Spring...in Paris

If you're on the hunt for a stunning meal, a stellar atmosphere and the added bonus of fine food products, look no further than Spring, ex-pat Daniel Rose's seasonally-focused restaurant.  The restaurant recently reopened in a larger space in the 1st arrondissement near the Louvre  (it was formerly an extremely-cozy 16 seater) , and added a fine foods boutique/wine store just down the street.  Garnering a reservation at the restaurant is still quite a feat, unless you're lucky enough to have time for a leisurely 3-course lunch.  All meals are based on set multi-course menus, the design is contemporary and the new kitchen remains as open and inviting as it was the original space.   They've even added wine pairing classes on Thursday evenings - taught in both English and French.  Sadly, I only had the chance to discover the gastronomic finds at the boutique, but even with a simple lunch of soup and baguette, it was quite possibly the best meal of my trip.  And on a cold day like today (at least in NYC), nothing sounds better than a warm bowl of rich saucisse de canard.  

 lunch: lovely, light & full of warmth

saucisse de canard epeautre e legumes (translates to: a rich soup/stew of duck sausage, duck leg, stock, onion, celery, carrot, barley, diced potato & turnip, garnished w/orange zest & parsley).  olive oil samples stand tall in the background.   

 oh yeah, it was good.  and how amazing is the vintage spoon it's served with

simple yet refined. and something i'll definitely attempt to recreate at home.

 a sampling of the boutique's carefully selected products -- from local French olive oils, to vinegars, honeys, jams and of course wine

 the interior of the boutique: wines to the left, fine foods to the right, cured meats, cheeses, mini pastries and a single lunch option to the back

 a glimpse of the full restaurant...from the outside looking in.  i'm in love with the open kitchen!