Foodie Recs in Paris

I am going to Paris the first week in May, and would be interested in peoples experience with good restaurants finds, bistros, markets, etc in Paris. Also any good websites.

Here's my nice little neighborhood spot recommendation: La Baracane, a southwestern (France, that is, not Arizona) spot near the Place des Vosges. Here's a NY Times thing on it.

Hi,

I have a little bias toward Patricia Wells, who inspired my signature line. Explore her website, she has a downloadable french/english dictionary of various foods. Her Guide to Paris is no longer being updated, though contemporary information can be found on her website, but like everything else, her guide is a good beginning to planning a trip to Paris.

Another American in Paris, is Dorie Greenspan who wrote the book, Paris Sweets featuring pastry shops. Dorie also interviewed Poulain for her book just weeks before his untimely death. Dorie has written two books with pastry chef Pierre Herme. You will note the link I provided is for ex-pats living in Paris, which by itself should be interesting.

I have all three of Dorie's Paris-centric books, if you want to read them before leaving. I have several of Patricia Wells, though I recommend you buy her guide for your night time reading and dreaming ... just ask Gary.

Bon Voyage!

On my last trip in '98, I carried a borrowed copy of Wells' book but I have to admit that when I got to some place where the restaurant scene was kind of hip and happening, like Avignon, I felt like her out-of-date tips were guiding you to places that were a long way from the cutting edge and possibly merely the best of a so-so lot at the time. That's not to say that some great places aren't still great, and indeed I got one great recommendation at least out of there, maybe more, but if her website is more up-to-date than the books, look there first.

I'll throw out two more recommendations of things to do in Paris, only one food related:

1) Have ice cream at Berthillon on the Ile St. Louis. This island is one of the very few medieval spots left in the city (otherwise extensively rebuilt in the 19th century) and is charming to walk around. (Otherwise, I don't necessarily find Paris a charming city to walk around; fascinating but not charming.) Berthillon is a great ice cream place with a bad attitude, but if they're closed or something, lots of other places on the island sell their ice cream too. Anything chocolate is divine.

2) Leave it by train for Chartres. Chartres is a short train ride away, getting out to a small town dominated by a giant cathedral gives you a perspective on medieval life and the place of religion in it that you don't get from cathedrals, however great, in the city. I would do Chartres easily over the other typical day trip people take out of town, to Versailles (which is, you've seen one big mirrored hall, you've seen them all).

A few recs for you, Psychchef:

(1) Time Out has a very comprehensive, up to date, English language guide to Paris restaurants. When I was there in Dec '02 I relied on it heavily and it was right on the money.

(2) Make reservations ahead of time, because so many people don't, and they will honor your reservation over the throngs of people who just show up

(3) My favorite bistro by far is

Le C'amelot
50, rue Amelot
75011 Pars
tel. 01 43 55 54 04
lunch 12:00 - 2:30, dinner 7:00 - 12:00, closed Sun, Mon
http://www.resto-camelot.com
Metro: Bastille, Chemin Vert, or Broguet Sabin

You don't get a choice of what to eat; they have a set menu for that meal, and it's take it or leave it. It's unpredictable, based only on what the chef thinks is good at the market that day. Everything they serve is fresh, and is a unique creation from the market that day. A neat concept that I really like. I'm always skeptical of small restaurants with huge menus...
- note: the website doesn't seem to work right now - might be a technical glitch or another restaurant victim - I don't know

(4) Another great bistro is Astier (sorry don't have the address readily available, but it's in the Time Out guide). A prix fixe menu with a choice of appetizer, main course, dessert, and included is as much time with their very large cheese tray as you want (within reason I suppose). The tray has, from what I remember, about 25 different cheeses and is served on a huge platter that is almost as big as your table. Order a second bottle of wine just to enjoy with the cheese tray. It was very reasonably priced from what I remember.

(5) Don't forget the Moroccan and Algerian places, they're great. Again, I went to TO for a rec and enjoyed it.

