parisian cravings

I don't often get cravings. Sure, I need to consume chocolate on a daily basis and occasionally am really in the mood for pizza or pho, but otherwise, I'm simple to please. Until I desire "American" comfort foods, that is.

Because it's not pancakes nor burgers I want then, it's my mom's grilled cheese... or anything from New York City's Momofuko, or Oakland's Bakesale Betty, or Seattle's Paseo. 

Admittingly, the last three are only recent developments. It's only since lunching at Verjus that I've become the least bit familiar with the tastes of those three restaurants that so instantly reminded me of home.

On my first visit, I met the boy for a scandalous weekday lunch. In other words, he had a day off of work, I was finished with classes early, and we ordered alcohol with our meal, ha. He chose a Black Isle Brewery beer with a Mr. Chang's Buns sandwich: braised pork belly, steamed chinese buns, hoisin sauce, pickles, scallion.

I, on the other hand, opted for a glass of red wine with a Bakesale Betty sandwich: Verjus' fried chicken, Morgan's buns, cabbage slaw with shallots and parsley, spicy mustard vinaigrette.

It was everything I'd hoped it be and more, and a welcome change from the standard ham baguette.

And for dessert, (because though the sandwiches were American-inspired, we were still undoubtedly in Paris and thus dessert was included in the prix-fixe menu), we both thoroughly enjoyed a cheesecake brownie.

Dare I say it was perfect? Although the wine bar itself is hardly one of my favorites, I will be back around lunchtime for a 15€ sandwich, dessert, and beverage. Now that the end-of-semester/term-paper/final-exam-induced stress is officially settling in, I could use the American comfort more than ever.