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Is it polite to split an entree in a restaurant in Paris?
I will be traveling to Paris with my husband and three kids (14, 14, and 12). I can't get over the prices of some of the restaurants that are frequently reccomended in this forum. We are not foodies by any means but we do eat in fine restaurants in Los Angeles. Even so, I am not interested in spending $100 US and more per person for a meal! If we find ourselves in a situation where two of the kids want to share an entree, is that acceptable etiquette in Paris? Thanks.
Also, while I have e-mailed the concierge at the Hotel Regina more than once to inquire about restaurant reservation, it is abundantly clear that they do not want to help us in this regard until we check in. They have suggested that reservations are not necessary in August unless you are going to go to a splurge-type establishment. Is this true? Are there certain places that are in the $50US per person range that need reservations in August? We will be there August 4-11th. Thanks for your advise. |
Do not worry...places to eat abound (likely even in August!) at neighborhood prices.
Your hotel can call just that day or likely you can walk in early. While many report on "special" dining experiences, I usually spend more in the range of 30-45 for a very nice dinner with wine. I would consider ordering starters for the kids and skipping a big main course. But would mention that a prix fixe dinner with just 3 courses is often offered at true bargain prices. "Sharing" can be managed very easily/quietly at the table after food is served but I would not try to do that when I order. One of the best part of eating in Paris (and France all over) is that the menu will be in window...letting you know before you go in what price range this restaurant is in... For a splurge, take the kids and go to Le Train Bleu...not $100/pp but worth the price in glamour and Paris style. |
We never had trouble asking for one desert and two spoons in neighbourhood restaurants. There was no sense of an unspoken rule being broken. Don't worry about high prices there is a whole range of eating options. As Susan said, people tend to talk about the big splurges more than the cheap eats places.
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FYI, in France "entree" means *appetizer*; what we call an entree in the States (main course) is <i>plat principal</i>. ;)
Also, when you are looking for the "prix fixe" on the menu in Paris, know that it is usually called "le formule". When posted in the window, often it will be advertised on its own menu, separate from the "à la carte" offerings... I will say that I have eaten lots of good food in France and seldom spend more than about $50pp, if that makes you feel any better! Also remember that the prices you are looking at are tip included. Hope this helps! :) |
I don't think you will have a problem at all, especially with 3 teens. You can get some very reasonable fix price dinners in some of your smaller places. Now, your fancy, high end restaurants may balk, but at your neighborhood places you should be fine. ((b))
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Thanks for all of the feedback! Now I can relax and spend more time learning some French! Imagine how delighted I would have been with the "Entree" prices!
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Hi ambergirl, we stayed fairly close to where you'll be on my most recent trip in May. To give you an idea of some of the fare within walking distance, the following is part of a reply I made (on an unrelated post) the other day. (We stayed at Citadines Louvre, which is on the corner of Av. de l'Opéra and rue de Richelieu, so a few blocks east of where you'll be.)
----- Dining in the area is a bit of a mix, given that it's literally tourist-central. We never found a café we really liked, but we did try an interesting range of cuisines in the streets behind the Palais Royal, specifically rue de Richelieu and rue Molière. My BF's sister who was with us is vegetarian, so we sampled Indian, Lebanese, and some contemporary French, none of which I'd write home about, but all were fine. There were two inexpensive Italian places that we liked within a few blocks of the hotel, both on rue de Richelieu just by Place Molière. (I don't remember either name; the one right on top of the Place Molière has homey pastas and a full antipasto table, and a liberal hand with the EVOO(!), while the other is more spare and modern and packed with young people.) There is also a large number of Japanese businesses in the area and the many restaurants looked tempting (but a no-go with the vegetarian!). Also in the immediate vicinity is Le Grand Colbert, seen at the end of "Something's Gotta Give". We thought it would be cheesy, but thoroughly enjoyed our classic French meal there... As for the kitchenette: We purchased pastries at a branch of Paul and made ample use of the Monoprix*, both on Av. de l'Opéra, left side of the street as you ascend towards Garnier. ----- *Monoprix is an inexpensive department store chain with full grocery store in the basement <i>(sous sol)</i>. We really liked Le Grand Colbert for a bit of a splurge without breaking the bank. I mention it on this thread here: "paris Brasserie? best menu" http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34837352 :) ggreen |
You can reserve online at any number of good and reasonable restaurants, using this website:
http://www.bestrestaurantsparis.com/ Most of the options give a sample menu/carte and prices. You can easily see that you don't have to spend $100 a COUPLE on these dinners. Now, you could approach or surpass that depending on the wine you choose. |
Also, your neighborhood brasserie/cafe is going to have plates like roast chicken/fries, and these will cost maybe 8-12€, so it's easy to eat at a reasonable cost.
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On Rue Guisard near St Sulpice there are a ton of nice, casual but reasonably priced restaurants. Several have Italian food as well if a pasta fix is needed.
Le Polidor (41, rue Monsieur le-Prince, 6th) has good old fashioned basic french food at a reasonable price in a very family friendly setting. (Coc Au Vin, Roast Chicken, Duck Confit) Lots of neighborhood sorts there as well as some tourists. We had wine, dinner, dessert for two people and it was 60E. |
You might find you'll be just as happy to get some "fast food". Cheese shops, shops, produce stands and bakeries that make great quiches, not to mention wonderful bread everywhere. It'll be a wonderful time to make picnics.
