La Bouteille d’Or
9, quai Montebello
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.43.54.52.58
Metro Station: Maubert-Mutualité (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Continuous service from 9:00 a.m. to midnight
Credit card: American Express, Visa, MasterCard
We rarely venture down to quai Montebello to dine because its location, so close to Notre-Dame Cathedral, attracts a lot of tourists. Our untested belief was that restaurants in areas highly-frequented by tourists would not serve quality food. This theory was recently proven wrong when we dined at La Bonne Franquette in Montmartre. (Click here to read our recent review; requires a paid subscription to access.) And the theory was disproved a second time when we dined at La Boutelle d’Or last Saturday night.
The restaurant has recently been renovated and has reopened under new management. It is a huge place with a grand terrace and four dining rooms on the ground floor. There is a dining area upstairs as well. The rooms are tastefully decorated in subtle tones of beige, chestnut, cream, ivory, and dark brown. The tables are comfortably spaced, and those by the window afford a view of the cathedral. The ambiance is quite elegant.
We had reserved through lafourchette.com, which gave us a special price (starter + main + dessert + wine + coffee) of 35€. The best thing was that we could choose à la carte (a supplement of 5€ applies to some dishes).
The menu has a wide variety of dishes from which to choose. Of the thirteen different starters I opted for Croustillant de Saint-Marcellin aux pommes et miel. Saint-Marcellin is a soft, mild cheese produced in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. It was served in a crunchy brick-pastry crust shaped like a drawstring bag. Honey and morsels of baked apple gave this starter a sweet, apple-pie appeal. It could almost have been served as a dessert!
My partner chose the Terrine de joue de Bœuf à la moutarde de violette, and received two generous slices of dense, spiced terrine of beef cheek. White raisins were embedded in the terrine, and it was brushed with balsamic vinegar. Although she found the dish slightly dry, she declared it quite flavorful. It was accompanied with an undressed green salad: tomato wedges, endive, oak leaf lettuce, and bitter greens.
For the main course, there were fifteen dishes from which to choose including two vegetarian plates. I selected Gambas “Black Tiger” au raifort, riz safrane, a dish of three giant prawns served around a mound of fluffy, white, saffron-flavored rice. The delicious, succulent, tender prawns had been shelled, but not deveined, a task that is somewhat messy at the table. A fingerbowl would have been appropriate here!
Sauté de veau à la Pietra, polenta au basilic was my partner’s choice. She received five pieces of sautéed veal shank cooked in Corsican beer and four generous portions of basil-flavored polenta. She was quite pleased with the presentation and the preparation of the dish, and although she loves polenta, the serving was so copious that she could not finish it. She sagely saved room for dessert.
Although the choice for wine was limited for this special meal, I was pleased with the white Bordeaux that was served. It had a brilliant straw color and a light peach bouquet. My partner received a red Bordeaux, medium bodied and dry with a hint of licorice.
Fresh, thick-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket. Two pats of butter accompanied the bread.
Dessert was a real treat. There were twelve to choose from, plus a cheese plate. Spotting Crêpes à l’orange et Grand Marnier, I opted for that. It turned out to be a good choice! Three folded, warm crêpes were served on a place doused in Grand Marnier and sprinkled with sugar. The pancakes were tender and delectable. I transferred some butter from the bread basket onto the crêpes, making the dessert even more heavenly!
My partner was initially not quite so pleased with her Baba au vieux Rhum. She found the pastry to be standard with a mild rum flavor. However, when the waiter placed a bottle of Clément Rhum Vieux Agricole from Martinique on the table, she doused the baba liberally. This extra dose of rum added so much flavor to the dessert that she wondered what rum had been used originally. Three generous dollops of whipped cream accompanied the baba.
The service was friendly and helpful.
The bill for two persons, including two starters, two main courses, two desserts, and two 25cl carafes of wine came to 70€.
We think that the new La Bouteille d’Or restaurant has a great future!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
A Friday Night in Paris
Story by Linda Donahue
What’s one to do on a warmer-than-usual Friday night in Paris while in the company of a handsome and stylish friend? That was the question I found myself asking last weekend as I met up with my friend in the 6th arrondissement of the French capital. As it turns out, the answer was a no-brainer. (more…)
Ragueneau
202, rue Saint-Honoré
75001 Paris
Phone: 01.42.60.29.20
Metro Station: Palais-Royal Musée du Louvre (Lines 1 and 7)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri Noon – 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Sat to Sun Noon – 3:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
The restaurant Ragueneau is named in honor of one of the characters in Edmond Rostand’s famous play about poet and swordfighter Cyrano de Bergerac. Ragueneau was a pastry chef, and upon entering the ground floor of the restaurant, which serves as a salon de thé, you can see his influence. To the left stands a display case that presents myriad pastries available for takeout or for eating sur place.
The theme of the theater is reflected in the décor of the establishment. Its dining room displays heavy cranberry-colored curtains, chairs cushioned in cranberry-colored velour cloth, a cranberry- and gold-colored carpet, and tables with dark-wood finish.
We recently came here for lunch and were seated upstairs, where posters and pictures mounted on the walls display scenes from the famous play.
Having made a reservation through lafourchette.com, we were entitled to a two-course lunchtime menu (starter + main or main + dessert) with a glass of wine included. At 19€, the price seemed right!
We each ordered a Kir à la crème de pêche as an apéritif.
For the starter, I thought that the Pâté Landais en Croûte de Filet de Canard & Foie Gras du Pâtissier Poète sounded good. I received a generous 1.5cm-thick slice of duck pâté in a pastry shell drizzled with a zigzag of balsamic vinegar and accompanied by a small green salad. I found this country-style dish quite tasty.
My partner opted for a Gâteau Tiède de Foie Gras & Champignons Marinés, Roquette. She was served a ceramic cup containing a layer of warm mousse of foie gras atop a thin bed of chopped, marinated mushrooms. A spongy cake-like layer topped the foie gras mousse. She was delighted with the unusual presentation and declared the dish sublime.
As well as starters, the menu offered a wide selection of main courses. I chose Filet de Canette Poëlé Sauce Foie Gras & son Flan de Carotte. The waitress served a plate containing four slices of filet of duck, cooked rare and served in a foie gras sauce. The duck was tender and succulent and was accompanied by a small carrot cake that was dense, like a flan.
My partner’s choice was also a success. The Emincé de Veau Rôti, Gratin de Navet au Parmesan, Jus Court au Romarin turned out to be three generous, well-seasoned slices of roast veal cooked medium (but not cooked medium-rare as requested). The veal was accompanied by a turnip gratin flavored with Parmesan cheese. A satisfying dish!
Fresh, thick-cut, crispy-crust baguette was served alongside in a basket.
To accompany the meal, we ordered a carafe of Château Tour des Gendres, a round, fruity red wine from Bergerac, the region from which Cyrano hailed. Low in tannin, it developed a note of licorice after breathing for some time.
The service was friendly and helpful. One waitress offered to substitute the kir apéritifs that we ordered in place of the wine that came with the fixed-price menu. (Later, we decided to order a carafe of wine after all.) The other waitress, spotting our camera on the table, offered to take our picture.
The bill for two, including two fixed-price lunchtime menus at 19€ each (two apéritifs, two starters, two mains), and a carafe of wine, came to 52€. We were pleased, once again, that we had made our reservation through lafourchette.com. By using this service we learn about fine restaurants that we would otherwise have never heard of, and, at the same time, we reduce our restaurant bill.
This restaurant offers jazz performances on Friday evenings. For further information, visit its Web site.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Godjo
8, rue de l’Ecole Polytechnique
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.40.46.82.21
Metro Station: Maubert-Mutualité (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: Ethiopian
Days & hours of operation: Open every day from noon until 2:00 a.m. except Monday at lunchtime
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
According to the Web site of this Ethiopian restaurant, the word Godjo means “a farmer’s house, the most humble of all abodes.” It was here that we dined last Friday night on a huge platter laden with generous portions of food, eating it in the most humble manner…with our fingers.
Although we had made a reservation for 8:00 p.m., we had to wait on the sidewalk for about fifteen minutes for a table, so popular is this establishment.
Once seated, I sipped the house cocktail, made of rum and the juices of mango and papaya, while studying the menu. The nectarous beverage was served without ice and topped with a slice of strawberry. Because it was served at room temperature, it was not very refreshing, but was, nonetheless, sweet and pleasing.
I ordered Ye Feseg, portions of four traditional Ethiopian dishes all served together. The serving consisted of ground beef, sliced beef, chicken, and stewed string beans. My partner chose to order à la carte and requested Ater Azifa (purée of chickpeas) as a starter and Key Wot (spicy chicken).
