I have gone through the Paris section of the latest Pudlo France, and I have noted some of the restaurants that seemed affordable and appealing for our family.

I hoped if I listed them below, some of you foodies wouldn't mind commenting on your experiences with and opinions on any of these restaurants.

Thanks!
Dina

L'Argentuil
L'Absinthe
L'Ardois
Aux Tonneaux des Halles
Dalva
Chez Pierrot
Chez Nenesse
Bofinger
Le Dome du Marais
Le Coupe-Chou
Cafe des Musees
Au Buisson Ardent
La Rotisserie du Beaujolais
Allard
Polidor

Dina: I've been only to Bofinger and Allard. Bofinger is an experience due to the beauty of the room. I've had good dishes here and mediocre dishes.

Allard is quintessential Paris. Their duck with olives, served for two is a specialty. This is what I wrote a few years ago:


On Monday night I dined at Allard, a classic bistro in the 6eme that was recommended by Patricia Wells, located about a 20 minute walk from my hotel. When I arrived, I was pointed toward a table in the back room. The room to be in at Allard is obviously the cozy space in the front, with its "zinc" bar, wood paneling, mirrors, framed drawings, and lace-curtained windows facing the street, instead of the plainer back room which even at 8pm was already crowded with non-French speaking diners. And so I declined the table in the back and was led, instead, to one in the front room where, at 8pm, only one of about 8 other tables was filled.

The surroundings look as if they have been lifted from every movie in the last 50 years that features a bistro scene. I was quite pleased that I had called for a reservation for, during the two hours that I sat there, I could hear several groups of hopeful diners enter the restaurant without reservations and be turned away, even though there were obviously vacant tables. Some of these people were quite persistant and actually argued with the staff, questioning why they could not sit down even though the place was not full. (I hate to write this, but these arguers were obviously foreigners) Well I soon understood the reason that they had been turned away, as one by one, all of the tables in the front room filled up with diners. From eavesdropping at the conversation at the adjacent table, I learned that there was a food fair in town which drew attendees from around the world.

The service at Allard was congenial and professional and the menu features many classic bistro dishes. I was disappointed to learn the their famed duck with olives was only available for two diners; I looked on enviously as two men sitting nearb devoured their portions. But not to worry; the menu promised other tempting fare. I began with a dozen escargots which sizzled with butter and garlic. For a change, the escargot were served in the shells in which they were born, and not placed decoratively inside all-purpose shells which would be used again and again. Next course was, yes, again, confit de canard. Good but I wished for a dining partner if only because I could have then tried the duck with olives! With the meal, a half bottle of Pouilly Fume. And for dessert, a fromage blanc. The bill totaled 50 euro (three courses from the formule menu for 32 euro; 18 Euro for the wine).

The zinc bar at Allard was so beautiful that I did a bit of reading on the subject and learned that the reason for this tradition was that many of the early proprietors of bistros hailed from the Auvergne, a region rich in tin. Most of the bars today that we think of as being zinc, an alloy of tin similar to pewter, are actually tin.

Allard, 41, rue St. Andre des Arts, 6 eme

Escrunchy, I was hoping you would reply!
Thanks so much!!

Ironically, Allard is the only one on the list which we have been to! I only included it because I wasn't sure if we should revisit because we loved it, or try something new.
My daughter and I actually had the duck with olives! It was wonderful and, of course, have not eaten anything quite like it since.
I loved reading your entry. We sat in the back of the room, next to Americans. If we go again, I'll ask to sit in the front...
I'm going to go back and read your trip report -- is it the basque country one?

Hopefully, others will chime in.

Ekscrunchy, I'm back from reading your Paris report!
Funny, Chez Denise is OUR favorite restaurant in Paris, where we plan to dine again (which was I was hesitant to also do Allard again) -- only 3 dinners in Paris this time...

Now I want to add L’Ami Jean to my list!!

Thanks again.

JulieV -- where are you??

Dina: Love, love, love Chez Denise! (In case you did not learn this from the report!!)

