Paris Restaurants for Christmas Week
Nov 25th, 2012, 11:08 AM
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Paris Restaurants for Christmas Week
Hi,
Family of four spending four days in Paris over Christmas. Help with restaurants is needed. Looking for moderately priced restaurants that are good. Have been all over the internet and I'm more confused than ever. To complicate matters, my husband is a picky eater and prefers very plain food so I think we should stay away from prix fix. Is that correct? Thanks much! Any suggestions appreciated.
Family of four spending four days in Paris over Christmas. Help with restaurants is needed. Looking for moderately priced restaurants that are good. Have been all over the internet and I'm more confused than ever. To complicate matters, my husband is a picky eater and prefers very plain food so I think we should stay away from prix fix. Is that correct? Thanks much! Any suggestions appreciated.
Nov 25th, 2012, 12:24 PM
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Where are you staying??? Around Christmas, I never want to venture far from where I'm staying. I makes no sense to me to take 3 metros or multiple buses - especially if a picky eater is involved, and just the corner salad & steak/frites place will do.
Often prix fix selections are the more "plain" dishes on the menu. You normally you get slightly smaller portions of more courses.
Stu Dudley
Often prix fix selections are the more "plain" dishes on the menu. You normally you get slightly smaller portions of more courses.
Stu Dudley
Nov 25th, 2012, 12:43 PM
#5
most restaurants will do a plain steak, chicken, or even an omelette if your DH can't see anything he likes on the menu.
www.lafourchette.fr enables you to select restaurant by type, area, cost, etc.
www.lafourchette.fr enables you to select restaurant by type, area, cost, etc.
Nov 25th, 2012, 02:09 PM
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Leely - very good question. Being from the states and the value of the dollar, etc. - I am having sticker shock from the prices when I see 70 Euros for dinner per person. So I guess "moderate" would be less than 50 Euros per person. Is that moderate for Paris?
Nov 25th, 2012, 02:14 PM
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Prix fixe means fixed price. Usually there are multiple choices and as mentioned often they are simple dishes. Some restaurants do have no choice prix fixe menus but will most likely offer full a la carte in addition. My point is you don't necessarily need to avoid a restaurant just because it offers a prix fixe menu.
Nov 25th, 2012, 02:17 PM
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<<So I guess "moderate" would be less than 50 Euros per person. Is that moderate for Paris?>>
Maybe for some folks, but you can get a very decent meal for half or even less all over the city (maybe not on Christmas, as the choices will be fewer).
As for steak, it could be useful to know that the French butcher their beef differently from us, so the tastes and textures can be different. Not a big deal, really, just something to be aware of.
Maybe for some folks, but you can get a very decent meal for half or even less all over the city (maybe not on Christmas, as the choices will be fewer).
As for steak, it could be useful to know that the French butcher their beef differently from us, so the tastes and textures can be different. Not a big deal, really, just something to be aware of.
Nov 25th, 2012, 02:26 PM
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Moderate in Paris to me is 30-40 euros per person for 2-3 courses. You don't need to spend 70. That's often what we spend for 2 for a very nice meal.
The problem may be many restaurants will be closed that week. One that I really like that's near your hotel is Bistro Volnay http://www.bistrovolnay.fr/ which offers a 3 course menu for 38 but I don't know if they'll be open that week. Along Rue du Mont Thabor and at the Place du Marche St Honore are many small, casual restaurants if you don't want to venture far. They'll have menus posted outside.
The problem may be many restaurants will be closed that week. One that I really like that's near your hotel is Bistro Volnay http://www.bistrovolnay.fr/ which offers a 3 course menu for 38 but I don't know if they'll be open that week. Along Rue du Mont Thabor and at the Place du Marche St Honore are many small, casual restaurants if you don't want to venture far. They'll have menus posted outside.
Nov 25th, 2012, 03:01 PM
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StCirq - I was adding up a la carte items on many menus and many platters were in the 30's and more and when you added an entre (appetizer) it pushed it up to 50E. I thought we might go broke eating in Paris! If you can let me know any restaurants we can get 2-3 courses for 25E that would be great!
Patty - fixed price was confusing me! So restaurants let you order not price fixe items? Thank you for the information and link!
Patty - fixed price was confusing me! So restaurants let you order not price fixe items? Thank you for the information and link!
