Tag: Paris

Where I recommend people go in Paris

~ Shakeel Hashim ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes people ask what to do and where to eat in Paris; this is what I tell them:

  • Bouillon Chartier (the one next to Grands Boulevards)
  • Du Pain et des Idées, order the pistachio escargot
  • Have a picnic in Buttes-Chaumont
  • Hang out by the Canal Saint-Martin
  • The falafel place is very overrated
  • Fondation Louis Vuitton is very good, as is Centre Pompidou
  • The Louvre is fine but much too big; you might prefer d’Orsay
  • The Orangerie is essential
  • A day trip to Versailles is worth it; go to the Alain Ducasse café there and order chocolatey things
  • Galeries Lafayette is a stunning building; so is Sainte-Chapelle

I have yet to read Jonathan Nunn’s coverage of Parisian restaurants but I bet it’s quite good.

Best things I ate in 2021

~ Shakeel Hashim ~ Leave a comment

I eat out a lot, this is some of the best food I ate, starting with the restaurants I consider to be the best in the world right now, all of which I did not have a single bad dish at.

  • Everything, 40 Maltby St, London
  • Everything, ASAP Pizza, London (RIP)
  • Everything, Endo at Home, London
  • Everything, Banh, NYC

And some very good dishes from other places:

  • Nashville Hot Sandwich, Bake Street, London
  • Chicken wings, Smoking Goat, London
  • Lobster roll, Quality Wines, London
  • Fish finger sandwich, Hank’s Crab Shack, Fowey
  • Crab fried rice, Thai Diner, NYC
  • Burger, 7th Street Burger, NYC
  • Pistachio escargot, Du Pain et des Idees, Paris

Waste of time and money: Dishoom, London

A list of very good book shops

~ Shakeel Hashim ~ Leave a comment

Mast Books, East Village, NYC. Diverse selection of new/used books on art, design, philosophy etc. Gorgeous layout and excellent music choices too.

Palais de Tokyo Bookshop, 16eme, Paris. Huge selection of art books, many of which are discounted. The museum’s often got good exhibitions as well.

Foyles, Soho, London. The best of London’s big bookstores for browsing — very spacious, lots of seating, and tons of light.

The Strand, Union Square, NYC. Indoors is way too cramped and overwhelming, but if you patiently search the discounted sidewalk shelves you will always find a few gems (and get an interesting sense of people’s reading tastes).

McNally Jackson, Nolita, NYC. Big but not overwhelming, good lighting, expansive selection and curation that encourages serendipity. The Downtown Brooklyn location is good, too.

Popular places I don’t particularly like: Books Are Magic; London Review Bookshop; Shakespeare & Co. Paris (though the NYC one is okay).