Paris dining question
 

Hi

We will be looking for a meal in Paris, basically between lunch and dinner.

We will arrive at Orly from Nice at 1PM, have to get to and check in our apartment in the 6th, and then a ballet performance at 7:30, not leaving us much time at all.

My original plan was to go to l'As du Fallafel, which I love, but this is a Friday and they will most likely be closed, especially for sit down, but the time we would get there.

I tried to research this on Chowhound.com, but it seems that eating outside of lunch and dinner meal times is frowned upon by most of the folks there. Very few reasonable suggestions were found after a serious search.

We will be hungry. We will have been traveling and in a couple of airports. We will want food, and decent food at that.

Does anyone have suggestions for me?

We will go out afterwards but we will still need a meal before the ballet.

Just go to a neighborhood café/brasserie and have a ham sandwich or onion soup.

Or a Monoprix or Franprix or boulangerie or alimentaire and grab a sandwich. I don't see this as an issue - there will be food nearby somewhere.

Any chance you can pay your apartment landlords something extra to shop and stock the fridge for you with high quality foods and a bottle of wine? Pate, cheese, fresh bread and seasonal something ((apples in autumn, tomatoes in summer). If they are coming over to let you in they might be willing to do it. That way you can relax and just go to the ballet, and have dinner after.

It's been a several decades since I bothered researching restaurants in Paris (Where can I find coal in Newcastle?) Food is everywhere, all the time. Start walking from wherever you are and I guarantee you won't go hungry. You may even run across a real find that you can come back here to report and be a hero (heroine?).

Also, the Paris By Mouth website lists these places as serving continuously throughout the day. Maybe one works for you as either being close to your apartment or on your way to the ballet

http://parisbymouth.com/tag/continuous-all-day-service/

OP wrote:

"We will want food, and decent food at that. "

If the screen name indicates having spent a lot of time eating in Italy, supermarket sandwiches or any old "food everywhere" may not cut it. (Don't get mad at her. I wrote that.)

"a lot of time eating in Italy " that's funny.. I do not think that's a bonus.. the food is better in France to me!!!


Braserries serve all day long.. continuous service.

Léon de Bruxelles will be open. They have a location right at metro Mabillon.

No, I'm not the type to just find an open place and pop in. I do research restaurants for every trip to Paris and make careful decisions. I'm not the least bit worried about food being available, but I am looking for recommendations for a restaurant where we can have a good meal outside of regular lunch and dinner hours.

I've had extremely disappointing meals in Paris, and in France too, although my experience in the rest of the country isn't that wide.

I have spent an outrageous amount of time eating in Italy and for the most part, I've eaten some fantastically delicious food there.

I know that brasseries are open all day, but I was hoping someone would have a favorite.

I wont be eating supermarket sandwiches, although I might go for a sandwich now and then. At this point I'm looking for a meal (maybe hot) in the middle of a long day of moving cities and then heading to the theater.

I don't get much feedback on any of my reports here, but I do try to always talk about restaurants and give brief dining reports, so you might find recs under my name if you're looking.

sandraslist, I've been on Paris by Mouth but didn't see that link. Thank you very much.

Besides Leon de Bruxelles (which has very good moules frites) you can try Hippopotamus (AOC certified beef). I know some may look down their noses at the suggestion of eating at a chain restaurant during their Paris stay but the food at these two places is probably better than what you'll find at most (certainly not all) places that do service continu. I find the beef at Hippopotamus to be excellent and their entrées and deserts are very good too and well presented. Don't knock it until you've tried it.

Hmmm. I also research food carefully while travelling. Sorry to have not come to your expectations.
Leon's is a good suggestion if you succumb to mussels as we do. Otherwise, for cafes that are open all day and night and serve good food, and especially mussels, try Maison Blanche across the street from the Gare du Nord.
Fortunately we have had pretty good luck popping into a local café--and my suggestion for a jambon was not a supermarket. But I guess you don't do those either.

