Gluten Free Paris

We went to Europe.

It's hard to say that without sounding snotty, but we did! I can hardly believe it.

We are pretty frugal people. We drive one car between the two of us. We read a lot of library books and go for a lot of walks. We even rewash our Ziploc bags! But due to the wonderful generosity of some family-gifted airline miles, some friends-with-awesome-European apartments, and some rainy-day vacation savings, we were able to take an awesome and unforgettable pre-baby vacation. 

The first stop? Gluten free Paris!

The Good:
1) The French cook with fresh, local, and natural ingredients. There are few, if any, preservatives in most foods. I was able to indulge in rotisserie chicken; many, MANY cheeses; fresh fruits and veggies; and many other meats without any worry.

2) "Gluten free" in French is simply "sans gluten," easy enough to say and remember.

3) The "bread station" in most restaurants is out front - away from the kitchen and all the food. Waiters will bring bread to your table, but it doesn't come in contact with any of the kitchen food at all. This was very encouraging.

4) You may have heard that French folks (Parisians, especially) have a bit of an attitude, but we didn't find this to be the case at all. People went out of their way to be accommodating to my gluten free needs, and when we were polite nearly everyone was more than polite back. There were only a few instances of bad customer service, but at least a couple of those were due to the language barrier and our own bungling, not to the French "attitude."

5) Also - for you preggos out there, French women always INSIST on pushing the pregnant women to the front of the bathroom line. It is incredibly kind. It made me love them all with a deep love that can only be described as pregnant-woman-in-desperate-need-of-a-potty-break love. It came from the heart.

The Not-so-Good:
1) The French don't fully understand that gluten free means "also cannot touch or come in contact with gluten." It's not uncommon to see gluten free breads offered... that are stacked right on top of regular, full-of-gluten baguettes. The idea of cross-contamination is not well understood, so while your meal may be gluten free, it's a fair bet that the utensils used to get it to your plate probably are not.

2) There tends to be a level of difficulty in asking if something is truly 100% gluten free. The general understanding seemed to be that "gluten free" meant "no flour," not "no malt, barley, rye, cross-contamination, etc." This got a bit tricky, and I'm afraid we inadvertently insulted lots of French shopkeepers and waiters by asking questions that were perceived as rude even though they were just precautionary.

(My husband and our friend Steven, inadvertently insulting a shopkeeper when asking what was in the sausage...)

3) Dining in France is expensive. It just is. Paris, especially, is a tough place to eat if you are on a budget. One of the people we met told us that Parisians spend an average of 33% of their income (after housing is taken out) on food. 33%! Can you imagine? Crazy!

You can eat on in Paris on a budget, but it will be more difficult. My advice would be to do what we did - save and save and save before the trip, and then just eat without worry and enjoy the amazing food. Throw in a few granola-bar meals and some picnics with bread and cheese, and you won't break the bank. Then, when you go home, marvel at every $1 apple and $5 burger in America!

4) Reservations are a MUST for brunches and dinners. These reservations must usually be made days or weeks (or, in some cases, even months) in advance. Having a friend or hotel concierge who speaks French (if you don't speak it yourself) is invaluable for setting these things up. Otherwise you can only eat at bistros and small diners around lunchtime, but brunch dinner will be a no-go.

Sometimes last-minute reservations can be obtained a day or two in advance, or you can stop by the restaurant in question and hope for a cancellation.

Where we ate:
In order of deliciousness...

Helmut Newcake:
Glory be, this is the paradise of Paris for us gluten free eaters. They have pastries galore, from passion fruit tarts (which I am now on a lifelong quest to recreate at home) to cheesecake to eclairs to cookies.

(Brunch! Eggs, maple pancakes, bacon, ham, salad, and bread)

(A comforting--and truthful!--sign if I've ever seen one!)

They serve brunch on Sundays, which is 24 Euro per person (about $30), but the cost was well worth it for a safe dining experience and for the tremendous amount of food they serve.

Our brunches each came with eggs, meat, salad, pancakes, toast, coffee or tea, a huge glass of orange juice, a dessert pastry, and a pudding/milkshake concoction that seemed to come with the fancy French equivalent of Pop Rocks on top. My friend Steven didn't believe me until his mouth started popping!

(My husband and our friend, Steven, awaiting the next brunch course.)

We went here three times for bakery goodies and once for brunch during our six days in Paris, which was not enough!

(The best. Hot chocolate. Ever.)

