Le Bon Anniversaire Weekend - Day 2

While Lydia and Tungy decided to get up early to get to Giverny, Me, Poo, Liz, and Angry Chris decided to sleep in and then follow it up with lunch in Chinatown. Living somewhere that doesn't have a Chinatown, I have really craved Asian food that wasn't cooked by myself. And you know, it would be nice to share the experience with someone as well. 

I hadn't really thought about where I wanted to eat in Chinatown, just that I wanted to eat, and then we remembered that we wanted to go to Le Bambou last time I was here, so we went...there. On my way in, I was really hankering for some Pho Bo. Then as we went to our table, I saw a girl eating Bun Bo Hue which looked really good. Reading the menu, I was tempted first by the sugarcane prawns, and then deep fried goodies. In the end, we got this:

L-R Pho Bo Dac Biet, Bun Cha Gio, and sugarcane prawns. 

After taking the merest sip of the Pho, Pooey and Liz both said it was one of the pho broth ever tasted!!! I concur!

Me and Pooey with our food. Take note of our summer dresses - the weather in Paris was that nice!

Pooey with her sugarcane cigar

After lunch, Liz and Chris want to try their luck with the Paris Catacombs while I decided to soak up the smells and sounds of Chinatown. This included a trip to the ma-hoo-sive Tang Freres Asian supermarket to purchase a clay pot for cooking and bamboo chopsticks (they were only €0.64 or something else ridiculous). 

I also got to observe something I'd been missing - roasted meats hanging in a window!

So tempted to buy some cha siu pork - dammit Germany, why is this against the law?! 2 billion Asian people prove it's a perfectly acceptable way of storing meat!

We then went to BHV and Galeries Lafayette to do some shopping but it was pretty hot and crowded inside both stores and we were tired so we headed back in the early afternoon to rest in the apartment and get ready for dinner.


Dinner was held in that stalwart of the Marais, Bofinger. I've been trying to eat here for years! Once I was turned back because we didn't have a reservation and cbf waiting 1 hour for dinner, and another time we just got there too early. No chances were taken this time - reservation for 8 at 8 was made!

The gorgeous Art Nouveau interior of the restaurant. It occurs to me now that I didn't walk under the dome to take a photo.

Dinner participants! 

Clockwise from top left, Pooey & Alix, Gnoudesavanes, Chris & Liz, Lydia & Tungy.

There was a moment of humour as we sat down and read the menus because the various French-speakers spoke to the waiters in French meaning that we received our menus in French. Said French-literate people then continued to read the menus leaving our non-literate people to go "errr....translation please!" after a few moments. And then because we were the double whammy of being Asians AND tourists, everyone whipped out cameras to photograph our meals! 

Pooey's entree of foie gras terrine. Mmmmmmm

My entree of langoustine salad. Oh man, I've so been craving seafood...

Pooey's mains of grilled salmon 

My duck main! See that giant slab of something yellow between the duck breasts?

Biggest slab of foie gras EVAH!!! I was in fatty heaven.

For dessert, Pooey got a creme brulee that was served flaming! WOOOOOOOOOH!!!!

Me and Lydia shared this concoction of cream, berry sorbet, strawberries, and meringue. 

Me and Pooey being happy

This photo makes me dizzy

Since were were in Paris celebrating a birthday, Lydia and I decided to recreate one of the most infamous moments of our Ville Lumiere time - the night we celebrated her 21st birthday we went to a bar in the Marais/Bastille area and drank tequila shots. Despite the hazy memory made worse with alcohol, we had managed to figure out which bar it was last time we were there - and back we went for my 30th! Ahhh, the more times change, the more they stay the same.

What a bunch of booze hounds!!!

Gnoudesavanes demonstrates why he wants to move to Munich 

(hint - look at the drink he's got)

 

 Me and Poo enjoy our cocktails

 To replicate that eventful night 6.5 years ago (!!!) Lydia bought us DOUBLE tequila shots. I'm enjoying my reaction. 

And then we decided to take one of the last Metros home rather than try and take the Nightbus. Sometimes it's just not worth trying to prove that you're still young.


Le Bambou - 70 rue Baudricourt, 13e arr., nearest Metro = Tolbiac or Olympiades 
Bofinger - rue de la Bastille, 4e arr., nearest Metro = Bastille
L'An Vert du Decor (birthday bar) - 32 rue de la Roquette