We anticipated that our separate orders would each be served on a separate plate, but at the same time wondered how all of them would fit on the small dining table at which we sat. The answer came when the waitress returned with a large metal platter set in a colorful basket. The platter contained all of the courses that we had ordered, except for one: the purée of chickpeas had been replaced by purée of lentils, apparently due to the waitress’ inattentiveness when taking the order. We did not ask her to replace the dish because we did not realize the error at first. When we tasted the purée, we liked it and chose not to have it replaced.
Along with the food, the waitress placed a plate containing round sheets of injera (the traditional, spongy flatbread of Ethiopia) on our table. To eat the food, one must tear off a portion of the flatbread and use it to pick up the stewed meat and vegetables. We learned very quickly how to eat with our fingers! The appetizing food was quite spicy. I ordered an Ethiopian beer, called St. George Beer, to cool the palate. My partner ordered hot spiced tea, and found that it was heavily perfumed with clove. This spice does not always agree with her, so she requested a carafe of water to accompany her meal.
The portions of food were so generous that I could not finish the meal. As well as the four dishes mentioned above, the serving included two hardboiled eggs, lettuce and tomato salad, and white cheese (similar to cottage cheese). I left behind one of the hardboiled eggs and a half-breast of chicken spiced with cumin, even though I found the meat tender and delicious. My partner left a portion of spicy chicken breast for the same reason—the amount of food was too much for her as well.
Dessert, of course, I could not pass up. I requested a bowl of ice cream and received two scoops, banana and coconut. I especially liked the later—the rich ice cream contained delightfully chewy, shredded, sweet coconut. My partner opted for an after-dinner drink instead, and selected the digestif Godjo aux épices. This consisted of rum, sugar, lemon, ginger, and cinnamon, topped with a mint leaf. She declared that it was quite flavorful and not overly strong.
Although the service was friendly, it was difficult to catch the servers’ attention because they were rushing around serving tables in the main dining room, the downstairs dining area, and on the sidewalk. Tables are close together and there is not much room to walk in the center aisle. Our meals were slow to emerge from the kitchen, so we were obliged to wait quite a while for the food to be served. These vexations will try the patience of diners who are accustomed to prompt service in a spacious dining area.
The restaurant is decorated with African motifs, including knick-knacks on display shelves, paintings, and masks. It is a noisy place, but the sounds are those of happy customers enjoying their meals and each other’s company! Apart from the intense dinnertime conversation, jazzy music playing over the sound system contributed to the clamor.
The bill for two persons, including one apéritif cocktail, one spice tea, one bottle of Ethiopian beer, one fixed-price menu, one starter, one main course, one dessert, and one after-dinner drink, came to 70.50€.
Diners in search of an exotic dining experience will find it at Godjo!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
L’Atelier d’Antan
9, rue Léopold Robert
75014 Paris
Phone: 01.43.21.36.19
Metro Station: Vavin (Line 4)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri Noon – 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Sat 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
When we had lunch at L’Atelier d’Antan recently, the day was sunny and warm. Consequently, the folding windows of the entire width of the restaurant were opened wide, and we could step inside as if we were entering onto a stage. It was a stage of sorts, where the ritual of dining on delicious food was played out. It had a start (an apéritif) and a finish (an espresso), followed by exclamations about the quality of the meal.
We had come here because we had heard that the restaurant serves a 3-course lunchtime menu for 17.50€. There were four choices for the starter, four for the main course, and four for the dessert.
I was eager to try a starter that I initially thought I had never tasted before: Museau de bœuf en vinaigrette. It turns out that this does not translate into “muzzle of beef” as I thought, but rather as “headcheese,” something that I had tried before. Be that as it may, I received a generous portion of thin slices of beef headcheese served in vinaigrette and resting on a green salad. The appetizing flavor of this country-style dish was attributable largely to the vinaigrette, and I finished the portion feeling quite satisfied.
My partner ordered the Terrine forestière, a moist pâté of pork and morsels of eggplant wrapped in a thin layer of fat and served with a green salad and cherry tomatoes. This, too, was a country-style dish, which she found flavorsome.
The main course of the day was perch, and I selected that. It was served with white rice and stewed, diced zucchini, onions, and tomatoes. The proprietor told me that the sauce for the fish was made with white wine, shallots, and butter. As with the starter, the flavor of the fish dish was attributable to the sauce, which I found rich and tempting.
Tendron de veau was my partner’s choice for the main course. A generous slice of veal was braised in a tomato-based sauce with onion and carrot and served with a side of tender, perfumed rice. The meat was cooked to perfection and, surprisingly, the sauce was ever so slightly sweet. My partner proclaimed that it was delicious!
Thick-cut Pain de lin (linseed bread) was served alongside. It was fresh, slightly sweet, and chewy.
To accompany the meal I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, which I found somewhat tart. My partner ordered a “petit vin rouge de Gascogne,” which she found light and refreshing.
Following the main course, the proprietor came by and announced the desserts of the day. I opted for Ile flottante (floating island), made of whipped, baked egg whites served floating on a pond of crème anglaise (milky custard sauce). I am rarely disappointed with this traditional French dessert, and this time was no exception. The baked meringue was served in the shape of a triangular slice. Its beautiful dark-brown crust was drizzled with sweet caramel sauce.
My partner selected Cheesecake aux noix, a triangular slice of cheese cake containing morsels of walnut and resting in a pool of crème anglaise. Being accustomed to American-style cheese cakes, she did not find the dense, moist cake sweet enough to please her palate.
While we dined, jazz played over the sound system. The restaurant has an old-time feel to it, with its rose-colored, terra-cotta floor, burgundy-colored vinyl benches, and light rosy-beige walls. A framed certificate hangs on the wall, attesting to a diploma of honor awarded to chef and proprietor Pascal Alcaraz for excellence in the kitchen.
The service was friendly, efficient, and helpful.
The bill for two, including two champagne apéritifs, two three-course lunchtime menus, and four glasses of wine, came to 74€. (An after-lunch espresso was served gratis.)
We think that travelers seeking traditional French cuisine served in old-time bistro ambiance will be pleased to dine here!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Brasserie de l’Hôtel du Louvre
Place du Palais Royal
75001 Paris
Phone: 01.44.58.37.21
Metro Station: Palais-Royal Musée du Louvre (Lines 1 and 7)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Open every day.
7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. and Noon – 10:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
The Brasserie de l’Hôtel du Louvre lies on place du Palais Royal and is only a stone’s throw from place Colette across the street. From the restaurant, depending upon where one is seated, there are superb views of either square and the magnificent buildings that surround them. It is an ideal place for travelers looking for a impressive location at which to dine!
The interior of the restaurant corresponds with the allure of the neighborhood. Shiny brass coat racks perched on wood-paneled space dividers; seating on plump burgundy- and gold-cushioned benches; cranberry- and navy-colored carpet; windows displaying frosted grand arches and a curtain motif…can the quality of the food here match the sumptuousness of the décor?
We arrived at 7:00 p.m. and were seated in a room that gave a splendid view of place du Palais Royal. Although my partner’s back was turned to the square, she could see it reflected in the huge mirrors on the wall. No matter where one sits, there is an outstanding view!
While sipping our apéritifs, served with goblet of green olives, we studied the menu. For the starter, I ordered Effilochée de daurade à la moutarde en grains et aubergines au pamplemousse, a disk of shredded sea-bream flavored with mustard grains and topped with purée of eggplant flavored with grapefruit. The fish had a delicate flavor, not at all fishy; its flavor contrasted sharply with the bits of grapefruit in the eggplant purée. Surprisingly, the four different ingredients (mustard, sea-bream, eggplant, and grapefruit) made a satisfying combination!
My partner ordered Foie gras de canard aux zestes de citron vert, confit de physalis. She received a plate containing two large triangles of toast, two disks of foie gras, a dollop of red Physalis (a small fruit similar to a tomato) mixed with apricot, and a sprinkling of fleur de sel (sea salt). The foie gras was firm, but yielded in the mouth; its flavor was delicate and buttery. The red Physalis chutney was fibrous looking (like rhubarb), yet its texture was soft and its flavor slightly sweet.
The appearance on the menu of Noix de coquilles Saint-Jacques sur une mitonnée de courgettes apprêtées aux câpres et pignon de pin, vinaigrette à l’orange tempted me, and I was not at all disappointed to receive five large, plump scallops for the main course. Three of the scallops rested on a bed of slow-cooked, diced zucchini and red bell pepper with capers and pine nuts. The scallops were extra-tender and were not overly-seasoned with garlic, as they often are in some restaurants.
My partner enjoyed her Selle d’agneau rôtie au tandoori, jus à la menthe et pointe d’ail. The three thick portions of lamb saddle that she received had been cooked tandoori style and were served with a pitcher of mint sauce subtly flavored with garlic. She had requested that the lamb be cooked rosé (medium rare), and that is the way it arrived. A mixed-green salad was served alongside in a square bowl.
