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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.
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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.
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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?
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Dear fnarf999, L.A has every kind of food from around the world too as much as New York,Paris or London does.
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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.
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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.
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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 "lots of organs" -- 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 :)
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>What is your favorite thing to eat in Paris asaide from innereds?<
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
crêpes croque m&mme |
Throughout europe you will find lots of "weird" 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.
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I don't think the OP was insulting Brits (or anyone else) .
It was more his saying that food in London is yuck compared to Chicago - which it isn't. But it CAN be if one goes to yuck places. Just like your illustration re Miami - or think about foreign visitors to the US eating all their meals at Denny's! If Aquaart was that "unlucky" in London he probably won't have any better "luck" in Paris. |
I have been to France more times than I can remember and I don't think that I had a bad meal, in a restaurant or home cooked.
London? Well if you eat Amer-Rican food than what is wrong with English food? Chicago, Aquaart, I like, been there a few times, love the pizza! I have had venison (Deer & Elk), Ostrich, Squid, Octopus, Possum, Crab, Crayfish, Rabbit, Camel, Alligator, Oysters, Clams, Mussels, fish roe (can't call it caviar legal thing, you know) and just about any other seafood swims off the East Coast of the USA that's legal, most served in local restaurants (except the Camel). I find American food a mix of just about every cuisine available. I live in Southeastern Virginia, transplanted New England Yankee Mick, and think ya'll should chill and come on to a Southern Virginia church "Pot Luck" or maybe our own Strawberry Festival! Maybe you like, maybe you don't but if you walk away hungry, its your fault Cher! |
And don't forget the squirrel in the Brunswick Stew!
Honestly, I think the original post was a joke. |
ekscrunchy
D'accor! |
"I have been to France more times than I can remember and I don't think that I had a bad meal, in a restaurant or home cooked."
Some people have all the luck! |
I'll just say that the food in France was heavenly and I hope you have a wonderful time.
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ekscrunchy
Tree rats? I forgot, excuse me please? |
How could you forget those prarie oysters???
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London - weird food with lots of organs? Where on earth were you eating? Out of skips? Most places won't have any 'organs' at all on the menu, and the few that do (steak and kidney pie anyone?) will still only have them as a tiny fraction of their menu.
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nona - since the OP is from chicago he likely won't know what a "skip" is.
skip = dumpster . . . . |
Well I can't help but respond to this post.
I'm from Chicago, and I've taken 10 trips to Paris. The food in Paris is far better. I even prefer the pizza in Paris! (I'm a fan of thin crust, not deep dish.) The #2 reason why I keep going to Paris again and again is for the FOOD. About London, I've only been once, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Great meals there, especially in the hotel restaurant. |
We just got back from Paris today. Everywhere we went, the food was good. We did not have any bad experience with the food. They do have food that's different than most food in the US but we're adventurous with food so it was not a problem. Some of the food can be fattening but the servings are a lot smaller than most restaurants in the US, and with all the walking we did, I think I lost a couple of pounds so no worries. Have fun!
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The OP's other posters show no sign of trolling or of a warped sense of humour.
So the question has to be taken seriously. And I'd suggest only Dukey's close to calling this right. It's pretty easy to find crap food in London: all this stuff about gastronomic revolutions is pretty surface-deep. And finding NOTHING but crap food, except at branches of M+S or Pret, isn't impossible: it just takes very, very, odd behaviour, which you'd only contemplate if you had a strange disorder or fad. What IS impossible, though, is finding "lots" of offal: brains have been virtually unavailable since BSE struck, and tripe, hearts or sweetbreads are confined to a handful of speciality places these days. So, unless the poster spent the whole holiday at St John in Smithfield, we've got someone here who's not only got some kind of food fad but gets seriously fazed by the occasional mention of kidneys or liver, or by the sight of a nice bit of tongue. Such a person will actually find Paris a great deal harder than London to deal with. The ony sensible advice is one of: - cancel the holiday, and stay in Illinois, or - see this as a further opportunity to lose weight. Because if the mere mention of a steak and kidney pie gives you the heeby-jeebies, the smell of the next table's andouillettes will turn you off food for life, or - see the Paris trip as God's way of teaching you to eat properly. Whatever silly fad you're cursed with, abandon it. Order blindly off the menu, remembering that the French live longer, spend less on doctors and medicine and are a great deal thinner than Americans - not least because they'll eat (and drink) pretty much anything the good Lord provides. |
The OP's looking for reassurance, having (for whatever reason) had a series of meals in London that they found unpalatable.
