Moules et frites in Paris
 

Can anyone recommmend a great moules et frites meal in the 5th arr. in Paris?

Cindi: Per se: Moules et frites is rather Belgian than French, i.e. the French don't eat them that often together. They have rather either just seafood platters or frites with (red) meat. <BR>One place famous for this combination would be "Leon de Bruxelles" which has places all over Paris. I think there is no branch in the 5th but in the 6th at<BR>131 bd St Germain.<BR>Have not been there because I am not crazy about moules nor chain restaurants.

Well, I am crazy about mussels and frites and the Leon's are really quite good and certainly a bargain. You can choose your mussels in lots of different ways and their frites are really as good as those in most Parisian restaurants. It may be a chain, but it is a very good one!! I've eaten at that one on St. Germain a number of times, and seen many others --but I too am unsure about one in the 5th.<BR>There are also a number of places with mussels and frites in the cheaper area of restaurants around St. Michel. And many, many places offer great moules as an appetizer even on inexpensive menus.

I second (or third) Leons on the Blvd St Germain..yummmmm

Bistro St. Tropez, an inexpensie brasserie is on either rue Monge or rue des Ecoles not far from the Cardinal Lemoine metro stop, serves moules frites.<BR><BR>Can't say how good they were, because they were out of mussels by the time we got there (so maybe that means they were good!)<BR>

Thank you, thank you.I am really amaze on what I can get from this site. I have eaten at Chez Leon in Brussels and can't forget their mussels. The dish was very simple but very tasteful and now I learned that there is one in Paris!! Can't wait to get there in the summer. Thanks Patrick and Kate.

We adore moules frites. Or moules any way they come. Across the street from the Gare du Nord are several restaurants open 24H because of the station. We have had our best moules there. The Leon de Bruxelles across from the Bastille is good. The one in the Latin Quarter was not pleasant. Husband had good ones on the rue Buci at a cafe, also at Brasserie Balzar. They are available at many places, particularly brasseries. None are expensive.

I waited until we were in Normandy to order moules et frites. I asked the owner/waitress how to pronounce moules and I tried four times while she corrected me. There is no way I can get that pronunciation correct. I have a Canadienne/Provencal accent that is understood, but I could not wrap my lips around moules in Normandy.

The Leon de Bruxelles web site lists their locations around Paris.<BR>www.leon-de-bruxelles.fr<BR><BR>One nice thing is they have Leffe Brune on draft (most places around Paris on ly have the Blonde) which goes very well with their mussels.

Our favorite Leon de Bruxelles dish is moules with escargot and topped with cheese. Make sure you get lots of bread for mopping up the juice. And Leon's frites are excellent.

One of the best places in Paris for moules is in the 5th arr, a Belgian brasserie at 19, rue Soufflot (La Gueuze). Leon's isn't bad but think La Gueuze is better.

For the absolute best get thee to the Cotentin peninsula, to Amy's Place in Portbail, this is where the guys who cultivate the mussels eat. You don't use a fork by the way.

topping for more mussels. In Paris. I can eat them for all three meals. Sometimes.

Thanks, Christina, for la Gueuze. The first and only time I ate moules at Leon (near the Opera) there was sand in them. I have this thing about my teeth making noise! I haven't had any problems in little bistros, though.

I wouldn't be so quick to rate Leon below your average bistro. Having had moules at dozens of locations in Paris over the years, I was surprised at the quality for the price at Leon's, and never had a "sand incident". Leon's specializes in moules, while other places can be hit or miss. Of course Leon's is not in the gourmet category, but it is also not a tourist chain.