(6) There are markets going on every day in some part of the city; find out where they are near where you're staying in advance and go early - that might have been in the TO guide too. If you're doing a lot of walking around the city you'll probably walk across a few. I found one pat vendor who was very generous with samples.

(7) You might be tempted to go to Poilone - the bakery. Don't. I was actually very disappointed with the bread, and the trip across town, trying to find the place, and the lines just made me mad.

Have fun,
_________________
there's food, and then there's food

OK, it's in Nice, not Paris, but I just stumbled on to one of my favorite place's website, which I think must be pretty new. I'd be on the lookout for a Nicoise style shellfish bar...

http://www.cafedeturin.com/

Pure shellfish porn.

Well, you'll probably want to go to Les Deux Magots just for the experience shared by Hemingway, et al, but be aware that the food is just typical cafe food:

Les Deux Magots
Where: 170 blvd, St Germain, 6th
Metro stop: St-Germain-des-Pres.
Open: 8h - 02h Daily; closed second week of January.

Named after the two wooden statues (the two magots) which still dominate the room, Les Deux Magots is one the most famous cafes in Paris. Jean-Paul Sartre, and Hemingway were both patrons in an earlier era. Its rival - Cafe de Flore - is just next door.

Then there's the oldest restaurant in the city, or so they say, Cafe Procope, kinda kitschy French but the food is excellent and the wine, superb:

Cafe Procope, 13, rue de l'Ancienne Comodie 75006 Paris. Odeon. Tel: 33 (0)1 40 46 79 00. Open everyday from 12pm to 1am. Located in the heart of the Saint-Germain des Prs district, the oldest brasserie of Paris dates back to 1686. Voltaire, Napoleon, Victor Hugo, Balzac, Verlaine all had dinner at Procope. So will you. It has been superbly renovated and serves nice cuisine at affordable prices in charming little dining rooms. From: 12,2 Euros upwards.

I spoke about this on another thread, but I will repeat it here. Street food really appeals to me. On Rue Cler is an African man who runs an open-air, streetside chicken rotisserie cafe; he cooks the chickens, and a Vietnamese woman, whom I assume is his wife, cooks the vegetables and noodles. What a great meal, and it was less than $10US. (They speak no English, so learn the French words for "leg," "thigh," "breast" before you go; pantomime works well, too.)

The rest of the street (it's only about three blocks long) looks so typically French -- lots of bakeries,patisseries, charcuteries, flowers, fromageries, etc. No car traffic, all pedestrian, very French -- could be Disney for all I know. Ten minute walk southeast of the Eiffel Tower.

Street food is a wonderful thing, I love having a crepe with banana and nutella, just to watch them make it with the litle crepe squeegee, etc.

Be sure to have my beloved raisin croissant things with custard, too, a lot of cafes with streetside counters have them.

On the other hand, in '98 panini had sprouted everywhere at such counters. Even granted that it's French bread and all that, the panini seemed annoyingly prefab to me.

And while I'm all for having a coffee in famous places where famous people hung out (Brasserie Lipp, etc.), I wouldn't have the food unless I knew the food was really good. A Paris trip is too short to not make the most of every meal!

In October I ate at two places in the 6 eme I liked: Restaurant L'Equitable, 1 Rue des Fosses Saint-Marcel, near the Saint-Marcel or Censier-Daubenton Metro stops; and, Au Gourmand at 22 Rue du Vaugirard, across from the Luxembourg Gardens near the Mabillon Metro stop. Next door to St. Germain, in the 5 me, I like Founti Agadir at 117 Rue Monge, near the Censier Daubenton stop. It's Morrocan and has good couscous. I like the Latin Quarter for lunch, so stroll down Rue Mouffetard to get the lay of the land then stop at Founti for a bite.

I am confident your trip will not be as wet as this.

L'AS Du Falafel -The true Falafel. Awesome, best in the world in my mind with Hot Sauce and Eggplant. MMMM. The falafel balls are made to order and the homemade lemonade is maybe the best in Paris.

