Hello
In all restaurants called "Courtepaille" for example, you can find meat only on the grill (excellent travers de porc). It's simple, good, and not expensive.
Bye and have a good trip in Paris

LOL, I am reading this and wishing I were in Paris so I could have something drenched in butter :)

We enjoyed many a seafood dinner in Paris, with no sauce, just the good broth of the fish and wonderful vegetables.
They make chicken in all restaurants that is roasted off the bone.
There is no shortage of places to have good food any way you like it.
Bon Appetit!

Does this mean no creme brulee? Ouch!! I go to Paris in search of the best creme brulee. ((a)) ((b))

Highly suggest Le Grand Cafe near the old Opera house...they don't cook in butter--they use olive oil, which is more the Southern (healthier) syle. They have a website you can check out...Legrandcafe.com.

Happy anniversay.

Barbara, after reading MKingdom (that would be in his own mind, I guess)'s less than rational reply, I looked for what he might have been imagining and looked for "race". Give him a break--as in, just don't bother to read his stupid replies. It wasn't a "stretch"--it was a major brain f___t. To get back to your need for "plain" food. The restaurants we love have WONDerful food--no sauces, etc. You're gonna love it. Oh, and we also celebrated our 20th in Paris a number of years ago (that would be another 20)--with our then teenagers. It is the "china" anniversary and we celebrated by buying a set of china at Villeroy&Boch near the Madeleine. Not that you need to do that but think about a memorable piece of china to commemorate your anniversary.
We will celebrate our 40th this October with those same teenagers and their spouses--in Paris--for a week.

Barbara,
Sometimes m_kingdom goes way too far and this was just an example of not having to be an American to be Ugly.

The French love to cook, they love to talk about food and of course, they love to eat it. The waiters are usually very good at their jobs and I have to say that , as an American who does not eat red meat, I have never had a problem in any restaurant, no matter how many stars, or if it was just a cafe.
They go about food in a much more serious and dedicated manner.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised to find how much there will be for you to eat.
Your neighborhood is perfect, as someone has already mentioned, rue de Buci is nearby, food wherever you turn !
There is a place called Leon nearby where you can get mussels any way you like.
Have you a list of restaurants? If you would like, let's see it and we can give you our opinions..because there is nothing a true Fodorite loves more than giving opinions LOL
((F)) Scarlett

Thank you everyone, now I am going to compile my list with your excellent recommendations -- we do love most ethnic food, seafood, meat (try to avoid red meat, but not totally) veggies, and desserts -- again, no cream (yes, that means no creme brulee, Budman, although I may well have to double my indulgence to compensate for his inability), and will post it for comments. I've also poured over the "100 Great Things to do I Paris" - or something to that effect- post, and am compiling proposed itinerary, which also will include a (very long) day trip to Normandy (Bayeaux?) to see WWII sites.

Gretchen, double congrats to you for reaching 40 years together indeed worthy of celebrating with your entire family. And that is a wonderful suggestion to purchase a special piece of china. For this celebration, we are leaving our teens home (with grandmere)as our trip is during the first month of the school year.

Barbara: We found the best salads at "pizzarias". Well, at least one, where we ate lunch several times. It's in Rue des Canette just off plaza St. Sulpice---not far from you---behind Cafe Marie.

Unfortunately, your husband will probably have to pass on sidewalk crepe vendors. One of my favorite memories of Paris is of a cold, rainy afternoon. We stood under our inadequate umbrellas with those hot drippy ham and cheese crepes....mmmmmm. Don't miss this small pleasure.

I'd just quibble a bit about cassoulet being on the "not" list. What's not healthy about it--beans, duck, lamb. No cheese, milk. And while foie gras is "rich" in a different sense, it has no cheese or cream associated with it.

