Jacques Genin

December 03, 2014 in Food

I randomly stumbled upon this chocolate house in the northern part of the 3rd arrondissement while on my way to Place des Vosges. Jacques Genin creates some of the most exquisite and delicate chocolates and desserts in Paris. The store/salon is very elegant and modern with fresh flowers and a clean-cut ambiance. It's quiet and peaceful. The hidden location deters obnoxious tourists from over flocking this place.

The famous mille-feuille at Jacques Genin is custom made to order, along with other pastries. The layers of perfectly created crisp crumbles apart with every cut and bite. The subtle yet sweet vanilla that is between ultra-thin layers of the mille-feuille cannot compare to any pastry. The hot chocolate was fantastically exceptional. The purity of the chocolate along with its thickness, depth and silkiness allows one to enter a moment of serenity. I prefer a darker and a more thick taste. Others may find this to be too thick. One tip when drinking the hot chocolate; only pour small quantities at a time for it gets cold very quickly—so only pour the amount you want to sip on to enjoy the warmth. Once you've experienced Jacques Genin you'll never settle for anything less and it stays with you wherever you go. You'll always be craving it and wanting more. If you ever find yourself in Paris, it would be criminal to not pay a visit to Jacques Genin—especially if you don't even enjoy sweets because truly great dessert will convince even those who are anti-sweets how truly great Parisian desserts can be. You can only enjoy the pastries and hot chocolate at the salon de the, to-go is not allowed for the pastries should be savored on site. Jacques Genin works just up the spiral staircases.

The chocolates and caramels are another story. If you are a fan of La Maison du Chocolat, then you will love the chocolates here. Jacques Genin used to be the head pastry chef at La Maison du Chocolat, so you'll find some similarities in style. He reinvents the pralines by playing on different flavors. Although he offers a variety of flavors from basil to lemon, he is able to source real fresh ingredients and incorporate these flavors into his chocolates by not overwhelming the chocolate itself. The original "chocolat a l'ancienne", just melts in your mouth with subtle crunchiness. It's a lot creamier than the pralines at La Maison.

The caramels are also remarkable. They melt immediately and again plays on various flavors from fruits to nuts. They are so soft and fresh. He has done caramels like no other. The caramels with pistachios are fantastic.

In addition to his famous mille-feuille, they also have seasonal pastries that change regularly. I've heard the eclair and citron tart are impeccable. Be sure to try those as well.

I am personally a huge fan of this establishment. It's hard to say whether or not this is the best in Paris but it is pretty damn good and relatively exclusive in that there is only one location in the entire world (they have another store in Saint Germain that only sells chocolates, caramels and pates des fruits).

The chocolates are good for 15 days and are packaged in these beautifully slick thin silver tin boxes. The prices are more than reasonable in my opinion for this caliber of pastries and chocolates. The mille-feuille and a pot of hot chocolate are only 8.5 euros each. For a box of 9, 32 and 72, they are 11, 32 and 64 euros, respectively. Definitely not cheap, but these are gourmet and handmade.

They are open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 7pm and 8pm on Saturdays. They are closed on Mondays.

Autumn in Paris

December 03, 2014 in Travel

Autumn is always my favorite time in Paris. It's when the locals return and the leaves start changing color. The temperature is perfect for coats and jackets. It's not too hot and not too cold—just right to enjoy the variety of coats, scarves, and hats. It's when black, grey, brown, navy, burgundy, and military green all come together to form the most beautiful articles of clothing.

More photos...

Takashi Murakami: The Land of The Dead

November 18, 2014 in Art

From November 10th, 2014 to January 17th, 2015, the Gagosian gallery on 24th between 10th and 11th will be exhibiting Takasahi Murakami's latest collection called: The Land of the Dead. This series was a direct response to the most recent tsunami that hit Japan in 2011. He explores elements of death in a non-cynical but cheery way. The colors of this series are vibrant—consistent with his usual style. He speaks about death in a satirical humorous manner through his signature super flat style. The last Murakami exhibit I saw was at Versailles back in 2010.

One question that arose during my visit was Murakami's technique. My friends and I debated over whether his works were painted or printed? Some pieces gave clues that they may have been painted due to the texture and depth. Other pieces were very flat and gave us the impression that he may have created the art digitally and printed different layers and pasted them on top of each other.

After stalking Takashi Murakami's personal Instagram account, he hinted that in fact his works were first painted with acrylic, then spray painted through filters. Although I am not 100% sure, it is reasonable to assume he uses a combination of traditional acrylic paint, spray paint, and a cut & paste technique.

I quite enjoyed this exhibit as it was able to make me momentarily forget that I was in Manhattan and take me to another place. I felt like I entered the world of a classic Studio Ghibli film such as Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke. The demons and spirits used in his works resemble classic Japanese mythical creatures. Aside from his beautiful works of art, one interesting piece was a replicated temple that sits in the middle of the exhibit. I believe it was a portal or entrance to the land of the dead.

Osteria Morini

November 11, 2014 in Food

One of my favorite joints for Italian food in the city. The pasta is excellent value, especially Monday nights after 9pm when they serve ten dollar pasta. For the quality, ambiance, and brand, $10 is exceptional.

