So what IS your budget for food? I would never just do crepes, etc. Fun, but
There's the cafeteria at the Madeleine for example.
What would you spend in your home town for a good meal?

Gretchen - I will be alone and not much of an eater when alone so sit down meals are not going to happen. I am looking for things like markets, tours, classes, places to people watch - so I get the experience and a taste of something special.

minkie,

Just an observation, being also a solo traveller, in Paris it is very easy to be a solo diner. So please don't rule out experiences based on that. I went throught that phase...

"Pomze was one restaurant that sounds interesing, uses apples in all of his menus."

We had a very nice meal at Pomze. From my trip report:

"We walked along boulevard Haussmann until we finally found my restaurant choice of the evening (I forgot how confusing the number system is on these streets, so I thought we were going to end up back in Reims before I found the restaurant). Pomze is located at 109 boulevard Haussmann (which I think is located next to 927 boulevard Haussmann), and, if you can’t tell by the name, specializes in dishes (and it turned out drinks) made from, what else, apples.

The restaurant is modern, with a bar and store located downstairs. Upstairs, there is a main dining room and a few smaller rooms, where we ate. There was a birthday bash in the main room that evening with the piano and singing going non-stop. It actually sounded better (aka not as loud) from where we were sitting. The place was fun.

We dined on a chestnut cream soup (made with apple dices flambé with calvados – more on calvados later), scallops with an apple chutney risotto, a beef filet with morels and apple-polenta, an apple crumble with gingerbread ice cream and a caramelized apple cheesecake.

We had chatted with the owner a couple of times during dinner, and as we left, he asked whether we had sipped any of the Calvados. When I told him we had not, he escorted us down to the bar (how he knew we liked liquor I have no idea, except for the martini and bottle of wine we ordered with dinner).

He and the bartender then gave us a short course on Calvados, how it is made, fermented and other interesting Calvados’ facts . Of course the proof is in the pudding, so I bought one, saying I had not especially liked previous Calvados I had tried. This one, however, was very tasty. It tasted much more like an apple brandy.

The bartender then said, “If you like that, try this one from 1964.” Before I could ask him the price, he smiled and said, “This one’s on the house.” It was spectacular, and I thanked them.

We enjoyed Pomze and its staff was professional, but very fun (always a good combo)."

((H))

Thanks for that - I wish my friends would see the value of travelling!