I'm a little surprised no-one's suggested one of the menu translation guides I've seen mentioned in other threads: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34600699 That should give a few clues as to the range of things available. In most ordinary cafés and bistros of the kind you'll find at almost every crossroads in Paris and in many places in between, food will be fairly simple and straightforward. Portions will probably be smaller than you're used to. Here's one sample menu I've found on the net from just the sort of place I had in mind: http://www.slowtrav.com/france/resta...enu_balzar.htm |
really. this must be a joke.
maybe you don't know how to pick a restaurant. but the food in london is now worldclass. and of course, rench food is among the best, most sohpisticated cuisine in the world. if you go to a place in the student quarter where they give you bad pizza and a coke for cheap -- then you'll get what you pay for. but parisian food is sublime and you shold do prix fixe dinners -- three courses of the best food of the day at a reasonable price. and you'll expand your eating horizons. take the iJourneys.com iPod walking tour of the Left Bank. They point out several cool vcafes that serve good food. you should eat lunch in cafe once -- have the world's best omelette. and please. open your mind and your mouth! |
WOW I am feeling like I've been slapped up side the head a bunch of times here! First, London was my first out of the U.S. Trip so I am looking for some insights into Paris.
I will clarify my London experience which is apparently what got most of you in a tiff. I did some restaurants on my own, some that got recommended by other people I met there and the concierge at the hotel. I did not eat at any chain restaurants, but must have gotten a lot of bad advice. I had two or three great meals, but I was expecting more since I was there for 2 weeks. By the way, I absolutely loved London and would go back in a heartbeat. The few French restaurants here are pretty fancy and the food tends to be saucier and heavier apparently than what it is really like in France if I am reading some of these posts correctly. I have no idea what to expect and was hoping to get some help. I am not a picky eater (except I don't like Indian or Chinese food), but apparently I didn't get any great advice in London on places to eat. Also for the first 8 days of the trip I was traveling alone and many times just went into a place that looked good because I was hungry from walking all day. |
Oh, and thank you for all of your help. I really appreciate it. We are leaving in four weeks and I am very excited. This time I won't be on my own the whole trip. 2-1/2 days on own while husband works, 4-1/2 days more while husband works, but another couple joins us, then 5 days with all four of us when husband is done working at the Paris Air Show.
I think the husband of the other couple is going to the air show on Saturday (public day) and the last day my husband is working. My girlfriend and I will do something fun that the guys might not want to do - like shop! |
Not to malign fellow americas - but I have worked with several clients in the midwest - and some of them were amazingly difficult to please in term of food even in New York. Basically they would eat chicken or beef (and pork in the form of ribs) but no other meats - not even lamb, never mind liver - or other animals. For "fish" they wanted shrimp or lobster - wouldn;t even touch sole, flounder, tuna or swordfish. One tasted my crabcake - and hated it. And the only "ethnic" food they would eat was pizza. I had one client who ate nothing but steak, baked potato and fried chicken.
That isn;t to say that all americans eat this way - most have much wider diets - esp if on one of the coasts where fresh fish and seafood is easily available. But there is also a group with very limited dietary habits - and I can understand someone like that hating food in London - or France for that matter. |
You seem to have changed your tune just a bit. There is a lot of difference between "<i>Last year when in London the food was so awful (except for those bagette sandwiches) I lost 5 pounds</i>" -- and -- "<i>I had two or three great meals, but I was expecting more since I was there for 2 weeks.</i>"
Perhaps your initial post was a bit exaggerated for effect or something. Maybe it wasn't that the restaurants were uniformly bad but that you ordered midwest-type food (like steaks) and didn't get what you expected. DON'T order a steak in Paris BTW - or you will really be disappointed. |
I had a terrific steak in Paris -- though it was still mooing a bit. Just remember that their "medium" is our rare, their rare is our "extremely rare", and "bleu" is barely touched the heat. Bleu is best.
If you like your steak American "well done", don't bother; no one will cook it that way, and they will pretend not to understand what disgusting thing you're talking about. They have approximately the same reaction to it as you would have to a raw chicken milkshake or something. |
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