Around the world in 60 days, Part 2: Paris with friends and a great meal at the Tour D’Argent

Several years ago, I went on a trip for 60 days that involved literally going around the world.

This world trip included some favorite places and also a handful of exotic new ones.

It was to be the last word in passionate travel — this amazing 60 day journey that circumnavigated the globe by air, land and sea. This is part 2 of that trip.

WITH FRIENDS IN PARIS

Fast forward to Paris some weeks later, where we were joined by Jojo and Fides, good friends from Manila, for a Paris holiday centered on a series of unforgettable meals.

For our eight days together in an antique-filled apartment along the Avenue George V that had a marvelous view of the Tour Eiffel and an airy kitchen that faced the Four Seasons George V, we took turns choosing restaurants. 

But we also enjoyed visiting the local market on Avenue President Wilson to buy fresh food for cozy dinners at home.

Perhaps it’s the quality of the produce, but even a simple roast chicken stuffed with herbs or sole pan-fried in butter tasted like heaven.

OUR BEST MEAL INPARIS

We ate in Michelin starred-restaurants everyday — or even twice a day.

But one of the best and most enjoyable meals we four had on this particular trip (we enjoyed being together in Paris so much that just over three months later, we four returned to Paris for a longer stay — and again more great food and wine) was at the famous Tour D’Argent restaurant, which is a two-star the last time I checked.

The Tour D’Argent, which is located along the Seine River, is quite touristy — but it’s nevertheless still one of the most romantic restaurants in Paris. 

There are many more delicious restaurants in Paris, frankly.

For instance, the most famous dish of the Tour D’Argent is probably it’s pressed duck, which it serves with great flourish.

Afterwards, you even get a card with the serial number of the duck you ate.

I’ve eaten this duck several times at the Tour D’Argent in Paris and at its sister restaurant in Tokyo — mostly because someone else has ordered this for me.

And try as I might, I still can’t get myself to say I like this famous dish.

But on the day we were there, the Tour D’Argent had pretty good food. I didn’t have the duck, and instead I’d ordered their tasting menu — which turned out to be absolutely delicious.

And, actually, we were there for the wines.

I can still remember everything about that fabulous day when we had a lovely table facing the Notre Dame and we sat there for hours, drinking bottles and bottles of amazing wine. 

The Tour D’Argent perhaps has one of the best cellars in all of Europe, with many bottles sleeping in their cave underneath the restaurant for decades, if not centuries.

You can imagine how these bottles have been sleeping in optimal storage conditions.

As for that meal, we ate and drank and toasted to every good thing imaginable for over four hours, ending our meal with some lovely cheeses from their cheese wagon, to go with the last of our wines.

Afterwards, we were all very tipsy, but we walked across the Seine via the Ile St Louis and made our way to the Marais for coffee and chocolate to cap just another wonderful meal in our never-ending, and never-endingly eventful Travelife.