A Taste of the Orient in Paris

The #1 most-popular dish in France is not escargot, crêpes, steak tartare or duck a l'orange. No, en fait, it is the humble, and completely un-French couscous.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, part of France's colonial empire included a huge chunk of North Africa--Morocco (protecterate 1912-1956), Tunisia (occupied 1881-1956) and most importantly, Algeria (French colony and officially part of France 1830-1962). Because of this, as well as its proximity to these three nations, there is a large Maghreban presence in France. (The "Maghreb" is an Arab word meaning "west," but from their point of view, used by the Occident to designate this clump of North Africa, thus rendering it senseless, and the "maghrebans" only refer to themselves as such in an official capacity)

Part of this presence is, naturally, a large number of North African restaurants especially in Paris (and Marseille as well--the first city they reach across the Mediterranean). Over the past few weeks, I have gone to 3 different "Maghreban" restaurants, and have now had enough couscous to last me for the next few months.

The two main types of dishes you find at these restaurants are couscous of course, and tajines. The couscous is served on a communal dish, with another dish full of sauce/vegetables, and then individual plates piled with whatever meat you ordered. A tajine is a kind of stew that gets its name from the dish it is cooked in--a tajine--which keeps the food really hot and infuses it with amazing flavor. The lid is kind of like a party hat or an upside-down funnel (without the actual funnel) which they remove upon serving you, revealing a mass of steam and delicious odors--cinnamon, apples, roasted duck (in my case).

If the couscous hasn't yet fully expanded in your stomach, it's time for dessert! Besides some typical French desserts that sometimes sneak their way into the menu, oriental pastries (often filled with marzipan and flavored with orange flower), orange and cinnamon salad, fresh fruits, "crème parfumée à l'eau de rose," and of course, "thé à la menthe" (mint tea) await you.
The mint tea is a must--it is an experience in itself. They pour your tea in front of you from a silver pot way up high into skinny class cups from which you can enjoy this sweet and refreshing drink.

If you're on a budget, short on time or need a little break from France, a little trip to North Africa via one of the following restaurants (or the hundreds of other options all over the city), is the best (and tastiest) way to experience a new culture:

Chez Berbert ($$)

71 blvd du Montparnasse (15e metro: Montparnasse-Bienvenue)

(2 other locations: chezberbert.com)

Le Tajine ($) (pictured above)

10 rue Sophie Germain (14e, metro: Mouton Duvernet)

Le 404 ($$$)

69 rue des Gravilliers (3e, metro: Arts et Metiers)

Also recommended--A tour of the beautiful Grande Mosquée de Paris followed by some mint tea and a pastry or even a whole meal (still on my to-do list) at the courtyard restaurant.