An Amazing Restaurant in Paris

The view is going to be the sticking point here. If you can eliminate that, there are so many places that might suit. Places with great views AND great food are less in number.

When is this dinner taking place? And how much do you want to spend per person?

The dinner will be taking place on April 14th. For a group of 4 it would be nice if the bill was under 200 or close to it. I guess the view doesn't matter that much if everything else is superb!

THanks

So 50 Euro per person. What about wine..would that be included? Do you all plan to drink wine?

Hi M,

>..a meal to remember with good french food, views, and atmosphere....for 50E pp<

Forget the view.

Lunch at Taillevent is only 70E pp.

Do you have a particular part of Paris in mind?

I would strongly suggest that you make reservations at the fab rooftop "LES OMBRES" restaurant at the new Quai Branly museum, with its incomparable view of the Eiffel Tower lit up at night-the ceiling you feel like you are right under the Eiffel Tower, it's that close, plus you get to see the Quai Branly garden's lit up at night, with its purple green and white lights-very striking. You will have to make reservations, I think at least a couple of weeks in advance, as it is a hot table these days. The tasting menu runs at 90 Euro per person, unless the prices have gone up since this past September. We didn't have reservations, so we didn't get in, but my friend went after I left and said the food was very good. Check out their website-they have a revolving menu-but it's that view, with the sparkles going off around the Tower for about 5-10 minutes on the hour at night-that just makes the Parisian moment:

www.lesombres-restaurant.com/

We loved Allard in the 6th, and our bill came to 125 Euros, including a bottle of wine. No view, though A restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower -- if you're sitting at the sidewalk tables -- is Au Bon Accueil. It's rated a 4.8 out of 5 on Fodor's, and Patricia Wells praises it as well. You also may want to check www.chowhound.com for recommendations.

Sandy

Sorry, I didn't say that the 125 euro bill was for 2 of us at lunch.

Sandy

A second vote for "Les Ombres" you can read a review of the meal we had with some parisian friend, her name is Anne. Follow the link to her food blog entry for March 06.

http://afoodiefroggy.canalblog.com/

Thanks for the review, Luc, that was good-and I can tell you for a fact that at night, this place truly is magical!

Ira. Lunch at Taillevent only 70 euros? That's $90USD. Are you nuts?

"We loved Allard in the 6th"

We liked Allard a lot, too, but I wouldn't recommend it for a special dinner. The food is good, but the restaurant was very crowded, noisy and generally unromantic on the night we went.

The poster wants to have dinner, not lunch. And wants to spend 50 Euro per person. So mention of Taillevent is kind of besides the point, whatever it costs!

Allard is ok...especially if you sit in the front room with the 'zinc" bar. But I would not recommend for a special dinner.

Here is an idea...michelecg: What do you think about a real "down home" place with great food and real Parisian flavor but which is not elegant in any way. Not stuffy and not formal, but with great service and food you will not forget?

If that appeals, I don't see how you can look further than Chez Denise. Closed on weekends, though.

You will find some details about my lunch there is this report from my trip last fall; scroll down until you get to Paris:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34894706

Ekscrunchy, are there any fish or chicken dishes on the menus at Chez Denise?

YES! I had the most amazing skate with capers. Truly one of the best fish dishes I have eaten in my life!

There were other fish dishes as well. Although meat shines here, the chef appears to be a well-known fish cook as well. I think I posted some of the menu items, with prices, in my trip report that I linked above.

They have very good house wines by the glass or carafe. Just make sure to reserve ahead. I loved Chez Denise. It is an old fashioned place, one of the last bastions of the market eateries that have been around since the old Les Halles food market was functioning. It is not fancy but by no means is it low-end. Great food, no nonsense. All around a wonderful Paris experience.

a dinner in an amazing restaurant in most ( large) North American cities would be ( with drinks , wine , taxes and tip) close to a 100 dollars pp., if not more.

