Nous Restaurant, 16 Rue de Paradis, Paris

 

 

 

 

Paula and Henri can't be much older than me- maybe they're even younger- yet they've traveled the world, lived in China, the US, and London, and opened a zero-waste fast food restaurant that bypasses the middleman and closes the loop from farm to table. Do you know what I did today? I read about Ina Garten on Wikipedia. Nous opened less than a month ago and Glamour and Madame Figaro already featured it, with good reason- with complete, balanced meals ranging from €9-16, Nous proves you don't have to be a Persian oil baron to eat gluten-free in Paris. 

For many Parisians, lunch is the only break they get all day. People eat quickly, they don't smile, they don't engage others. Paula and Henri bring a human aspect back to the lunchtime rush, with fresh juices, organic fruits and vegetables, and wholesome local foods "made with a smile." They're the kind of cute couple you see in J. Crew ads. Nous' bright, warm interior- designed by architect friends Gramme- features a cozy central table and long wooden benches so nobody eats alone. "We wanted to work with people we know and grow together, like a family," says Paula. The diverse menu- including lactose-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian options- is inspired by their travels and different family members, from Paula's brother, who likes meatballs, to Henri's grandparents, who grow their own vegetables (and used to hunt their own game!) on a self-sufficient farm in the East of France.

Nous works directly with producers, so they offer the best ingredients for the best price to clients. "Just because you have an intolerance, doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money," says Henri, who discovered he was gluten and lactose intolerant in China. Nicholas Sparks couldn't have written a better love story- Henri and Paula met there, resulting in the delicious desserts, organic herbs and spices, and biodegradable bento boxes Nous serves today. Their shared love of quality, sustainably sourced products and respect for the environment is evident in the free-range chicken, rich Camargue rice, and healthy burgers that fill you up without making you feel guilty afterward. I had the apple-pear-cucumber juice, carrot cake with coconut milk caramel topping, and a Hot Box with meatballs, sesame seeds, and chili sauce- all fresh, spicy, and delicious.

There's a lot of love, care, and thought put into each fast, nourishing meal at Nous. I enjoyed it so much, I kept them past closing. Zero-wasters, rejoice, because Nous wastes nothing: extra vegetables end up in salad and soup, and everything is compostable! P.S. I don't know what I was doing with the photos- I was trying to be artistic and failed, so they don't capture how beautiful the space really is. Follow Nous on Instagram or visit It's TeaTime in Paris and Food & Dolce Vita for better pictures.

Nous

16 Rue de Paradis
Paris 75010
Métro: Chateau d'Eau

Chambelland Boulangerie

 

 

A lot of gluten-free food in Paris makes me sick. I've had chocolate brownies that taste like soap and madeleines that taste like papier-mâché, pasty, soggy, and disgusting. Chambelland Boulangerie is a delightful exception, the lone Ununonctium rising from a thousand unsuccessful synthesis attempts (e.g., Helmut Newcake). Nestled in Village Popincourt amidst bric-a-brac shops, and nearly across the street from A Boire et A Manger, Chambelland is bright and clean, a lovely spot for brunch, tea, or something more substantial. Everyone dresses colorfully here, which really inspired me to up my  wardrobe game. Sometimes I take a giant, sublime salmon-with-cream-cheese on Cedric Casanova foccacia and eat it at Square Baudincourt, where I am undefeated in mahjong. I always give credit for my victories to Chambelland sandwiches, which leave grease stains on my purse and a smile in my stomach.

Chambelland won my skeptical husband over with a single sip of incredible espresso, which, he said, was better than Coutume. All the tables and chairs in the restaurant are repurposed vintage- how zero-waste!- and discriminating foodies can't resist the lovely food and friendly service- Alain Ducasse is a fan. Visit their Facebook and Instagram for more. Read my first review of Chambelland here.