Conclusion: If you eat gluten free and you are in Paris, stop here. Then stop here again. Seriously. I don't even want to talk to you if you go to Paris without visiting Helmut Newcake. Don't miss the passion fruit tarts, the hot chocolate (not on the menu, but they will make it for you!) and the chocolate eclairs. 

(Extra bread and jam? Yes please!)

Les Tontons:
This was a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant recommended to our friend Steven by one of his work colleagues. It specialized in steak tartare (obviously a no-go for this pregnant gal!), but it had other tasty offerings as well. Our waiter took extra care to make sure my plate was safe, and even made some recommendations. He was so cautious, he even asked if he could bring bread to the table for everyone else, or if we'd prefer he didn't.

Conclusion: My husband proclaimed the tartare "amazing." My ham-and-salad was light and delicious. This is a great affordable option, and it was totally safe for this gf eater.

Naturalia:
Naturalia is France's national health food store chain. It's basically the Whole Foods of France, and they can be found in most shopping districts. Just look for the orange store front!

Naturalia had an array of natural and organic foods, including a whole shelf of prepackaged gluten free goodies, from Madelines to crackers to Schär breads. In most stores, the gf section was right at the back, so we had to hunt for it a bit.

This was a great stop to stock up the kitchen when we didn't want to eat out, and to prepare for outdoor picnics-on-the-lawn (an absolute must in France!).

--Photo borrowed from Wholezome.com

Conclusion: We went to three of these stores, and were met with terrible customer service each time. They cater to a very upscale clientele, and I don't think they liked our bedraggled traveler appearance and lack of understanding the system (after a stern reprimand, we now know that you have to weigh your produce before coming to the register, and that you need to bring your own grocery bags).

At our last visit to Naturalia, the cashier even tried to charge me twice for my groceries, and only let me leave when I dug the receipt out of my purse to prove to him I wasn't stealing. Still, the food was great, and it saved me from cranky-pregnant-woman-hunger more than once. Just be ready for a little attitude from the employees. And keep your receipt.


Frenchie:
Frenchie is one of the new "it" places to dine in France. It was recently featured on Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" (ironic, since you have to make reservations here months in advance!), and it seems to be the place to go if you are an American in Paris.

--Photo borrowed from Whiting's Writings.

I was wary of eating here because the staff quickly waved off my gluten free concerns with only a "Yes, yes, that will be no problem." Luckily, it wasn't.

Dinner was an utter delight, from beginning to end. Frenchie offers a "tasting menu" (a pre-set menu with two or three choices per course). On the night we dined, each course had a choice that was naturally gluten free, including some amazing bass and a delicious cheese-and-granny-smith-apple dessert.

Forgive the lack of pictures - it was so upscale I felt too weird to whip out my iPhone for a snapshot. Just imagine utter goodness wrapped in deliciousness, and you'll get the idea.

Conclusion: Frenchie is great, but a little pricey. Make a reservation far in advance (and tell them of your gluten free needs), and be prepared to eat adventurously!

Spring:
This was my favorite dinner by far. It was the most beautiful, rich, lovely food. I hardly wanted to take a bite because everything was so perfectly plated.

(Quail egg with beef broth and roasted sausage)

Sadly, this was also the one dinner where I got sick. The staff seemed to understand my gluten free needs, and even brought me separate gluten free bread (a first for me in a French restaurant!), but I only made it to the cheese course before having to excuse myself to run home with gluten sickness.

I was so sad.

(Kale-wrapped veal with sweetbreads and almond pureé)

The one good thing was that we dined here near the end of our trip, and by that point I knew the Metro well enough to get home on my own so that my husband and our friend were able to finish their meal. It was not a good end to what had been a delightful dining experience, but sometimes things like these happen when eating out in a foreign country. I wouldn't trade the experience, but I also wouldn't feel comfortable eating there again.

(Cherry and mushroom salad)

That said, if you aren't a gluten free eater or are willing to take the risk, Spring is the culinary experience of a lifetime.

Conclusion: Spring is a must-stop if you can eat gluten. Make a reservation far in advance, save your pennies (it's quite pricey!), and dress up - it's delightfully trendy!

All in all, we had an incredible visit to Paris. I only got sick one time, and we were able to eat out quite frequently with safety and a minimum of confusion.

I was a little bit wary of traveling so far from home with my food sensitivity (especially while pregnant!), but I'm so glad I didn't let this wariness get in the way of an incredible trip. We made memories that will last a lifetime, and the dinners and brunches we shared with friends were a big part of that.

Tomorrow... gluten free Germany!