Hey Eye Spy (or other experts) - Your Suggestion Restaurant Paris Easter
 

I'd appreciate suggestion on restaurant for Easter dinner. Staying in the bottom 9th but don't think its necessary to restrict to that area. Moderate price please. Merci in advance.

I am not an expert on Paris restaurants, but thought I would make a suggestion which is sort of a joke, but not really: <BR>Restaurant Monsieur Lapin would be appropriate for Easter.<BR>This is a very well-reviewed, moderately-priced, typical French restaurant near the Gaite metro stop, which is directly on a metro line from arr. 9 at Gare Lazare. It is usually open on Sundays, although I can't say about Easter, you'd have to check. Here is a review from Patricia Wells (there is more to eat than rabbit, of course):<BR>http://www.iht.com/IHT/DINE/pw022897.html<BR><BR>No reviews on here, but this is a good list of nice restaurants where it's included along with some very well-known ones:<BR>http://www.boulevard-des-gourmets.co...nes-tables.htm

Since you are eating on Easter Sunday, make sure the restaurant or brasserie is open. Since the following Monday is a holiday as well (Easter Monday / Lundi de P&acirc;ques), make sure the place is open. For lunch or dinner, but for dinner the best times are about 8:00-8:30pm. Not earlier<BR> because Parisians eat after 7-8'ish and many places don't serve food earlier<BR> than that. Naturally some of them do, others don't. Usually the woman will take<BR> the seat on the 'banquette' and above her are the mirrors. The men usually will<BR> sit in the chair opposite. For real atmosphere, book after 8pm. Some GOOD<BR> QUALITY Parisian brasseries I like are:<BR><BR> Bofinger (off of Place de la Bastille -- Parisians know it well). Metro: Bastille. Definitely hopping for lunch and dinner.<BR><BR> Brasserie Lipp (rather expensive): 151, Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Pres (across from Cafe de<BR> Flore). BOOK THIS ONE!!! Get a table downstairs where all the VIP's sit. Many<BR> would think upstairs is where they would be but this is not true. You will love<BR> this place.<BR>

Au Gamin de Paris in the 4th (Marais) on rue Vieille du Temple around the corner from rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie. This is some of the best, reasonably priced French restaurants in the whole city. It's always full. A mixture of young and old, hip and less hip. I've never reserved once and never was worried about getting a table with friends or family. The owner is usually behind the bar and he'll give you a kir while you wait. He's extremely friendly. You can sit upstairs or downstairs. This place is informal and the food is excellent. Try the confit de canard and have their tarte tatin with cr&egrave;me fra&icirc;che for dessert or the cr&egrave;me br&ucirc;l&eacute;e.<BR><BR> I could list more but this is an idea. The ambiance is half the fun and don't be in<BR> a rush. When you sit down, you can request &quot;une carafe d'eau&quot; right away and<BR> you will not be charged (it's tap water but completely fine and you can keep on<BR> ordering it during the meal. You will notice the French always have water on the<BR> table.).<BR>Another favorite of mine is in the 17th at M&eacute;tro Ternes. It's &quot;Brasserie Lorraine&quot; at Place des Ternes, a nice walk down<BR> Boulevard Wagram from the Place de l'&Eacute;toile or Place Charles-de-Gaulle (Arc<BR> de Triomphe), whichever you prefer. It's on a corner by rue du Faubourg<BR> Saint-Honor&eacute; and Place des Ternes, a rather upscale neighborhood of the 17th.<BR> You will like it.<BR>

Chez Georges on rue du Mail by the Bourse (Stock Exchange). Metro: Bourse<BR> (quieter area after business hours)<BR><BR> Chez Tante Louise: Metro Concorde I believe on the rue Boissy d'Anglas.<BR> Excellent.<BR><BR> La Coupole: boulevard Montparnasse. Metro: Montparnasse or Vavin. A lot of<BR> expats in the 20's and 30's congregated here. Not too touristy but a little<BR> because it's famous.<BR><BR> La Tour du Montlh&eacute;ry, rue des Prouvaires at the Metro: Les Halles or Chatelet.<BR> Great traditional restaurant (not a brasserie). Casual, down to earth place (not<BR> even menus, just a chalkboard). Very authentic French cuisine. You will love<BR> this place but get there early because it fills up quickly. If you don't get a place<BR> right away, you will usually be invited to have an aperitif at the bar. That goes for<BR> any brasserie. The ma&icirc;tre d'h&ocirc;tel will remember you and come to get you. You<BR> won't have to go and inquire all the time if a table is free.<BR>

If you want to take afternoon tea or coffee, I recommend: 1) Chez Angelina:<BR> M&eacute;tro Tuileries. This is THE Paris salon to have the famous hot chocolate. Not<BR> only is it so rich you won't finish, but if you get the Mont Blanc pastry (hazelnut)<BR> AND the hot chocolate, you will definitely be able to wait until 8pm for dinner. It's<BR> very famous and the salon is nicely decorated in Louis XV and frescoes on the<BR> walls. Kind of like the Boucher room at the Frick Collection in NYC. Also, you<BR> may want to try Ladur&eacute;e, on the rue Royale at the intersection of rue Saint-Honor&eacute; between Concorde and Madeleine (around the corner from the<BR> American consulate -- the Embassy is on the other side behind l'H&ocirc;tel de<BR> Crillon ). Ladur&eacute;e arguably has the best macaroons in the all Paris. Lots of charm, old Parisian ladies in their jackets and hats. Go around<BR> 3-3:30pm. You may have a short wait, but not long. Try to have seating downstairs at both. Enjoy.<BR>

EyeSpy, Have you ever eaten at Cafe Voltaire? Last year we stayed at Hotel du Quai Voltaire and noticed it but it was closed during Christmas week. It looked small and informal. Yesterday I read in this month's Conde Nast Traveler an article that listed it as one of Paris's best and that meals were about $80 pp.<BR><BR>Anyone else had an experience with this restaurant?

Grasshopper, I have never eaten there but I know exactly where it is. I've seen it a million times practically each time I'm on the bus. Looks inviting and seems to get rather crowded the times I've passed by at lunch too.

<BR>To EYE SPY EUROPE<BR>Are you the same eyespy Bored@work?<BR>If so glad to see you are still here!!

Hi:)<BR>We ate in Voltaire a few years ago. I had the usual roast chicken and some kind of veggies, we did have a wonderful sauteed cepes that I still remember and some really good table wine-vin rouge:) The waiter that we had was very kind, practically cheering for me when I ordered in French..although I am sure he must have really been cheering because I got it over with quickly.<BR>Re: Laduree, the waitresses are always harried and irritable, ignore it, the food is worth it..chocolate:)<BR>and whatever you do, do not leave Paris without visiting Angelinas.

John: yes, as you can see, I'm still insanely bored at work (relatively speaking) so I type my fingers off on Fodors. I have to correct myself: the Mont-Blanc pastry is filled with chestnut cream, not hazelnut. Sorry for that mistake. After you have one of them, you will need to go on a diet.