Thursday, April 17, 2008

Le China!


I'm just back from a nice evening with fellow bloggers (no, not from the City Daily Photo community, but French bloggers) organized by Laurence, a Belgium girl of Korean origins, who lives in Paris. It's always nice to see for real people which life you follow through all these gadgets such as Facebook, Twitter, Pownce, Seesmic, Friendfeed... you name them (yes, I am a geek, I confess!). We gathered at Le China (Ex Le China Club) a very nice place, beautifully decorated that just reopened (located near Bastille, on 50 rue de Charenton). I do recommend it if you're looking for a quiet and cosy place to have dinner or a drink - and if you're comfortable having Chinese food while in Paris!

57 comments:

  1. This is a lovely photo and a great recommendation for dinner. Merci!

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  2. In fact, while walking there, I can find Place Pas de Loup, the site of a Stuart Davis painting, in front of Cirque d'Hiver.

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  3. I'll have Chinese food in Paris anytime! On the other hand, Chinese food in Chinatown, San Francisco is, hummmm, well, different. Chicken feet, anyone? :)

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  4. Nice atmosphere! I wonder how Chinese food in Paris compares to Chinese in the states?

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  5. Tanya: in my experience, it's BETTER in Paris.

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  6. A very intimate photo Eric of a cosy evening you had. Glad you had a good time, how on earth do you get the time to visit all those blog places? lol. What did you eat? I like the ducky thing with sauce and fresh onions and the little pancakey thingys. Er... what's it called again?

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  7. Due to the fact that Victoria (the state in which I live) has had a large and thriving Chinese population since the days of the gold rush in the 1800s, Melbourne (the city in which I live) is spoiled for choice as far as Chinese food is concerned.

    On the other hand, I don't think I'd have too much trouble digesting my Peking duck if I was eating it in Paris.

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  8. Nice quiet and colorful shot.
    I noted down the name of this restaurant, it seems to be tasty.
    Bonne nuit.

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  9. Interesting photo. The lady barely looks Chinese. Chinese French perhaps?

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  10. Well Tomate, I hope I will one day have the chance to see for myself! I will though pass on the chicken feet from your china town though,lol.

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  11. But Tomate, we just had Chinese food together in San Francisco's Chinatown!

    Next time, lunch somewhere else!

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  12. Well, Buzzgirl, I guess there is only one thing to do: let's just go have lunch in Paris together next time. Then we can compare :)

    (Don't *even* get me started on how the "French restaurants" of San Francisco compare to those in Paris.)

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  13. Glad to know about a nice place for Chinese food in Paris. Your photo makes this place looks very compelling Eric! I'm used to bright and loud Chinese restaurants, so I'll definitely try this place, as I do prefer quiet and cozy.

    Tomate if you find a place like this in SF Chinatown let me know!

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  14. Nice photo! I guess even France can get tired of its cuisine!!

    I'm new to this whole blogging experience, but I'm loving it.

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  15. OK, here is the deal here before I really hurt someone's feelings or something on this board.

    Asking a French expat in the US if the food is better in the US or in France is kind of like asking your significant other with whom you just had a fight "do these jeans make me look fat?" You're just asking for it.

    ;)

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  16. Dig the colorful glow and the exquisite face looking back. Glad you had a nice evening.

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  17. Lovely reds. Subtle light. Makes me want a glass of wine.

    I've been offline for a couple of days. I felt like I couldn't see or hear. Very weird. I'm definitely addicted to the web.

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  18. Eric, you eat out so often. Are you sure you are not a Michellin inspector in disguise?

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  19. French food in San Francisco??? Ohhhh..tomate...don't get me started either...LOL!!

    Maybe we should have Mexican food for our B'Day??? ;-)

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  20. To the TFs: when is your birthday? We should have a party here.

