Paris –
Concept store and restaurant: Merci and La Cantine du Potager: In the northern Marais district of Paris is
the well known concept store Merci, and in it’s basement is the busy and trendy
restaurant La Cantine du Potager which translates as the canteen of the
vegetable garden and so it is, as there is a real vegetable garden outside the
big greenhouse type windows. The rosemary was picked fresh for this tisane of
ginger and rosemary, which I had with my vegetarian meal. I have since made this tisane at home and it’s
delicious, and we all know how good ginger is for you.
La Cantine du
Potager. A view of the big greenhouse
type windows that look out onto the vegetable garden right in the heart of
Paris. The blackboard displays the menu,
which is mainly vegetarian. Simple dishes, include soups, salads, vegetable
tarts, risotto, cheese and deserts.
Note: Try
also, just round the corner from Merci, the new and cool pizza cocktail bar
restaurant called Grazie, which means merci in French and thank you in English
and as the name suggests it is all in the family as it is owned by Julien
Cohen, the son of the owners of Merci.
La Cantine du
Potager. Chicken Kefta and aubergine
patties are served with spicy broccoli and fennel salad and yogurt dressing.
La Cantine du
Potager. Mixed greens and carrot salad are a side to a vegetable tart. Beware both where seasoned with fresh
coriander or cilantro, which is an acquired taste.
La Cantine du
Potager. Un-resistible is the Molleaux au Chocolat which is a cross between a
Molten chocolate cake and a chocolate a mousse and just melts in your mouth.
Merci – The
Bike. The theme for January and February in the Merci showroom is the
bicycle. An exhibition called My Bike,
Transportation in the City, until February 20, covers most of the floors.
Always sensitive to trends and lifestyles Merci has put together the best
designer bicycles on the market. The
bike has become the new subject for innovation and style for designers.
A Bianchi bike.
Merci – The
Bike. Designed by the Danish designers Maik,
the Bike Crate is made from
100% recyclable materials that can withstand everyday use and all kinds of
weather. The bike crate is made of dibond, stainless steel and polycarbonate
and all brackets are custom crafted in lightweight aluminum, which can
withstand even strong impacts. “We are presenting the perfect solution
for the people who do not want to ride a cargo bike, but who still must carry
stuff around on their bikes, no matter if it’s a computer bag, 30 oranges, two
crates of beer or 12 bottles of wine.” Said Rune Rex, designer and co-founder with
Andreas Sachse of Maik.
