Paris on a Plate: A Gastronomic Diary

by Stephen Downes

Amazon Description :
Stephen Downes, food critic and author travels to the city of lights and Michelin stars to test France's legendary reputation for fine dining. An informative and useful guide to the quality and variety of food available in Paris.

Genres: Travel, Food, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unpasteurised cheese, Shakespeare and Company, boulangeries, Alain Passard's L'Arpege, pain au chocolat. These are a few of my favourite things.

And they all feature in Stephen Downes' memoir of 12 days of eating in Paris. This book perhaps lacks the unrestrained glee of say a John Baxter or David Lebovitz in their musings on food and culture in Paris (possibly the Methodist upbringing Downes references frequently) but it otherwise hits the spot.

Paris, je t'aime.

[Alexandritte · Rating 3 out of 5]

не мой жанр вообще

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me 1,5 years to finish this book! And it's a pretty loooong time for last 50 pages, that I had to read...oh my.
Well, I definitely recommend this book to all delicatessen, Paris and travelling blogs lovers, 'cos this book is all about love for remarkable food and author's experiences "now" and while his previous visits to Paris. If you like those things, you will definitely love this book. But for me it was just enjoyable, not wow! or something like that and I'm really happy just to finish it.
I've expected this Gastronomic diary would be little bit different, but c'est la vie! Personally, I don't want to visit all those places, just a few, but still it wasn't bad to know 'bout them.
Ok, I'm done with food-travel journalists' books for some time, but hope, that I'll find some more enjoyable book on this subject.;)
Have a great reads and eat properly!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for those who love Paris and french food. Its not a recipe book but a diary of twelve days in Paris during which Stephen Downes (an Australian journalist/restaurant critic) reviews various restaurants from the"cheap and cheerful" to the very expensive. Stephen first visited Paris in the 1970s as a young traveller. He eventually married a french girl and they moved back to Australia. Thirty years after his first encounter with Paris Stephen returns for twelve days to test France's legendary reputation for fine dining. He revisits old haunts and dines at michelin starred restaurants. He writes with dry humour to portray his enthusism for fine food which makes it really entertaining.

[Sephie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this 12 day journal of an Australian food-critic revisiting Paris, Page 60 was certainly an education!!

[Diane in Australia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.