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  21. This picture is beautiful;warm and intimate.
    I will definitely go to this restaurant some day.
    Usually I'm only in Paris for 4 - 6days at the time and I must admit that I prefer to have French food while I'm there.
    I have a Chinese friend living in Paris (her food is great) and she has told me that the Chinese food you can get there is very authentic, unlike in Denmark where most Chinese restaurants have "Danishfied" the food.
    BTW all your talk about Chinese food made me crave for Peking duck. I guess I just decided to change tonights menu.
    Bon appétit !

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  22. Eric, I feel I'm right at the table with you all. Wonderful feel to this lovely photo.

    Tomate, remember that most Chinese-American folks in SF have Cantonese heritage. The cuisine is so different from region to region in China, I'm sure Parisian restaurateurs of Chinese ancestry probably hail from other provinces with different specialties, so you probably grew up with a different twist in prep and ingredients. Plus, Parisians are more discerning in their eating pleasures than even San Franciscans, so cooking in Paris might be better on the whole (is that an understatement? :-). In SF, you have to know where to go and then to go there with your Chinese speaking friends who can order the "real stuff" that isn't apparent to others from reading the menu. We were just there a few weeks ago. . .sans friends. . .and ate in North Beach! ;^).
    -Kim

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  23. The last time I was in Paris we ate Chinese at a restaurant somewhere near Beaubourg, I don't remember exactly where. The food was good but it didn't sit well with me--which I don't think was the food's fault! :)

    Marcia

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  24. i like the mood of the photo. If the restaurant has this atmosphere too..its definitelly a good choice:)

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  25. I wish I were a French blogger!
    ; )

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  26. I just went to Laurence's blog to see the pictures from Le China. It's absolutely stunning. I have never seen a Chinese place this beautiful. Now I know for sure I'll go there next time I'm in Paris.

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  27. nice guess rose ;-)...living like God in France

    btw i know it is rude to ask but will there be a book including some comments one day with 'morceaux choisis' like the clooney pic or the chanel window display
    inge

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  28. there is a chinese restaurant on the way to place d'Italie called Le Dung which does NOT translate well into English. If anything it sounds like a must miss.
    Eric: am back in NYC and am able to wrte on a computer now. off to CDG again 2nite. Tues.was too perfect not to pass by Babino after dinner on Cherche Midi on the way to rue St. Jacques. I kept looking up on Gaitie and KNOWING Babino was there was fustrating!. So was the fact that Baccarat was closed on Tues. but plan to go there tomorrow, Paris isn't the same after PDP, it's better!!!!

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  29. Such a sublime and romantic photo! Oh my, this scene is inspiring some seriously romantic daydreaming today... ;)

    Dinner at La China is “must do” on my next visit to Paris. Thanks Eric!

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  30. Kim, good point! I agree with what you say, and you're also quite right, there *are* good Chinese restaurants in SF, of course. I was just having a bit of fun in the forum after a tough day ;)

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  31. Petra, T Flaneur: I think I'll pass on the b'day party, thanks, though :) I can't believe this but the AARP is starting to send me junk mail *already * (sigh), so I think I'll dig a hole and stick my head in it, instead. ;)

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  32. Well petrea...the B'Day has passed, but tomate and I are both Aries! ;-)

    Tomate...We don't need a "B'Day" to celebrate! The AARP..LOL!! Welcome to the club! The mail will never end! Some of their articles are interesting though.

    So the Chinese plan to Boycott France now?? Pfffttt!!!

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  33. there is a place near place d'Italie called
    LeDung, you try it first.Eric:I couldn't write yesterday,when I got back to NYC and am leaving a few minutes again for u know where. We looked all over for Babino but will have to try again. It was too perfectnot to try and find it while walking home from dinner on cherche Midi to Blvd and then rue monparnesse gaiete and the hotel.Will go to Bacarrat tomorrow, not open on Tues. Thx for opening up more of Paris to all of us.

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  34. This a beautiful photo. I just love it. It's seems magical.

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  35. The ambiance at this restaurant looks really cool, and I love that votive. I'll have to try it!

    Tomate - curious to know what you think of Fleur de Lys in SF - we had my sister's wedding reception there a couple of years ago - and I really loved it. The chef is from France and treated my sister & brother-in-law like royalty.