To accompany the meal, we each ordered wine by the glass. My white Vallée de la Loire – Sancerre – 2010 – Domaine Serge Laloue was dry with bright citrus notes. My partner’s Vallée du Rhône – Châteauneuf du Pape – 2007 – Le Clos de l’Oratoire was round, supple, and slightly tannic.
Fresh, thick-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket. As the bread had not been cut all the way through, we had to grasp the loaf by its crispy crust and pull away the pre-cut slice, an action that revealed the soft crumb riddled with alveoli. Delicious!
Dessert was also a grand affair. I opted for the Baba au rhum, crème légère à la vanille parfumée à l’eau de rose et ananas caramélisé, a dense yeast cake resting on caramelized pineapple, soaked in rum, and topped with whipped cream flavored with rose water. My partner selected Pêches sanguines enrobées de mascarpone au citron vert. The dessert that she was served resembled a miniature baked Alaska. It consisted of a layer of chocolate cake, topped with mascarpone and sanguine peaches, all covered with whipped cream, forming a small dome. Surprisingly, she was not fully satisfied with this treat, because she did not expect and did not want the flavor of chocolate to compete with that of the peaches and mascarpone.
The service was efficient, friendly, and helpful, although I was surprised that the waitress did not clear the tablecloth of crumbs (as is usually the case in upscale restaurants) before the dessert was served. (We noted that this was not done for other customers as well.)
While we dined, “beautiful people” music (soothing, soulful, easy listening, contemporary) played over the speaker system.
As we had reserved our table through lafourchette.com, we received a 40% reduction off the price of the meal (beverages excluded), permitting us to enjoy a fine-dining splurge in this handsome restaurant. The bill for two after the discount, including two apéritifs, two glasses of wine, one bottle of sparkling water, and two three-course à la carte meals, came to 112.10€.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Toi
27, rue du Colisée
75008 Paris
Phone: 01.42.56.56.58
Metro Station: Franklin D. Roosvelt (Line 1) or Saint-Philippe du Roule (Line 9)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Open every day. Lunch 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (except Saturday); Dinner 7:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.; Sunday brunch 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
The colors plum, rose, salmon, and beige dazzle the eyes of diners who enter here, as we did on one recent Tuesday afternoon for lunch with our friend Roger. Many would call the ambiance of this restaurant “contemporary,” I would call it “futuristic.” It was as though we had entered the dining room of a spaceship bound for Mars. What kind of food could possibly be served here, I wondered, if this décor was any indication? A glance at the menu would reveal that it was largely French cuisine, and that the food did not, in fact, have any connection with the ambiance.
Cautiously, I surveyed the carte and found dishes whose names looked familiar, but whose prices were rather high. Consequently, I ordered from the lunchtime menu, whose prices ranged from 6€ to 7€ for starters, 14€ to 15€ for mains, and 6€ to 7€ for desserts. My partner, throwing caution to the wind, ordered à la carte.
For the starter, Roger and I selected Croque chèvre et canard au pain d’épices, and received a plate displaying a small salad of arugula dressed in balsamic vinegar and three slices of spice bread between which rested creamy goat cheese and thin slices duck breast. This was an appetizing dish, and I appreciated the touch of sweetness that came from strips of honey that had been dabbed on the plate.
My partner requested L’Ardoise de petits nems, façon Thaï, a platter of five deep-fried, crispy rolls containing vegetables and shrimp, and resting on a bed of sucrine and mint leaves.
Pavé de saumon meunière, grattin de courgettes was my choice for the main course. The slice of succulent salmon came dressed in a light cream sauce alongside a serving of sliced zucchini baked with cheese. It was a satisfying, tasty dish.
For twice the price, the name of my partner’s main course was almost twice as long: Filet d’agneau en croute d’herbes, onctueuse purée et morilles. She received a slice of lamb that had been roasted in a crust of semolina and herbs. As she had requested that vegetables be substituted for the puréed potatoes (with morel mushrooms), she was pleased to get a mixed side-dish of zucchini, green beans, and carrots.
Roger ordered the lunchtime lamb dish, which was served with a generous portion of tagliatelle pasta.
For the wine accompaniment, we ordered a bottle of Domaine Serge Laloue – Sancerre – 2009.
While my partner declined to order dessert, Roger and I plunged ahead and each ordered the Café gourmand (Verrine surprise, cookies, sorbet), which sounded like a good deal at 8€. We each received two macarons, one scoop of raspberry sorbet on a bed of crumble, and one vacherin (a small jar containing raspberry syrup resting on a layer of thick, sweet cream). All this and an espresso, too! Sumptuous!
While we dined, soft rock music and rap played over the sound system, including music by Sade and Nu Shooz.
The service was helpful and friendly.
The bill for three persons, including three starters, three main courses, two desserts, and a bottle of wine came to 144€.
Travelers who seek a restaurant serving appetizing food in a trendy atmosphere will find it here. And, the fact that the restaurant is open seven days a week will be of interest to those who arrive in Paris on a Sunday and are looking for a suitable place to eat.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
One Day in Paris on a Shoestring Budget
Story by Linda Donahue
It’s common knowledge that Paris can be a pretty expensive city to visit—especially with today’s exchange rates. But you don’t have to spend a small fortune to get the most out of the French capital. There are plenty of ways to stretch your euros that will make you feel like you got so much more than your money’s worth. (more…)
La Rotonde
Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad
75019 Paris
Phone: 01.80.48.33.40
Metro Station: Stalingrad (Lines 2, 5, and 7)
and Jaurès (Lines 2, 5, and 7bis)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
La Rotonde is a newly-opened restaurant in a newly-renovated rotunda that once served to house administrative offices of a tax wall that had been built around Paris. A magnificent example of neoclassical architecture, it also served as a monumental gateway into the city.
The building is in the shape of a cylinder (rotunda) set into a Greek cross. The central part of the restaurant has a clear glass dome for a roof. Here, the tables and chairs are lightweight (the chairs look like those that one finds in the Luxembourg Garden), indicating that the area is appropriate for informal dining. From this vantage point, customers can look into the open kitchen, which is quite impressive. In the left wing, just off the rotunda, the tables and chairs are sturdier for more formal dining. In the right wing, one finds the huge, amply stocked bar.
We were greeted courteously and were seated quickly in the dining area in the wing.
In a celebratory mood, we each ordered a glass of Jacquart champagne. Its taste was fresh and light, with very fine bubbles. It was not sharp as champagnes sometimes are.
I ordered my entire meal from the chalkboard (called ardoise, in French) listing the suggestions of the day. For the starter, I selected the Gaspacho de tomates andalou, crème d’herbes. The soup was thick and cold with accents of garlic and topped with a dollop of thick cream that had been mixed with chopped chive and other spices. It was a refreshing start to what would be a fine meal.
My partner ordered Salade de jeunes pousses, oreilles de cochon grillées from the menu. Thin slices of breaded, deep-fried pig ears were served on a lightly-dressed mesclun salad. If you like red onions, you’ll be pleased to find these in the salad. The unlikely combination of crunchy pig ears and salad was delightful!
From the chalkboard again, I requested the Daurade entière rôtie aux épices douces, sauce thaï. It was an entire roasted gilthead sea bream resting in a shallow pool of sweetly-spiced “Thaï” sauce. I do not know what the spices were, but the tender, succulent fish was delicious (but also quite boney). Mashed potatoes were served alongside in a bowl. Olive oil had been added instead of cream, giving the potatoes tempting sweetness.
Côte de veau rôtie, croûte d’amandes torréfiées, jus arabica was my partner’s selection from the chalkboard. She was served a generous portion of veal chop covered with roasted, crushed almonds and accentuated with coffee-flavored gravy. In a bowl alongside was a tombée de légumes: lightly sautéed red, yellow and green peppers, carrots, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and red onions. The veal chop was thicker than anticipated, and perfectly prepared. My partner had no worries about going away hungry after consuming this dish! The vegetables were brightly colored and flavorful, with the spinach leaves being an unusual, but welcome addition to the medley.
As a beverage accompaniment, we ordered a carafe of Savignon Saint-Clair, a fresh-tasting white wine expressing a hint of apricot.
A basket of thick cut, country baguette with crunchy crust and soft alveoli-riddled crumb was served alongside.
When time for dessert came, I ordered Fraises au balsamique, glace vanille. The strawberries were served their balsamic-flavored juices in a stout glass, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The vanilla flavor of the ice cream was quite pronounced and one could see flecks of vanilla pod in the frozen dessert.
Whenever a restaurant offers baba au rhum, my partner usually selects it. This time was no exception, and she ordered the Baba moelleux au rhum, chantilly vanille. Resembling a tiramisu, it too came in a stout glass with baba pastry at the bottom layered with an equal volume of thick crème Chantilly. A clear, plastic dropper containing a portion of Montebello run from Martinique and a straw protruded from the cream. She had only to give the dropper a squeeze to inject the alcohol into the cake and then begin eating! The baba pastry was finer in texture than most babas that my partner has tasted, which she approved of. She also quite liked the unusual presentation – including the straw, which allowed her to enjoy every drop of the fine quality rum used for this dish.
