It was a cold clear night when we headed out to the Champs-Elysées. The idea that we eat homemade burgers at home fell by the wayside. I was feeling too lazy to cook. “Let’s go to Five Guys on the Champs.” I said.
Taking out-of-town kids to the Champs-Elysées is a treat, especially at night when it’s all lit up and bustling with tourists. So we jumped on the metro and within fifteen minutes got out at George V station. My 7-year old godson below, in his new red parka.
Burgers and fries, the new French gastronomy. It’s sad but true.
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From the internet:
Street Food To Haute Cuisine, How The Burger Conquered France
PARIS — At the Ritz palace overlooking the Place Vendôme, the “Ritz Burger” beaufort cheese, fries and a green salad is sold for 42 euros. At the Crillon bar, the chef’s mini burgers are sampled until 6 pm, for a cool 28 euros. A longstanding symbol of junk food, the burger seems to have found its nobility: In just a decade, it has earned a seat at some of the most beautiful tables in France, including the prestigious Hotel Meurice on the rue de Rivoli. The New York Times anointed it as the maker of the world’s best hamburger.
Five Guys is ridiculously expensive. A burger costs 9 euros, 25 cents. For three burgers, two small fries and two Cokes, I paid 42 euros, 75 cents.
We ate on the outside patio under heat lamps. I must admit their burgers and fries are very good. Then we jumped back on the metro and rode down the line to Tuileries station and the rue de Rivoli.
The rue de Rivoli runs alongside the Tuileries Gardens. Crossing over, you walk under beautiful 19-century arcades past shops, cafés and restaurants. The most photogenic is this café-bar-restaurant L’Imperial at number 240.
I was tempted to stop off for hot chocolate but, to be frank, I was so stunned by the high prices I had just paid at Five Guys, I had a better idea: hot chocolate at home. And so, walking briskly in the cold to the Place de la Concorde, we jumped on the metro and rode home for mugs of hot chocolate and the Narnia DVD. It was 4°C (39°F). The weather forecast all this week is cold, dry and sunny.
Next blog post: Christmas office party at the Paris Aquarium
Juliet in Paris
Saturday night! Hamburgers! Paris!
Mais oui !
Sounds like fun. Lucky kids to have an aunt in Paris!
True! And lucky me to have two nice kids to play with.
Gosh you must be a favourite aunt… looks like a lot of fun, something different… and at least it was yummy for the price…
Yeah, it was something different. We had planned to stay at home, eat burgers and watch the Narnia DVD. But I can’t resist cold, dry weather. It had been gray and rainy for weeks, it was fun to go outside and play.