Ambiance

The restaurant has a warm and cozy atmosphere that makes you feel like you're in a small Italian joint in the middle of nowhere Italy. It's not modern or overly pretentious, but still maintains a clean semi high caliber appearance. It's down to earth and relatively low key with wooden decor.

Food

I've yet to try a pasta I didn't like, except the cappelletti—truffle ricotta ravioli with prosciutto—the combination of butter+cheese+prosciutto is extremely strong. It makes me feel itchy for some reason. Objectively speaking it was very good, but in general, the overly cheesy/buttery texture along with prosciutto makes me slightly uncomfortable. However, everyone I know that has been to Osteria Morini loved the cappelletti. I'll admit a few dishes were slightly too salty but their complementing sauce helped tone it down. Overall the pasta is solid—simple and traditional. The pasta is handmade, which is the bare minimum for good pasta. The desserts are also quite good—not too sweet.

A few of my favorite dishes:

1) Garganelli

As mentioned above, I did not enjoy the cappelletti yet I did really enjoy the Garganelli—very similar in taste—but a much better balance of flavors. The radicchio is the main player that helped calm the heaviness of the cream and prosciutto.

2) Stracci—wide ribbon pasta with wild mushrooms

I love wild mushrooms. The wide ribbon noodles are cooked al dente with the rosemary oil moisturizing every bite along with the way.

4) Tortellini di mele

This is more of a dessert pasta in my opinion. It's on the sweeter side but not overwhelmingly sweet. A good replacement for dessert if you're in the mood for more pasta!

4) Torcia squid ink pasta

Not nearly on the same level as the squid ink pasta at Ai Fiori but it is definitely a solid runner-up with crispy brussels sprout to enhance every bite.

5) Tortellini panna

6) Gramigna—macaroni with pork sausage

7) Dark chocolate almond tart

8) Goat cheese custard with figs and grapes

Price

The best value is Monday nights after 9pm. I would expect to spend about $25-35 per person including tax and tip depending on how much you order. For two people, 3 pasta and a dessert is more than enough. Any other day I'd expect to spend $35-50 per person including tax and tip.

Wait

Reservations are not too difficult to get. During peak times such as Monday and weekend nights, I think the wait can be as long as 1.5 hours. I definitely recommend reservations during those times.

Israel

November 08, 2014

A few months ago I traveled to Israel at the beginning of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which only contributed to the intensified excitement. Israel is probably one of the coolest and most memorable places I've ever been. The mini-war like situation only added to its bad ass reputation. I remember friends and relatives frantically warning me to leave the country. Is it twisted that all this conflict made my trip more exciting? Maybe I've been living this boring "safe" life for so long that I was craving some adventure and danger. Of course, I wouldn't be saying if that something terrible had actually occurred. Knock on wood.

We stayed at the Dan Accadia in Herzliya beach where the sand was simmering beneath the blazing sun and the water was dangerously blue. The air never smelled so fresh and organic. The people were friendly and kind, but not overly expressive.

My first night in Israel, we dined in the hotel lobby and had a delicious meal with excellent hummus, fruits, and desserts until the sirens suddenly started to go off. The staff hurried us out of the dining room and all guests rushed to the basement bomb shelter. It was my first "bombing" experience—a lot of people were concerned, there was crying—but I was alert and excited. I felt a moment of aliveness that had been absent. After 15-20 minutes, we were free to resume our daily routine. Basically nothing "really" happened. Boo.

My first real day in Israel comprised of an 8 hour long tour guided trip to Caesarea where King Herold built his palace, Haifa, the Acres and the Grottoes in the northern coast bordering Lebanon. We covered a lot in one day. We came, we saw and we did not enjoy each site enough. These tour guides were hustling each spot with 15-minute explanations and BAM on to the next one.

The falafels we had at this random place in the Acres were amazing. The freshness of the chickpeas, bread, and hot sauce cannot compare. I dream about that falafel sometimes. Even Taim in New York can't compare.

The second day we decided to do another guided tour given the tension that was starting to arise. At 7am, we were on the tour bus headed to Jerusalem. We hit the usual suspects: Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian quarters..etc. We followed Via Dolorosa where Jesus walked to the Holy Sepulchre where he was resurrected. Tourists flooded his tomb hoping to bring good luck into their lives.

The third day we decided that the tour guides were too fast and rushed, although they provided a lot of historical knowledge we didn't get the chance to really enjoy each destination. We rented a car and drove to Jaffa for dinner. The old city of Jaffa was so peaceful and calm. The sunset was mesmerizing and almost as romantic as the ones in Santorini. It was at that moment I had really started to appreciate the beauty of sunsets. We dined at Dr.Shakshuka—a colleague of mine recommended this place. The rustic food was simple and delicious. Did I mention the lemonades in Israel are the best? They don't even add any sugar!

On our last day, we drove all the way to Masada where King Herold built his battle grounds. The blazing sun was hitting on us like no other. Even water couldn't quench our thirst. We were on the verge of dehydration. Luckily we cooled ourselves in the not so cool dead sea—the lowest point on earth. I stocked up on plenty of dead sea products from mud masks to dead sea salt. I think the last day was my favorite. Getting lost and finding our way in one of the oldest civilizations in the world was pretty cool. I can't wait to go back.