Ah, Paris. Working my way up in the French Chef Escoffiers’ “brigade” kitchen system since I was 15 years old, this trip was a long time coming. I feel a close connection with French cuisine, especially at my Northeast Fremont restaurant Acadia. New Orleans is full of French food thanks to the Cajuns, who were originally French immigrants from Acadia—in present day Nova Scotia—and still speak a version of French in their homes and schools. Needless to say, the cuisine of New Orleans and the surrounding area would be vastly different if not for the French!

When the opportunity to head to France arose this spring, my girlfriend and I didn’t hesitate. We were in Paris for five days, then drove to Lyon, France (near the Northern tip of the famed Rhone Valley) for another three days. We planned a mix of sightseeing, picnics, and shopping for the days, and the nights were given to what turned out to be a mission to eat as much foie gras as possible at fancy Michelin star restaurants and local brasseries as we could stand… which was a lot!—ADAM HIGGS

Check out Higgs’ culinary slideshow by clicking the link above, then head to Acadia for a taste of one of Paris’s most infamous exports. Inspired by his trip, Higgs has added a new series of absinthe flights to his menu at Acadia.

Each flight includes half-ounce pours of the exciting, flavorful creations from local and international distilleries. The "Traditional Flight" features Kubler, Lucid, and Pernod for $20, the "West Coast Flight" highlights Trillium, Pacifique, and St. George for $25, and the "Belle Epoque Flight" gives tastes of Duplaise, Delaware Phoenix Walton Waters, and Jade “Nouvelle-Orleans” for $30. À la vôtre!

Acadia
1303 NE Fremont Street; 503-249-5001