I would agree with that. The problem here in the US is often the cost of the wine, not to mention any alcoholic drinks. Here is NYC, you have to figure at least $30 for the main course in many mid to high-end places.

Check out Cafe de l'Homme at the Trocadero, with a view of the Eiffel Tower. From their menu it looks like you might be able to make it fit your budget depending on your choice of starters and wine.

I haven't been but others here have enjoyed dinner there and it is on my list for the next trip.
http://www.lecafedelhomme.com/2%20Carte%20Menu/Menus/carte%20en%20Anglais%202005.htm

Le Train Bleu, whereas not cutting edge cuisine, is a beautiful Belle Epoque restaurant, and I think the food is good. It would be an impressive place to take guests, IMO. www.le-train-bleu.com

The exact link to "les Ombres" restaurant review is the following :
http://afoodiefroggy.canalblog.com/archives/2007/03/06/4222083.html

Grandmere is right about Le Train Bleu--interesting idea and memorable.

bkm

Salima wrote me she had a great moment at the literary café des deux magots, because the menu is excellent, yes, but she pretends to be meeting regularly her dead father, there, because she says she is the daughter of a great writer.
http://salima-chavez.over-blog.com
Whatever you need, ask the troubled diva of Paris, she's mad and adorable.

A third vote for Les Ombres...ate there two weekends ago and will never forget it. The view is amazing, the staff super nice and the food yummy. A perfect night!

A second vote for Cafe L'Homme at Trocadero. In mid-April, you'll probably be able to sit on the terrace which looks full-on at the Eiffel Tower. Starting at 8P, it "sparkles" every hour for about 10 minutes. It is magical! And, the food is wonderful. I believe my bill was about 55E and that included a kir royale, wine with dinner, and coffee after. We found it to be a very special evening!

Enjoy!

joy/luvparee

Well now I want to go to Les Ombres!In the 7th right off of Rue St. Domanique is a wonderful, small restaurant called Les Ormes. It has an English website and has recently received 1 Micheline(sp?) star. We happened upon it by accident two years ago. It was an amazing meal. The room is small and intimate and the service is terrific. It does not have a view. It will cost more than 50 Euro pp but is still a tremendous value for the price. I enjoyed my meal more then at Taillevent and it was 1/3 the price. Ultimately it will be incredibly difficult to get a wonderful dinner in a Parisian restaurant for 50E especially if you want wine. A very good, dinner in a cafe with fabulous Parisian atmosphere is possible at that price.

View is nothing to write home about, but the food is great and prices moderate at Le Cosi, 9 rue Cujas (betweeen Blvd Saint Michel and rue Saint Jacques, near the Sorbonne) Do call for reservations 01 43 29 20 20

Les Ombres is great, but it will cost way more than 50 euros a person. In fact, I've lived in Paris for many years and can't think of a single place that fits all your criteria and still costs less than 50. One place I can suggest that is reasonably priced and has good food and atmosphere is the brasserie Bofinger, just off Place de la Bastille, which has a fixed price menu around 30 euros. The main floor is a classic brasserie setting where you sit under a high, stained-glass dome. It can be quite noisy, although in a bustling, waiters-in-aprons sort of way that isn't entirely unpleasant. But if you want something quieter, there is a nice dining room upstairs. There's no view, but after dinner you could stroll around the nearby Place de Vosges.

I could have gone anywhere but for my Thanksgiving Dinner I chose "Le Fumoir" on Adm. Coligny Blvd. near to Rivoli.
Its in the bestrestaurantsinparis.com
(I know I probably have that wrong AGAIN).
If someone corrects me you can read menus, see examples of prices and decide.

oops.. its not as expensive as being discussed here but the food IMHO was excellent.

oops again..the view is of the Louvre and the ancient church the St. Auxerois

Cafe L'Homme at Trocadero sounds like the place a friend and I happened upon one evening. Weather was superb for sitting outside and the twinkling of the ET was tops. Food was perfect and the price was right. Can't believe after such a great experience I didn't keep a record of the name or exact address of the place. I'm going to check the place when I am there in June. Thanks for jogging my memory.

