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The most
interesting neighborhood right now in Paris is the 9th
arrondissement. Walk in any various directions from a métro station after
you land there, and you’ll find yourself in a completely different
neighborhoods, whether it’s surrounded by stately buildings on the Avenue
Trudaine or the Square d’Anvers lorded over by Sacré Cœur (which
hosts one of the rare afternoon/early evening outdoor
markets in Paris). There’s the rue des Martyrs, a vibrant
street of chocolate shops, ice cream, and bakeries, along with great
coffee
shops, bakeries,
grilled Portuguese
roast chicken, and a candy
emporium that people travel from all over the world to visit,
and stock up on caramels, chocolates, and other French sweets.
Barbès,
which rests on the northwest corner of the 9th is a neighborhood that’s
getting more comfortable with itself. The semi-swanky Brasserie Barbès
opened, which screamed “gentrification,” but there are still young men at
the métro station across the street, asking passers-by under their
breath if they’re interested in counterfeit cigarettes
or Lacoste shirts. If you’ll permit me to use a cliché; this
part of Paris is sometimes referred to as “the Brooklyn of
Paris,” so Parisians really don’t have to take the L to Williamsburg to
get their fix. It’s just a métro ride away.
I’ve been
loitering around the neighborhood for years and I love it. (Although a
friend had his iPhone lifted at the Barbès métro station, which was
offered back to him…for a price.) One of the good things about the
rise of interest in this neighborhood is that a number of very good
places to eat have opened, which reflect a more casual style of
eating and dining out that appeals to Parisians these days. One such
place is Merguez
& Pastrami delicatessen.
 The
delicatessen is a European
concept. The word is translated from the German delikatessen, which
conjoins two German words, delikat
and essen –
delightful food, the first part of which is said to derive from the
French word, délicatesse,
or ‘a delicacy.’ So it’s natural since France is part of Europe, to have
a delicatessen that fits right into the capital. And I’m glad someone has
finally done it.
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