While we dined, the music of Prince, Chaka Khan, and David Bowie played over the sound system, and then, somewhat incongruously, the Beach Boys sang Surfin’ Safari. After a while, the music was turned down and eventually got lost in the background conversation.
Service was attentive and friendly. This is a newly-opened restaurant and the staff went out of its way to please.
The bill for two, including two glasses of champagne, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, one carafe of wine, and an espresso, came to 84.30€. We had reserved a special 25% promotion through lafourchette.com, and were pleased to enjoy the reduction in price as well as experience the excitement of dining in a new restaurant!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Hacienda del Sol
157, boulevard du Montparnasse
75006 Paris
Phone: 01.43.26.26.53
Metro Station: Port-Royal (RER B)
Type of cuisine: Mexican
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Sat 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
As befits its name, entering into Hacienda del Sol is like entering into a colorful Mexican ranch house. Large, terracotta tiles make up the floor, and royal blue, strawberry red, and goldenrod walls impart a comfortable, yet spirited ambiance. The bar at the back of the dining room is clad in glazed, polychrome tiles depicting small animals, flowers, cacti, and the face of the sun. The dining tables are the color of dark wood, and their cushioned chairs repeat the color of goldenrod. In sum, this is a place where one’s anticipation for a good Mexican meal is raised to the highest level.
We were not to be disappointed! As an apéritif, we each ordered a Margarita, made with El Amo tequila, squeezed lime juice, and Cointreau. It was a generous portion served with crushed ice in a large, wide glass whose brim had been dusted with salt flecked with cracked, dried red pepper.
The waiter brought corn chips and two salsas, one of which was extremely hot, as an amuse bouche. The chips were fresh and crunchy, and the fiery-hot salsa a taste experience that the faint of heart should only try once.
For the starter, I ordered Guacamole, served with corn chips. The dish, consisting of crushed avocado, coriander, onions, and tomato, was moist, fresh, and delicious. Two small slices of feta cheese were served on the side.
My partner opted for Quesadilla and received two soft corn tortillas. The first contained melted cheese flavored with cuitlacoche, a fungus which grows naturally on ears of corn. Called corn smut in the United States, the earthy and somewhat smoky fungus is used to flavor quesadillas and other dishes in Mexico. The second quesadilla contained pulverized zucchini flowers in a green tomatillo sauce. She declared both delectable, and commented that they were nothing like the TexMex quesadillas that she had grown up with in Houston, Texas.
The menu offered a wide number of possibilities for the main course. I selected Pescade à la Veracruzana. The waiter served a plate containing a large slice of panga, a buttery-soft and tender white fish resting on a bed of cooked, sliced tomatoes, onions, olives, and capers. The taste of the vegetables resembled the taste of ratatouille without the egg plant. It was a moist and savory dish!
My partner chose Cochinita Pibil, a traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish made from shredded pork marinated in orange and annatto. It was served with a generous portion of flour tortillas. The disk-shaped mound of what resembled pulled pork had a flavor that was refined beyond what my partner had dreamed of. She devoured every bite!
As side dishes, we shared Calabacitas con crema (corn and diced zucchini in a light cream) and Frijoles refritos de fiesta (refried beans flavored with bacon).
To accompany our meals, I ordered a bottle of Dos Equis Ambar, a refreshing, medium-bodied, malted lager. Beer-tasting notes on the Internet give this beverage an average rating, but I found it quite satisfying. My partner selected a Mexican Cabernet from Baja, a light and slightly sweet red wine that bore no resemblance to its northern cousins in Napa and Sonoma.
When the dessert menu came by, I saw my chance to try a Mexican cheese cake, the Pie de queso al limon. A square portion served on what seemed to be a graham-cracker crust, topped with pomegranate seeds, the tasty cake was dense, smooth, moist, and rich.
My partner requested three scoops of Copa de nieves del sol, a strange name for frozen desserts. She received a scoop each of hibiscus sorbet, a lime sorbet, and condensed-milk ice cream. While she appreciated the sorbets, she found the ice cream a bit too heavily flavored with vanilla.
The bill for two, including two Margaritas, two three-course meals, one glass of wine, one beer, and a single espresso, came to 104.80€. To this wonderful dining experience, we raise our glasses high and cry ole!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Le 13
13, rue Saint-Hippolyte
75013 Paris
Phone: 01.43.36.34.41
Metro Station: Les Gobelins (Line 7)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri Noon – 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Sat 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Fans of off-the-beaten-path restaurants will enjoy dining at Le 13, located in a triangle bounded by boulevard de Port Royal, boulevard Arago, and rue de la Santé in Paris’ 13th arrondissement.
The restaurant has wide, tall windows, a grey façade, and its name “le 13” written in yellow script above the menu board. Inside, grey tones, dark, wooden tables and chairs, the copper countertop of the bar, and the black ceiling impart a relaxed, modern atmosphere.
We dined there on a recent Saturday evening. Although she was the only person on duty in the dining room, the waitress scurried about, waiting tables and delivering the orders with admirable efficiency.
I forewent an apéritif and starter, but my partner decided to order a Kir à la pêche, which she found quite sweet with a strong crème de pêche flavor. Her starter was a Mi-cuit de foie gras maison sur croustillant de poire aux épices. This consisted of the restaurant’s own preparation of foie gras served with sliced pear encased in brick pastry. A wedge of sun-dried tomato, four walnut halves, and a generous swirl of balsamic vinegar garnished the plate. My partner declared that this was quite a satisfying beginning for the meal.
My selection for the main course was Fondant de bœuf braisé au Madiran. The stewed beef was served in a copper casserole in rich, dark gravy with two half-potatoes, snow peas, and sliced carrots. The braised beef was truly fondant, in that it was fork tender, almost melting in the mouth. It was a hearty, delicious meal that was appropriate for the cool summer weather that we were experiencing.
For the wine accompaniment, I ordered a glass of Bordeaux 2006 – Domaine de la Colombine. It was somewhat tannic and exuded notes of berry and a hint of chocolate.
My partner ordered Fricasse de poulet fermier Vallée d’Auge. Served in a casserole, generous slices of breast of chicken floated in a light cream sauce with several half-potatoes and a few sliced carrots. The chicken was firm and tender and the sauce was of perfect consistency. My partner’s only regret regarding this dish was the lack of a wider variety of vegetables served with it.
For her wine accompaniment, my partner ordered a glass of Côte du Rhône – Amour de Fruits – 2006 – Domain de la Fourmente. It was served chilled, a point that my partner raised with the waitress. She told us that all wine is placed in the refrigerator after the bottle has been opened. Unfortunately, the wine did not come to room temperature quickly enough to reveal its true character prior to my partner finishing her dish.
Sliced baguette was served alongside in a basket. We noted that the crust was pale and soft, not brown and crunchy, and that the crumb did not contain many alveoli. The waitress told us that they normally get their bread from Boulangerie Moisan, a highly-regarded bakery in the neighborhood, but that it was closed that Saturday. Hence, they purchased the bread from another shop.
We each ordered the same dessert: three scoops of Caramel beurre salé by Monsieur Gautier, Maître glacier. We were surprised to receive a bowl containing three scoops of caramel ice cream topped by three dollops of whipped cream, swirls of caramel syrup, and a Biscuit rose de Reims (a pink cookie). This sundae surprise was a delight to eat, but I was somewhat disappointed that the caramel ice cream was not as salty as its beurre salé designation would imply.
While we dined, Radio Nostalgie played softly over the speaker system, broadcasting disco, rock, and soul music, including the Pointer Sisters, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, the Bee Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band, and James Brown.
The bill for two persons, including one Kir, two glasses of wine, one starter, two mains, and two desserts, came to 61€.
This is a pleasant restaurant at which to dine, and apart from the peccadilloes mentioned above, we enjoyed the meal.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Le Reminet
3, rue des Grands Degrés
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.44.07.04.24
Metro Station: Maubert Mutualité (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Open 7/7 Noon – 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
A royal-purple façade sets the tone for a fine dining experience that customers will enjoy when they enter this small restaurant. Tables are set with tall candles and roses; gilt-framed mirrors hang on the walls; and spotless glassware stands on white tablecloths—diners will appreciate all of this and good service and great food, too!
The night that we ate there, we were among the first customers to be seated. Towards 9:00 p.m. the restaurant was almost full.
The waiter served us each a small goblet of chilled, crushed-tomato soup as an amuse bouche. And as an aperitif, we each ordered a glass of Champagne Brut Jean-Noël Haton, which is produced by a small, independent wine grower. With notes of pear, it was a refreshing start for the evening!
