Dinner near Paris-Charles de Gaulle?
 

We want to have a good but unfussy dinner, when spending the night at CDG (Citizen M near Roissypole).

We arrive at Terminal 2 from Florence around 5:40 PM. It will take us a while to get to the Citizen M and get settled. Thought we could set out around 7 or so.

I don't really want to go all the way into Paris for the evening, nor do I particularly relish a meal in the airport or an airport hotel (unless you advise otherwise).

We could take a taxi a short distance but my decided preference is somewhere reachable by public transport -- so I know precisely how I will get home at the end of the evening.

Suggestions? Somewhere along the RER line, perhaps?

I'd like something authentic and preferably un-touristy -- probably traditional French cooking. It needn't be a challenging gastronomic occasion.

How about dinner at Aeroville: http://en.aeroville.com/W/do/centre/accueil

The shopping center is close to CDG, and has some nice restaurants along with shopping. Check the website for restaurants and free shuttles.

What an extraordinary place it looks -- and I'd never even heard of it!

I understand your reluctance to eat at the airport, but Brasserie Flo in Terminal 2F isn't an awful choice if you decide to stay at CDG for dinner. Flo has the ambience that you'd expect from an airport restaurant, but the food is reasonable. The other acceptable choice for me at the airport is the restaurant at the Hilton (next-door to Citizen M) -- atmosphere at the Hilton is more relaxing than at Flo, but the food not as good.

(I'll confess that I didn't know about Aéroville, either.)

We arrived @ Terminal 2E, and there was literally no choice. One semi decent fast food place.

My fantasy is to take the RER to Aulnay-sous-Bois, then walk or take a cab the mile to Auberge des Saints-Peres, an unprepossessing-looking inn with a moderately-priced Michelin-starred restaurant and sensational cooking.

But I somehow think that may not happen :-)

Aeroville has been around a couple years, but it is just a shopping mall and so that's what you get. Chain shopping mall restaurants like Hippopotamus, McDonalds, Paul (bakery/sandwiches). Whether you find that better than a hotel restaurant is up to you, but would give you something to do if you want some chain-store shopping, also. I don't think it even has a restaurant of the caliber of Flo, but might be wrong on that. Of course it's not at all what was desires, some nontouristy family authentic restaurant.

I'd personally think a hotel restaurant could be nicer, but it's something to do. I ate at the airport Hilton once at the Skylight and thought it was pretty good.

Good points, Christina. I will research some of the hotels

Thanks for the overview and esp the photos.