Chambelland Boulangerie

14 Rue Ternaux

75011 Paris

Gluten-Free Paris Guide

Chambelland photo, my own. Bululu photo from Facebook. The rest are from Pinterest. If you know the source, please let me know so I can link back!

Americans love to believe that with the right diet, anyone can become anything. They especially love the virtuousness and entitlement that comes from eating gluten-free. Eliminate gluten, and you become part of an enlightened minority, an allergy-card-carrying member of the elite- smarter, prettier, and richer than protein-composite-gobbling plebians. "Gluten-free" reeks of Baobab oil and exclusivity; faithfully abide by the lifestyle, and you're one step closer to summers in the Exuma Islands and workouts with Tracy Andersen.

I used to think self-reported gluten-sensitivity was a quirk of life in the States, but the no-glu boom is global. Throw a stone in Oberkampf, and you're bound to hit someone professing non-celiac gluten intolerance, few of whom can put their muesli where their mouth is. I'm not immune to social contagion (I made my parents buy Tamagotchis, too), but my diet doesn't depend on what everybody from my last Tweetup is doing. If I could eat the delicious, water-insoluble agglomerated sub-microscopic network that is this starchy endosperm of grass-related grains, I would. Over two decades ago, I was tested for celiac disease. Turns out, I have a severe form of the chicest autoimmune disease around.

I've been eating gluten-free in Paris four years now, and I was vegan for a year and a half of that. Helmut Newcake was beautiful and delicious, but I've gotten food poisoning there more than once and I know other people who have, too. One time I was at our friends,' Natas Loves You, concert and I had to leave because I'd eaten baba rhum at Helmut Newcake just before. I threw up in the Metro and some Parisiennes had to hold my hair and RATP had to take me back to the shower and put me in a cab. Everybody raves about Noglu, but the food is mediocre, the service poor, and the menu overpriced. Only their chocolate tart is good. I wish they had more dairy and egg free options!

A few tips:

• Roquefort and charcuterie contain gluten
• Gluten-free beers include Brasserie Castelain, Moulin des Moines, Altiplano and Mikkeller.
• Gluten-free soy sauce is largely available (MySoy and Tamari) and you can buy xanthan gum at La Vie Claire or Lafayette Gourmet
• Items safe in the US may be contaminated here (like Lea & Perrins worcestershire sauce )
• According to Ladurée's executive pastry chef, their macarons may contain traces of gluten. Papy Bio offers gluten-free baguette, macaron, and pizza ateliers. Pierre Hermé, Un Jour à Dimanche and Carette have gluten-free macarons and pastry options
• Gluten-free breads and pastas are available at almost every grocery store, and specialty shops like Der Tante Emma-Laden or A Boire et à Manger.
• Most boulangeries will make gluten-free bread if you ask in advance, but cross-contamination is possible (except at Eric Kayser)
• Cupcakeries Chloe S. and Comme un Gateau accept gluten-free orders
• Marks & Spencer is the apogee of gluten-free deliciousness in Paris, and my biggest zero-waste fail thanks to its amazing quiches, pasta, cookies, ice cream and prepared foods. Chains like Exki and Cojean usually have gluten free and some vegan items
• Crepes are not celiac-friendly- galette are. Look for the word "sarrasin," and beware of cross-contamination. Galette Café and Aux Ducs de Bourgogne offer gluten-free galette.
• That being said, there's a gluten-free creperie in Montmartre- Creperie Broceliande- which my French friends insist is incredible, despite it's unabashed touristy status.

Hot chocolate at Angelina's isn't gluten-free, but many of their famous pastries are, and the manager- a Chanel-clad celiac- is friendly and helpful. Just say, "Je ne peut pas manger du gluten," first- the "ne" is silent. The header image above is from Biosphere Cafe. My husband brought me a pizza from here once, and some kids in the Métro tried stealing it. Click here for the Pinterest Gluten-Free Paris Guide Map.

Apartment Hunting, Part II: Our Neighborhood