Petite Brasserie- Paris on Rue Cler

Old Apr 5th, 2007, 09:37 AM
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Petite Brasserie- Paris on Rue Cler

This place was reccommended by Rick Steves for a great American breakfast. Has anyone been there for their breakfast special?
We like to have such a breakfast during our upcoming trip in May.
Are there other places for great deals on breakfast that you would reccommend. We are staying near the Museum, D'Orsay
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 09:54 AM
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topping
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 09:58 AM
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You would really travel from the Musée d'Orsay are to rue Cler just for an American breakfast? In Paris?

I've walked past the place a zillion times, but never ate there. It's always full, as you might expect, of Americans eating fried eggs and sausage. Other than that, there's nothing special about the place.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 10:19 AM
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I don't think Rick Steves says it has a great breakfast, just that they have an "American" breakfast and cater to Rick Steves' readers and they will give them a deal if they ask. So that's the great part, the deal for people who say they read his book. There are a lot of American tourists in that area because of his book, so some of those establishments cater to them. I certainly wouldn't go all the way from the Musee d'Orsay to rue Cler just to eat breakfast in order to save a euro or two.

What's your definition of an American breakfast, anyway? Does it have to involve pancakes, by any chance? Because it's pretty easy to order eggs in any cafe, and a lot of toast as English like that, also, although other kinds of bread products may be more popular. Juice is real easy to get. Bacon and sausage, no.

Hotels are often the best for those kind of things, actually, does your hotel have a buffet breakfast? Meridien, Hilton, etc., they have American breakfasts. YOu can usually eat enough at a hotel buffet, if that's your main goal (rather than just coffee and a roll). There are lots of cafes around that area that are used to tourists, of course, so I seem to recall a lot of them advertising things like that or "American coffee" which is awful.

Is your goal just to have such a breakfast, or to save a lot of money? Because I bet there are places closer to you that have an American breakfast.

There is this place called "Breakfast in American" on rue des Ecoles, but that's in the 5th, and probably just as far from your hotel. I've heard mixed reviews on that one, anyway. I've always had decent American food at the Mustang Cafe on bd du Montparnasse, including breakfast, but again, that's not real close. And I don't eat that kind of huge breakfast, but they do have decent regular brewed coffee, although I don't know how early they open.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 10:42 AM
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Forget the american breakfast. Try a local Cafe', coffee or tea and a croissant with jam is the easiest and best bet. Leave the american breakfast at home.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 11:19 AM
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Yes of course we will eat breakfast at nearby cafes - but there are only so many crossiants I can eat and then we will want our eggs and ham. We are not big on French food, and like a hearty breakfast- so yes we will want our eggs and ham/bacon once in a while!
Where we live we drive 40 miles for a certain type of lunch each week- so getting on the Metro and traveling a bit for breakfast is no big deal to us!
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 11:27 AM
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BillT - go for it. If you want eggs and ham and pancakes then go get them! You are the one sending the time and money and you are the one to decide. Enjoy!
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 11:32 AM
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<<our eggs and ham/bacon> if that is your definition then no problem finding this is in most cafes - the omelettes are great BTW - better than at home
Curious though - what don't you like about "French food"?
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 11:33 AM
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Thanks Curt- we really are not French food buffs. We do however like and expect to eat:
1) crossiants
2) bagettes
3) cheeses
4) Crepes
5) Pastry

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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 11:48 AM
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I think you will be surprised if you have breakfast in a local café. First of all, croissants aren't obligatory (I usually go for a tartine -- a baguette, split, with butter, jam optional). I don't think you can top the eggs or the butter, and, although I never liked ham, French ham is a different story. You will have no trouble finding omelettes (plain, with cheese, ham, potatoes, mushrooms -- it's up to you) or fried eggs, and I can't think of anywhere I've eaten that your eggs are not available with ham. Fresh-squeezed juice is also readily available.

Rick Steves is not necessarily the best authority, especially if he has an "arrangement" with the place.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 11:52 AM
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Toupary- thanks for the input. Does the bagettes come with butter on them or on the side? The reason I ask is that I read that the butter there is either the unsalted version or whipped. I only like the salted hard butter- I can't stomach the other kinds so I want to know ahead of time. I see what you mean about Rick Steves- I get some use out of his books but in reality we don't rely on his style of travel.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 12:10 PM
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Bill - I think you are going to really enjoy the food. Don't believe everything you read (including this). Toupary is right on the mark. The French aren't big on fake (enhanced, foods IMO). The butter will be the real thing - and I will be bold enough to suggest that you will notice a difference. You will think it is better. No margarine; No unsalted; no whipped; no (usually) little packets. Just a slab of real butter.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 12:19 PM
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Ok here is another question. My wife likes her coffee extremely weak- you can see thru it- sort of like hot water with a hint of coffee. What she does here in the states is order coffee with a cup or small pot of hot water and then she mixes to get the right consistency. Am I going to start the next French Revolution if I try to get this order at a cafe?
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 12:27 PM
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Hi BillT,
Butter in Paris is usually the hard, unsalted stuff. I don't like unsalted butter much so I just sprinkle on a bit of salt from the salt cellar and mix it in with my knife. Very uncouth, I know
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 12:27 PM
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Just have her ask for un café allongé. If she likes it really weak, make that très allongé.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 12:49 PM
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Another possibility..my drink of choice is a "cafe creme" gets you coffee well diluted with hot cream. Quite smooth.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 01:21 PM
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I cannot place this--is it the first cafe on the left as you leave Lamotte Picquet? I have had breakfast there--never noticed a lot of Americans.
Or is it several blocks down on the right on the corner?
Anyway, couldn't be worth coming from the Orsay area for breakfast--plenty of cafes have eggs and ham. It is a slice of deli ham, by the way. ONe egg, a baguette, jelly and butter. Cafe. A lot of money for what it is.
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Old Apr 5th, 2007, 01:58 PM
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It's on the left as you come from Motte Piquet, around the first street corner. I think the name is really the PTT Brasserie because it's next to the post office. It's next to a butcher.
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Old Apr 6th, 2007, 08:04 AM
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I did not mean to sound soo short in my last post about eating "french". I is easy to get a good breakfast in Paris, my wife and I ate at the hotel since they had a full buffet. Eggs to order, bacon, sausage, cheeses, lunchmeat, breads, fruit, etc. But, we also enjoyed the croissant and coffee on the weekends.
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Old Apr 6th, 2007, 08:12 AM
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You could have a "franglais" week-end brunch at the charming (but popular!) A Priori The in the Galerie Vivienne (metro: Bourse). A very pretty place, has even been used in French TV commercials. American owner.
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