I think JulieV might be on a trip..not positive but I think I remember reading that she was leaving soon.

That edition was done about two years ago; for example, L'Argenteuil closed some time ago. The prices will be higher for most of your list. Of those listed, L'Ardoise has the best price/quality ratio; they do it by turning the tables frequently. Twice at lunch and three times in the evening.

Thanks, Oakglen. The edition I have is 2008-2009, but it makes sense it had to be written a while ago to be published now.

So it sounds like the food is good at l'ardoise, but they rush you in and out?

It can be a bit disconserting looking at people standing at the door, waiting for your table. Try booking a late lunch, say at 1:30. Some years ago L'Ardoise had a Bib Gourmand rating, but when they raised prices a bit Michelin took away the rating. BTW, Michelin has two groups of restaurants that provide reasonably priced prix-fixe menus. Free access on their web site.

We had lunch at La Rotisserie du Beaujolais during a trip to France and Portugal in June 2007. We were able to "drop in" when they opened and sat at a table in the front windows. It was possibly the most satisfying meal we had during the 2-1/2 week trip, to the point that my husband actually does not want to go back there, for fear of ruining the memory. The staff was charmingly responsive to my (reasonably good but not FLUENT) French, the food was fabulous, and we still talk about the mashed potatoes that were yellow from the amount of butter in them.

Thanks for the recommendation, DangerGirl. La Rotisserie du Beaujolais sounds wonderful!!

oakglen, I am having trouble finding the correct website to Michelin restaurant reviews online. would you mind sharing?

thanks!

any one else??

thanks!

The new viamichelin.com site is frustrating in the extreme! Sorry about that; maybe someone else could help. Anyway, the new Paris red book will be out in May. $12.00 at Amazon.

ekscrunchy - I am absolutely salivating at your description of Allard!!! I'm putting it at the top of my list for my next Paris trip.

Dina - Polidor is the only restaurant on your list that I've been to. I've eaten there quite a few times over the last couple of decades. It's an inexpensive restaurant that has changed quite a bit. For years and years you would see the same waitresses, who were often a bit abrupt, dashing all over the restaurant with little time to spare for question. It was always a very busy place patronized by many nationalities and many French people from the area. Those old time waitresses have left and the plain white butcher paper table covers have been replaced by red and white checked covers. You now get different glasses for wine and water (formerly you were given only 1 glass for both). Your order is no longer written on the paper but written up on a regular order sheet as in any other restaurant. The communal aspect of Polidor seems to have vanished where you shared a basket of bread among several tables (tables for 2 pushed together to form seating for 6 or 8) or shared a carafe of water. The portions and quality of the food seems to be less than it was. If you're looking for an inexpensive meal your best bet is something like the beef burgundy or lamb and beans. I wouldn't get the chicken as it's a scrawny portion. All in all, Polidor is not as much fun as it used to be. I think the only thing that hasn't changed from the restaurant's conception is the toilet.

bookmark

La dome du Marais and Bofinger were the only two on your list where I dined alone on my previous visit to Paris. I enjoyed both though very different.

Dina4, thanks for pointing me to your thread. I've been entertaining out of town guests and have been a bit distracted. I've only been to 4 of the places you've inquired about--Le Dome du Marias, Bofinger, Coupe Chou, and Au Tonneaux des Halles. All 4 provide interesting dining experience, all a bit different and all with varying levels of "food" experiences vs. ambiance.

DH and I met Maurice Naughton (a friend we met on this and other foodie sites who chose to live 3 months each Spring and Fall in Paris--alas, we have recently learned that his absence on those sites for the last couple of years was occasioned by his death in 2007 as we had feared) at Dome du Marais, at his choosing. Maurice was a former English professor who wrote beautifully of his exploits as a flaneur in Paris and who--as he himself said--ate cheaply because he was poor, not because he was cheap. But Maurice also ate well, so his recommendations were always to be taken seriously. I kept a list over the years of places Maurice recommended on the various sites and will, if you like, provide that list for you--on Monday when I return from a weekend at Disneyworld where as a Florida resident I'm celebrating my birthday with a free admission to one of the parks. I kept urging Maurice to write his own guide to Paris for others who are or fell "poor but not cheap." I think it could have sold well. I also thought he might collaborate with the Hamburgers on an update of their classic Paris Bistros, but he never got to it.

