Please help me narrow choices among paris restaurants for trip in one week!
 

I get a little nervous posting here...you are all the masters and I am but a lowly student!!:) But, I have been researching this forum for months and I now have a list of restaurants that I would love to be critiqued:

BTW, my husband and I are are both 30, consider ourselves "foodies" (love to cook, eat out, work with the restaurant industry, split a bottle of wine almost every night over a leisurely dinner, etc). But we are on a semi-budget on this trip (trying to stay under $100 per dinner, including wine), and I unfortunately don't speak French, so we are a bit limited in Paris. We are also only there for three nights (staying in the 6th) before we move on. Here goes:

Caveau de l'Isle (seems to be a must)
Au Bon Accueil (sit outside with view?)
La Coupe Chou
L' Epi Dupin
Fish
Allard
Chez Fernand
Brasserie Ile St. Louis
Le Petit Troquet
Le Vieux Bistro
Le Petit Prince

and for very,very casual dining...
Cafe Bonaparte/Brasserie Lipp/Le Deux Maggot/Cafe Flore (which for outdoor people watching and decent croque madames?)

I would greatly appreciate any advice and opinions you could give me about any of these. Also, are most of them walking distance from our hotel (near luxemburg gardens/odeon station)? Do I need to make reservations way ahead, or just the day of, or not at all? Which would be considered romantic? We value quality of food and ambiance, above all. Which ones are more touristy and which ones would give us a better sense of eating like the locals?

Thank you in advance for any help you can give. Thank you also for all the help you have given me over the past six months without even knowing.

Jennifer

Oops, I almost forgot to add to the list...

Bistro de Breteuil

Thanks,

Jennifer

Always reserve; it is a courtesy, and will often get you a better table etc. Your list is a hodge-podge of the good and the indifferent; The new Michelin red guide has just come out with a new listing of restaurants offering prix-fixe meals at under 31E for lunch and dinner. Some on your list qualify. With the exception perhaps of Chez Fernand, all of your selections will be dominated by tourists; that's what you get when staying in Tourist Center....not all bad however, they all can handle English. Good luck.

Thanks for the response oakglen. I will definitely reserve.

The purpose of my email was to hopefully get some assistance in sorting out the "hodge-podge" between the good and the indifferent...any specific advice about these restaurants (or any others), is greatly appreciated!

I compiled this list after months of researching this forum...are many of them really "indifferent"? (I do realize that the cafes I listed at the end are not known for their food, and are also quite touristy)

Thanks!

bookmarking

OK, here goes, Parisian foodies would never be seen in the following: Le Coupe Chou (the best ambiance of the group and most questionable kitchen), Au bon Accueil, Le Vieux Bistro, Brasserie Ile St. Louis and Allard. Others, like Epi Dupin, make you sit cheek-to-jowl with fellow diners; where's the romance in that. Consider Reminet, Buisson Ardent, La Truffiere, Petit Pontoise and Bastide Odeon, all in your general area.

I'd skip the Bistro de Breteuil. The last two times I've eaten there, it's been very mediocre.

Do NOT eat at Au Bon Accueil. We were disappointed in the quality of the food, the staff was extremely rude to us and the prices are too high for what it is.

This doesn't answer your question, BUT since you seem to be into food . . . Be sure to check out if there is a local "street market" near where you are staying. Many squares have them twice a week. I think the Place St. Sulpice is a good example. Lots of meats, cheeses, Delis, produces, etc. You'll have a great time just snooping around.

I have to agre with oakglen, we found Le Vieux Bistro mediocre and haven't been back in several years and Le coup Choux ,even less than medicore. Allard was fine and Chez Fernand is our special favorite, Fish was excellent the one time we ate there and the wine selection is a definite plus! It's been too long since I've been to L'Epi Dupin to comment on it.

Friends of ours really liked Caveau and it's on my list for fall along with Le Petit Troquet.

I'll have to look at pagesjane to see if Brasserie Ile St louis is the place I think it is..if it is I'd avoid it!

We've only ever had drinks at Cafe Bonaparte and LDM so can't comment on the food.

Just checked and I can't comment on Brasserie Ile St Louis..that wasn't the place I thought it might be!

Just a few comments. My DH and I consider ourselves foodies. We LOVE great, quality food, but don't feel we have to pay outrageous prices in order to be pleased.

We made no reservations on our trip to Paris two weeks ago. We would walk around in whatever neighborhood we were in (often in the 6th) and "shop" the menus. When we found a place that we liked, that is where we ate. We were never dissappointed. OK, we were one night when we decided to try Italian and that was mediochre to us. Our friends LOVED their pizza.

Our lunch was usually a very carefully selected french sandwich from a cart or a shop, and one time Pauls on Rue de Buci (great street for cafes, brasseries). Then we would take our "picnic" sandwich to a bridge or a park and have a lovely lunch...We loved every meal.

Our hotel did recommend Allard and we checked out the menu and it seemed very expensive to us. Also Cafe Zinc. We really found ourselves not spending all that much money on food and were very satisfied.

