An Ode To The Almighty Baguette, And Where To Get It In August

I won't try to give you a comprehensive list of the best baguettes of Paris, because wiser foodie sites than mine have already done it. But I will say that this is the cheapest thrill possible, maybe in all of life. There is nothing like the French baguette.

Cheap Eats: Gyoza Bar

I hesitate to share this cheap nosh with the world, because the place is so tiny and so cheap and so good. But that's also why I have to share it. Gyoza Bar in the 9e arrondissement seats about ten people and whips up the freshest, most savory and non-greasy gyoza dumplings I've ever had. Besides beer and sprout salad, it's the only thing on the menu, so it's pretty much guaranteed that the three chefs in front of you have this down. At 6€ for 8, it's the best deal around for a warm-up snack on a rainy day or a holdover bite before a night out.

For a more in-depth (fawning) review of Gyoza Bar, check out my article over at Girls' Guide to Paris.

Gyoza Bar

56 Passage des Panoramas 75002 Paris

Métro: M8, M9 to Richelieu-Druot or Grands Boulevards

Cheap Eats: Le Barbezingue

(Photo via Foodspotting)

When a fellow expat blogger wrote to me to tip me off about an all-you-can-eat buffet in Paris, I was wary but knew I had to try it. Turns out that Le Barbezingue, a charming little home-style bistro just a few bus stops away from the Chatillon Métro station, is delicious, generous and a great deal at just 22,50€ for an à volonté dinner. They even have a cheese cabinet to raid. And, I mean, all the desserts you can eat. What more can I say? Check out my full review over at Girls' Guide to Paris.

Le Barbezingue
14, Blvd de la Liberté, Châtillon (92320)
Métro: M13 to Chatillon, then take either Bus 295 (direction Velzy 2), Bus 194 (direction Lycée de Chatenay-M.) or  Bus195 (direction Robinson RER) to Paul Bert

Cheap Eats: La Muraille du Phenix

It's an unfathomable thought: a three-course meal in Paris for 6€? A three-course meal anywhere for 6€? It just couldn't be possible! But when heard whispers of the incredible deal available at La Muraille du Phenix, I knew I had to try it for myself. And, it turns out, this may be the cheapest meal in Paris.

Pro Tip: Café Gourmand

If you have a short dessert attention span, or if you like to share, or if you can never decide on just one dessert, or if you're short on cash (all of the above describe me), then here's a Paris Pro Tip: order a café gourmand. Usually comprised of an espresso and smaller portions of 3-5 desserts (depending on which size you get), these platters give you the option of trying several sweet thangs without breaking the bank. Usually they're even cheaper than a full dessert (plus you get the coffee!). It's almost too good to be true.

The above selection, composed of a delicious dark chocolate mousse and chantilly, a caramel flan, and a decadent slice of coconut-vanilla cake drenched in chocolate sauce, plus coffee, set me back 5,50€ at a pretty touristy café in Bercy Village at which all other dishes were damn pricey (hello, 14€ croque monsieur). I think the café gourmand is the sweetest secret in Paris. Have you ever had one?

5 Under 5€ : Kate Neary

My friend Kate Neary runs the lovely fashion-etc. blog Thrill of the Chaise and has been spending the last month in a dream-state here in Paris. This week we're doing a guest-post exchange! Check out her post below and look for mine on Thrill of the Chaise. 

Paris is a place to escape to and explore. And though it is also a place where spending money can be as easy as walking out the door, this city offers people like you and me (a fully grown fashion student embarking on a complete career change) so much to do, see, eat and buy at pretty reasonable prices if you keep your eyes out for it. So if you're up for a bit of an adventure, I've done some of the groundwork for you. Here are my five things to do under 5 euros in Paris:

Cheap Eats: Muniyandi Vilas

So perfectly located in the La Chapelle neighborhood that it's actually steps away from the La Chapelle Métro station, Muniyandi Vilas is one of those local haunts that you can tell is gonna be good because of its lack of tourists and the smiles on the faces of its customers leaving the place.

Cheap Eats - Chartier

One day in February, some British friends staying in Paris told me about a cheap but very Parisian restaurant they'd been to: Chartier. They said the food was decent and, above all, incredibly inexpensive. Shortly thereafter, I saw a post on Girls' Guide to Paris about Chartier as well. A few weeks later, when I began this very blog and asked my cheap-o Frenchie friends for suggestions, I got more than one recommend for, whattaya know, Chartier. "Hmm," I thought, "I'd better check this place out."

Lenny Kravitz Likes It: L'As Du Fallafel

L'As Du Fallafel is no secret, but it's really as good as they say it is. From Lonely Planet correspondents to even my most cheapskate-y Parisian friends, people the world over seem to agree that this is the absolute best place to get falafel in Paris, and certainly one of the best cheap eats in town.

L'Esprit Tchai

With fresh fruit smoothies, quinoa soups, and even homemade burritos, L'Esprit Tchai is the perfect place to grab a quick and cheap night bite (especially if you're hanging out in the cool Oberkampf area).

Cheap Eats: The French Vending Machine

Today I had a blood sugar meltdown while waiting for the Métro. No problem... when you have the choice between Kinder Bueno, Le Petit Écolier and Balisto bars, a moment of panic becomes a moment of opportunity.