OTISMA@xxxxxxx writes:
>I am going to Barcelona, Bilbao and France in the spring. We will be
>travelling through Provence, Dijon and Leone, Normandy and Paris. I need
>vegetarian restaurants that will be low fat. Any help will be
appreciated.
Thank you for asking, this is one of my favorite subjects and
I look forward to the periodic questions about eating in France!
First, in general, despite the fois gras and fromage and cream
sauces, there are plenty of good fatfree things to be had in
France. My experiences there have been much better than in
Italy (where everything takes an oil bath). General tips:
* Picnic'ing at lunch time is a great idea, people do it all
over France, and you will find yummy fatfree things in the
grocery stores. I take a variety of canned vegetables, my
favorites are brussel sprouts, leeks, and palm hearts. The
markets also are just incredible and found in all the towns.
There you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables.
* Bread is almost always fatfree. Not the nut or olive breads,
of course, but baguettes, pain de siegle (rye), pain complet
(whole wheat), pain au levain (super yummy) are all fatfree
and you can find them anywhere. The only danger is eating
too much. Bread is so much better in France than in the US.
* Obviously, avoid croissants, pain du lait, etc at breakfast.
Most restaurants will give you croissants in the morning.
Opt for the baguette.
* I love the selection of yogurts and fromage blancs in the
grocery stores. Plenty of choices that are fatfree. You must
try the fromage blanc, it is like plain yogurt but thicker and
not bitter at all. I eat it by the kilo. :-)
* All over France there are restaurants that have a typically
fare of entrees (appetizers), salades, pizzas, main dishes,
etc. The salads are typically great, you can have it with
no dressing, and ask them to leave off forbidden items.
Particularly in the southeast of France, near Nice, the pizzas
are EXTRAORDINARY. The crust is super super thin, and has no
fat. You can ask for no cheese. The sauce probably has some
oil, but they put very very little.
* Also in restaurants, I look for grilled fish (if you eat fish)
and plain vegetables (steamed or boiled). I am always surprised
at how many places I can find this. They are happy to leave off the
sauces, and often the cooking method is a fatfree one.
Often in the dessert choices there is fresh fruit.
* Crudites (raw vegetables) is a great safe appetizer everywhere.
Just be sure to ask for it without sauce.
* If you are going to cheat, I suggest cheating with a very small
portion of very strong cheese. Try to find a *dried* goat cheese
in a market. They are small disgusting looking hockey pucks that
are delicious. You only need a bite or two to have a wonderful
experience.
* As for crepes, if you find galettes au sarrasins (buckwheat crepe)
there is a high chance there is no butter and no eggs in the
dough. For regular crepes (crepe au froment) there is normally
butter and eggs.
* For specific restaurants, there are several in Paris that are
vegetarian, but as we all know that does not necessarily mean
lowfat. I can recommend 3 restaurants in Paris, but unfortunately
I don't have their names with me, just descriptions. I remember
seeing them listed in many guidebooks, so they are not hard to
find.
* A very good vegetarian buffet restaurant in the 8th district,
near the opera house. It has a country-type name "country
home" or "country life" or something.
* An excellent vegetarian restaurant in the 4th district, on a
corner. Specializing in mushroom dishes. You have to ask them
to cook your meal w/o oil, which they will do if you insist.
It also I believe has an "earthy" name "Pied sur Terre" or
something.
* The best recommendation is an organic/vegetarian/healthy place
in the 5th district -- right on the edge very close to the
Rue Mouffetard and the Place Contrescarpe (approx, my memory
is failing). The Maubert/Mutalite metro is the closest. They
definitely make an attempt at healthy cooking -- no butter for
example.
Sorry I don't have more details! And do enjoy your trip!
Ellen