Caffe Moro, Paris - The Battle of Italian Coffee

I have been on a trojan horse ride with this cafe....



Close to my house - tick.



Quiet Skype conditions - tick.



Really nice Italian coffee - tick.



Entered into a small trench-like petty feud with one of the serveuses - tick!




The timeline of events leading to battle:



I came here for the first time with a couple of friends on a lazy Sunday arvo and we ordered wine and an antipasto plate which was delicious. Cafe Morro is an Italian cafe on Rue Charonne (10 minutes walk from the Bastille), and boasts an array of panino, insalate, pasta and mozzarelle to knock many Romans warriors from their steeds (I am currently salivating over a little old lady sitting outside tucking into her perfect looking antipasti filled toasted panini).

So my first experience here was great - the Parisian born, Italian owner custom made us little fuss pots a very particular platter (we wanted more than just bread, cheese and meat which is near impossible in Paris) and we got a bit tipsy on Italian wine. A few weeks later I came back to try the coffee with high expectations. It is a little more exxy than our other locals at around 3.80 for a cafe au lait however, it is well worth it. The beans are high quality and roasted by the best in Italy. I come back as a patriotic little customer around once per week.

I started to feel quite loved 2 weeks ago when the serveuse asked me if I wanted my regular coffee in a mug instead - oh yes please I responded with a smile. Then came time to pay and I was up for just under 5 euro! As it dawned on me that had not made a new friend at all, rather, I had been the target of a calculated upsell! I puffed that it was too expensive and huffed away.

Returning a few days later....

I have since started jokingly referring to Cafe Morro as The Moron (TM) yet I come back religiously - its very strange. The nice owner and her wonderful coffee seem to be able to drown out my current mild dislike for TM (during my last visit here I asked for a jug of water with my coffee. Apparantly the biggest water 'jug' available here is shot glass which she handed me with a pesky smirk....)

The coffee here is really nice! When I arrived today I started talking to TM (we are beginning a slow recovery and I expect the signing of the treaty is imminent) and asked where the beans were from...."c'est un secret" that she could not divulge.

The cafe also stocks a small variety of Italian goods - chocolate, pastas, sauces etc.

So I will continue to return to Caffe Moro/The Moron and I would recommend it for its great Italian food, Italian coffee and lovely little Italian owner....and if im honest I think what is quickly transforming into an almost playful (pretend sword) feud makes it just that little bit more fun.

Caffe Moro

31 Rue De Charonne

75011 Paris

Metro: Ledru-Rollin

Sweat Shop in Paris

I am on my way to my first day at the Sweat Shop. Lugging an oversized sack bearing the 'tools of the (rag) trade' and experiencing a certain anxiously awkward first day on the job feeling.


With a subtle blend of curiousity and nervousness I ponder the prospects of what will come of me when I enter the facility. Questions like how long do I stay, will they feed me, how are the work conditions? Entering this unknown, slightly secretive domain I am drowning with many different manifestations of excitement!



I take a left turn onto the named street and start looking for signs -plumes of dark industrial smoke littering the already grey Paris sky, darkened windows shielding shady, secret affairs within, noisy machines, people with half fingers....but no...once again the imagination bolted.










Sweat Shop, opened in March 2010 is self described as "Cafe Couture"- 10 Singer sewing stations surround a big central craft table equipped with various tools and materials.





Patrons may book in for one of the creative sewing and knitting classes (about 5 are held each week) or you can attend solo with your projects, find a seat and get to work - Singer machine hire is a very reasonable 6 euro/hr.

Open everyday from 1pm, Sweat Shop is much more than just your standard cafe. Its a cafe with environmental conscious and supports the notion of reusing what we already have - creative therapy over retail therapy.

The tea and coffee here is served in intricately crafted and painted tea sets - no doubt sourced by the sweet (and very helpful, English speaking) Sweedish owner from the local broccante (antique) market. The room out the back of the cafe has a nice comfy seating area where you can perch yourself with your tea and cake and knit, sew or just drink tea until your hearts content.



We spent about 3 hours here yesterday and I would highly recommend it. I am already rummaging through the drawers to find something I can revitalise for next time!










All without a bead of sweat...

Sweat Shop Paris

13 Rue Lucien Sampax
75010 Paris
Metro: Jacques Bonsergent
http://www.sweatshopparis.com/

Merci - No No Thank YOU!!

I was introduced to Merci by a friend a few months ago (thanks Kezza) and it has now become a bit of an inspirational hang out place for me when I feel like wandering the shops for nothing in particular, followed by some down time in the attached library cafe.

Located on the edge of the Marais, the store is fit out and arranged in a vast warehouse-like space. The store is large yet it has managed to keep its boutique, non-department store-like feel.