And the two brasseries at Ecole Militaire are quite passable. How about a Flo? Beneath you?

Gretchen, I didn't mean to sound snobby, just as I'm sure you didn't mean to sound dismissive. Internet, you know.

I do like mussels. I like frites, too.

I eat on a budget and nothing but tasteless and/or mediocre food are beneath me, especially when I have saved and worked toward a vacation. Eating is one of my favorite travel pursuits.

I find that my budget is the thing that drives my need to research. On our first trip to Paris, we had a Rick Steves guide and ate abysmal food at least once. On our last trip, my husband dragged me in to an inexpensive lunch place, and it too was nasty. That is why I like to have recommendations and names before I eat.

We only have 4 nights in Paris; three and half days, so I do want to make the most of the dining experiences. We will have been on the go for the previous 9 days, and expect to eat much more casually.

Where in the 6th and is your ballet at the Opera Garnier?

I think Les Editeurs is probably open continuously. Or, you could walk up to Gerard Mulot and get a sandwich and some treats to nosh on.

Tough question if you are really looking to find a fantastic place in advance (I confess to having the same approach as you!).I know several of the cafes on Rue Buci are open if that is near your apartment. Several are solid including Cafe le conti and Cafe de Paris. Not spectacular but solid. My favorite place in that area is the creperie Little Breizh in the alley off Buci. In that alley are several more decent options if open.

La Jacobine is near there (different alley off of St Andre d'Arts. I think it may be open also. It gets great reviews but I had a comically awful failed attempt to get in over several hours one night... so can't vouch for the food. Next time maybe.

The bonus of this area is gelato (amorino and grom) but even more importantly, the great coffee of Malongo.

Good luck.

flygirl: in the 6th on rue St Andre des Arts, about half way down the street, as far as I can tell. And yes, we are going to the Opera Garnier.


RoamEurope: hideously, I am now not allowed to eat ice cream, after some iffy kidney tests. Ah well...

I'm glad you have my approach to eating in Paris. I honestly do want the very best that I can afford. I kind of plan and hope for it between trips.

I will look up your recs. Thank you.

I went to Da Rosa for a late nibble a few weeks ago. It is tapas and Patricia Wells likes it. I imagine it's open around 4-5 PM although I'd check the website first. It's on Rue de Seine very near Rue de Buci.

ps. I should have said late lunch nibble. It was probably around 3 PM or so.

I don't think the OP has a problem with a casuale cafe for a quick lunch - but it appears that this would be their main meal of the day and they want something more and preferably a hot meal in a real restaurant.

Sorry I can't help I have found France to be a PIA in this situation - coming from a place where there are a number of real restaurants open all day.

What about Au Pied de Cochon http://uk.pieddecochon.com

Serves 24/7 and has great seafood and our favourite onion soup (you must love cheese to order this!)

nytraveler: that is it, exactly. This will be our one meal of the day, and I enjoy life a lot more if I can sit down in a restaurant and eat hot food. If I had this problem in NY, I can think of a lot of places I could go. Right now, without even thinking, Veselka is dancing in my brain.

France can be a PIA in this situation, I agree.

jamikins, we have been to Pied de Cochon. I'm going to look at their menu now. Some other brasseries I've looked at had outrageous prices, but I'm going to look.

We will go out afterwards but we will still need a meal before the ballet.

I read this as wanting something prior to the performance and THEN they will have a meal afterwards so it isn't their only meal of the day--except now that it will be apparently.

I second Au Pied de Cochon. Perfect idea!

This might work if you're in Paris after it re-opens. I think the food is very good:

http://www.lesediteurs.fr

In NY the more formal restaurants typially close int he afternoon - but there are quite a few decent places (up from the neighborhood bistro) that are open all day - but perhaps not with a full menu.

We have found this a huge problem in provincial France - many smaller towns serve next to nothing between 2 pm and 6 pm - and we sometimes like a later lunch. Often all that is available is a sandwich in a cafe (and no we don't do sandwiches from the market or cook ourselves or do a lot of picnics - we are at the stage where we want to sit down and enjoy a meal - even if only a simple omelette and glass of wine.

