Disha Dhananjay ’26 is a Law major studying at Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy this Summer 2024.
Growing up in a South Asian household my life has always revolved around food and cooking. I have always been passionate about learning more about food from other cultures and trying as many new meals as possible! Food can be fun, boring, romantic, and overall satisfies my cravings for an interesting experience. In my past two weeks living in Florence I have taken trips to Paris and Nice, France. While Florence has opened my eyes up to the Italian food scene, having a few bites of the French food scene was amazing. Here is a glimpse into my favorite meals over the past few weeks and what I loved, liked and recommend for your next trip!
#1 – Breizh Café: Paris, France
Breizh Café is a classic chain brunch spots for all crepe cravings. After landing in Paris I knew the one meal I had to eat before leaving was crepes, and Breizh did not disappoint. The Parisian cafe has a farm to table take on sweet and savory options and a few Parisian and Japanese fusion plates as well. I ordered one sweet crepe with warm apples, salted caramel and vanilla ice cream and a savory crepe with seasonal vegetables, goat cheese, egg and caramelized onions. This meal exceeded my expectations, the sweet crepe was perfectly salty and sweet balanced with the got apples and cold ice cream. The savory crepe had the perfect crisp and the mix of the goat cheese with caramelized onions was perfect. While I am unsure with how authentic of a french meal this is, it satisfied my American expectations and I would rate it a 9.2/10.
#2- Le Consulat: Paris, France
An authentic French meal in France can now be checked off my bucket list! During our day exploring the Montmartre neighborhood, Le Consulat was at the top of the hill to calm our hunger. This authentic French restaurant has a perfect people watching view if you sit outside and is the definition of a cute French spot. We ordered fries, a side salad, french onion soup and escargots. I have never had escargots in my life before, but when in Paris…right??!?!? The french onion soup was an amazing classic, perfectly cheesy and balanced. Definitely do not pass on the fries if you get the chance to go here, they were great. And escargots may be a new favorite!! I wasn’t sure what to expect but i certainly did not dislike them and they were fun to eat and try!! Le Consulat was a 8.2 in my books!!
#3- Osteria Santo Spirito: Florence, Italy
The night we landed in Florence was one of my most simple yet best meals I have had. While Osteria Santo Spirito is known for their truffle gnocchi, i opted for a simple spaghetti with fresh tomatoes and basil. After an entire travel day and my first night abroad this meal was when the feelings of being in a foreign country alone finally sank in. I was eating pasta in Italy without my parents or any family and in a new city with an entire summer ahead of me. I was so thankful, nervous, scared and tired during this meal and this pasta was exactly what I needed to revive me. I would rate it a 6.7/10. (My ratings are based off of the food quality and taste itself. So, yes, this rating is lower than the following meals, but the quality of the food isn’t always what makes a meal great, it is also the significance of a meal and the memories)
#4- Shin Ye: Paris, France
In all honesty, French and Italian food are nowhere near my top 3 favorite cuisines. Therefore, even on our trip to Paris I quickly needed a change in my food intake. Shin Ye, was not only some of the best asain fusion food i have had, but it was also incredibly affordable for being in the center of Paris. We had fresh pork Xiaolongbao and a similar dish to pho, with a bowl of noodles and broth with minced chicken. This meal was plenty of food for the cost and was refreshing to have a meal other than pasta and pizza. I would certainly go here again on my next trip to Paris, I am still thinking about this meal!! It was a solid 8/10.
#5- Le Curry: Nice, France
My first Indian meal abroad!! After almost 3 weeks in Europe eating rounds of pizza and pasta that lacked the same flavor and spices as my home cooked meals, I was craving a sense of home and some spices. We stumbled upon Le Curry after a long day of travels around Nice and Monaco and for Indian food in France it was nowhere near terrible. The chicken Biryani and Chicken Tikka Masala certainly had the flavor and spice my taste buds needed. I would pass on the palak paneer if i ever went again but the chicken biryani is a must try! This meal cured some of my homesickness and was incredibly satisfying after a long tiring day. I would rate it a 7.9/10
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