Effiloche de crabe
 

So to begin our stay in Paris, Today, After an informative vist on Ile de la Cite to the Concigerie where we learnd a lot about he French Revolution and saw the quarters in which the prisoners were held before being guillotined, we walked to Place Dauphine on the western edge of the island to one of our fav restaurants, Le Caveau du Palais and had entrees of a French version, I suppose, of crab cakes. $8,50 for the entree They were divine and filling!

I don't know why this resto is not spoken of here because I find it an oasis from the tourist spots nearby. The staff speaks French but with our limited vocabulary we manage. They do understand chablis! They sell a nice selection of wines by the glass.

If it weren't for this nasty headcold we would have done more this afternoon but I need to rest

I really recommend the Conciergerie and think teens might too.

Quite warm today! Mary

<i>I don't know why this resto is not spoken of here because I find it an oasis from the tourist spots nearby.</i>

And now it has been mentioned here, expect it to become one of the tourist spots, whether that be good, bad, or of no consequence is not for me to speculate.

You could be right but I doubt it. None of the servers speak English!

<i>None of the servers speak English!</i>

My favorite kind of restaurant :D

Does this beginning mean there will be more to come? I hope so!

Please continue to speak of the restaurants you enjoy. I can't imagine that the people who read this travel forum are going to make enough impact to spoil a restaurant, and the more visitors it gets, the more likely it is to remain in business and still be around the next time you want to dine there.

I have learned so much from this community, I want to share my experiences as payback! So yes I hope to post about our daily activities during our monthlong stay. Some of it may be irrelevant to some as we are staying in the 14th arr. but we are on line 4 of he metro with direct stops to most everything!

Reviews get mixed:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...de_France.html

When I read reviews of european restaurants that focus on the service being too slow I often assume that the diners are basing their expectations on the US habit of rushing diners through the meal to turn tables instead of making the dinner the event of the evening and expecting it to take 2 or 2.5 hours.

Have seen this a couple of times close up - and I always wonder where the diners are rushing off to at 9 pm.

<i>I always wonder where the diners are rushing off to at 9 pm.</i>

Gotta watch Dancing with the Stars or whatever reality show is currently airing.

Mary - where are you staying in the 14th?

Adrienne, in a apt on rue Remy Dumoncel. Are you nearby?

Actually, if you select "French first" on the Tripadvisor review site, you'll see that a lot of Parisians complain about terrible service, and exorbitant prices. Most agree that the food is good.

Physically I'm 3,000 miles away but mentally I'm right there with you!

I'm interested in renting in the 14th or lower 5th for my next trip so if you have a link to the apartment and can recommend it that would be great.

I was unprepared for how busy and populated the 14th is. The apt about 15 ft from and faces Ave Gen Leclerc and is very noisy. We find ourselves closing the windows because it begins grating on us. So, I would not hesitate staying in the 14th again; the price is better, the Metro gets us in the center of town quickly, the shops are plentiful. I would just want to be a bit further from a busy thorofare. Ask me later in the month!

Thanks, Mary. I don't mind some noise but if it's never ending that would be a problem.

Oh my goodness Mary... it sounds exactly like an apt I stayed at on the same street as well ! What a coincidence if it is the same one... Does T and PO sound familiar ?
If it is...I loved my time there and would return in a flash...

Mathieu, yes it is the same. You must have a higher tolerance for traffic noise!

To be honest Mary, I didn't have the windows open that much (it was October), but I certainly understand and agree with your point. The traffic is extremely busy at that location/intersection and can be pretty loud. Even the occasional motor bike on the side street below leaves a memory because the street is narrow and the sound resonates. Otherwise it's a nice place.
Enjoy Paris and thanks for the restaurant reco.

When husbands set the itinerary: Chance of rain today, 10%. Ha! We set off this morning sans umbrellas and were met with hours of rain. W wanted to go to a taxidermy museum in the 7th. Really? Creepy. I kept my objection minimal as he doesn't usually have a preference. And I wanted to go nearby to the new left bank quai set aside for activities and to try out the food truck offering.

What an amazing surprise! Filled with stuffed animals which mostly are purchased by scientific persons and set designers, it offers an educational and touching experience. No animal is killed but they are chosen when they succumb naturally. And they are beautiful. It burned to the ground in 2008 so the hundreds of specimens have been collected since then. If you go don't be confused by the entry. The main floor is a garden shop. Deyrolle, 46 rue de bac. Deyrolle.com

I must share that we are finding the Patricia Wells app (not the book) indispensable! Confused on rue de Bac, it guided us offline by arrow to her recommended Cafe Varenne for lunch. And what a treat! W had the special monk fish and I had rattatouille with poached egg. We enjoyed both in a lively fun atmosphere. Total bill w carafe of wine = e55.

We found a Spanish gourmet store and picked up some pricey fresh anchovies which should be delicious one night. Thinking over pasta with garlic and olive oil? Suggestions s'il vous plait!

So the food truck is set aside until another day. The sun is out now so it looks promising.