If you were willing to eat afterward, one other thought would be takeaway: Within a few hundred feet of your place on St. Andre are several takeout places where you could grab a bite and eat in the room. There are several kebab/gyro type places, a crepe place and a surprisingly decent pizza by the slice (with mini somewhat tolerable wines).

If you did that, there are several good options to eat after ballet that literally are on your block or extremely close to your apartment.
In addition to the previously mentioned, Vins et Terroirs should be right there.

Almost next to Little Breizh on the side street off Rue Buci(so roughtly 1 block from you) is a very inexpensive bistro that I thought was terrific fun: Bistrot Saint Germain. Very friendly, classic little spot. Very cheap 3 course meal.

Huitrerie Regis for oysters is a bit further away and pricier.

Don't forget the coffee at Melongo!

I think Au Pied de Cochon is over-rated. I make a better onion soup than they do. Maybe La Terrasse at Ecole Militaire or Les Editeurs in St-Germain?

I can't see getting fussed about food in Paris, but that's just me. If I have to skip a meal, I just do. Days go by and life goes on.

I think Cafe le Nemours is open all day. It is in Place Colette at Palais Royal metro stop. We've eaten there several times over the year. I love their goat cheese quiche. It is also on the way to the Palais Garnier

I forgot - Les Editeurs is indeed closed. Unsure when it opens again. I walked by it a few weeks ago and noticed all the scaffolding.

There are so many good suggestions here; thank you.

Les Editeurs website says that they will open on August 1, long before our trip.

I rethought that "we will go out after" because really, we may not. It will have been a long day. Perhaps dessert or a snack.

I have an idea for you! On my last trip to Paris we grabbed a late afternoon (4-5 pm) "snack" at Le Comptoir du Relais St. Germain on our arrival day. http://www.thepariskitchen.com/revie...es-camdeborde/

We were able to get a great sidewalk seat at this popular spot because of the "off" hour and if memory serves me correctly we had a couple of salads, some escargot, pate and good wine by the glass. It was reasonable and delicious, and even though it wasn't full at that odd hour, the restaurant felt cozy and warm and there were several occupied tables.

Good luck planning - I am with you, every meal counts in Paris!

brasseries are open all hours.

lynnalan: a great suggestion. It's a cool little place that I doubt we could get in at regular hours, so going in the late afternoon would be perfect. I didn't know they had any sort of continuous service.

cigale: I've been researching a number of brasseries and price vs. quality ratios don't seem great, but I haven't given up. Fussy, I know.

lynnalan: every meal and every dollar. ;-)

Another vote for Les Editeurs. It's one of our favorite spur of the moment spots, and the food is always outstanding. They have great weekend brunch specials as well. Also it's a great people watching spot!

With such a discussion, you are setting yourself up for certain disappointment as people rave about their favourites to convince you.

Well, I wanted a list to work with, asked for it, and that's what I got. It's up to me to research the menus, photos, reviews, etc. I'm grateful to those that made recommendations.

As I said, I often recommend restaurants that I've enjoyed. I hope by doing so hat I'm not setting people up for certain disappointment.

Should we not ask for and consider recommendations? This is a serious question. Do you find such discussions pointless? I am curious.

I think recommendations are fine but it can be more than a little offputting when the "response" is full of reasons that whatever was recommended doesn't somehow meet some unknown group of "standards which may or may not be revealed.

As to Paris (and a lot of other cities) sure, there's "food everywhere" but that doesn't mean you want to eat any of it! But I gather the point is that certainly with all those choices everybody would be happy eventually. But around here, I sometimes wonder if that's true.

It's tough around here: if one reveals all of one's standards, then one is sometimes accused of being too particular and exacting. If one doesn't do so, then one is sometimes accused of being too vague.

We are a tough tough crowd.

If you cannot get into le Comptoir du Relais, you can cross the street and go to Les Editeurs.