I am taking my wife to Paris for her birthday as a surprise this weekend.<BR>We are staying in Montparnasse. Does anyone have any recommendations re bars, restaurants etc? Looking for lively/atmospheric but not teenage<BR>Jimmy

Jimmy: The northern 14h, close to the 6th, is my fav area:<BR>Here are some of my favourite places:<BR>Le Cameleon (French bistrot), 6, Rue Chevreuse. It's in the 6th, but just off Blvd. Montparnasse, i.e. on the north side of it.<BR>Le Parc aux Cerfs (French Bistrot), 50, Rue Vavin (6th too, but in Montparnasse)<BR>Le Bistrot du Dome, 1, Rue Delambre, 14th (sea food, open on Sundays)<BR>La Contre-All&eacute;e, 83, Ave Denfert-Rochereau, 14th (French bistrot)<BR>La Coupole, 102, Blvd. Montparnasse. Famous large brasserie. A must, at least for a drink and people watching<BR>La Closerie des Lilas, 171, Blvd. Montparnasse, 14th (at least as famous)<BR>La Mamma, Rue Vavin, next to Le Parc aux Cerfs (very good pizzas)<BR><BR>In all small streets around the Montparnasse Tower, you will find a large choice of small and nice places. In general, the places on Blvd. Montparnasse are more expensive and not necessarily better. <BR>You will also find a lot of nice places on Rue de la Gaite, south of Edgar-Quinet metro stop. Very lively street, called the "theater street".<BR><BR><BR>

Oh, that is one of my favorite areas, also. Really, you will find so many bars and restaurants along there, just stroll and take a look, you will no doubt find something that appeals to you. Especially on bd Montparnasse between Port Royal metro and the Tower (I do not like the area right around the Tower at all). There are several decent budget restaurants and a nice cafe on bd Edgar-Quinet going west from the street along the Tower. My favorite bars/cafes are La Rotonde and Select, but everybody has their own, I guess. I like the Dome (original Dome) when I'm feeling classier, it has great views, I eat breakfast in there sometimes. I don't like the Coupole at all, but some do. There is a Chez Clement right in-between Coupole and the Dome which is good for a low-budget but decent meal with good choices. there's a good Russian restaurant down rue Brea, Dominique, and L'O a la Bouche is good going east on bd Montparnasse.<BR> that's all I can think of now.

I just realized I made a mistake -- I meant going east on Edgar Quinet. The cafe is Cafe Odessa in front of the metro stop. It's a popular spot. There are several good creperies along rue Montparnasse, also (Joslin's is good, I think) and a very good Italian restaurant on that street also but I forget the name (Venise?) There is a pretty good little Italian restaurant a few doors down from the corner of bds Raspail and Montparnasse on Raspail, also; they are friendly and the food is good but their profiteroles for dessert are not good (not a good thing to order in an Italian restaurant, I know).

My choice among Parisian 3 star hotels is in that area, the 14th on the edge of the 6th, and that is where I stay, just south of Blvd. Montparnasse on Raspail.<BR>Technically the hotel, is in the 14th, but the 6th is just down the street.<BR>A good fish place is La Bistro du D&ocirc;me<BR>on rue Delambre - a very short street.<BR>But it is only fish!! The other restaurants named by Ursula and others meet my needs, too. There is one called the Little Rabbit (La Petite Lapin) that is not very good. Also near the intersection of Raspail and Montparnasse, in the southwest quadrant, is an Italian place that has got to be worst Italian cafe in the 6th.<BR>I don't recall the name. I know where it is, and will avoid it this year!<BR>Hate to sound negative, but you don't want to eat poorly either.<BR><BR>On the positive side, La Brioche Doree has a good selection of pastries. It is hard for me to walk by one without stopping. You will find more than one near the intersection of rue de Rennes and Blvd Montparnasse.<BR>Also, on the east side of Raspail, a few yards south of Montparnasse is a great family run bakery. It has the best circular sticky buns full of raisins I have yet found, anywhere.<BR>The owners don't speak English and I don't speak much French, but the lady in charge was cheerful and we got job done. I stopped by every morning and loaded up. We would walk down to the Luxembourg Gardens and eat what was left. (The weather was nice.)<BR>Ok, so I munched on the way!!<BR><BR><BR>

Christina: I know the Auberge de Venise. It's on 10, Rue Delambre. Yes, it's guite nice. But I prefer French restaurants when in Paris. We have such a lot of Italian restaurants here, so I must not go to Paris for it. Just La Mamma for a pizza, sometimes.<BR>The Odessa caf&eacute; is nice. Had breakfast there, when the breakfast room was full. It's nice and sunny in the mornings. On Rue d'Odessa, around the corner from the caf&eacute;, you will also find a lovely old bakery. Absolutely charming. <BR>I also like the "Vavin" caf&eacute; on Rue Vavin/Rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs.<BR>Bob, try to remember that Italian place. Just wondering, won't go, if you say it's so bad. Could it possibly be a Bistrot Romain? That chain is not terrific at all.<BR>Just curious: when are you going to Paris this year?

