There are only three bits of French you need to learn before going to Paris….maybe four if you’re planning on taking pictures and want to be respectful of your subjects.

*This is how to say them phonetically (aka like a tourist)….this is NOT the correct spelling.

1.) “Cam-bee-on?”= How much?

2.) “je voodray un vare du van rooj see-voo-play.”= I’d like a glass of red wine please.

3.) “Es ku je pooh prond un foto?”= Can I take a photo?

And possibly the most important line to memorize…

4.) “ooh est la falafel restaurant?” = Where is the falafel restaurant?

There are like 20 falafel shops on rue des Rosiers that claim they make the best falafel in the world, but only one of them has two lines out the door….so you do the math. In the months before our trip to Paris we spoke to what felt like hundreds of people about Paris, and the first thing each of them recommended was L’as Du Fallafel. Considering it couldn’t be further from what you would expect people to say “is the best thing they ate in Paris” we knew we had to go.

On our last day in Paris, before heading to the Eurostar back to London, we left my cousin’s apartment and walked a few blocks to get some falafel. When you’re facing the tiny restaurant you’ll notice two lines. The one on the right is for people waiting for a table, and the line on the left is for to-go orders. I recommend getting your falafel to go for several reasons:

1.) The to-go line moves faster

2.) You’re in Paris, you should enjoy the most amazing falafel you’re ever going to get, outside on a bench in one of city’s beautiful squares or parks.

*The Place des Vosges is only a five min walk away

3.) And you have to watch these masters in action as they perfectly stuff your pita with everything you could want and more.

Hidden in the middle of this little Jewish ghetto in the heart of the Marais district in the 4^th arrondissement is this gem. Probably hasn’t changed in years, and probably wont for the next 30. The Israeli French guys in line will take your order and keep the line moving quickly. They also act as traffic cops since the street is pretty narrow and the cars do pass by.

The falafel balls are about half the mass of golf balls which means you can cram more of then in the pita. They’re also smart about how they stuff, layering pickled veggies, eggplant, tahini and falafel balls on the bottom and repeating it on the top.

The only complaint I had (I’m a Jew so there’s got to be something) was the fact that I had to wait a few minutes until we found a place where we could comfortably dig in without it all spilling all over my shirt and pants.

Check out our previous post titled Paris cooking class…part deux or our next post titled The Estrogen Den at Cote for brunch

Related Posts:

• Cooking Class in Paris-A must do activity
• And then there was Paris…
• I asked about Beignets…Mom asked about his Genitals

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