The restaurant offers a special tasting menu (two starters, two mains, one cheese plate and one dessert) at 55€, but we chose to order à la carte.
For the starter, I ordered Carpaccio de magrets et foie gras à l’émincé d’oignons doux des Cévennes, chutney de rhubarbe aux épices. I received a generous portion of thinly sliced breast of duck, cooked rare, alternately layered in a fan shape on the plate with thin slices of foie gras. A small, mixed-green salad, a single cherry tomato, and a tiny goblet of rhubarb chutney accompanied the dish. The fan of sliced duck had been sprinkled with slices of sweet onion from Cévennes, a mountainous region in south-central France. An appetizing dish!
My partner decided upon Croustillant de pont l’évêque, effilochée d’endives aux salpicons d’abricots et raisins secs, vinaigrette moutardée. The square of Pont l’Evêque cheese that she was served had been encased in brick pastry and lightly fried. It lay atop a refreshing salad of bitter greens, green and red chicory, and a single cherry tomato. Finely chopped apricots and raisins provided additional garnish.
To accompany my starter I ordered, at the waiter’s suggestion, a glass of Bourgogne Aligoté 2009 Sylvain Dussort, a pale gold wine with a hint of caramel. For my partner’s accompaniment, the waiter suggested a glass of Sancerre Blanc 2010 Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy, a light-gold fragrant wine with notes of apricot.
A selection of seven different main courses made the choice difficult, but I settled on Pavé de bar en croûte de tomates séchées et pignons, asperges blanches rôtis aux pousse d’épinards, jus de barigoule au basilic. This was a portion of moist and flaky sea bass in a dried-tomato crust resting on a bed of roasted, white asparagus and young spinach leaves in a shallow pool of a frothy cream sauce of stewed artichoke. The fish was especially delicious with its crust of slightly-crunchy tomato—an unusual dish.
My partner ordered from the chalkboard upon which the suggestions of the day are listed. She selected Magret de canard aux navets confits au miel, écrasé de pois chiches et jus au vinaigre de framboise. She requested that the duck breast be cooked rosé (medium rare), and it arrived tender and succulent. It rested on a bed of sweet turnips next to a swirl of mustard-flavored, crushed chick peas.
A basket of sliced country baguette and sourdough bread was served on the side.
For dessert, I settled on the Moelleux aux amandes et cerises noires ganache coco chocolat blanc that was displayed on the chalkboard. The waiter served a plate containing a dollop of super-smooth almond mousse next to a small, round pound cake containing black cherries. This, too, was an unusually imaginative dish, and I savored all of it.
My partner settled on the Financier amande au cœur praliné, ganache chocolat en croustillant. It consisted of a lovely, moist almond teacake with a thin layer of chocolate at the bottom. The cake was topped with a wafer-thin curl of butter cookie containing a healthy dollop of chocolate ganache. The wafer provided crunchy contrast to the soft financier, while the chocolate ganache was a heavenly addition that could easily have been a dessert all on its own.
The bill for two persons, including two champagne apéritifs, three glasses of wine, two digestifs, two starters, two mains, and two desserts, would have come to 158.10€ had we not reserved a special promotion through lafourchette.com. Our bill after the reduction came to 114.10€. (The reduction applied to food only, not beverages.)
The service was helpful, friendly, and rapid. When I asked about the name of the champagne producer, the waiter brought over the bottle to show me the label, and gave me the information that I cited (above) about the wine grower.
Though fairly informal, Le Reminet is a fine dining restaurant that serves imaginative, innovative dishes. We recommend it as a place to go for a special dinner.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Place Falguière Le Bistro
1, place Falguière
75015 Paris
Phone: 01.47.34.12.24
Metro Station: Plaisance (Line 13)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Open 7/7 Noon – 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
“Place Falguière Le Bistro” is a rather unusual name for a restaurant, and it is truly in an off-the-beaten-path location. I doubt that many travelers ever venture to place Falguière because it is not readily accessible by metro (the closest metro station is about 10 minutes by foot). It is, however, served by bus lines 88 and 95.
The “place” where the restaurant is located is more accurately a roundabout where six streets come together in an area that lies behind and to the southwest of Gare du Montparnasse. The neighborhood is a mixture of old and new, with tall, modern buildings amid older structures. The area also has a mixture of peoples from different cultures. I spotted a number of African men wearing robes and caps, and I also noticed a lot of children, black and white, in the neighborhood.
The restaurant has a sheltered wooden deck for outdoor dining. I chose to dine indoors, however, because the weather was quite cool on the evening that I arrived.
The interior of the restaurant is rather attractive, with medium-toned wooden floors, dark wooden tables, and framed portraits of families on the walls, taken by French photographer Gilles Ferron.
For an apéritif, I ordered a Suze, a bitter-sweet beverage made from aromatic plants and served with ice. The waiter poured a generous dose and told me so when he served the drink. We both smiled at his remark and I told him that I appreciated it. I enjoyed the extra portion of the drink.
A tapenade of green and black olives seasoned with extra olive oil was served as an amuse bouche. Three thick-cut, country-style potato chips accompanied the dish. Delicious!
The restaurant offers seafood (as well as other types of cuisine) on its menu, so I decided to make it an evening of dining on fruit de mer.
For the starter I ordered Couteaux grillés, a plate of seven razor clams served in their shell with butter, garlic, and bits of parsley. The clams were pleasantly chewy and tasty.
Continuing along the theme of seafood, I opted for a plate of Coques, moules et couteaux. The waiter served a large, square platter of cockles, mussels, and razor clams arranged in a tall pyramid. They had been prepared in the manner of the first dish—that is, with butter, garlic, and bits of parsley. The serving dish alongside held boiled new potatoes, which were prepared in the same way. It was a fully satisfying meal!
For the wine accompaniment, I asked the waiter to serve a glass of whatever white wine he thought would best go with the dishes. The waitress brought over a glass of Muscadet whose fresh, crisp acidity suited me just fine.
Thick-cut country bread was served alongside in a basket.
Upon seeing Nougat glacé maison on the dessert menu, I sprang for that. This homemade, frozen dessert is served by the slice. The recipe normally calls for egg white, honey, almonds, and pistachios, but this luscious treat also contained bits of praline. Delectable!
The service was relaxed and somewhat slow (as one would anticipate in a neighborhood restaurant), but friendly.
The bill for one person, including apéritif, one starter, one main course, one dessert, a glass of wine, and an espresso, came to 45.75€.
A good occasion to dine at this restaurant would be on the last Friday evening of every month, when jazz groups perform there. Entertainment starts at 8:30 p.m.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Dining in Paris 101: Brasseries, Bistros and Cafés
Story by Richard Nahem, Eye Prefer Paris Correspondent
You can’t turn a corner in Paris without stumbling upon one of the city’s multitude of eating establishments. Brasseries, bistros, cafés – and even the ubiquitous salon de thé – make dining choices more abundant and diverse. Of course, there’s no small amount of confusion among visitors as to the differences between these establishments. So, to make it simple, here are a few ways to understand what makes each type of eatery unique.
Brasserie
A brasserie is a restaurant that serves the same menu all day, sometimes with a few specials/plat du Jour. The cuisine is classic French with dishes like charcuterie, plats de mer, steak tartare, onion soup, and confit de canard. Brasserie also means brewery and many of them serve a good selection of beer on tap. Some well known Parisian brasseries include Brasserie Lipp, Bofinger, Vaudeville, and La Coupole.
Bistro/Bistrot
A bistro is a small, informal, neighborhood restaurant with simple food, usually with a single owner or chef-owned. They are open at set times, approximately from 12PM to 2 or 2:30PM for lunch and 7:30PM to 10:30 or 11PM for dinner and are, most of the time, closed either Sunday or Monday (or both). Legend has it that the name bistro came about when, in 1812, Russian soldiers at a restaurant in Montmartre on Place du Tertre were upset that their food was too slow in coming, so they yelled “Bistrot! Bistrot!”, which means quickly in Russian. Some of my favorite bistros are Le Reminet, Chez Janou, L’ Atelier d’Antan, and Chez Dumonet.
Café
The most common eating establishment, the café focuses more on beverages like coffee, tea, wine and beer, and many now offer cocktails and Happy Hour. Cafés are open all day and night serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the same menu served throughout the day – casual fare like sandwiches, croques, omelets and salads. Most cafés have outdoor terraces all year round, with heat lamps to keep things cozy in winter. Some classic cafés include Café de Fleur, Café de la Paix, Les Deux Magots, and Le Fouquet’s.
Salon de Thé
More informal than a café, a salon de thé specializes in cakes and pastries along with tea and and coffee.They’re usually open morning to early evening, and sometimes serve light lunches and small dishes. Popular salon de thés include Ladurée, Carette, Angelina, Mariage Frères and, one of my personal favorites, Comme a la Maison.
All photographs from Chez Janou.
