Robespierre

<B>CORRECTION</b>

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...8da201&t=h&z=3

Sorry - wrong zoom factor on the previous post.

scrb

Tod, search for Garmin browser plugin.

Then you can search for wherever you need to go, either address or GPS coordinates, into Google Maps. When it finds the place you want, you have an option to send that location to your Garmin GPS.

You have to have the Garmin hooked up to your computer via the USB port.

Then you go to Favorites in your Garmin and you should find that place. You can make sure you have phone numbers for the place too and that should transfer.

tod

scrb - Many thanks! I will gibe it a go.

StCirq

Prosciutto with reggiano? In Paris? Never seen that, but I've had yummy poulet crudités and jambon du pays with or without cheese sandwiches all over.

CAPH52

For anyone who really wants a chain, didn't I read here that Cosi originated in Paris?

grandmere

Tod, did you have crepes at Creperie Beauborg? I saw the YouTube thing on TA, and it sure looks as though it has great crepes.

kerouac

For the Subway lover, there are already at least 30 Subway locations in Paris. It is currently the fastest growing chain in Paris.

While many tourists seem to like the Paul fast food chain, my own traditional sandwich preference goes to the Pomme de Pain chain.

Underhill

We really liked the sandwiches at Le Pain Quotidien, which has several branches in Paris. It's a Belgian bakery chain that also serves breakfast, lunch, and early light dinners.

Canada_V

Thanks again! I've looked up and made note of the locations and choices of all of those chains, and knowing they are there will give me the confidence to plan to also "take a chance on stumbling across a hole in the wall sandwich shop" as we make our way around the city! Still eager to hear about any other "little finds", but really appreciate all the input that's been given so far!

Is it highjacking my own thread to ask if couscous falls more into the 'cheap eats'/Pho type category, or is it more of a sit down meal option?

thanks again everyone!

scrb

The prosciutto with reggiano was in Siena. Good but that hard, dry bread made me way thirsty.

I appreciate that the ingredients were good but it didn't come together as well as a Subway sandwich did.

kerouac

Couscous is considered to be a cheap dish, but expensive couscous restaurants do exist. There is no way to eat couscous standing up, since it is a stew in Mediterranean Europe and North Africa. So yes, it is most certainly a sit down meal.

tod

I think Kerouac might agree with me on this?
In the 11e on Boulevard de Belleville you will find a lot of couscous places, reasonably priced and quite fine, if not outstanding.
The streets radiating out from Metro Belleville station are the northern headquarters for Asian cuisine. Whether at an unassuming little spot or a large Chinese-style brasserie, you can usually slurp down noodle soup any hour of the day and into the night.
Along Avenue d'Ivry & Ave.de Choisy in the 13e - far off the tourist track, the Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai restaurants along these avenues cater to the local Asian population. Prices are low and quality is high!

kerouac

Those are excellent budget suggestions by tod, but I have stopped making that sort of suggestion here, because so many people seem horrified by the thought of eating ethnic food when they come to France. <i>"I want real French food!"</i>

Some people even seem to think that it is a heresy to go to an Italian restaurant in France. Funny, I am always very happy to try any ethnic food that I come across when I go to the United States.

I would even add doner kebabs to the lists of tasty offerings you can find out on the streets of Paris. People also seem to sneer at this, yet they will run to the Marais for falafel, which for some reason is excluded from the list of forbidden foreign foods.

cathies

I think as long as you look for fabulous crusty French baguettes and that the fillings look fresh you won't be disappointed. I did notice a bit of a trend last time for soft bread, it looked like that par baked stuff you can buy in supermarkets and then finish baking at home. We did what you are going to do and due to $ constraints didn't eat out too much. We didn't feel deprived at all.

If you want a great meal to have in your apartment, then look out for butchers selling rotisserie chickens and the amazing potatoes that they cook at the bottom of the rotisserie. Add a salad, a bottle of red and voila, dinner is done!

I wish we'd had tod's suggestions for the Asian restaurants in the 13th when we were there last year - next time!!

I hope you have a lovely time in Paris.

tod

I know what you mean Kerouac - sorry so many people are loosing out to excellent cheap meals. We went to Ave.de Choisy twice and never encountered another 'western face' anywhere in the three hours we walked around.
I will definitely be back there this May & to Belleville for more experimenting!
As a matter of fact a few days ago we decided to go out of the realm of French food for a good many of our dinners.
We are going: Russian, Indian, of course Chinese, Moroccan, Lebanese, and anything else we stumble across that looks intruiging! We did try Tex-Mex once near the Pompidou but found it expensive for what we ate.

Grandmere - No we didn't get there last trip and also saw it on YouTube - that's what got me interested and we will definitely try to get there this time - My husband loves, loves, loves crepes!!

Canada_V

Thanks again to everyone! Kerouac, we definitely consider 'ethnic' food as an option - we will be in France, so by definition whatever we eat will be French food to us (though, I have to admit, eating at a chain like Subway that I can see from my office window at home would be stretching the definition too far - no disrespect intended scrb!)

We are looking forward to having Vietnamese food in Paris because of the historical ties - a Pho restaurant is probably our families 'fast food' of choice (if we can find one) in a unfamiliar town. We know that it will be inexpensive, that the kids will eat it (generally fill up on a vermicelli with grilled meat type option), and that it will be filling but not heavy.

Because of the North Africa ties, couscous seems like something there would be more options in Paris then in the Toronto area, so that makes it "French food" to us as well!

"Quite fine if not outstanding" couscous sounds perfect. Perhaps oddly, Belleville is actually on our short list of places we are going to visit. We are each building a list of places they want to see - we are going to make sure that the 'fixed itinerary' includes everyones top couple of things and then keep the rest of the list in the back of our minds depending on where we end up or are. My youngest saw the metro stop called Belleville, and included it in his list as a result of being a fan of the Triplets of Belleville movie. He knows it won't be the same but it fits part our strategy to visiting Paris of including 'random' destinations and see what we stumble across.

cathies - I have been looking forward to my first 'roast-chicken-with-the-potatoes-from-the-bottom-of-the-rotisserie-apartment-supper' since I first read about it on this forum over a year ago!!

Thanks again to everyone for their input!

mnapoli

One of my favorite places in Paris is the Taverne Henri IV near the Pont Neuf. It is a great little wine bar with excellent sandwiches, cheese platters, terrines, etc. I don't know how they can make a simple ham and cheese open-faced sandwich taste so incredibly good!

tod

Canada_V, I tried to find the link where Tricotin revealed it's three different kitchens in one restaurant, namely Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese but found this instead. If I find the other one I'll post it.
http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/371358...urant-tricotin

kerouac

Belleville should be able to fulfill just about all ethnic food interests when in Paris.

tod

Kerouac, please can you give us a starting point in Belleville where there may be a cluster of places to eat.

The first time we went into that area we didn't have a clue and turned into rue Louis Bonnet after exiting the metro. Walked around the block and only saw Tin Tin and one or two other Chinese places. I even poked my head into the pharmacy and asked the man behind the counter if he could recommend a place for lunch. We ended up at Dong Huong, 14 rue Louis Bonnet. The food was fine but the place was totally empty so that experience wasn't too good.

I thought that was Belleville! Of course now I have a better idea but some guidance by yourself would be mighty handy.
Especially a couscous place you may favour above others?
Thanks in advance for any help.