An array of beautiful and qwerky objects are neatly arranged over 3 levels - connected by staircases. Qwerky gift ideas, beautiful clothes and bags, one off jewellery pieces, raw furniture, homewares and stacks of concept 'things' (my fave being a fashion conscious pollution mask - bearing Angelina Jolie-like lips and a models angular jawline. I'm sure its only a matter of time until the increasingly popular yet still a tad strange lung protector becomes a must have accessory for city dwellers) - visually thought provoking and truly inspirational.

Back to the Cafe. I have introduced a few friends to Merci Cafe now and everyone loves it!! The staff are super friendly and deliver your coffee with a big glass bottle of fresh mint water, contrasted by a (complimentary) little shot glass worth of petit morcels of the daily cake on offer.

When you enter the cafe from inside the store you walk down a short hallway-like passage lined with a wall of books on one side (English included) and a tiny and very busy open kitchen on the other. Choose your book quickly and take a seat or you may end up with egg on your face - seriously.

Merci Cafe reminds me of one of my favourite cafes in Bondi, Sydney - Gertrude and Alice. Here, you can spend hours carefully selecting an array of books to devour in a dark corner whilst you sip away on your steaming latte. The perfect way to pass a rainy day.

The menu at Merci is small but there is still a good mix of sweet and savoury snacks. There is generally one plat du jour (plate of the day). I can vouch for the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel as well as the carrott cake. For around 7 euro you can also get 2 dippy eggs complete with soldiers and marmite.

Merci ....Thankyou!!

P.S - Vegemite is better!

Merci

111 Boulevard Beaumarchais

75003 Paris

Metro: St-Sebastien Froissart

Merce and the Muse - Took me back to Nan's Place

A tiny, quaint, inviting cafe - decorated in a way that stirs an incredible feeling of nostalgia. Vintage typewriters, cameras, and purple violets adorn the window sills whilst timber chairs, a bright green couch and a timber bench with a selection of blue cushions surround 2 timber coffee tables - yes just 2! and everyone shares in an ad-hoc, comfy fashion.

I love everything about the way this place is decked out - a big timber counter displaying the days goodies (today its heart shaped carrot cakes, salads, quiche and soup - made by Merce herself in the kitchen upstairs), the cream SMEG, the little diamond shaped blue and earthy coloured tiles on the floor. You sit where you can and you do what you like. Today, I brought along my knitting project and have managed to get a spot on the cushioned bench next to the brilliant blue feature wall.

The coffee here is good - I would probably say a close second to the coffee at Le Bal (my fav so far). However, it does win in size - the place to come if you feel like a quality, TALL , steaming latte.

A big jug of water sits on the counter next to recycled glass lavendar filled bottles. Its the little personal touches that give this space a warm vibe. Grandpa fedoras hang from the edges of the shelves in the kitchen whilst a blend of instrumental beats seem to humm along to the chit chatter.

A sweet spot where I can time travel for a couple of hours back to Nan's.... and I'm sure Pa Fred had that exact fedora.

Merce and the Muse

1 bis Rue Dupuis

75003 Paris

Bio Buffet Brunch at Soya Cantine - This Aint No Mungbean

Soya Cantine Bio is a small and relatively unknown bio haunt in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. Frequented by the local yoga crowd after a session at the Ashtanga Yoga Centre just around the corner (which for shoestring budget yogi's holds a few 5 euro community classes every week).

Unlike many bio joints where you seem to feel strangely inferior for not knowing what to do with algae, mirin, tamari, agave soy "cream", agar agar, avocado "mousse" - eat it or perform exotic body wrap? Bio Cantine is down to earth and refreshingly non patronising. In a similar vein of comfort, you can actually sit here and have 20th serves if you please without anyone batting an eyelid! - C'est Normale! I know from experience having paid this wholesome little hottie a visit on Sunday for brunch. Well, what I call a visit some others may call overstaying the welcome but not the staff here who, after us being there for 4 1/2 hrs grazing away thought we may also like to try a bit of an exclusive kitchen creation (see chocolate brownie pic).



We tried our best to refuse as we had 'undone the button' 2 hrs prior but they managed to twist our arms.

The first bit of advice is book a table for brunch (24 euro for full buffet, fresh juice and tea) on the weekend (we did not and just so happened to be lucky enough to nab Celeste's table who was far too late - you snooze you loose Celeste!) and turn up on time so as to avoid the circling non-bookers lurking in the dark corners. The place really packs out around 1pm and there is a great vibe as people hustle in a clockwise direction around the buffet sampling the unlimited supply of hummus, and many other vegetarian (some vegan) goodies.

Really close to the bustling Rue Oberkampff, where you will find an array of cool bars (Aux Des Amis) and laid back restaurants (Ave Maria) - hosting a super relaxed mix of the artsiest people in Paris.