Richard Nahem is a native New Yorker who now lives in Paris. A successful New York City event planner and producer of cultural events, he has worked with many celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker, Whitney Houston, and Joan Rivers. After a teenage trip to Paris made him an instant Francophile, he visited the city frequently until he made it his home (in 2005). With 25 years of rave reviews from friends and colleagues, Richard decided to take his own private tours of “his” Paris public. His goal for Eye Prefer Paris Tours is to provide fun, adventurous, and exciting tours of Paris for the independent-spirited traveler.
L’Epopée
89, avenue Emile Zola
75015 Paris
Phone: 01.45.77.71.37
Metro Station: Charles Michels (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation:
Mon to Fri Noon – 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sat 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Sun Noon – 2:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
We normally do not venture into the far reaches of the 15th arrondissement, but recently had the occasion to combine business in that part of town with a pleasant evening of dining. After one look at the smart façade and the handsome interior of the restaurant, we were glad that we had chosen to eat there.
The ambiance of the restaurant is contemporary and upscale, with mid-tone wood-paneled walls decorated with modern art. Chic fabric-covered, light-green chairs with polished wood trim, and dining tables dressed in beige tablecloths lend an air of tranquil comfort. While we dined, jazz, blues, and the songs of Otis Redding and Nina Simone played over the sound system.
We had reserved through lafourchette.com, a service that often proposes meals at exceptional prices. We have never been disappointed with their service, and on this occasion we were especially pleased. For its La Fourchette customers, L’Epopée proposes a three-course menu for 45€ per person, which includes apéritif, two glasses of wine, and coffee.
We were offered our choice between two apéritifs, and we both selected mimosa, a refreshing bitter-sweet champagne cocktail made with orange and raspberry.
A Tartare de saumon avec crème aneth was served in small goblets as an amuse bouche. The finely-diced, moist salmon was topped with thick, dill-flavored cream.
For the starter, I selected Fricassée d’escargots de Bourgogne au bleu, and received a plate of six snails in a rich blue-cheese sauce. I do not normally order snails because they are typically prepared with strong garlic. However, I was tempted to order this dish because it was an unusual departure from the traditional way that snails are served. The dish was flavorful, but the snails—as they always are—were chewy. This is a dish only for the adventurous!
My partner ordered Velouté frais d’asperges blanches, œuf mollet et asperges vertes, a thick, cold, white, and slightly grainy asparagus soup. The dish was decorated with a dusting of paprika, streaks of balsamic vinegar and garnished with a soft-boiled egg. The velouté itself did not taste of asparagus, but the cold chunks and stalks of asparagus allowed the dish to live up to its name. This would be a refreshing soup on a hot day.
With the starters, we were offered our choice of white, red, or rosé wine. We requested a white Grand Ardèche – Louis LaTour, a Chardonnay with soft notes of caramel.
The menu offered some interesting choices for the main course. I opted for Filet de lapin, tagliatelle fraiche au Gorgonzola, a serving of tender cuts of rabbit resting in a bed of perfectly-cooked tagliatelle, all in a Gorgonzola cream sauce. Delicious!
For her main course, my partner settled on Selle d’agneau rôtie et son jus au romarin, coco blanc confis. She received four tender morsels of lamb, cooked rosé, that were beyond reproach. Accompanying the lamb were small white beans that had been cooked al dente in a brown sauce. She ordered a glass of Château de Sauvage – Grave – 2008, a medium-bodied, slightly tannic, red wine that complemented the lamb quite well.
Thick-cut, fresh baguette was served alongside in a basket. A pat of butter accompanied the bread.
Cheesecake aux spéculos et compotée de fruits rouges was my selection from the dessert menu. I received three slices of American-style cheese cake resting on a zig-zag of red-fruit sauce. Alongside on the rectangular plate was a small portion of a compote of red fruits. It all melded well, and provided a nice finish to a superb meal.
My partner also enjoyed her Baba au rhum et tartare d’ananas, which consisted of three small baba topped with whipped cream served with a measured amount of rum. Compote of diced pineapple and a swizzle of red-fruit sauce garnished the dish.
Service was friendly and efficient.
The bill for this special menu (described above) for two persons came to 90€.
This restaurant has deservedly received high praise on the Internet from a number of Anglophone travelers, and we are pleased to recommend it as well.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Where to Eat in Paris without Breaking the Bank
Story by Lela Lake
The delectable odors wafting down Paris streets can lure unwary travelers into sumptuous meals that quickly devour your vacation budget. The trick is to focus on a dining destination you know will satisfy your most gluttonous desires without breaking the bank. (more…)
Le Pré Verre
8, rue Thénard
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.43.54.59.47
Metro Station: Maubert Mutualité (Line 10)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Tues to Sat Noon – 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
We first learned about Le Pré Verre several years ago and have dined there on numerous occasions since then. We especially like the two-course, 13.50€ lunchtime menu that includes a glass of wine and a cup of espresso.
Twenty-nine euros and fifty centimes is also a reasonable price to pay for their three-course menu, and we had the occasion to order from that on a recent Tuesday evening. The menu offers a choice of five starters, five main courses, and five desserts.
For an apéritif, we tried a sparkling rosé from the Loire Valley called L’O à la Bouche. We were disappointed with this wine, finding it quite dry without much flavor. Although economically-priced, it is not a good substitute for champagne!
When I spotted Crème d’artichauts aux cacahuetes on the menu, I decided to try that as a starter. The soup was beautifully presented, with an island of light cream floating in a pool of artichoke soup. The cream was topped with peanuts and sprinkled with chopped chive and paprika. An imaginative idea! The soup tasted, as one would expect, of artichoke, and by itself was bland. The dollop of light cream added richness to the dish and the peanuts added crunch.
My partner opted for the Asperge et blanc manger de brebis (supplement 2.50€). Another imaginative and beautifully-prepared dish! Blanc manger is commonly a sweet dessert made from milk and sugar and thickened with cornstarch. But in this case it was a disk of soft sheep’s cheese on which had been arranged trimmed stalks of asparagus. Bits of sun-dried tomato added flavor and color to this light and refreshing starter.
My main course was Filet de rascasse à la citronnelle et riz rouge. It consisted of a moist, delicate white fish served with three dollops of white and red rice, flavored with the broth of the fish; a small, mixed-green salad; and a slice of eggplant. The white rice had been cooked soft, leaving the al dente red rice to give firmness to the bite. The salad greens seemed to be dressed with very light vinaigrette, and, as a consequence, its flavor was uninspiring. Save the salad, I found the dish quite satisfying.
My partner was pleased with her Cochon de lait fondant et chou crouquant aux épices, a deboned cut of suckling pig topped with star anise, a stick of cinnamon, and long pepper from Indonesia. The meat rested on a bed of crunchy, cooked cabbage in a creamy broth. My partner often selects this dish from the dinner menu, and she was just as pleased with it this time as she has been in the past.
For the wine accompaniment, we ordered a carafe (45 cl) of Côteaux du Giennois “Les Beaux Jours” 2010.
Thick-cut, chewy, light baguette was served alongside in a basket. The bread was shot through with alveoli (as good baguette should be) and had a crunchy crust (idem).
Dessert here is always a delight. My Soupe de groseille et mousse de pain d’épices, was a bowl of spice-bread-flavored curd floating in sweet-and-sour current soup. Three bunches of currents and a lock of angel hair topped the dessert. Sublime!
My partner’s dessert found favor with her, too. Called Truffade de chocolat noir, glace mélasse, it consisted of two thin slices of dense chocolate cake resting in a pool of crème anglaise and topped with a scoop of molasses ice cream. Intense and flavorful, it was a great finish for her previous courses, which were delicious, but mildly flavored.
The service was fast and friendly.
The bill for two, including two sparkling-wine apéritifs, a carafe of wine, and two three-course menus (with supplement), came to 89.50€. A fair price to pay for imaginatively-prepared French cuisine.
Couples who seek a quiet place for intimate conversation should probably avoid this restaurant. It is a noisy place with waiters rushing about and no curtains or carpet to muffle the din of the ever-rising voices of happy customers feasting on delicious food. Go there with a small group of friends. You’ll have a good time!
Special note: Reservation advised. Ask for a table on the ground floor, otherwise you may get seated in the basement dining room.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
In the Belly of Paris: Les Halles
Story edited by Sophie Delon
Back in 1873, Émile Zola published his third novel, Le Ventre de Paris. Set in the bustling central marketplace of Les Halles, the book was Zola’s first to focus completely on the working class of Paris. The title of the book translates into “the belly of Paris” – a name that became synonymous with the district in the northeast of the 1st arrondissement. (more…)
C’est Mon Plaisir
42, rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile
75004 Paris
Phone: 01.43.26.79.27
Metro Station: Pont Marie or Sully-Morland (Line 7)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Sun Noon – 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
The recently opened C’est Mon Plaisir is a charming restaurant located on Ile Saint-Louis, an island situated in the heart of Paris. Its bare-stone walls, exposed wooden beams, and dark-brown trim make it one of the most romantic spots at which we have had the occasion to dine. The best table is by the window, where one can observe passersby making their way down the narrow rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile. During our meal, many of the pedestrians that we saw were eating ice cream that they had purchased at the nearby Berthillon ice cream parlor.
