First impressions: a cute little family owned grocery store... reminds me of my family's history as…read morerefugees fleeing political persecution in Vietnam. Our people fled the communist regime, my family were scattered to Australia, France, and to the US. Many families started small businesses in new countries and were able to make a life and a new home this way. To be able to speak Vietnamese with the owner and to laugh with her made the whole experience magical. Magical also due to the items I was looking for. Some background, the French colonized Vietnam and during this time things like french bread (for our famous banh mis), pate, French butter and other items were brought over to influence our foods. One of these items: Bretel butter (origins in Normandy, France, in the Isigny region) became a cult favorite. The trademark has passed hands a few times since it started and the ability to find Bretel butter in the US is difficult. So I was hunting for it at the request of my grandmother, mother and aunt. I have distinct memories of my grandpa buying a plain loaf of French bread and spreading Bretel butter on it and just eating it as is. Bretel butter was treated like gold by the families who could get their hands on it. I still remember the distinct salty and buttery taste. The Arome saveur soy sauce is a version Maggi came up with for the French market and my family swears it's different and tastes better than the Maggi you get in the US. Not sure if this is true but this was also a popular request since the last bottle I brought home in 2015 on my last trip to Paris
Final thoughts: I would 10/10 recommend this spot. Aside from having both coveted items I was looking for (I bought FOUR tins of Bretel butter and TWO huge bottles of Arome saveur soy sauce to pack home to the US!)... the store also carries many fruits, veggies, and food items my family cooked and ate when I was young. Mung beans, frozen bitter melon, dragonfruit (just slipping out of season), kumquats, all kinds of rice, rice noodles, egg noodles, and sundry delicious items that made my heart ache for home. If I were to move to Paris, I know I would have access to the items that would help ease any homesickness I had. The family members who were working that day generously allowed me to leave my (heavy!) purchases in their store (I came across this store by accident in the beginning of a LONG day filled with plans of museums, sightseeing and food and would have had to lug these heavy items with me all day) with the promise to return before they closed at 7:30pm. Just kind and amazing people working here and the interaction with them warmed my heart. Please consider dropping by to say hi, buy some Vietnamese goodies and support this cute little shop. And send them my love!