Hi
I lurk about here a lot and I don't recall seeing a lot of trip reports about food swimming, drenched, or stuffed. Yes, occasionally someone mentions a rich dish, but the stereotypes about French food are just not current. For every menu item that is richly sauced, there are usually at least two simply grilled or broiled items, and wonderfully prepared veg or salads. And many of the 'rich' sauces are simply reductions of natural juices, perhaps with a splash of wine for flavor--not as many uses of cream or butter in sauces as there were, say, 30 years ago.


If a sauce is mentioned and you're hesitant about what's in it, you can always ask for it plain. Or better yet, order something else, as that particular dish may not be flavorful enough if it was meant to go with a sauce.
Enjoy your trip.

Well, I admit that "swimming, drenched and stuffed" may have been hyperbole to grab someone's attention, but nevertheless, I have been searching for a few days on this site for restaurant recommendations, and the lion's share mentioned favorite meals with cream, cream sauce and/or cheese. We are well experienced in asking waiters to describe preparations and to eliminate cream, butter sauce and cheese, but in order to maximize the meal choices for my DH in a city with world-renowned restaurants, we'd prefer to go restaurants where he won't have to settle for something that has to be stripped of flavorful additives. We tend to avoid most French restaurants in the DC area because we've had some bad experiences (not that the food was not very tasty, but just too rich -- so please no flaming on that remark). We've had no trouble in England, Spain, Italy, Greece, but in Austria and in CZ, it was more difficult. Now I know we won't have any trouble in Paris, and that is a relief. While some may think this is no big deal, believe me, it has the potential to ruin a trip.

Gretchen, beans are a very healthy source of fiber and protein, so you probably shouldn't include them in the list of "unhealthy" items in cassoulet.
Of course, if you eat too many, it might be unhealthy for your neighbor :-<

You could try as well the Bastide de L'Odéon - very near to the jardins de luxembourg. The food is provencal style and the atmosphere is lovely. I was with French friends but I noticed that the staff were very friendly and helpful towards the English and American customers. Its a nice place for a special occasion.

Hey, Travelnut, you definitely need to read my post more carefully. I am rebutting the post by Underhill who says cassoulet is NOT healthy. I am saying the opposite.

BarbaraF

Don't pass up the crepes - I have a similar problem as your hubby, but always have had the crepes with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime...mmmmmmm!!

I didn't say that cassoulet wasn't healthy, just that for someone who needs to avoid rich foods the duck confit and goose fat typically used in the dish would probably not be a good idea.

I hate beating a dead horse but cassoulet is a hearty peasant stew that is sublime when done well. Confit is not fatty. Beans are healthy. There may be some fat in the crumb topping. Have you ever looked at the recipe or made it?

Barbara, I understood your OP to have a touch of hyperbole in it... and I can commiserate with your husband on the dairy issue. I gave up all dairy (and chocolate) about 15 months ago when my newborn started showing signs of a dairy allergy in my milk. It was the hardest thing to do since I LOVE LOVE cheese. I have added back in a few things like yogurt and a cookie here or there and noticed now that I can barely tolerate milk or butter myself. But there's no way I won't be eating croissants in the morning, and I can't wait to get to the fromagerie at Buci market and grab some yummy funky smelly cheeses.

I second the idea of eating in Provencal restaurants... Bastide D'Odeon is a great one. And I'll try Les Olivades as someone here recommended. And I wish I could remember the name of this little place I stumbled on near St Sulpice... a little tiny place that had a few seats upstairs and exposed beam ceilings... nothing fancy. it was on a tiny street with a dozen other little places. Looked a lot like locals eating there. But it was also provencal.

And I wanted to say, If your husband can't have dairy, just tell your server. They can make recommendations of what you might be able to order, though they may not make substitutions or changes to a specific dish. The French take their food seriously, but most of all they want you to enjoy it. So be adventurous, try new things, take your time, enjoy the meal and the wine and the company of your sweet husband, and you'll have a wonderful time.

There are other choices lik Nobu. the French Japaneese restaurants are very good.

skatterfly, are you thinking of rue des cannettes? I love walking past all of the different restaurants on that tiny street and trying to choose just one for dinner.