While we dined, we heard a variety of music over the sound system, including Portuguese fado, songs by Louis Prima and Otis Redding, music by Django Reinhart, and trendy bar music.
The restaurant offers a three-course, 33€ fixed-price menu. Price supplements apply to some of the choices.
To start the meal, we ordered the Apéritif du moment, a sparkling wine from the Loire Valley. While not a champagne, it came close! It had fine bubbles and notes of pear and green apple at the finish.
As a mise en bouche, we were served a small slice of terrine of pressed chicken. Topped with shredded Mimolette cheese and flavored with house vinaigrette, the preparation was moist and appetizing.
An appealing choice of starters made selection difficult. Both my partner and I settled for the Plaisir de tarte fine aux légumes tièdes, crème onctueuse moutarde à l’ancienne. This did not disappoint! We each received a round of flaky pastry topped with a “caviar” spread made of eggplant topped by vegetables cooked firm to the bite—carrot, baby artichoke, green beans, and fresh, sliced radish.
When time came to choose the main course, we each went our separate ways. I opted for Caille rôti entière et son jus, carottes fanes croquantes et marinade de betterave. I requested that the quail be served rare (rosé), and it arrived tender and succulent. The roasted bird was topped with finely diced beet and sat in delicious gravy. Three small carrots cooked tender accompanied the dish.
My partner selected a bird of a different kind—Poulet fermier de Challans poché dans un bouillon au safran du Quercy, haricots verts frais et radis cerise. This turned out to be a perfectly cooked chicken breast in saffron sauce, sitting atop a bed of string beans. Three radishes garnished the plate.
As a wine accompaniment, we ordered a half-bottle of Plaisir de Siaurac Lalande de Pomerol 2009, a medium bodied, slightly tannic red wine with notes of pepper and red fruit.
Chewy, fresh, thick-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket.
I tried the house specialty for dessert. Called Cheese cake “Mon Plaisir”, it was a four-layered affair beginning with a graham-cracker crust, followed by a slightly salty cheese cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a topping of crème Chantilly and sliced almonds. I enjoyed the cake and the crust, and thought that the ice cream and crème Chantilly were not necessary to make the dessert complete. The swirl of raspberry sauce around the cake was enough to give it additional flavor.
My partner enjoyed her almond-flavored, individually-portioned pound cake topped with mascarpone and cherries and served with swizzles of cherry sauce. Here, again, the cake would have been an excellent dessert just by itself.
The service was friendly and helpful.
The bill for two persons, including two apéritifs, a half-bottle of wine, two three-course menus (one supplement of 2.50€ for the cheese cake), and an espresso, came to 103.00€.
We used to dine here when the restaurant was under different management and was called Le Fin Gourmet. We are pleased to report that the quality of the food and service has remained high under new management and new name!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Bistro des Gastronomes
10, rue du Cardinal Lemoine
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.43.54.62.40
Metro Station: Cardinal Lemoine (Line 10), Jussieu (Lines 7 and 10)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri Noon – 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Sat 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
Displaying a façade the color of cherry wood and a chalkboard proclaiming a tantalizing menu, this new restaurant opened just three months ago.
Upon entering, we found ourselves in a large dining room with ceiling-to-floor, medium-toned wood paneling and large mirrors all around the walls. At the far wall, there is a window from which the chef, Cédric Lefèvre, can peer out while he prepares his delicious meals. The décor of the room is rather Spartan, but the seating in cushioned, brown vinyl chairs around tables dressed in white tablecloths is comfortable.
After consultation with the waitress, we decided to begin the evening with a Kir pêche as an apéritif. We found the beverage, whose ingredients include white-wine and bitter-sweet crème de pêche, to be refreshing. It was not too sweet, and was dry on the finish.
The waitress came by with a mise en bouche, a small serving of coarsely-ground pork on pâte feuillété resting in a brown sauce and topped with a purple potato chip. The pork was from Le Perche, a former province located to the west of Paris. Tiny as it was, the portion tasted delicious and whetted our appetite for the meal to follow.
The restaurant offers a three-course menu for 35€. We selected from that.
I spotted Poêlée de couteaux en persillade and decided to order this starter of razor clams. The clams were served in a shallow bowl in a briny liquid flavored with chopped parsley, and topped with crispy, sautéed onion rings. The main flavor of the dish came from the onions and the brine, but the chewy clams did not disappoint.
For the wine accompaniment, I ordered a glass of light, pale yellow Domaine Pascal 2009 from Reuilly, a small wine-producing area in central France.
My partner tried the Terrine de campagne maison. She was surprised by the generosity of the serving of three cuts of ½-inch-thick terrine and was unable to finish the third slice. Although she declared it saltier than what she is used to, she appreciated the gamey flavor of the coarsely-ground meat.
I selected Joue de cochon du Perche, petits légumes et morilles fraîches. I was served a wide-brimmed, shallow bowl containing three big chunks of braised pig cheeks served on a mound of cooked morel mushrooms and chopped carrot, turnip, and celery. For me, this was a hearty “hunter’s stew” in the middle of spring! I could not taste the flavor of the mushrooms, but perhaps their delicate essence had already seeped into the stew.
My partner found the flavor of her Sauté de veau aux petits légumes et girolles to be delectable. The sautéed veal came in a copper cooking pot containing chopped carrots, chanterelle mushrooms, and green peas, all dressed in a light cream sauce. The veal was tender and the sauce was of a perfect consistency. Because the serving was copious, she had to abandon the idea of finishing the entire dish.
For her wine accompaniment, my partner selected an AOC Coteaux de Languedoc – Château de la Negly – “La Côte” 2008. She found it assertive and peppery.
A basket of thick-cut baguette was served alongside. After eating two slices, I declared to my partner that it was the freshest bread that I had ever tasted in a restaurant, but then, when I got to the third slice, further inside the basket, I found it slightly stale.
For dessert, I ordered the Tarte aux pommes, glace nougatine-vanille in advance, as advised on the menu. Nevertheless, the wait was several minutes more than I had anticipated. When it arrived, it was a thin-crust, butter-pastry tart topped with thinly-sliced apples and served with three spoonfuls of caramel, vanilla ice cream, and apple sauce. While the French apple tart, in my mind, does not measure up to the hearty American apple pie, I nonetheless found it satisfying.
My partner ordered the Tarte au citron servie autrement, a surprise dessert of lemon tart served in a large American-sized coffee cup. The bottom layer consisted of dense pâte sablée (shortbread), topped with a thick layer of sweet-sour lemon curd, and finally a layer of browned meringue. A successful, innovative twist on one of her favorite desserts!
The service was friendly and helpful.
The bill for two persons, including two 35€ menus, two Kir apéritifs, and three glasses of wine, came to 93€.
We think that travelers will enjoy dining here, especially along this stretch of rue du Cardinal Lemoine that has long been bereft of good restaurants.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Le Resto
8, rue Tournefort
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.43.37.10.66
Metro Station: Place Monge (Line 7)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri Noon – 2:30 p.m and 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
We first wrote about Le Resto in the November 2009 edition of our newsletter Paris Insights. At that time the restaurant had been open for just seven months. We returned last Friday with four friends from California, assuring them that they would get a great meal here. They were not disappointed! The appetizing food and relaxed, friendly service have not changed.
The restaurant exudes rustic charm, with exposed, wooden beams on the ceiling, bare stone walls, and a wooden-plank floor. It also manifests an unusual display of eclectic and unconventional décor that borders on the peculiar, with black café curtains at the window, unmatched mirrors on the wall, a wrought-iron candelabrum holding red candles over the bar, a wall next to the bar painted cherry-red, and an adjoining wall painted black. The table tops are made of champagne riddling boards, painted black and covered by inset glass. And finally, as if to emphasize that the diner has entered an unusual space, the customer is handed menu cards that are viewed through thick slabs of Plexiglas.
The ambiance is amusing rather than disconcerting, and as the dishes came out of the kitchen, our friends soon realized that there was some seriously good food served here.
Six persons are about the maximum size that this small restaurant can accommodate as a group. We were comfortable at the single large table around which we sat…but just barely!
While making our decision about which dishes to order, we ordered a bottle of Domaine de Grézan Chardonnay 2009 from the Languedoc-Roussillon, a region located in the southernmost part of France. We found the medium-bodied white wine to be soft and refreshing,
The restaurant offers a three-course menu for 28€. It is still, as we said back in November 2009, a modest price to pay for such well-prepared dishes. There are five starters, five mains, and five desserts from which to choose. A couple of the dishes come with supplemental prices.