I cannot recall the name of the Italian restaurant. It was very easy to forget.<BR>We ate there because it was convenient, the hour was late, La Coupole was full, and we were tired from one of our go-go days in Paris. <BR><BR>I have eaten in some very good Italian restaurants in Munich, so I have my own ideas about Italian food. Our friend who lives in Munich grew up in Rome, and she must know every good place in the city -- regardless of style of cooking.<BR>My next visit to Paris is planned for September. Then we head to Switzerland (Berner Oberland) for a week. Then to Munich before going to Finland.<BR>Why so far in advance? Frequent flier seats to Europe are not that easy to find if you wait.

I love the clos de lilas, if you go pick up a brochure, it has quite an intersting history during my favorite literary years in Paris. At one time it had dancing there outdoors and was a favorite meeting place.

I forgot to add that it also has a very intersting cemetary. ala Pere la chaise

I have eaten in Bistro Romain, it's next to the Rotonde. It's a chain. I ate in there once and was amazed to see my prof from the Sorbonne eating in there!!! I just didn't expect here in a place like that. It wasn't so bad, as I recall, just very cramped. I remember the waitress got confused and called over her supervisor because she couldn't understand my French. I don't know why!! Actually, she understood it perfectly well but for some reason didn't like me saying I didn't care if she served the salad before or after the meal, that disturbed her.<BR><BR>I'll bet Bob may be talking about the Italian place I said had the bad profiteroles as that would be SW of the intersection. If so, I have eaten in there maybe twice over past couple years and thought the Italian food was fine, but I am not picky and only had pasta due to being tired and it was close and cheap. I thought the food was ok. It was not a cafe, however, but a restaurant that I am talking about, so Bob could be referring to another place. I would prefer it to La Coupole, that's for sure (it's interesting how Bob would rather go there, I just don't like the ambience in La Coupole, food isn't too bad).<BR><BR>I really like Italian cuisine and usually have it once a week; I get tired of French cuisine, to be honest, after a while and USUALLY Italian food will be foolproof (pastas anyway) and not terrible in an Italian restaurant. There's some English pub that is well-known next to it, also, but I have not eaten in there. BTW, in case you don't know, there is now a cheap and convenient internet cafe right there on rue Montparnsse if you want to check email.

Hi Christina, could I add to the list with a couple of good Italian places we found in Paris?<BR>on rue St Louis en Ille is La Castifiore,owned by an American and an Englishman.Charming,friendly,we ate there a couple of years ago, hope it is still there.and La Perrone on rue Perrone right off of rue Sts Peres before you get to Blvd St Germain..that place is outstanding..pasta with octopuss ink (sorry-hope that didn't wake someone up) , all their sauces are delicate and delicious..~C

The Italian place I mentioned above is La Risata. I checked my charge receipts. <BR><BR>I do need to make correction, however.<BR>The little restaurant I did not like is La Petite Leo. I did not recall correctly when I wrote the name above as Lapin. It was in the Little Leo that the waiter came back and said my Visa card did not work. (Why I will never know.) My wife got up to go to the bank for paper money and he got all excited. I guess he thought she was skipping out. <BR><BR>I don't know if I like or dislike La Coupole. I never ate there, just tried to. It is a famous place and I wanted to try it, but so far I have eaten there.<BR><BR>That section of the 6th is alive at night, that is for sure. The sidewalks are full of people. I get amused at people who say they want to "blend in" with the locals. Lots of luck!!<BR>On a stormy, rainy night we crossed rue des Rennes at Blvd Montparnasse. My wife had her umbrella up and I had my hood over my head to protect against the rain. A food vendor on the corner saw me crossing the street, and he called out in English trying to sell what ever it was he was selling. He could tell I was not French even under those conditions. Must be the way I walk, or maybe my shoes.<BR>And panhandlers in the train stations seem to spot me a mile away. In Gare de Lyon a young woman walked up to me and said in clear English, "Give me 10 francs. I need it." No hesitation, no doubt that I spoke American.<BR>

Bob, thanks for finding out those names (La Risata and Le Petit Leon). It's always good to know what places should be avoided. <BR><BR>Re La Coupole. I have not eaten there either apart from a sandwich. I like the place (the terrace) for a drink and watch the people. I suppose it gets terribly noisy once full.<BR>Rotonde, Select and Le Dome are smaller and also more quiet, that's for sure.<BR><BR>I purchased the Zagat 2002 in Paris and find it very useful. It's also online under www.zagat.com<BR>A lot of really charming and very nice restaurants of all prices ranges. It's probably one of the best Paris guides in my collection now. It was FF 89.- (approx. USD 15.-).

