From our hotel, near the River Seine, we passed by the Notre Dame, and walked down small thin roads populated with little shops. We entered the Latin Quarter, a place full of restaurants and tourists preparing for their evening fete. Next to a small café, you will find La Creperie Saint Germaine. You cannot miss the big, black sign with white lettering located outside the restaurant.



When you enter the Creperie, it looks like a Spanish-style hut, with low ceilings, and stuck-out walls. On the first floor, the tables are spread out, giving you enough room to get up and move around. At the small wooden kitchen, you can place your order from varieties of crepes. Crepes come in meats, vegetables, and even desserts, like chocolate. Some popular orders are chicken with cheese and beans, or spinach with onions. Dessert crepes can be found in combinations such as whipped cream, vanilla, chocolate, and bananas. I would recommend the dessert crepes because of their amazing flavor and artistic appearance.


Once you have your crepe, you can take it upstairs, to the second floor, which looks like a crowded New-York restaurant; full-of-people with many close tables, and people enjoying their food. The one thing you need to know about enjoying crepes is that they are soft and doughy. Crepes are not a good finger-food, unless you enjoy sticky fingers.


With crepes in our tummy, we walked back to our hotel, until we found a small give-and-go restaurant across the street from “Pizza in a Cup.” At the give-and-go, we enjoyed a very un-authentic French experience, as we ordered French Fries. On the River Seine, we saw big “lit-up” boats packed with tourists and locals, waving to us (as we ate our French Fries).


Another food experience you can find in Paris are the unusual food carts in famous parts of the city. Within the Latin Quarter, you will find a food cart near the local supermarket and behind the “Irish Pub.” The cart carries snails, clams, and small things that look like liver. All these foods that most people would avoid, give the cart a “fishy” smell. The little man who ran the cart could be heard shouting to the crowd “Eat my food.” I did not dare to try it, but you should, because you will never find and experience like this anywhere else. You can find another food cart near Champs de Elysses. The dirt-covered, fly-infested, and run-down cart sells crepes, drinks, and french fries. Ignoring the looks, many people surround the cart, looking for snacks.


The Latin Quarter has a global atmosphere to it, because of the many different restaurants that you will find. They offer a variety of cultural foods, originating from parts of the world, such as Morocco, China, Ireland, and of course France. Restaurant owners take pride in making their restaurants look elegant and welcoming, but presentation and service is similar to American restaurants. My overall opinion is that a French food experience is different than typical American food and the crowded restaurants show that many people, in addition to myself, also appreciate this style of food.