Cross-cultural communication （10）　

13）Cross-cultural communication in everyday life in Paris, Part 3
　 In the last article, I talked about the high-end side of French food culture. This time, I'd like to talk about the food culture that ordinary people are familiar with, although it might be a little rude to call it “B-grade gourmet” in France.

As I mentioned last time, I sometimes used my magic budget to eat at high-class restaurants in Paris, but I usually use it at ordinary restaurants. It would be better to call them bistros, where ordinary people gather. Even among these bistros, there were many places that served dishes that sparkled. This kind of information naturally comes together if you listen carefully to the word-of-mouth information of people who are called gourmets. In addition, the owner-chefs of starred restaurants sometimes send their apprentices to open restaurants with prices that are more affordable for the general public. These are like antenna shops, where they try out adventurous new ideas and then apply them to their original starred restaurants. You can find this kind of information by reading gourmet guides carefully.

There were many stylish Chinese restaurants in Paris, not just French ones. The high-end restaurant is Restaurant Sans Souci (No Problem), which is said to be a must-visit for Chinese dignitaries when they visit Paris. I once saw the famous actor, Gerard Depardieu at this restaurant.

There was also a Chinese restaurant just a 5-minute walk from the apartment where I was living. I visited this place at least once a week because it was so close. It was run by a Chinese couple, and the food was really delicious. They were also very creative, and when I explained to them about Japanese-style ramen, they made me a proper soy sauce ramen. They also added a French twist to the dish. When I asked Suzy (the nickname of the waitress, who is also the owner's wife)for a wine that would go well with the seafood hot pot, she recommended Muscadet which had a slightly sweet flavor and was full of ingredients. The combination was perfect, and when I was tired or happy in Paris, I would order this combination at Suzy's Chinese restaurant, no matter what the reason.

At present, I live in Rokko Island, man-made island in Higashinada Ward, Kobe City. There are also many delicious French restaurants in Higashinada Ward. These are also more like Parisian bistros. The high-end restaurants are, of course, in Sannomiya and Motomachi. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find good restaurants in Rokko Island. The good restaurants are in Mikage and Sumiyoshi on the opposite shore. Mikage and Sumiyoshi may not be as upmarket as the hills of Ashiya, but since the early Showa period, the residents of these areas have cultivated a stylish urban lifestyle culture. Therefore, if the food and atmosphere are good, they are willing to spend a reasonable amount of money on French restaurants. The lack of such a historical background is probably the reason why good restaurants have not been able to develop in the newly-developed Rokko Island. After all, I think food is a splendid culture.

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