DH did have an omelette at Cafe Flore one morning. It is the best omelette either of us have ever had. What the French can do with simple ingredients is amazing. Bon apetit...

Wow! You have all been so helpful! Based on your advice, I have adjusted my list to the following...

Le Reminet (looks lovely in Zagat...any other opinions with this one?)
Caveau de I'Isle (seems to get rave reviews)
Fish
Chez Fernand
Le Petit Troquet?
L'Epi Dupin (if we don't mind being packed in)
Petit Pontoise (looked promising in Zagat as well)

Does that look a little better? Any advice on these? Heavens, thanks for your comments as well...it's nice to know that your best meals can come from places you just happen to stroll past! I'm also definitely planning to have a picnic in the park or two for lunch.

Thanks again for the advice!

We recently spent a week in Paris and the two restaurants we enjoyed most were L'Impasse at 4 Impasse Guemenee (just north of Rue St. Antoine (Metro: Bastille), which was very affordable. We had one of the three course set menus: baked goat cheese salad, braised leg of duck, and a chocolate mousse dessert, all of which were delicious. My husband doesn't drink, so I usually just order a glass of wine. Their glass of wine was the equivalent of 2 most places.
We also very much enjoyed Le Petit Zinc 11 rue Saint-Benoit (just a block or so back from Les Deux Magots) which we also found affordable (though more expensive than L'Impasse) and very attractive.

We tend to eat early to avoid smoking problems and didn't need reservations. Otherwise I would suggest reservations at both restaurants.

It's so easy to get around Paris on the Metro, so I wouldn't limit myself to being close to your hotel.

try the bistro de sommelier. we went there two years ago and loved it. you can choose the menu where everything is a surprise and paired with a complementary wine. (they ask for any food aversions first) if you love wine, you will love this place!

oh, and if you want to spend a small fortune, try the violon d'ingres.

Thanks travelmom! Violon d'ingres unfortunately is a little out of our price range, but Bistro de Sommelier looks like it might be a wonderful splurge!!

Two other quick questions...Does anyone know anything about Le Christine? And lastly, opinions about Atelier Maitre Albert?

Thanks!!

hi. we just got back from 8 wonderful days in paris (third trip). i have posted some sites on bistros for 30 euros or less. with a bottle of wine, you my be a bit over $100 but you will eat very well and w/ fellow parisians.if you carry a dictionary w/ you (we use the rick steves phrasebook) you can at least identity the main ingredient.
our three favorites this trip were le troquet - fun lively atmosphere (we did the 6 course tasting menu which was PHENOMINAL for 38 E pp)- no choices so it makes ordering that much easier and Le pamphlet, whose 3 course menu was translated into english (32 e) and chez eux for a 30 e cassoulet.
brasserie de ille st louis is always a choice for us, but more for the atmosphere. you can eat better and cheaper at alot of other places.
i don't like petit troquet or bon accuiel.
if you want to save $$, do a picnic lunch on those days and skip the cafes.
have a great time!!

http://www.lexpress.fr/mag/saveurs/d...asp?ida=431865

We had a very enjoyable meal at christine...about 5 doors down from Chez Fernand..iT'S very small so I'd make sure to book if you decide on it.

If you can find Reminet let me know..we've searched for it on 2 trips and missed it...maybe too much wine at lunch clouded our vision!

Jenn - I have been to several so I will comment.

Caveau De Isle - very good, very charming. Recommend. You will spend your $100 here with wine. They have a great wine list and food is great.

Au Bon Accueil - no outdoor seating but it is right down the street from Eiffel Tower where you can walk after dinner. Its very small, upper scale, professional serious wait staff. Not much English spoken - we were the only non French. Its probably more expensive that what you want. I think we spend over $100 euros and we ordered moderately. I would skip it too.

Fish - good, casual, lively, within the price range. Great service and location.

We also went to Le Christine. It was charming, good food, fantastic service and very romantic little place. It was just about 100 E.

Have fun

bookmarking

bookmarking

I'd love to have the time to spend in Paris to eat at all these wonderful places!

So far I have only managed le Petit Prince, last July, and had a most enjoyable meal with three teenage children. It was a pleasant place, very good food, helpful staff, and only 135 euros for the 4 of us, including a carafe of house wine and soft drinks.

I asked questions about it here before I booked, and the answers were very positive...

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34628038

Have a great trip, and post back to tell us where to get great budget meals when we next visit Paris!

Hi, jenn00,

I've scrolled throught the postings in response to your restaurant question, and I'd add:

Chez Michel in the 11th - a bit out of the way but a great "find" and an up-and-coming place that the likes of us won't be able to get into in a year or two;
Le Sagittaire, in the 18th - very old- fashioned and charming - a lovely lunch stop if you're planning to visit Montmartre;
Chantairelle, in the 5th - ask for a table in the garden in back;
L'A.O.C., also in the 5th;
Le Buisson Ardent, mentioned in a post is always on our list but we never have made it there;
ALL-TIME FAVORITE: Le Trumilou, in the 1st, 4,Quai de l'Hotel de Ville. Short on decor but amazing in every other way - go for lunch as at dinner there are mainly Americans - at lunch you will find almost exclusively French. And get there at noon!