4th Arrondissement

Chez Guichi- decor is like truckstop diner, but great North African cuisine, and more importantly Foie Gras en Brochette that is awesome and cheap. They also have this awesome relish tray served with every meal that includes a conglomeration of peppers.

18th Arrondissement

L'Affriole

A little midscale/upscale, but the freshness at this place was memorable. I still remember the spicy radishes served with Fleur de Sel as an amuse and the juicy nectarines served as mignardise. Everything in between was a solid modern influence french gourmet. More like Spring in Bucktown in its purity, but without the spiritual essences take on stuff.

Can't remember the Arrondissement

Hi,

I'm not sure if you parlez, but one resource I found quite useful recently was this book:

Eating and Drinking in Paris: French Menu Reader and Restaurant Guide
by Andy Herbach, Michael Dillon

The section on Paris restaurants is somewhat outdated, but the menu translation section is worth the price alone.

Also, I had some of the best oysters of my life at a little brasserie in the 14th. Their taste was truly transcendant. The place wasn't that important, b/c we just happened upon it. I'm sure many places serve fresh oysters.

Have fun!

Tom

There is a restaurant near the Luxemborg Gardens called Au Bon St. Pourcain, and it is a tiny storefront place, down a tucked away side street. The owner speaks limited English and his hours depend on his mood; but he is usually open for lunch and dinner. You will know if the place is open if he is standing outside smoking. The food, while not a bargain, is well worth the price and is some of the best bistro cooking I've had. Usually, we carry on in broken English-broken French for the evening, and then at the end of the night be breaks out his bottle of Calvados and pours a few hearty glasses on the house...that is if he feels like it. The restaurant is tiny, maybe 6 tables, on which are all reserved signs, but he just does that for fun. As soon as you sit down somewhere he will just reshuffle the reserved signs. All in all, a great place. I am looking for the card I took with the exact address, but can't find it, when I do I will post an address.

Mark Bittman just wrote an aritcle in the NYTimes about the affordable Paris Bistro and whether or not it still exists. Alas, I've never been to Paris, so I can't put in my .02 for any of these restaurants--but you might find the article useful.

Mark Bittman's Paris Bistro Article

Chez Michel, 10, rue de Belzunce, 10th Arrondissement; (33-1) 44.53.06.20.

L'Os Moelle, 3, rue Vasco de Gama, 15th; (33-1) 45.57.27.27.

Cafe Moderne, 40, rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, Second; (33-1) 53.40.84.10.

La Regalade, 49, avenue Jean-Moulin, 14th; (33-1) 45.45.68.58. Reservations essential.

Aux Lyonnais, 32, rue St.-Marc, Second; (33-1) 42.96.65.04.

Chez Denise, 5, rue Prouvaires, First; (33-1) 42.36.21.82.

*trixie-pea

thanks so much for all of the wonderful suggestions!! i have found a website an american in paris.com, and also parisnotes.com. Both great. Also a blog being kudo'd a lot is Chocolate and Zucchini.com We are getting excited about the exploration, and will definitely try some of the picks in the NYTs article on Bistro's

On page 104 of the 04.05 issue of Gourmet Magazine, Calvin Trillin does a very entertaining piece on R.W. Apple's recent birthday celebration at Chez L'Ami Loius, in Paris. Additionally, on page 111, there is an adjunct/sidebar to Trillin's piece titled, "The Bistro Boom," which contains several currrent reviews.

Good Luck,
Erik M.

I heartily second the recommendation for Astier, which, when I was living there (2000-02) and the Euro was $0.82 to the dollar (ah, for those days), was one of the best deals in the city. It is on Rue Jean Pierre Timbaud in the 10th, near the Oberkampf (line 5) stop.

May I also recommend L'Avant Gout at 26 rue Bobillot, near Place d'Italie, in the 13th. Probably the most innovative reasonably-priced French food I had in the city, and away from the more touristy areas. Also, right down the street from l'Avant Gout is Chez Nathalie-- which has always been one of my very favorite restaurants in the city.

