Sometimes what you really need is ham. And I mean really good ham. On a recent trip to Paris D and I did just that: we had ham for dinner.
We left our hotel one evening unsure about where to go for dinner. We were in Paris so we weren’t lacking in the choice department. We decided to leave the choice to fate and set off to explore the area around our hotel in the 8th.
Two minutes into our exploration we stopped outside El Sol. Decidedly Spanish. Memories of our trip to Madrid came to mind and our dinner at El Mercado de la Reina. How could we turn down the prospect of another tapas meal for dinner?
We settled into our seats as a server came over to discuss the menu. In a heavily accented French, she explained a little about the bellota ham and a few of the favourite items on the menu.
Simply put, dinner really was just meat, cheese, several slices of peppers, a few anchovies, and bread. But there was nothing simple about the quality of the items.
The manchego cheese has an addictive saltiness and I couldn’t stop picking at the chunks and slices. Then came the plate of artichoke hearts and something that, for the life of me, I can’t remember the name. All I can say is that both plates were very good.
There wasn’t anything simple about the star of the show: the bellota ham. The ham was sliced to order, practically under our noses. Salty, with a slight nutty flavour, it melted in my mouth like butter. I couldn’t get enough and the silence coming from across the table confirmed that D felt the same.
We strolled back to our hotel happy customers and vowed that we would return. After all, why say no to a good thing?
El Sol
22, rue de Ponthieu
75008 Paris
Tel.: 01 45 63 89 19
Yum! That sounds fab – I will have to put it on my list of places for next time I am in Paris!
Do so! It’s a little restaurant but really, the food is good. As I was on medication I didn’t have any wine but D did and he said it was really good.
That sounds so fabulous, Tanya. I often find that the simplest good-quality meals are the BEST! xox
Totally! That’s part of the challenge: finding good places to eat where quality food/drink is prepared and served.