannino (with chicken and pesto) totally met my expectations and requirements for a delicious and stress-busting pasta dish. It was large enough to split with a friend and still have some left over to stick in my fridge for a late-night study snack.
2. Service -- 5/5 Still trying to work out if our server was really Italian, or if he's just an out of work character actor. Regardless, very sweet, accommodating, and professional.
3. Price -- 4/5 It's more expensive than food on campus, but honestly, not by much. Salads run at about $7, pasta at $12, and meat dishes are about $17. Like I said, plenty split-able. Good value for good food.
4. Location and Setting -- 4/5 About three or four blocks down University Avenue, it's very accessible with nice signage. Parking is a difficulty, as always, especially when it's cold out and walking isn't as pleasant as in the warmer months. It's not very Italiano-atmospheric -- it's actually got a sort of chromic, trendy vibe, but it works. Classy, but relaxed enough that I felt okay wearing track shorts. Ok, well I felt a little awkward, but not enough to detract from the dining experience.
5. Good for... a fun, classy-but-informal night out. Seems a little too echo-y for an intimate/date setting, but I can definitely seeing heading here with a few friends and splitting some delicious pasta dishes before heading over to L'Amour for a frozen finale.