Wholesomeness - the perfect word to describe this little gem, even if you do eat your way through a trough worth of (bio) chocolate cake, after your not so wholesome (bio?) Saturday night.

Soya Cantine Bio

20 Rue de la Pierre Levee
75011 Paris
Metro: Goncourt or Oberkampff

Le Bal - Le Cafe I Heart

Le Bal Cafe - noted recently by an article in the New York Times as having "the best coffee in Paris"...

Big call I thought as I consulted the metro map and began planning a girls day out with my equally coffee crazed amis - and so it was that our rendezvous for a ladies lunch at Le Bal was born.

Ladies lunch followed by an afternoon trawl of Paris' answer to a girls fashion fix on a shoe string budget. I am talking fripps (Op Shops) and it just so happens that there is an amazing PROPER fripp (any "fripp" sporting prices in the double digits for what could well be my Nan's nighty - albeit a very cool nighty, is not a proper fripp) 2 mins from Le Bal (directly opposite the start of Le Passage de la Defense) called Guerrisol. 5 euro leather skirt - tick!

At Place de Clichy metro we were surprised that there was a sign pointing us in the direction of Le Bal as we came up the metro exit stairs. A short stroll up Avenue de Clichy and a right turn onto the cobbled laneway Passage de la Defense had us standing out the front of the acclaimed Le Bal. Quite a stark, minimalist cafe at first glance - large, glass fronted doors, white walls, white tables. There was however a certain buzz about the place as we soon realised, Le Bal is not just a Cafe but also an exhibition space and bookstore (ah, this explains the signs at the metro - I was thinking it was strange that there were signs directing us to a Cafe).

The love heart sculpted frothy topped latte did not disappoint (I am a mega fuss pot so I would say it could have been a touch hotter however, this apparantly spoils the coffee - as I am notified so frequently upon requesting such a thing as "un cafe tres tres chaud s'il vous plait"). In fact, I would say that in my 6 months in Paris it is overall the best quality coffee I have had yet.

I had the smoked salmon which was delectable and a very generous serve. Presented with a wedge of lemon and a plate of real bread - wholegrainy, crusty, fresh - rare features of the bread in many a Parisian bread basket. Topped off with the cheesecake for desert, we were just about ready to hit the road when we were told to pay up and bail out (in the nicest possible way) as a giant squid like line had begun to weave its tentacles outside - standard feature at all good cafes on the weekend in Paris.

The coffee was definitely the stand out at Le Bal. I went back again this morning for another and the barista told me that the secret is in the milk which comes from Normandy and the beans which come from the roaster Cafe Lomi in the 17th Arrondissment.

The proximity to the fripp is another plus, and lastly (but not leastly), the waiters who are also the owners of Le Bal Cafe are a little bit saucey too (see photo which I totally got sprung taking...oops - I HEART YOU LE BAL). Certainly be back soon for a vino or 5.

Le Bal Cafe

6 Impasse de la Defense
75018 Paris
Metro - Place de Clichy

Sesame - A Rare Seed

The cute and cosy Sesame Cafe is perched on the side of the Canal in the somewhat grungy yet cool part of Paris, and my second favourite of Paris' 20 arrondissements - the 10th (cough - I live in neighbouring 11th).

The staff here have a certain casual and friendly style which is a breath of rare fresh air in Paris. Donning denim and Dr Martins they wip around on this particular packed out Saturday delivering various 'fait a la maison' (home made) baked goodies to the equally chilled patrons. The lemon infused creme fraiche that accompanies the carrot cake should have its own place on the menu - give me a bowl of that HOT DAMN deliciousness!

I have been here 3 times now and can recommend the carrot cake, the chai, the cheesecake and of course the coffee. I am yet to lunch here but the salads look great and they also offer an array of freshly squeezed juices and smoothies. I seem to always finish and then think - oops forgot to take a photo (may be the reason why I have to keep going back). So this morning I took a photo of the remnants of our delights....not much to see, sorry.

A great place also to catch up on the emails or facebook or skype - love a bit of free wifi. The cafe also offers a table of books which is always a good sign - book table in Parisian Cafe = Welcome to stay as long as you like....as long as noone is waiting - in which case, order up or ship out...but otherwise Welcome. Easy to order up here - between 3 people we had 3 coffees, 3 cakes and a bagel - all for under 30 euro.

The booth seat at the front of the cafe is the prime seat to sprawl out - its busy on the weekends but the perfect place to burn a few hours during the week when this little gem is strangely not so packed..shhhhhh we like it this way.

If you are in the mood afterwards for a little caffeinated shop shop, pop down the road to Omaya Vintage - today they had a great 25 euro boot sale (unfortuantely big sized 42 foot over here had a very limited selection to choose from)....only a 10 minute walk from Sesame - and better still its in the 11th ...just

Sesame
51 Quay De Valmy
Paris 75011

Metro: Republique