I very much agree with the member who suggested making reservations: it's always best to resevre even day-of, and even for lunch -the French will appreciate that you're thinking ahead, taking your food seriously (as you obviously are, given your research) and you will be treated better than if you are a "walk-in". For some places listed, such a L'Epi Dupin and Chez Michel, you might want to reserve in advance, i.e., from here before you go.

Bon voyage et bonne bouffe!

-msm4

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Just returned from Paris. Can second the recommendation for Il Caveau de L'Isle. I had a wonderful meal there my first day. But might I add Le Reminet to your list? That was THE meal of my trip, absolutely wonderful and not that far from Ile St. Louis. Trip report to follow this week, I'm still unpacking and getting over jetlag. You can find numerous discussions on Le Reminet here as this is where I found it. :-)

This has been such a helpful discussion! Thanks so much for your input.

Based on all your wonderful suggestions I am thinking...

first night: Le Christine or Fish (on the same street), depending on our mood after our plane lands:)

second night: Le Reminet or Atelier Maitre Albert (both in the 5th)

third night: Caveau de L'Isle (on Isle St. Louis)

All seem to be highly reviewed, within walking distance and in interesting areas for nightime.

msn4, thanks so much for your advice about Le Sagittaire in Montmarte...I am planning on touring the area around lunch one day and was wondering about a good restaurant in that area. We'll definitely check it out.

amyb, so glad to hear you had a great experience with both Caveau de L'Isle and La Reminet. I can't wait to read your trip report...hopefully you will post it before this upcoming Sunday!

Thanks!

Jennifer

I agree with those saying to take Le Vieux Bistro off your list--we too found it was just "good" and for Paris, that's not enough.

We love Le Grand Cafe--the decor alone is worth it--check it out at legrandcafe.com.

Have a great trip.

I can recommend Allard, Fish, and Caveau d'Isle. Also Brasserie Lipp (probably my favorite of these) but it is not what I would describe as very casual at all. Dress up if you want a good table, otherwise you'll likely be upstairs.

In regards to jennoo's post, Le Christine and Fish are NOT on the same street. Le Christine is on rue Christine and Fish is on rue de Seine. Chez Fernand and Le Christine are on the same street

Thanks jody! You're right...I was thinking of Chez Fernand:)

msm4,
I've looked at the menu of Chantairelle, and one dish sounds wonderful -- potatoes, ham, and Cantal cheese, but I have to ask... is the ham raw or cooked? In my limited experience, Auvergne ham is raw. When we went to Baracane, which we really enjoyed, they put Auvergne ham in the salads, and it was raw. I didn't eat it, but my husband did and pronounced it delicious :-)

Sandy

Chantairelle was just okay for me. The Auvergne cuisine also includes lots of lentils and my dish had just too much lentils for my liking. As for Chez Fernand I highly recommend the location on the rue Guisarde.

Btw, I agree all of those who advise scratching Le Vieux Bistro from your listing. When we ate there two years ago we were not pleased that the owner/server segregated the diners into locals and non-locals. But the best part was that we felt forced to order a bottle of wine. And he seemed impatient that we were taking so long trying to choose something not so pricey. I have read people's comments saying that Le Coupe Chou's food is awful. Well, it is not the best, however, Le Vieux Bistro's boeuf bourgignon (supposedly the best in Paris per one guidebook) was not any better than the one Le Coupe Chou serves. All in all we found Le Vieux Bistro to be overhyped.

bookmarking

I now have so many bookmarks on eating in Paris I may explode when we get there, is there a three michelin star place that serves breakfast ;)

I forgot to mention that Allard is very chaotic and noisy if there are loud people talking, and if you don't manage to get an individual table you'll be sandwiched between the communal table and the banquette seating. But our small individual table was next to a little zinc bar the waitstaff uses to pass condiments, glasses, drinks, etc. to one another. So you get waiters pretty much on your back here and there. But the Bresse chicken was really good.

"As for Chez Fernand I highly recommend the location on the rue Guisarde"

but the one on rue Christine has a waiter that looks like Hugh Grant!!!and he's just as charming..We go several times each time we are in Paris and after our second visit have always been greeted by name and had a coupe de champagne or a kir sent to us

I actually had that ham, cheese and potato dish at Chantairelle. It wasn't quite what I expected. The ham was separate and there was a great cheesey potato concoction. The slices of ham were good. Not sure whether cooked or preserved in some other way. I think the best part of that meal was a tart of some kind that I had for dessert.

Sandypaws3,

Didnt get that dish, so can't comment. We really liked the atmosphere, hidden garden in the back, etc. and found that the food was serviceable. We were travelling with our daughter (age 11 at the time) and the fact that the place had a kids' menu and a garden were great pluses for us.

-msm4