Nov 25th, 2012, 03:33 PM
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Hi, SAdams,
I'm not sure why you were adding up à la carte items, or exactly what you mean by "platters," but the best deals are always the prix fixe ones or "formules." It's always a leap up in price once you start ordering à la carte. But of course, if the prix fixe menu doesn't sound good to you, then it doesn't matter.
You've chosen a hotel in a pricey, mostly business area of Paris (not that the location of the hotel is a problem - it's right opposite the Jardins des Tuilerie, so it's bound to be attractive), so the inexpensive choices near the hotel are going to be somewhat limited. If you're willing to travel to arrondissements that are farther away, the prices go down and the choices expand.
I just did a sample search on La Fourchette for inexpensive/moderate places to eat in the 1ère arrondissement and came up with this: http://www.lafourchette.com/w/restau...=2&is_search=1
Note that many of them have discounts and coupons available.
Having only ever had one single meal in that neighborhood (at Macéo) in 35 years of traveling to Paris, I'm no expert at eating around there. I could recommend places in all kinds of other neighborhoods in Paris, but don't know how far you're interested in going.
I'm not sure why you were adding up à la carte items, or exactly what you mean by "platters," but the best deals are always the prix fixe ones or "formules." It's always a leap up in price once you start ordering à la carte. But of course, if the prix fixe menu doesn't sound good to you, then it doesn't matter.
You've chosen a hotel in a pricey, mostly business area of Paris (not that the location of the hotel is a problem - it's right opposite the Jardins des Tuilerie, so it's bound to be attractive), so the inexpensive choices near the hotel are going to be somewhat limited. If you're willing to travel to arrondissements that are farther away, the prices go down and the choices expand.
I just did a sample search on La Fourchette for inexpensive/moderate places to eat in the 1ère arrondissement and came up with this: http://www.lafourchette.com/w/restau...=2&is_search=1
Note that many of them have discounts and coupons available.
Having only ever had one single meal in that neighborhood (at Macéo) in 35 years of traveling to Paris, I'm no expert at eating around there. I could recommend places in all kinds of other neighborhoods in Paris, but don't know how far you're interested in going.
Nov 25th, 2012, 03:36 PM
#15
I've wanted to try Maceo, have read good reviews about it--never made it yet, but it's not too far from your hotel and might be nice for a "special" dinner. I'm not sure they're open for the holidays, so you'd need to check. They have a menu @ 39€. Maybe not plain enough for your husband? In any case, give it a look:
http://www.maceorestaurant.com/Maceo_Menus_English.html
http://www.maceorestaurant.com/Maceo_Menus_English.html
Nov 25th, 2012, 03:36 PM
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By law, menus with prices need to be posted outside every restaurant so just walk past a restaurant, look at the menu and prices and see what looks good to you. You might want to bring some sort of small booklet that can act as a menu translator. Lunch will be cheaper than dinner and even in the center of the city you can usually find two course set menus (entrée + plat or plat + desert)for 12€ to 15€. It won't be anything extraordinary but not terrible either. Dinner will be about 18€ to 25€.
Unless you are really looking for some sort of unique dining experience there is no need to seek out a recommendation as you won't be able to turn your head without seeing a restaurant in the touristy areas of Paris. As a general rule, the further you move out from the touristy areas the cheaper it will be to dine.
Another thing to be aware of is you are probably better off not dining in restaurants right next to major tourist sites (i.e. Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower etc.). Move a couple of blocks away from these sites to dine.
Unless you are really looking for some sort of unique dining experience there is no need to seek out a recommendation as you won't be able to turn your head without seeing a restaurant in the touristy areas of Paris. As a general rule, the further you move out from the touristy areas the cheaper it will be to dine.
Another thing to be aware of is you are probably better off not dining in restaurants right next to major tourist sites (i.e. Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower etc.). Move a couple of blocks away from these sites to dine.
Nov 25th, 2012, 04:24 PM
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We have enjoyed L'Ardoise which is on rue du Mont-Thabor http://www.lardoise-paris.com/cartes-menus_fr.html
Nov 25th, 2012, 04:45 PM
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You should be aware that in France they tend to serve steak "blue" - as in very rare. If your husband doesn't like it that way be sure he specifies how he wants it served. And - decent steak will not be inexpensive.
