Cervejaria Ramiro

When I figured out the Poulles and I were going to Lisbon I made it my trip mission to drag them to Cervejaria Ramiro. The only time we could make it work was right before our flight – so risky. We grabbed our roller bags and headed out.

Because of the popularity this place generally has a wait. Luckily we went right around 1 and the wait was no longer than 30 minutes.

Once inside we were quickly seated and got a menu.

We pretty much ordered the same thing Spencer and I had when we were there. A must is the spider crab which is served with crab roe.

Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato – clams in white wine, butter, garlic and parsley.

Of course with so much crab cleaning also comes a lot of splash so we had to wear our sunnies…

Tiger Shrimp

This place is one of the most amazing restaurants I’ve been to. I’ll never forget each experience there.

xoxop

Cervejaria Ramiro
Av. Almirante Reis nº1 – H, 1150-007 Lisboa
+351 21 885 1024

Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday 12:00 pm to 12:30 am
Closed Mondays

Chartier

On my way to Hotel Panache I noticed, as Spencer would say, a “gaggle” of people lined up in front of a pretty building. My first thought – there must be a show going on! I kept walking.

The following night as I was on my way to the hotel, my cab driver (all in French) explained to me how I was staying right by one of the best restaurants in Paris. From what I could understand he said that this place served classic French food and was very well priced. I was a bit shocked I’d never heard of it given I’m constantly on the hunt for a classic duck meal. Not only do I love French food, but I LOVE a bargain so I decided to try it!

Right after work I walked the two blocks to Chartier with my coworker Claudia to find out what all the buzz was about.

In 1896 brothers Frédéric and Camille Chartier opened Bouillon Chartier with a simple concept behind it: Reasonably priced food with great customer service.

The restaurant is generally at capacity for dinnertime so we arrived early to avoid crowds. To get to the restaurant you have to walk through a beautiful corridor and towards the back of the building to reach the entrance.

Once you’re inside the restaurant it feels like you’ve walked right into the Belle Epoch. The globe chandeliers, multiple mirrors, and arched windows make it oh so French.

Ordering is easy as the waiter comes by and jots down your order on the disposable tablecloth.

I chose duck and escargot, because you can’t get more classic, right? The duck was delicious. The skin was crispy but the meat was still tender and soft. The potatoes were cooked to perfection.

The escargot were prepared a la bourguignonne which means they are drowned in a sauce made from butter, shallot, garlic paste and parsley. If you’ve never had escargot before they are a lot nicer than you’d think. Sure it may sound gross to eat snails, but if prepared well they can be incredible.

I was insanely satisfied with my food choices. The bill came to a little under 20€ for my meal which was exactly what my cab driver said I would get – delicious food for a good price!

xoxop

Le Bouillon Chartier
7 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris
+33 1 47 70 86 29

Hours:
Open 365 days a year 11:30 am to 12:00 am

Barthélemy

This is the look of someone who just (accidentally) spent 70€ on cheese…

I stumbled upon this magical place a few years back after visiting Le Bon Marche. A cheese shop? Well of course I was going to walk in. Now every time I come to Paris I stop by and stock up on way too much cheese. This time I over did it, I think.

Barthélemy is owned by Mme Nicole Barthélemy who stocks this place with the most amazing and smelliest cheeses known to the world. She has been in the business for over 40 years and although it’s unclear when the cheese shop opened its reputation speaks for itself having supplied cheese to France’s Prime Ministers. The staff speaks only French but they are incredibly accommodating and always help me build the best cheese board. We point, taste and nod a lot.

They will always let you try before buying and if you’re lucky they may have some ready to try pieces in small tin bowls.

Look at those pretty orange colored babies!

Even the floors are pretty…

This is the type of cheese guillotine everyone needs in their home…

Along with cheese Barthélemy is stocked with yogurt, milk, eggs, crackers, pickled vegetables and of course wine! I picked up a bottle of Sancerre for just 13€ and it was amazing.

Please notice the huge Gorgonzola wooden box at the bottom right corner of the above picture…

Like everything in Paris, this shop is gorgeous and filled with the things that make me want to desperately live there. For now, I’ll settle with twice a year visits and being able to build a massive cheese plate when I come home.

Pro tip: if you want to bring some cheese home they will vacuum seal everything so it’ll keep in your luggage and your clothes won’t reek of cheese. Unless you want your clothes to smell heavenly…

Want to learn to cut cheese The French Way? Check out French Cheese Etiquette on my friend Charli’s blog Am I French Yet?

Sweater: H&M
Jacket: COACH Men’s
Pants: BDG
Shoes: Vans

xoxop

Barthélemy
51 rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris
+31 01 42 22 82 24

Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm & 3:30 pm to 7:15 pm
Friday – Saturday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Closed Sunday & Monday

Hotel Panache

When traveling to Paris I generally stay at some larger chain hotels and my opinions of them often vary. After my last unpleasant visit to a large chain hotel I listened to my colleague, Fanny, and followed her to smaller hotel with more character.

Located in the 9th arrondissement, Hotel Panache is one of the the most beautifully designed hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Upon entering you can immediately see how every nook and cranny was taken into consideration when designing this lovely spot. One of the most striking things are the mosaic floors, white marble counter, rust accents and clean lines that decorate the lobby.

: Pretty decor at the front desk.

: Gorgeous rust colored couch and marble table in lobby.

Right next door to the reception you can find their restaurant which serves breakfast from 7:30 am to 10:00 am and will cost you about 9€ to 18€.

I landed pretty early in Paris so of course I hoped my room would be ready. It wasn’t but that was absolutely no issue. I asked if there was another room available for immediate check in and they were able to quickly accommodate me for a small fee. I somehow landed with a lovely Junior Suite.

Upon entering I was transported. The room was decorated with geometric shapes which play well with the shape of the building. Above the bed you can find gorgeous touches such as brass bar fixtures with bulbs at each end. Next to the bed a Bakelite black telephone and ceramic light switches on the walls.

The reading nook with the view of the street is what really made it for me. This accompanied by the spacious desk were a nice touch to the already large room.

The first thing I want to do after getting off a plane is take bath so I really look forward to this part of my room. Luckily, the bathroom was a dream stocked with Bonne Nouvelle products – a new Parisian line of body care products designed specially for hotels. I also realized that I forgot to pack toothpaste so they sent me up some Marvis Mint. The tile work in the bathroom had a simple feel with a large tub (my favorite part) and dual vanity.

I was happy to learn that Hotel Panache is concerned with the environment and has implemented the re-use of towels as to avoid washing after one use.

Overall I think this hotel is wonderful and I’d love to visit again! If you’re going to Paris it’s the perfect amount of charm in a great location.

xoxop

Hotel Panache
1, rue Geoffroy-Marie, 75009 Paris
+33 1 47 70 85 87

Contact: hotel@hotelpanache.com

Quiosque Ribeira das Naus

On our walk the first day in Lisbon we ran into this adorable outdoor cafe. They had these amazing chairs all around the water front with a great view of the 25 de Abril Bridge. So, like any smart human would do – we sat.

At first we were a little confused by what we could purchase. The little quiosque looks like it can’t hold more than a few drinks/snacks but their menu is actually quote vast.

Quiosque Ribeira das Naus serves small plates, coffee, cocktails and more importantly…pasteis.