Food Quality in Paris
 

Our first trip to Paris and being from Chicago (great food abounds here) I am wondering how the food in Paris is.

Last year when in London the food was so awful (except for those bagette sandwiches) I lost 5 pounds - all the walking and stairs helped too.

A few of the French restaurants around here are great, but everything very fattening! How about in Paris? Fattening? Healthy? Fresh? Weird (like in London lots of organs)?

Well, generally speaking, the food in Paris IS better than London.

I am honestly sorry and not trying to be snippy about this BUT your comment "Last year when in London the food was so awful"

really does make me wonder WHERE you chose to eat?

I remember some years ago when people talked about "British cuisine" and how it wasn't anything close to "cuisine" but realistically...with all those ethnic places in London not to mention the Chinese, the Italian, etc., etc., places

and the food you ate everywhere was uniformly bad...

sorry, cannot relate to your experience and I have this funny feeling you may not find things in Paris to be much better.

I fail to understand the statement about French restaurants being "fattening." To which restaurants are you comparing them? What would you like to eat in Paris? I would venture to say that Paris has food at least as good, and as varied, as Chicago...

What do you consider "weird?" Liver? Paris does have a "lot of organs," but I think you can safely avoid offal if you so choose..

Is there really anyone left on the planet who has never been exposed to information about Paris as one of the gastronomic meccas of the earth? I mean, it abounds in books, magazines, newspapers, tv shows, movies, trip reports on Fodors, websites by the thousands...how could anyone miss it?

If you're just looking for confirmation that it's true, then yes, here's confirmation. Will every meal you have be exceptional? Probably not, but research can help you make the most of it. Fatty? Only if you select fattening things from the menu. Organs? Sure, if you order them. Fresh? Walk into any French market and see how it compares to your Chicago supermarket - probably will be a nice surprise (not knocking Chicago - the food there is definitely great).

Also there are many other types of restaurants in Paris besides "French" ones... Greek, Italian, Indonesian, etc. etc.

The last time I checked the definition of "fattening", it described something found less in France than in almost any country in the developed world. Are you familiar with the "French Paradox"?

It is true that "French" restaurants in the USA are often not very French at all, but are rather the "Continental" style of fifty years ago, which is an American style, not a French one.

If you're talking about huge portions of meat floating in an ocean of cream sauce, as I have seen in Chicago (the home of America's largest restaurant portions), that's not "French", any more than the plates of fettucine Alfredo with two pounds of butter in it are "Italian".

The food in Paris is of course as good and as healthful as anyplace on Earth. The food in London is not far behind it; the English food revolution started more than ten years ago, not last year. At all budget levels, from Michelin three stars to cheap immigrant takeaway, London has better, more varied, and more healthful options than any American city except New York. Certainly they are miles ahead of Chicago (and no, I'm not knocking Chicago by saying that).

And I'd have to also ask--where did you eat. London is now definitely ON the food map as having excellent restaurants.
As for Paris, eating there is like heaven on earth.

Hi A,

>...(like in London lots of organs)...

Only if you specifically order them.

I happen to like ris de veau, rognons, saucissons and pate de foie gras.

Paris does have more than enough restaurants to satisfy everyone's palate.

((I))

What is your favorite thing to eat in Paris asaide from innereds?

Dear fnarf999, L.A has every kind of food from around the world too as much as New York,Paris or London does.

I found the food in London and Paris to be fresher and less salty than food in the US. I appreciated and lack of "oversized" portions. If anyone is losing weight while traveling it's probably not a poor food quality as much as the realistic portion sizes.

I know what you mean about quality Chicago food - can you beat the hot dogs at Wrigley Field, or deep dish pizza? Or how about the Italian beef sandwich?
You know a friend of mine tried American food at a couple of Paris restaurants and he didn't like it at all.
I'm thinking like Dukey (a scary thought) and will be interested in reading your thoughts about Paris.

If you want healthy, simply order a dish that is grilled or poached plain, not heavily sauced (for example). If you don't want "weird" order the chicken or steak. Seems you are going in expecting the worst.

At first I thought this must be a troll post. But nope - seems legit.

Anyone who can't find amazing food in London is either 1) ordering typically American things, 2) eating in down market pubs where frozen food is nuked, or 3) (heaven forbid) going to places like the Aberdeen Angus Steak Houses.

A couple of years ago Gourmet magazine even declared London ahead of Paris in the innovative/brilliant food department (I personally would not go quite <b>that</b> far) But food/dining in London is one of the things I look forward to the most.

So Aquaart - if you order the same types of things in Paris that you did inn London (Chicago-ish type food I'd suspect) you will have the same result.

And what is w/ the &quot;lots of organs&quot; -- I'm sure no one forced kidneys, or liver or brains on you . . . . .

Yeah - we are agreeing w/ Dukey a lot today - and it IS scary :)

&gt;What is your favorite thing to eat in Paris asaide from innereds?&lt;

Cheese
Bread
Oysters
Seafood
Fish
Veal is very good
Jambon ham
Choucroute Alsacienne
almost any pastry
Macarons
Yoghurt
Fresh fruits and produce
Gelato at Amorino
Berthillon ice cream
Freedom Fries - much better in Paris than at home

((I))

panini
cr&ecirc;pes
croque m&amp;mme

Throughout europe you will find lots of &quot;weird&quot; foods not found in most restaurants in the US - organ meats, rabbit - and in the fall game (deer, boar) and various types of game birds. Also many types of fish you may not see in the mid US.

If you are very particular - and want to stick to specific things - I suggest you bring a menureader so that you kow what you'll be getting in each place. And I'm sure you can find plenty of good things to eat - that will taste just fine - but do realize that most of the world has a much broader variety of foods to choose from. (I know many americans just want chicken and beef - don't like to eat lamb even - never mind mussels, squid, octopus etc))

I'm sure Aquaart didn't mean to insult any Brits, it must be an innocent question from a first time traveller. I was exposed to a similar situation when I met a salesperson in Berlin who told me that he just came back from his first trip to the US and lost a lot of weight because the food was so bad. He commented that he was so surprised how unhygienic people are as they ate with their hands (no utensils). Came to find out he went to Miami and was eating mostly at burrito/taco joints which made him sick.