"Paris" a Paris Travel Page by Anthony_Bourdain

Some Americans are starting to think the French suck. But I think we may be looking at them in the wrong way, and thus not allowing ourselves to experience the world.

Paris, the 2,000-year-old capital of France. They have the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, the Louvre, Notre Dame. The most important thing to do the instant you arrive in Paris is stop. Find some place inviting and slip comfortably into the Parisian pace of life.

All right, now be careful. Since you slowed down, you’ll start to notice all sorts of things around you. Once you allow your senses to guide you and not your itinerary, you may begin to find pleasure in many things you would ordinarily overlook, like the many sights, smells and tastes on the streets of Paris. Do try not to get run over while gawking at things. It’s a dead giveaway you’re an American. You are now ready to begin to graze through the wondrous, sensual feasts that elude so many of us when we take trips here. But first, you’ll need a base of operations, like a cool hotel haunted by the ghost of a dead writer.

Me, I always stay at L’Hotel in the Saint Germain des Pres. A very discreet joint known for being a love shack to the tragically hip for ages. Even more importantly, it has the necessary distinction of having had famous people die there. In 1900, author Oscar Wilde kicked the bucket in room 16. The same room I’m staying in, in fact. This was his last base of operations for a legendary three-year bender that ended badly. Oh well, I fully intend to honor Oscar Wilde’s good example, but first a little shuteye.

It’s ten p.m., the Parisian dinner hour and you’re hungry. So how do you begin to dine like they do? Stop playing by your own rules.

It’s a common traveler’s dilemma. You hear about a local joint that you just have to check out and, well, you hesitate. It’s not easy pushing your way through the front door of some new place. Is it going to be one of those cowboy moments where you walk in and everybody turns around and looks at you? You can’t turn on your heels then and say, “Oops, wrong place,” and leave. You’re in.

But once in, especially in a place like Chez Robert and Louise, you’re rewarded with a truly local experience. I mean it would be impossible to have a business like this in the states. A wood burning fire, illegal. The meat, illegal. The dog, illegal. The cheese sitting out uncovered, illegal. Basically, everything that makes this place good would be illegal in The States.

Chefs play this game where they ask each other, what would be your last meal on death row? Almost always, the answer is something simple and hearty that mom made. Well, here they serve what little French boys wanted for dinner. Starting with boudin noir. It’s basically a blood, blood sausage made from pig’s blood and onions and… frightening to the uninitiated. But man, once you eat it here, you’re hooked. And this is fromage de tete, which is, well, head cheese. You basically cook your pig’s head and you strip off all the meat, the tongue, everything and you pack it into a tureen with some aspic. There you go. Aspic is a clear meat jelly or gelatinized broth. This is seriously old school. You’re not going to find this next to the jalapeño poppers at TGI Mcfunsters.

And that’s the best. This is my idea of the perfect plate in a wooden cutting board with a little gutter in it for the blood to run into. All plates should be like this. I love this. This whole notion of, you know, dark street, no big sign, you know, curtains drawn out in front. Step inside, you’re in another world I mean this is the way to eat. It’s about food.

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Special VT Contributor Anthony Bourdain
Author and chef Anthony Bourdain travels the world seeking the authentic experiences and food that flavor the world’s cultures. Join him on his journey, on No Reservations, his new series on the Travel Channel. Meet Anthony, talk about the show, and view Anthony’s photo journals. Visit travelchannel.com/AnthonyBourdain