Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:19 pm Post subject: In Paris for 2 nights, need culinary advice please!
Hello,
I am a new poster by the way, so thanks in advance for any and all advice! I love food and it plays a major role in my life and hapiness!
I have been to Paris several times before so my question is really about food rather than sites. My husband and I will be in Paris for 2 nights in December and I'd like to know, what are the must-go-to restaurants for French food? If you had only 2 nights, where would you head for breakfast, lunch and dinner? I have been dying to try Pierre Herme's sweets, so I definitely want to go there. When I was younger we used to go to La Coupole and I have fond memories, but that said I would like to try new places.
Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 296 Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:57 pm Post subject:
As far as dinner goes, I cannot recommend L'Avant-Gout enough. It's everything a bistro should be, and then some. (You don't have to take my word for it - take Clotilde's! Her review may be 3 years old but it's still spot on!) Definitely one to make reservations for, as it's (understandably) very popular. If you want to sample Corsican cooking, L'Alivi in the Marais (rue Roi de Sicile) is a lovely place to do it.
As for pastries - Pierre Herme's creations are indeed divine, but I've never been keen on his shop. To me it feels like a cross between a cutting-edge contemporary art gallery and a really snooty fashion house, and in my humble opinion buying a macaron just shouldn't be such an intimidating experience! (This is more a warning than a discouragement, because the macarons are worth any amount of feelings of gaucherie...) But as you're going to be in Paris for two days and one can certainly have macarons two days in a row, I suggest you also try Gerard Mulot (76 rue de Seine). His flavour combinations aren't quite as wacky but everything is just as good as Herme's and the shop feels like a normal (albeit rather classy) patisserie.
That's really hard to answer just because there are so many great choices! What are you looking for? Out of this world 3-star experiences? Nice, classy places in the 30 set menu range? Casual mom-and-pop type places? Also, what area will you be staying in and how far outside of that would you be willing to go?
One of my favorite restaurants in the 30 range is the Gallopin. I have been there more times than I can count and each time has been fabulous. It is your classic Parisian restaurant, with a gorgeous interior, servers in bowties, and great food (I recommend especially the desserts, especially the crepe flambees!). It is in the 2nd, M: Bourse.
Other excellent choices in this price range include l'epi dupin (in the 6th near bon marche) and l'ami jean (in the 7th).
You might want to try the more casual places, or even a creperie, for lunch. Chez Germaine and Au Pied de Fouet are both really cute small places in the 7th. When my family came and we tried everything - 2-stars, creperies, takeaway, 30~range restaurants, Au Pied de Fouet was their favorite of them all.
As for the 3-stars...well, any restaurant with 2 or 3 michelin stars will be unforgettable. Pick up the michelin red guide or just check out http://www.viamichelin.com
If you want any more ideas you can read my blog, where I have actually posted about some of the restaurants I have mentioned: http://etiennemarcel.blogspot.com
Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:57 pm Post subject:
Thank you for the advice so far! We just want to eat great food in Paris, not necessarily Michelin Star. Definitely "Nice, classy places in the 30 set menu range and Casual mom-and-pop type places". While we love fine dining, Paris has so much more to offer that I don't think we need to head to a Michelin restaurant.
We are staying at Place de la Republique, which I believe is near the Marais. We are willing to travel, but prefer to walk and explore rather than be underground too much!
Thanks again for your suggestions, I think we have a lot to consider already!
Joined: 17 Nov 2006 Posts: 6 Location: New York City
Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:28 am Post subject:
abricot wrote:
. . . While we love fine dining, Paris has so much more to offer that I don't think we need to head to a Michelin restaurant. . . .
There seems to be a common misconception that the Guide Michelin is a list of expensive restaurants and I'll admit to sharing that feeling on my first trip to the French countryside. I'd also have to admit that forty years ago, my wife and I probably missed the best value meals in many towns as a result. The guide is not infallible, but at every price range it's a good guide. In later years we've used it as much to find inexpensive lunches as we have to plan gastronomic destination meals. Just start working your way back from the end of the list in your arrondissement in Paris for inexpensive places and pay note to the Bib Gourmand recommendations and the good value recs if your budget is really tight.
Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:24 pm Post subject: I love
I love Baracane, Rue de Tournelles, which will be close to where you're staying (south-western french cuisine around 30); Astier in 11eme; Chateaubriand in 11eme; La Mere Agitee in 14eme and, for a real old-fashioned family place, Baribal on Boulevard Raspail. I have reviews of some of these places on www.badaude.typepad.com. _________________ "there is time for work and time for love and there is no more time." Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel
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