Coq au vin. Ratatouille. Bouillabaisse. Bœuf bourguignon. Croque monsieur. We’ve barely started. A melting glass of Côtes de Provence rosé swinging over a glistening La Seine. Champagne popped over cheers of a typical Thursday night before the weekend commences. Maybe this is how it all really starts. Eating in France comes with a curious mind, but just as important is setting the mood. Whether you’re French or in Paris, that’s a breeze to accomplish.

You want to take the time and enjoy all that French cuisine has to offer. Gastronomy-style, outdoor bistros, even a neighborhood pastry shop can help you discover a new favorite. Life in Paris very much begins with a reliable staple, if you don’t have a good bakery next door then your cake will always miss a little cherry on top.

Food eaten by hand. Heavy sauces drenched in mustard. Bacon and sausages smoked in the chimney. Meats separated in massive pieces. Fish included whale and dolphins, often salted then indulged during Lent. French cuisine’s undeniable prestige derived from the Medieval times, when service en confusion gave birth to the notion of numerous courses during banquets often held by aristocrats.

Home of economic leadership and cultural influence, Paris fostered artisans and craftsmen via the guild system. Supervised by the French royals and government officials, the guild association of merchants and artisans became significant by giving French cuisine its unique identity and characteristics through food distribution via Parisian markets, including: Les Halles.

Devouring a definitive French meal takes guts. In every sense of the word. Quite literally. The question is, are you brave enough to embrace history, turning back the clock to a time when every part of a mammal was savored while wider array of animals were ethically consumed. As Hemingway famously wrote, if it’s truly a moveable feast. Are you ready to run with an unstoppable palate?

Gotta have these in the morning! Pain au chocolat is made with the same crusty dough as croissants with one or two pieces of dark chocolates in the middle.

This might be the reason why you’re in France. This famous French confection is meringue-based and made from egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, and almond powder. It comes in all different flavors. You’ll be standing in line at Ladurée for one of these babies.

Regular camembert is already pretty awesome if you’re a cheese lover. But baked camembert can be seen on most bistro menus, you must order one and let it melt in your mouth!

Hashis Parmentier is another one of my personal favorites, because it’s so easy to DIY, you can make them at home whenever you feel like a meal of hearty comfort food. This is the French version of a shepherd’s pie: with mashed, baked potato, diced meat and sauce Lyonnaise.

Love ’em or hate ’em, roasted bone marrow, or os à moelle rôti, is considered a delicacy in French cuisine. When it’s done well, it tastes like heaven!

You may not be used to it, but French crêpes are often made with buckwheat flour, they’re not only delish but can be stuffed with all sorts of options: salmon, cheese, nutella, whipped cream or just with plain ham with cheese.

Magret de canard is the breast from a duck (not necessarily duck breast) raised for the foie gras from its liver. The dish is served rosy, cooked like a seared steak and a few minutes in the oven. These medium-rare duck slices are as French cuisine as it gets.

You may have foie gras served almost like a spread, similar to butter. But in Paris, you’ve got to have it pan-seared. As foie gras has high fat content, contact with heat needs to be brief and at high temperature, it burns on the outside but still preserves the integrity of the liver.

Tartare de boeuf is a famous French dish of raw meat served with onions, capers and seasonings. You want to mess it up, get all that pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce in there. Even better, it’s usually served with fries!

Steak frites = steak and fries! Rib-eyes served with pan reduction sauce. Order a glass of red wine to make the pairing even more perfect.

Confit de canard might be my personal favorite dish in Paris. Confit is prepared in a centuries-old process of preservation that consists of salt curing duck meat, then it’s cooked in duck fat. It’s always served with potatoes. So good!

Bouillabaisse is Provençal fish stew which originated from Marseille but now popular throughout France. Provençal herbs and spices in the broth are what make the soup different from other fish stews.

French food’s version of roasted chicken = poulet rôti, is a popular street food and a refined dish you can order at nice restaurants. Either way, they’re roasted to ideal and served with savory pan juices.

Coq au vin is a typical French dish to appear on bistro menus. It’s chicken braised with red wine, lardons, mushrooms, and sometimes garlic. Burgundy is normally the wine of choice, many chefs opt to use local wines from various areas of France.

Croque Monsieur is the French version of a grilled cheese sandwich. With an egg on top, then it becomes “Croque Madame”!

Gratin dauphinois, AKA: scalloped potatoes, is another traditional French dish. Made with crème fraîche, the dish is from the Dauphiné region in south-east France, usually served as a side.

Yup, snails cooked in garlic butter, chicken stock or wine. Even if you think it’s grotesque, escargot is high in protein and low in fat content.

French fondue is known for being prepared with local products: Beaufort, the de Savoie cheese or Emmental de Savoie cheese to be placed in the hot pot. It’s especially comforting to devour during winter months.

Gigot d’agneau roti is usually homemade by mothers on Easter morning. Today, it’s also a dish seen on many restaurant menus. It’s a roasted leg of a lamb with garlic, olive oil, thyme, rosemary. It’s also a meat lover’s dream if you’re fan of a good lamb dish.

Coming to Paris is a dream for cheese lovers. Make sure you visit a fromagerie or visit a shop that offers dégustations (tastings) or do you wine tastings with an order of cheese plate

It’s not uncommon to see rabbits (lapin) on a French menu. The one you should definitely try is “lapin a la cocotte” – French rabbit stew. It’s slow-cooked with lots of flavors combined from onions, garlic, beef broth, red wine…etc. The taste of rabbit meat is lean, rich, and immensely delicious.

Boeuf bourguignon comes from Burgundy region of France. It’s a stew prepared with beef braised in red Burgundy wine with beef broth. You’ll taste lots of garlic, onions, mushrooms and carrots.