Food is ingrained in French culture with all the taste buds luring your mouth once you step out from your plane/train in Paris. Paris, though a compact city has over 9000 restaurants that predominantly speak of its delicacies and cuisines. One finds all range of options from purely vegetarian restaurants to the outlets serving chewy Burgundy snails, mutton brains, pigs totter etc., from innumerable varieties of cheese that count more than days in a year served with whole range of exquisite wines to sparkling desserts that sweeten up your day. Whether one is on a budgeted or luxurious trip, one cannot stop himself from checking out the comprehensive range of restaurants ranging from inexpensive cafes, bakeries, bistros to the high end fine dining restaurants that offer expensive gourmets. Paris is home to finest chefs, national and international and every meal prepared even from the so- called ordinary shops leave your tongues wanting more and more. One can taste from several regional and national menus to continental menus depending on one’s taste but there are certain delicacies that own a “Not to be Missed Tag” if you are in Paris. Dried sausages with creamy Brie and some butter to coat the bread, Chocolate Croissants – puff pastries with chocolate in the center, steaming crepes, classically prepared Belgian fries, butter filled cookies sandwiched Macarons are some names to mention. Couscous and Falafel have qualified themselves to be such preferred dishes that they are no longer considered foreign dishes in Paris now. Both are budget friendly light lunch meals that do not bother you to sit in a restaurant as they can be easily found in local neighborhoods. A huge variety of salads also forms an important part of Paris cuisine that are served in portions that complete them as a meal Eating can be one of the To-Dos List if you are on any other holiday but for Paris, trying out its exquisite range of menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner is as essential as visiting Eiffel Tower if you are in Paris. Start your day with the whole range of croissants and a cup of coffee or the pastries that set your mood for roaming on Paris Streets for rest of the day like Pain au , Pain au Chocolat , Chausson aux Pommes . For lunches or dinners, the options range from Croque Monsieur/Madame, Specialty Onion Soups to Quiche ,Escargots ,Steak, Tartare, Omelet ,Boeuf Bourguignon, Coq au Vin, Confit de Canard , Moules. The quick snacking options include a crusty baguette from a good boulangerie, a selection of fine French cheeses, falafels, crepes, galettes. However, snacking is not as practiced habit in Paris as in other countries but if you are a traveller and have missed on some meal while busy in shopping or appreciating artistic and architectural excellence, you don’t need to worry as you will find many snacking options near the gardens or on the bridges. Paris desserts are blessings for sweet tooth as the sweet delicacies include the desserts prepared from mixing and matching chocolates, hot chocolates, sponge cakes, ice creams, macarons and what not!! Wines largely are a must-taste drink when you are in Paris owing to the popularity of French wines that are exported all over the world. It is a year round drink with varieties and brands in Champagne, Lorraine, and Alsace etc. though the accompanying cuisines may differ in different seasons with more of salads, fruits and vegetables in summers and hunted delights in winter. With the advent of cold storage, these variations have reduced yet they are observed minimally. Local pastry shops and grocery stores also offer variety of sandwiches and mouthwatering baguettes. The brassieres, cafes, roadside restaurants and high end restaurants make Paris a preferred destination for all the food lovers.
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