The classic breakfast here-- and seriously, who could begin a day in Paris without a croissant. This one just has to be perfect-- the dense rippling interior texture, the flaky crust glazed with butter, the rich buttery aroma... (from a cafe by the Madaleine)
And this: the one under-exposed french food that I know of. The "tarte salee" which cousin, the quiche, is widely recognized. But tartes of this variety are not common even in the authentic french-type cafes one finds in downtown. This tarte (made of caramelized onions and bacon bits) was particularly savory, just salty enough but also with a sweetness from the onion strips.
The ever-present creme-brulee. This was one in a very picky old cafe run by three gay guardian wraiths guarding the tarte stand. I managed to sneak a picture at great personal risk. The brulee is actually made with organge-flower and its attendant mild-sweetness and citrus fragrance. Delicious!
One of the issues with French food is that we forget its deep dark continental origins... it evolved from what the Franks ate so it's basically barbarian food... but with more sauce. So this is an authentic robust pot-au-feu, made a la tradition, in one of my favorite restaurant spots in the Marais. The drollops of bone marrow, the thick slices of the stewed beef peppered and eaten with mustard.
