2 June

A couple of shots from a walk around the Seine last week.

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Lately, Lebanese food has become an essential part of our weekend routine. More and more often at the market on Saturday morning, the heavenly smell of cumin surrounding the Lebanese traiteur’s stand convinces me to abandon the idea of whatever I had originally planned for lunch in favour of a handful of spicy sambusik, sabiha and kebbe, a pot of smoky moutabbal and a couple of rounds of chewy pain arabe.

In an effort to stay somewhat healthy we usually limit ourselves to the mezze (it’s just pies and mashed veggies! …with a little cheese and butter), but on Saturday after walking around half of Paris in the sun searching for an exibithion we never really found, we decided that we had deserved a visit to Noura for a platter of honey-drenched pistaccio pastries.

I thought I’d mention this because (a) when I left Finland, I promised to share mes bonnes adresses for the benefit of those planning to visit, and so far I don’t think I have shared anything at all, and (b) Noura makes damn good pastries and therefore deserves a visit at least as much as the overcrowded Ladurée tent in the Champs Elysées.

In general, if you’re from Helsinki, you’ll have a hard time finding better Lebanese food in Paris than at Farouge back home (although that is not for any lack of trying, I promise), but as pastries go, Noura’s are probably the best I’ve ever tried.

So now you know that (and I finally score some points for sharing).

Boutique NOURA Traiteur
33, avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie
75016 Paris

And for those of you who find Helsinki more interesting:

Ravintola FAROUGE
Yrjönkatu 6
00120 Helsinki