Hey crepes... go to the website for Cafe L'Homme and look at the pictures of the interior to see if it looks familiar....

Hey, stop that, a café terrasse, you make me dream and I mustn't. Paris is a real danger.

http://murcia.over-blog.com
Imagine then you eat nest to the table of Victor Hugo...

Or what restaurant would you suggest?

Don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but Brasserie Bofinger might be about the only place in Paris that would fit your criteria and especially budget.

And if you go to their website, you can print out a discount coupon for 10 or 20 percent off, I think.

It's classically Parisian, crowded, food is good, all that you think of when you think of a dinner in Paris (not a stuffy one, just a traditional one), and I think with that coupon you could keep costs down to 50 euro per person, maybe even with a glass of wine.

St Cirq, I've had excellent experiences at Bofinger. Food was great, several choices of prix fixe menus (very reasonably priced) and service was superb (and friendly) there.

Our favorite restaurant in Paris is Tastevin on the Isle St. Louis. It is on the main street on the island -- Rue St.Louis en l'ile. They have three different menus and I'm sure that we ate dinner for 50 euros a person there. My wife and two girls (aged 8 and 11) loved it too. Relatively small restaurant with wonderful atmosphere. The food is excellent too. Wonderful lamb chops and, if you like calves liver, it's fantastic there. There's no particular view, but the whole Isle St. Louis is a "view". Walk over the pedestrian bridge from the back of Notre Dame Cathedral. This restaurant is on the left, about a couple hundred yards down.

Chez Francis

"restaurant in Paris that will be a meal to remember with good french food,2

The bottom line is that if it is a gift and you want to remember this as very special with good food and wine then i would suggest the you should be looking at 125 euro per head. Of course you can get a fixed price menue for 30 euro and a bottle of wine for 25 euro - BUT will it be memorable!!

I am in Paris. Castor… Or was it Pollux, said I could stay here until April the third, this excellent apartment Place Dauphine. Ok!!!
http://odyssee-alice.blogspot.com/
Yesteday on my arriving in Paris we went to a nice restaurant in Paris, ethiopian, rue Copreau. Or was it the pleasure to talk to Salima?

Le Calife is a dinner cruise that suits your budget. And you get many views.
The restaurant on top of the Institue du Monde Arabe should be within budget, as well.
For a smaller view, but a view, none the less, Cafe Marley over looking the pyramids of the Louvre.
For excellent food at that price, head to Le Timbre. It is so small. they'll probably be blown away that you know about it and it is excellent value.

bookmarking

bookmarked

This post brings to mind a story I just read about the late Craig Claiborne, the late New York Times food critic and cookbook author. In 1975 C.C. won a tv auction with a prize of dinner for two at any restaurant, anywhere in the world.

His choice: Chez Denise in Paris, recommended above.

My dad just sent me $150 to enjoy one dinner at a famous restaurant. I posted my question on another thread. I think spending the money on two restaurants would be better for me and in reading this thread it sounds like some excellent choices.

Any recommendations in selecting two of these might provide different ambiance, meal choices, etc?

Monica

We will be staying at the Novotel Les Halles (Chatelet.

I would love to go to Chez Denise, where exactly is it? Will I be far from it?

These are great suggestions - I hope to try some of them out myself on my next trip!

I do have a question about Les Ombres. The tasting menu: When I hear "Tasting Menu" I think of very small portions of each dish and not filling (based on one bad experience years ago). Is that the case for Les Ombres? I don't want to walk away feeling stuffed but don't want to walk out either feeling like I didn't get enough to eat for dinner.

Monica

Zut alors! Has something happened to Le Train Bleu?

Il n'y a plus de website, www.le-train-bleu.com

Anyone been there, this year?

Thanks in advance for any replies... and...

Best wishes,

Rex

I was in the station last week and it looked open. Didn't go in though.

Monica