Saturday, September 18, 2010

White China Heaven

If you're looking for the perfect neutral backdrop for the culinary masterpieces Paris has inspired you to whip up, then hop on the metro or a bus and head to the 14th where you'll find Porcelaines M.P. Samie. There's nothing fancy here, just shelf after shelf of white porcelain: everything from the tiniest coffee cups to giant platters. If you find the white a bit blah, then take the stairs at the back of the shop to the first floor where the white gets a few decorative flourishes.

On my trip last week, I considered many options: the square white dinner plates, a sugar bowl and creamer edged in blue, a set of cereal (or perhaps cafe au lait) bowls. Overwhelmed by the choices, I finally left with only a small butter dish that cost less than 3 euros. Hard to have any buyer's remorse with my wallet only that much lighter.

Real bargain hunters will want to search through the bins on the sidewalk. The dishes look pretty dusty but I'm sure they would be good as new with one run through the dishwasher.

Porcelaines M.P. Samie
45, avenue du Général Leclerc
Metro: Alésia




7 comments:

Starman said...

That assortment of dishes has stolen my heart.

Starman said...

Yay! It finally worked.

Belle de Ville said...

Wow, an entertainers delight. What a find, thank you for posting about it.

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Oh my! I can only imagine how heavy my carry-on bag would be after I dumped out all my clothes and stuffed it with china!

To see that much tends to give one too many choices. You can always return and buy to your heart's content!

Bon weekend,
Genie

Laura said...

You're a star! I passed by this shop in March, I knew it was near the Catacombes, but couldn't remember the street!!! I let my landlady's sugar bowl fall and wanted to buy another one at a reasonable price. thanks!

Anonymous said...

Oh! I saw this one time, while I was wandering around after visiting the catacombs. Had no idea if I'd ever find it again, so thank you!

Mabel said...

I ADORE M.P. Samie! We used to live in the 14th and now still make special trips there on the days when I am kid free (Don't even think about going in there with a stroller!). The bins out front are FABULOUS--although the items are seconds so not perfect. I have a bunch of their Apilco ramekins purchased for 50 centimes or a whopping 1 Euro a piece. And their beautiful Apilco octagonal platters were all of 5-8 Euros a piece (as opposed to $52-69 from Williams-Sonoma). I also love their "Cheeses of France" and "Wines of France" plates found upstairs--great gifts for trips back home.

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