For the starter, I ordered Rillettes thon, avocat, toasts grillés. Four chunky slices of toasted baguette drizzled with olive oil encircled a disk-shaped mound of shredded tuna mixed with avocado and spices, and topped with a sun-dried tomato. It was evident that the mouthwatering tuna mixture was to be spread on the toast and then eaten with the fingers. Delicious!
My partner selected the Crottin de chèvre lardé au balsamique, brisure de noix. This unique preparation consisted of goat cheese wrapped in a single slice of bacon. It was served warm and garnished with luscious balsamic vinegar and broken walnut halves. My partner declared that this was the highlight of her meal – she said that it was even better than her dessert!
The Filet de bar aux petits légumes looked promising for the main course, so I chose that. I received a plate containing a generous slice of broiled bass resting next to a small mound of peas and broad beans topped with sun-dried tomatoes. The fish had been drizzled with pesto sauce and the vegetables with balsamic. It was a tasty Mediterranean-inspired meal.
For her part, my partner opted for the Joue de porcelet, petits pois frais et coriandre. Three small, but lean and tender portions of meat were served nestled in baby peas prepared à la française.
The dessert choices all looked tempting. Not quite knowing what a Vacherin minute, sauce chocolat was, I ordered it. Akin to a chocolate sundae, it was a tall glass of caramel ice cream mixed with broken chunks of baked meringue and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Scrumptious!
My partner enjoyed her Mi-cuit chocolat, glace caramel beurre salé. The “mi-cuit” has become commonplace on French menus, and it generally pleases those who love chocolate. But my partner was intrigued by the salted caramel ice cream that was served alongside. Its excellent, creamy texture and perfectly assertive flavor were the best thing about this course.
On the evening that we dined, we learned that Pascal Millet is no longer the chef. That position is now adequately filled by Isabelle Bedjidian, who was, at one time, the server in the restaurant. Service is now provided by Stéphanie, who stepped outside with us to take our picture in front of the restaurant. She spoke English during the service, to the delight of our friends from California. They will have some great stories to tell about French conviviality and French cuisine when they return to the States!
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Parenthèse
47, avenue de la Motte Picquet
75015 Paris
Phone: 01.47.34.86.25
Metro Station: La Motte Piquet-Grenelle (Line 6)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Tues to Sat Noon – 10:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
I recently met a colleague for lunch at a handsome salon de thé called Parenthèse, located near the Ecole Militaire not far from the Eiffel Tower.
The restaurant has a smart brown façade and matching wicker chairs placed around eight tables on its sidewalk terrace. Inside, the dining area is reposing, with walls painted light beige and matching cushioned chairs around dark-wood tables. Colorful abstract works of art painted by a local artist are displayed on the walls. Jazz played over the sound system. It is quite evident that this tea room was designed to be a “parenthesis”; that is, a place to find temporary respite from the busy work-a-day world.
I ordered a “Club Parenthèse” sandwich consisting of toasted bread, tuna, tapenade (olive paste), tomato, and mint. The sandwich was a three-layered affair, sliced diagonally and served on a plate with a vinaigrette-dressed salad of cooked asparagus; fresh, tender beet greens; chopped, diced zucchini; and chopped, diced carrots. The tapenade imparted a slightly salty taste to the sandwich, but otherwise I found the salad-and-sandwich combination to be appetizing and satisfying.
Le Parenthèse offers a wide variety of dishes, not just the standard quiches and savory tarts that one usually finds in a salon de thé. On the menu of the day I saw Dos de cabillaud (loin of cod), and Escalope de saumon (salmon escalope), as well as a quiche of blue cheese. On the standard menu there are savory tarts and quiches, salads, and sandwiches. For dessert, there are fruit salad, sorbets, caramel flan, cheese cake, crêpes, and more! A wide variety of beverages are offered, including beer, wine, soda, fruit juice, and coffee drinks including cappuccino and café latté.
The service is friendly and helpful.
The bill for my salad-and-sandwich combination and a bottle of mineral water came to 16€.
I think that this is a great place for weary travelers who have spent the morning standing in line at the Eiffel Tower to come for light lunch and refreshment. It is truly an oasis where one can come to re-energize before setting out on an afternoon of exploring the City of Light.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
Le Bistro des Oies
33, rue Bichat
75010 Paris
Phone: 01.42.08.34.86
Metro Station: Goncourt (Line 11)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon to Sat Noon – 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, MasterCard
Tucked away between the Saint-Martin Canal and the Saint-Louis Hospital, this little restaurant bears more resemblance to a cluttered, second-hand bric-a-brac shop than to a dining establishment. But intrepid diners should not hesitate to enter and squeeze into the limited-space seating area for a dining experience that they are not likely soon to forget.
The restaurant specializes in goose dishes, and one will find breast of goose on the menu. Foie gras of duck is also featured here, but oddly enough, not foie gras of goose.
Shortly after we were seated, we each ordered a glass of sparkling, refreshing Xavier Laluc champagne as an apéritif.
The restaurant offers a 24 €, three-course, fixed-price menu. (Price supplements apply to some of the dishes.) We were pleased to learn that not only does the menu list a wide number of dishes to choose from, but the restaurant also proposes a number of plats du jour (specials of the day).
For my three-course meal, I ordered from the “plats du jour” menu. My partner ordered from the standard menu.
My starter was called Délices de foie de volailles au cognac et rillettes de cochon. I was served a plate upon which rested a portion of intensely flavorful pâté of fowl liver and a scoop of mildly-flavored shredded pork. Both of these meat preparations were appetizing, but the slightly bitter liver pâté laced with cognac commanded the greatest attention from my taste buds.
My partner was not as satisfied with her Salade de chèvre frais rôti et sésame grillée. It consisted of a mixed-green salad containing three discs of fresh goat cheese on rounds of toasted baguette, topped with sesame seeds. The cheese was only lukewarm and the sesame seeds barely grilled. She declared that the salad was “average,” and said that she wished she had opted for my starter.
My Braisé de lapin aux pleurottes was a serving of leg of rabbit in dark gravy, accompanied by puréed potatoes, French fries, and pleurote mushrooms. The rabbit was moist and chewy; however, as I had ordered a similar dish the week before at Le Grand 8 restaurant (see my review of May 2), I felt compelled to compare the two. I thought that the rabbit at Le Grand 8 had a sweeter flavor and was more tender than the one here.
My partner requested that her Magret d’oie rôti entier, sauce aux figues be cooked “rosé” (medium-rare). The goose breast that she was served, however, was more rare than she anticipated. Nonetheless, she seemed pleased with the dish, as the generous portion of meat was topped with a light, sweet sauce containing morsels of fig. She received two of the same side dishes that I did, namely mashed potatoes and French fries, as well as batons of steamed zucchini.
To accompany our meal, we ordered 50 cl of Cairanne Domaine Berthet-Rayne 2009 from the Rhone Valley, a medium-dry, red wine with notes of blueberry.
Fresh, thick-sliced baguette was served alongside in a basket.
My dessert was Pommes fondantes au caramel et sablé au beurre, a serving of tender, sweet baked apple slices with caramel sauce. The shortbread (sablé au beurre) that was served with the apples was surprisingly salty. Not quite the right accompaniment for sweet apples in my opinion!
My partner was happy with her Crème brulée, vanille Bourbon et cassonade. She declared it a perfect classic with its caramelized, sugar-topped crust and soft, vanilla-flavored cream beneath.
The service was friendly and helpful. While we dined the waitress, spotting our camera on the table, offered to take a picture of us.
The bill for two, including two fixed-price menus with one 5 € supplement, two glasses of champagne, and 50 cl of wine, came to 81 €.
By the time we finished our meal and settled the bill, the restaurant was almost full with customers. As we walked through the neighborhood on our way to the metro, we passed by a number of cafés and restaurants whose sidewalk terraces were brimming with people engaged in animated conversation. This is a lively area to come to for an evening of informal dining.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975. A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992. Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris. His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.” He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.
My Paris Favorites: Amy Thomas
Introduction by Linda Donahue
Amy Thomas is one busy woman. I first met her at a little soirée in Montmartre, but of course I knew of Amy long before that. After all, she is the blogger behind God I Love Paris and Sweet Freak – both sentiments to which I can relate. But Amy is also an advertising copywriter who, after an assignment that kept her in Paris for two years, lives in New York City, as well as an editorial writer whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Time Out, Town & Country, Lucky and New York magazine. And, as if that isn’t enough to make even the most ambitious writer’s head spin, she’s also working on a book that will be published early next year, with a working title of “Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate).” That she even found the time to share her Paris favorites with us is astonishing, so read on to get Amy’s inside insights on life in the French capital. (more…)