Anyway, after that lengthy aside, Maurice took us to Dome du Marais, and my recollection is that it was the best of the 4 among your list that I've been to. It was an old Bourse or similar and has a pretty eye-popping dome. Decor and food has an almost Asian touch. Be sure to try to reserve in the dome room. I'll send more info on actual food when I can explore my notes on Monday.

Bofinger is beautiful, but as Ekscrunchy says, hits and misses. I often recommend that folks stop for a drink at the small bar and see the room, then have their meal elsewhere, but that said, the food isn't terrible. If you do decide to go, probably best to stick with the sauerkraut dishes, but do have the potatoes with munster for dessert. The munster is the most wonderful, sharp stinky cheese and it just melts over the potatoes. If you're a cheese lover, this is the dessert to have.

Coupe Chou is very cute and romantic. It enjoyed a big heyday on this site for a while a few years back. It has small rooms with old fashioned furnishings in a rustic provincial ambiance with a real fireplace. After all I'd read about it, I was disappointed in the food, again, not bad, but not as good as I was expecting after all the build up. It's on a side street off one of the streets that leads up to the Pantheon.

Aux Tonneaux des Halles is a place we just tried on our trip in March. We've been looking for a place in Les Halles to replace our beloved Chez Clovis which has been remodeled and updated--and ruined by all that. We want something of the authentic old Les Halles with a patina of age and a respect for the old ways. Chez Denise is too often filled with tourists to provide that so we've continued our search. Aux Tonneaux certainly has the right patina of age. It's still got all the furnishings from when Les Halles really was Les Halles. When we were there a distinct regular was having a drink by the window and talking with everyone who came in and by the time we left the sun had come out and the tables on the patio on Rue Montorgeuil had filled up with folks taking a Sunday walk around the area, even with their kids. They had marrow bones on the menu. So why wasn't I smitten? I guess my standards are just too high. Chez Clovis was our favorite restaurant in Paris and it takes a lot to replace it. I was a bit put off that the boiled potatoes that came with my herring in oil were cold rather than hot as I think they should have been--but hey, maybe I shouldn't be so picky. They HAD Auvergne sausages and they had herring in oil and it came in one of those communal pots where you help yourself and then it passes to the next person who orders it. DH enjoyed his duck confit. I was recovering from some intestinal malady and so may also have ordered poorly, but the beef provencal over noodles was not much to write home about. So once again, the reaction is, it's not bad, in fact, pretty good. But if you go, be prepared, this really is OLD Paris and if you're not looking (as I am for a place with the patina--and the dust--of age) it might put you off a bit.

You might want to consider Chien Qui Fume in Les Halles as an alternative. It's not so old but it might be better for a family especially if some of them are teens or younger. It's across the park from Aux Tonneaux just off Rue Berger, about a block from Chez Clovis. They too have some of the old fashioned dishes. I had a saucisson with mustard sauce over green lentils that was excellent and a tete de veau with gribiche sauce that was the equal of Chez Clovis'

Hope this helps you decide. As I say, I'll be happy to check old notes, especially from Maurice's posts about less expensive places with good food for a family and send along some suggestions, but on Monday when I return. For now, I feel like a sports star--I'm going to Disney World!!

Dina

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showforum=10

Probably the best you will find for dining.

Joan

good thread! I haven't bought the Paris Pudlo yet, but I just got the Normandy/Brittany one, as well as the Provence one...

Buy the book, "hungry for Paris" 102 good reviews.

Can be some great book reading, but do remember, it is not that current. Things change fast.

That is what is so great about e-gullet. You are reading posts from people who are mostly "foodies", and you know what it was like last night or this noon!

You can also then go to some of their individual sites, Julot Pinceaux, John Talbot,etc.

I read it almost daily when in Paris..and regularly at home.

Joan