Bob, just did a little research with pagesjaunes, because I am really interested in knowing about the restaurants in that particular area.<BR><BR>Le Petit Leo is at 7, Rue Leopold Robert, 14th<BR>Let's just forget about that one.<BR><BR>You probably made a fatal mistake, because next door is one the best Italian restaurants in the 14th: <BR>Il Barone, 5, Rue Leopold Robert.<BR><BR>La Risata is at 210, Blvd. Raspail, 14th

Actually we ate several times at a place that I considered to be lower rung: Bistro de la Gare. For us it was a good place.<BR>One of the main offerings was a huge salad bowl that my wife liked. Another dinner on the fixed price menu was salmon, which was well prepared. There was also a veal selection that I got. The food was not fancy, but it was good.<BR>The restaurant also had a non smoking area, which I deeply appreciated.<BR>There is also Chez Berbet on the corner of rue des Rennes and Blvd Montparnasse, north east quadrant. It is quite good also. <BR>The drawback to Bistro de la Gare is that it is often crowded and the menu does not seem to change. That may be one reason they serve food fast, and the prices are fairly low.<BR> <BR>We went into the Italian place because we were hungry and tired, and it was there with an empty table.<BR>

Bob, funny you mention the North African/Maghreb cuisine place Chez Bebert. Nice, I agree.<BR>If you are open for another adventure, try Noura, 121, Blvd. Montparnasse, A nice place with Lebanese cuisine. Highly recommended also for vegetarian food.

I probably was talking about La Risata. However, I read in my guidebook that Auberge de Venise is one of the best in Paris, Hemingway and Sartre used to eat there, and one book said they have the best tiramisu in Paris!! and superb profiteroles, even though an Italian restaurant. I will have to go there next time as I am on a quest for restaurants with good profiteroles; they are getting harder to find, have you noticed? A lot of restaurants don't make them any more because you really need fresh pastry and the chocolate should be served warm immediately, and that's a lot of trouble.<BR> I like smaller places than La Coupole, it gets very noisy and ...I will be accused of snobbism, but it's true, sorry, I don't like places with a large tourist clientele--it has become very full of tourists (not only Americans, plenty of others because it is "famous") and many dress in tshirts, etc, it's just not a nice ambience or what I want from going out in Paris; it has also become recommended by some to tourists for children, that's another thread, maybe early in the day, I don't know).<BR> Another good place I remember, Chez Marcel on rue Stanislaus just off bd Montparnasse. It is more a great small authentic French restaurant, Lyonnais cuisine. There is a relatively new good Cuban restaurant/bar in the first block off bd Montparnasse going north on rue Vavin, the Cubana Cafe -- that might be a good place for fun (ie, salsa).<BR><BR>I am wondering if Jimmy has completely lost interest in this whole topic, though, as he has never returned.

Hi Christina,No- not snobbish-what is the point of going somewhere different from home and being surrounded by people from home??<BR>That is one of the things that has kept me from so many resorts in the winter, we always run into too many of my husbands clients.makes a "getaway" harder to find..re"Venise-while shopping with my husband in Saks a couple of years ago, we mentioned to the salesman that we were off to Paris soon, he said "Can I give you a restaurant recommendation? It is so special, you really must go" and it was the Venise!<BR>So-Jimmy may have gotten bored with this but I'm notc

What a great, conversational, non-judgmental thread. I'm usually afraid to talk about restaurants because I'm not a gourmet. Bob, we tried Bistro de la Gare and weren't too taken with it--too chainy or something; on the other hand, we liked Chez Clement, though it was too. And when we want simple fare (and rice instead of frites), we like the Korean Barbecue, where you grill your own meat, though it's not very authentic, according to my Korean niece-in-law.<BR><BR>We had a great meal at La Coupole: oysters, superb steaks, a fabulous dessert with oceans of strawberries and a bottle of wine (not cheap, about $100) and because it was a weekend night things were hopping! It was fun to watch the waitors zooming around with giant shellfood platters and all the different people, old and young, couples and families.

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