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  36. Monica - from yesterday's comments - your job sounds awesome!! Is it a new job for you? If I had that job, I would definitely need to borrow Lynn's son's tent :)

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  37. lol me too Pont Girl. Think we'd both fit in at same time? LOL.

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  38. Dearest TFs: I'm an aries, too!

    Tomate, I tried to hide from the AARP but it's no use. I couldn't resist the discounts. Then I found out they'd recruited all the cool old people (this month's cover is Jamie Lee Curtis. Last month was Jack. THE Jack.) 50 is the new 30, baby!

    Just don't inquire about insurance or you'll receive junk mail every day.

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  39. Hi Eric,
    A little word of encouragement for this new post, you are perhaps preparing at the present time.
    Everything you do is always very appreciated here because you are very talented but I can easily picture how hard it is some days to post something new, unusual, etc. Even after a tiring workday or after just a banal day, you have to say present. I (we) value a lot your great work ;) I know you already know that but I just wanted to be warm to you! As your facebook sentence mentioned it, I wish you a cool WE at the festival de Romans.
    Last but not least, beautiful photo from Le China I'd like to go one day. Good night!

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  40. Thank you Corinne, that is very nice of you. Actually you're right I am currently preparing my post, I also have to pack and to prepare photos for three days...

    And as if it weren't enough, Blogger has decided not to let me upload photos for the last past hour. I AM mad LOL!

    Anyway now everything is back in order, I'll be done with my caption in 10 minutes...

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  41. Lynn, based upon the job description - I definitely would need my own tent :)

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  42. lol! Pont Girl. Me too; how depressing.

    So, Eric you're off on another jaunt. I am sooooooooooooo jealous of your job. Will i fit into your suitcase? Me and my tent?

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  43. Love my morning peeks into one of the worlds most amazing cities...Thank you for all of your efforts...
    A new lurker.
    Lisa
    Denver, CO
    www.my2ethiopiangirls.blogspot.com

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  44. Pont Girl yest it is a new job. I need to watch out or I'll need to borrow Lynn's son's tent!

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  45. Pont Girl "...The chef is from France and treated my sister & brother-in-law like royalty." Well, there is no reason why they shouldn't! :)

    I've heard good things about Fleur de Lys. I guess my main complaint about most of these places is how expensive they are.

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  46. Petr: They have discounts? Good to know! I guess I won't tell them they have the wrong DOB, then ;) For now, all I'm getting is the begining of the junk mail flood. I hear it gets more voluminous as the years pass .. oh well.

    You're an aries, too? and did I read someplace that Lynn is an aries, too? (Now what have I done with these reading glasses ) Interesting!

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  47. Pont Girl: by the way, I am at Fleur de Lys's website right now as we speak. I don't know about the food, but the music they are streaming out of there kicks @ss! :)

    (my apolgies for taking over the commenting section by myself here, everybody!)

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  48. I love the atmosphere of this photo!

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  49. Eric, I "knew" you needed a a little, little help. Maybe a sixth sense ... Through PDP, I feel so closed to you !!

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  50. This sinteresting isn't it Tomate, that we Aries are gathering at Paree. Hands up all Aries then? There's me, Petrea, Tomate,.....?

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  51. *close. Terrible English ...Hope it was still understandable? :S

    Lynn : There's me too :) Yes, I am an Aries (end March). An Aries meeting : that's a good idea !!
    BTW, Lynn, I didn't have the opportunity to say that before but what a pity you won't be able to attend the next PDP picnic... I would have loved to meet you in person. Of course, I would have loved meeting many many other regular commentators (long list) who won't come either, but as you are less far from Paris than most of them from the US/Brazil side, it is much more a pity ;).
    Next time !!

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  52. Tonton Flaneur is an Aries, too.

    Corinne, your English is fabulous.

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  53. Thanks a lot Petrea (even if I wish it could be much better)!

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  54. Le China, seems like a nice place to unwind after a day at the office.Elaine Cooke

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