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The lack of helpfulness of the Hotel Regina's staff does not surprise me--one of the reasons we would not stay there again. The desk staff at the Madison and Mansart hotels, on the other hand, were perfectly willing to make reservations 2 months in advance for us.
If you and your kids like Italian food, head to the 6th and eat at Vesuvius, opposite the church of St-Germain-des-Prés. Excellent Italian and French dishes at very moderate prices; you'll see families and students having a great time. |
You'll probably be going mostly to cafes and more casual restaurants, where all can order haphazardly. Where you can order whatever you like. At some places, they may fuss over what to serve to whom when, but they're just trying to please you.
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..will echo all the info re the fixed price meal..a real bargain. Portion sizes are smaller in France. No much sharing IMO if your 3 are teens.
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Dear Imitation of Christ:
Why do you think people reading this thread and trying to help ambergirl care whether you eschew designer clothing? ambergirl: One option my husband and I use often in French restaurants is to order one 3-course prix fixe (good value) and add to it one or two courses (e.g. entrée + plat, plat + dessert, or just plat). That gives us the flexibility to order items that are not included in the prix fixe, as well as reducing the amount of food we order. No one is going to have a problem if someone orders only a plat principal. (The only place we had difficulty when we tried to share a main course was in Aix-en-Provence in a busy restaurant.) Sorry if someone has already answered this question about trying to get a reservation in August but here goes. Yes, it is quite easy to get a restaurant reservation in August - provided that the restaurant is open. Many restaurants (especially those outside touristy areas) close for all or part of August. The Zagat Guide for Paris (available in English) lists the restaurants that are closed in August, as well as the ones that are closed on Sundays. A few restaurant suggestions: for moderately priced, casual meals, we like Léon de Bruxelles (a chain) for its mussels and "frites a volonté" (all you can eat fries). Some look down their noses at this chain; they're not the best mussels, but they're consistently reliable, and you can still eat them in months without an R without health concerns. For a moderately priced splurge, we loved a restaurant called Pomze, in the 8th arr. (I think). It has an apple theme; all dishes have some apple in them, but this is done in a very modern and inventive (but not gimmicky) way. Lovely room with a nice view through trees on the 2nd floor of an old Haussmanian-style apartment. Check out www.pomze.com. Note that the inexpensive restaurants packed around the very touristy Saint-Michel are often called "bacteria alley" by the French. |
The suggestion by St.L Susan not to tell in advance you want to share starters is really not correct. Just say "Nous allons partager" (We are going to share) and even better restaurants will be glad to cooperate.
You must also take note that the prices quoted INCLUDE tip and taxes so right from the start the prices are more than 25% cheaper than it seems compared to US prices. If the waiter has been helpful to your satisfaction the only amount necessary to leave on the table would be hardly 5% additional in tip. |
I have yet to eat in ANY Paris food establishment in which a member of the staff would intervene in any way whatsoever to prevent me from sharing the food on my plate with another diner, with a dog (yes, this happens quite frequently in Paris), or anyone else.
Why? Bceause their own "acceptable etiquette" prevents them from doing so. IMO you should do as you would anywhere: order the number of entrees you wish; since all of you will have been provided with cutlery what you actually do with the food is entirely up to you. |
Hi A,
>Are there certain places that are in the $50US per person range that need reservations in August? < In general, it is polite to make a reservation the evening or morning before. >If we find ourselves in a situation where two of the kids want to share an entree, is that acceptable etiquette in Paris?< You can do it, but there might be an extra charge for splitting a plate. ((I)) |
Ironically, the restaurants that cost the most are also the ones that are most likely to frown upon any sharing of courses.
The solution is easy, however: just eat at inexpensive restaurants. They don't care much if you share, but then again, if they are inexpensive, you won't have to. You can find lots of places where you can eat for €12 a person or so. Some areas have more such places than others. The Latin Quarter is a nice area with many inexpensive restaurants. The less touristy areas have inexpensive restaurants, but they are less touristy, so there isn't much else to see. The food court at the Louvre is a good value. And there's always fast food (no law requires you to eat at a classic French restaurant with table service). Flunch is a nice chain of cafeterias with good prices. Chains like Brioche Dorée, Pomme de Pain, and Paul can provide tasty sandwiches with fries and dessert inexpensively. |
Ambergirl, We were in Paris for a week in late May. We enjoy the whole range of food, although not the very expensive. We found that we had some very nice meals for $40 pp. As someone else suggested, order one or two meals, often 3 course, and given the kids, depending on age, some of the meal, or order one item for one person. We often share a salud, each order a main dish, share a desert, or some conbination like that. We had some great food (although not the $200pp a meals). We found that for us the greatest problem was that some places considered the meal a 3 - 3 1/2 hour event. I was getting quite tired by that time and we had to be very aggressive a couple of times to get out in 2 1/2 hours. We love the food but 2 hours is about our limit and I know these meals can be served in that amount of time. I mention this because the kids, however old they might be, may get restless, whatever in 3 hours.
I envy you going. Have a great trip. Sebina |
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