For more of an "experience" I always loved taking friends to Au Refuge des Fondues in the 18th, not far from Montmartre. It's a tiny, tiny fondue restaurant full of graffiti and just two long tables-- everyone is eating together! Always a fun night (sometimes too fun... )

Ms.Paris wrote:For more of an "experience" I always loved taking friends to Au Refuge des Fondues in the 18th, not far from Montmartre. It's a tiny, tiny fondue restaurant full of graffiti and just two long tables-- everyone is eating together! Always a fun night (sometimes too fun... )

This sounds very familiar. Is that the place that serves wine in baby bottles? If so, I've probably never had more fun in a restaurant, but I barely remember the food.

Best,
Michael / EC

While many have given you their tips on restaurants, let me give you a tip on a street. Rue Cler. I stumbled on this foodie/market street while walking around (not too far from Effiel's Tower) and immediately returned to my hotel to change to one on Rue Cler.

Rick Steve's touts Rue Cleron his website and gives a pretty good description. $70 a night inns, plus all these shops...might try find one with a kitchenette when I go this Spring.

pd

In the new Budget Traveler there is an article on cheap eats in Paris as well as shopping and playing. Done the the woman that has the great Chocolate & Zucchini website on Paris. Also a good web blog called chez pim on France.

The New American Tastemakers in Paris

So if Perkins is cooking in Paris with the best French produce, what is there about his food that’s, well, American?

“Americans grow up with tons of different flavor profiles in their heads — you know, in the states, one night you eat Italian, the next Chinese, so we cook from a huge palate, and I think we’re freer in the kitchen than the French,” Perkins says. “So the best American food often surprises with unexpected meetings of tastes and textures.”

We are going to Paris for the first time, leaving in about a week, and staying for seven days. I've been doing research, and some of my preliminary plans are below. We'd love more recommendations, or any updates on what is here. We will primarily want to eat fairly traditional French cuisine, not really high end and expensive, not necessarily the latest thing. Cassoulet, boeuf bourgignon, steak frites, coq au vin, all will make us very happy.

I know the Euro is high, and we're prepared to spend some money, but we don't really enjoy spending huge amounts of money on food, we are quite happy with GNR-type places, although I am sure we will do some splurging.

Chez Dumonet looks terrific, and I feel like I really need to go to a place with fabulous cassoulet, so this looks like a bit of a splurge place.

Brasserie Balzar looks like a good place to go to experience a typical brasserie.

Plan to eat as many Maison Keyser baguettes as possible.

La Fontaine de Mars looks appealing.

We are totally into history, and Bouillon Chartier looks like it is a period piece that would be fun.

When we need a break from French food, L'Atlas looks like good Moroccan, although we are open to suggestion about other North African or Vietnamese places.

We'll be staying between the Jardin des Plantes and the Pantheon, but will obviously be wandering around the city. There are a couple of museums in the Marais that we will visit, so lunch or dinner suggestions there would be great. Thoughts about inexpensive, non-touristy places (right, isn't that just what everyone wants) would be helpful -- even if the food is merely very good, and not fabulous. We may buy baguettes and cheese, etc., for lunch if the weather is good.

Also, hate to pile too many questions into one post, but we will be arriving on Easter Sunday morning. We'll be exhausted. But I am wondering if we need to plan ahead and get a reservation for dinner, even though we won't want to go far or splurge too much since we may not be awake enough to totally appreciate it. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

Judy H wrote:There are a couple of museums in the Marais that we will visit, so lunch or dinner suggestions there would be great.

Café des Musées (49, rue de Turenne) is one of my favorite lunch spots in Paris.

Judy H wrote:Also, hate to pile too many questions into one post, but we will be arriving on Easter Sunday morning. We'll be exhausted. But I am wondering if we need to plan ahead and get a reservation for dinner, even though we won't want to go far or splurge too much since we may not be awake enough to totally appreciate it. Any thoughts on this?

