I’ve been back in Phoenix for ten days now, and it already seems like forever. Not much has really changed, except that it’s considerably hotter than when I left. All the chores I didn’t do in April are still waiting for me to do in June.
Our flight back to the United States was delayed by about an hour, but we still had plenty of time for our connection. It just meant spending an hour more in the Air France Salon in Paris and an hour less in the Delta Sky Club in Minneapolis. I’ll take that trade any day.
Even though Kathryn and I had separate reservations, the otherwise business-like Air France agent in Montpellier, without being asked, kindly re-assigned our seats so that we were next to each other as far as Minneapolis. For the final leg to Phoenix, a full flight with no wiggle room, Kathryn remained seated about four rows behind me.
Most of the photos I took in Montpellier were either of Kathryn or of food. In the interest of marital harmony, I’ll only post the food photos.
Fish and chips at Beehive in Montpellier. This place has become one of our go-to spots for a Friday afternoon lunch, usually just before the kitchen closes. I even eat the mushy peas, and I generally don’t like peas.
Filet mignon of pork with truffle cream sauce at Via Pila in Montpellier. We missed this place on our previous trip because we didn’t make a reservation soon enough. We didn’t make the same mistake this time.
“Camden” pancakes at Napoléon Dynamite. This was our first time trying a brunch menu in Montpellier. The portions were a bit smaller than I would have liked, but the food was good. We were glad we arrived on the early side. By the time our food arrived, a line had started to form for tables.
Braised chicken plate at O Poulet Braisé. We walk by this place all the time — it’s between our apartment and the city center — and it always smells great. Both the food and the service were excellent, and it was relatively inexpensive too.
Ceviche at La Nacional. We’d been to this Mexican restaurant during a previous trip to Montpellier, but this time they had replaced their regular taco-heavy menu with a lighter, seafood-centric summer menu. Neither Kathryn nor I are ceviche aficionados, but we were pleasantly surprised with our choices.
Escalope de veau à la milanaise at Casa di Giorgio. This is one of our standbys for when we feel like a nice dinner out in Montpellier but don’t feel like venturing out of our comfort zone. It’s also usually available without a reservation, which makes it good choice when our dinner decision is last-minute.
Assiette royale at La Rose des Sables. No trip to France would be complete without at least one shameful visit to a kebab shop. This one has quickly become our favorite in Montpellier. I usually order a sandwich when I’m in any kebab shop, but this time, for the first time, I ventured out and ordered a plate that had a little of everything. Other than a vague Wikipedia description, I had no idea what kefta was until it was served to me. I’d order it again.