Having spent Easter Sunday in Paris (and, unfortunately, Versailles...oof, that was some bad planning), I can tell you it can be hard to get a walk-in table. Few enough restaurants are open on any Sunday, so when you add in the holiday it seems everywhere we tried was fully booked. For a unique experience, open on Sunday, I like L'Ambassade d'Auvergne (22, rue du Grenier Saint-Lazare). You can request a booking through their website.

We'll be staying between the Jardin des Plantes and the Pantheon,

Then you will be proximate to the neighborhood we stayed in a few years ago (Hotel des Grandes Ecoles,Rue de Cardinal Lemoine) and I can recommend taking coffee in one of the cafes in the Place de la Contrescarpe. None of the cafes are really great but I saw hardly any tourists there and felt immersed in the neighborhood.

And you are not very far from the wonderful street market on the Rue Mouffetard where you can pick up a delicious and inexpensive (compared to dining in) picnic luncheon of whatever strikes your fancy. We did this, picked up a bottle of wine at a shop nearby then hopped on the Metro and had our luncheon in Pere Lachaise cemetery (not sure if I spelled that correctly). Made for a nice afternoon.

Bon voyage!

Davooda

Davooda, the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles seems like THE place to stay -- we know several people who stayed there recently. Unfortunately -- because everybody is there we couldn't get a reservation, but are staying nearby at a place they recommended. Delighted to hear there is a market nearby!

I am still looking for a place to make an Easter Sunday reservation nearby -- kl1191, the place you suggested looks great, but I am wondering if we will be too exhausted to go that far since we will have just arrived that morning. I imagine us waking up from an afternoon nap and wondering if it is really worth going out or not, and not wanting to go too far. But good to get up and not keep sleeping and fail to begin adjusting to the time difference.

Definitely adding Cafe des Musees to the list.

L'Atlas is great! also i'd suggest Le Cinq.....

I lived for a year in that neighborhood (r. des Bernardins), so I'm here to tell you that Davooda has nailed two great cheap thrills: coffee (or a beer) in the Contrescarpe, and a stroll up/down rue Muf', esp. on a Sunday morning. There's an elegant, but still great neighborhood restaurant not far from your hotel, Le P'te Pontoise.
It's a nice quiet break from the rest of Paris at the end of the day!

Geo

What is the dress code in Paris restaurants, assuming we are not going to any really high end places? Will my husband need to take a sports jacket? Do people above the age of 30 wear blue jeans out to dinner?

Thanks everyone for ideas and suggestions about where to eat. Very much appreciated!

Hey, Judy: You can get away with quite a lot in Paris these days, especially if you're not eating too upscale, but my personal preference is to wear slacks and a dress shirt when I'm there, even while sightseeing. I'm a slob here in the states, but there's something about Paris that makes me leave the jeans, t-shirts, etc. at home. I've never brought along a sport coat, tho, and I've never needed one. I just enjoy the experience of blending in with the Parisians (as much as is possible), and they're a pretty dressy people, even in the outlying arrondissements.

Luckyguy wrote:Hey, Judy: You can get away with quite a lot in Paris these days, especially if you're not eating too upscale, but my personal preference is to wear slacks and a dress shirt when I'm there, even while sightseeing. I'm a slob here in the states, but there's something about Paris that makes me leave the jeans, t-shirts, etc. at home. I've never brought along a sport coat, tho, and I've never needed one. I just enjoy the experience of blending in with the Parisians (as much as is possible), and they're a pretty dressy people, even in the outlying arrondissements.

Agreed. And following the excellent advice of a friend who posts here, best to leave the tennis shoes at home. I think I saw one person wearing them in the entire 10 days we were there.

=R=

BTW, there's a city market at métro Maubert-Mutualité every Tues, Thurs, and Sat. It's a great market, with lots of farmers and producers bringing their stalls and trucks into the city. I did most of my shopping there. It'll be a 5-10 min walk from your hotel.

Geo