I am perpetually perplexed by these recommendations of Breakfast in America. If one has been away from the U.S. for a month or more, I can imagine a desire for "familiar food," but to advise someone to go there immediately upon arrival is an abomination.

You want brasserie offerings, Balzar and La Rotonde being personal favorites. Le Castiglione for a burger, if you must. Chez Flottes for great Croque sandwiches/frites etc. Kindly be aware that most cafes buy much of their dishes in frozen form, like Confit de Canard. Simple economics, unfortunately.

Ha, ha - Cathinjoetown!

We were in Paris just last week, and my husband is a bit particular about his food. It was no problem for us. There was always someone to interpret the menu if we were unsure. Our best meals were in the 6th arr at La Rotonde (steak frites, fillet of sea bass), Charivari - across the street from La Rotonde on Blvd Raspail (the best sea scallops and lentils of my life! and Beef fillet for DH). Next door to Le Timbre (excellent) is a new place, Moustache, which we enjoyed. The personable chef talked with us out front and agreed to cook my fillet of beef a little more than normal and it was just perfect. The food was a bit of French/Asian fusion, similar to what we might get in California. Very very good vegetables, salads, and chicken. So I think your friend will be OK in most instances, as long as she has an idea of what she is ordering.

Breakfast in America appears to be super-popular with Parisians (I've stayed in the hotel next door a couple of times and seen the lines to get in). While I agree that it seems perverse for Americans to go to Paris and eat there, knowing it exists as a backup might get the picky eater to be a bit more adventurous.

Thank you all for the great advice. AnthonyGA, I've put my foot down on the American fast food chains. No way, no how will I utter the sentence "I went to Paris and ate at Mcdonalds" lol.

kerouac, I am afraid that many do have the incorrect perception that French food is very fancy and bizarre (ala snails & blood tripe)

Once again thank you all. we leave Monday and I'll have my laptop so I'll keep you posted on how we make out. Rest assured I'll not have much of a problem. I've got waaaay more restaurants that I want to try than I do days in which to try them.

I had to smile at the Breakfast in America recommendations / indictments. Back in 2008, my family had been away from the US for 7 weeks by the time we arrived in Paris. The joy on my 6-year-old's face as he tucked into a plate of pancakes and bacon is something I won't forget. He was as delighted with that meal as I am when I arrive in Paris and have that first spoonful of cassoulet.

(But a grown-up, in Paris for a short holiday, can certainly do better.)

What's blood tripe?

The reality is that not everyone wants to eat unfamiliar food. And Paris has much to offer besides food, so there are many reasons to visit the city, and there's nothing wrong with visiting Paris but still eating familiar food from home.

I've had lots of clients who were very interested in Paris generally, but still preferred to eat American-style food at mealtime. There's nothing wrong with that. Paris is good for other things besides stuffing one's face with overpriced, overhyped food.

I know you're back already but this reminds me of the group of six non French speaking Americans sitting next to us in Beaune at Ma Cuisine. After quizzing the waiter one of the women finally asked if they had anything 'vegetarian' and was told they could make a salad. Halfway thru their dinner the water walked by and spotted her eating some bones from another plate at her table and ribbed her unmercifully! Very funny and she deserved it imho!

But how do you know which dishes you like in a new country or dislike unless you try? And if you dislike one, will you dislike them all? Trying new things is part of the fun...

I can highly recommend the Pacific Eiffel Restaurant in the Pullman Hotel (f/k/a Paris Hilton - no not "her" but the hotel) - 18, av de Suffren. Basically, an American restaurant menu and well done. IMHO, best cheesburger in town with high quality ingredients. Love their scallops. You can order and recieve a steak cooked to your specifications. A very nice place AND the added bonus is the view of the Eiffel Tower.

Trying things can be fun or stressful, depending on your personality. Some people travel for reasons other than adventure. For example, some people come to Paris because they are intensely interested in its history or art, or because they want to actually practice speaking French. They may not be very adventuresome. They might be happy eating at McDonald's. I don't see a problem with that.

Conversely, some people love adventure, right down to going somewhere without a hotel reservation and then struggling to find a place to stay after they arrive. And then there are people who come to Paris just for the food, of course, and they couldn't care less about the rest—so they stay at the Hilton and only go out for meals, moving from one three-star restaurant to another. And others just want to shop … the list goes on and on.

Cheese and foie gras all week, sounds dreadful. Sign me up.

How about Italian? Marco Polo at Rue de Conde near the Odeon is a place we have dinner every time we are in Paris.

Atelier Maitre Albert at 1 Rue Maitre Albert just off Quai de Montebello (left bank near Motre Dame). Very popular, known for their roast chicken, probably the best dauphinois(sp?) potatoes I've ever had.

Relais Entrecote, several loications. We went to one on the left bank near St. Germain. One dish only, steak with a great peppercorn sauce, ff's and salad and several dessert options.

The much maligned French steak can be mastered very easily. Order it <i>a point</i> and you get a medium rare. Cut it at an angle to make it easier to chew. Rump steak (round steak) is economical and tasty.

Chicken and fish in any restaurant will be better than anything you have at home. Lamb, as in cous cous, is delicious. Try Chez Bebert at Montparnasse. Mussels are great. Try Leon de Bruxelles with a number of stores around Paris.

Restaurant Montparnasse 1900 is beautiful and reasonably priced. Another good deal is Roger de Grenouille. I don't know if they serve frogs legs but they give big portions of beef and veggies.

Do not eat in any of the show places like the Lido. Avoid any place with a Michelin star.

Have lunch at BHV, Galleries Lafayette, or other department stores.

Go to a market and buy cheese, wine, bread, pate, salad, etc. and take it back to your room for a great picnic. I like the market at Place Maubert. It has stores adjacent to the veggie stalls.

Stick your neck out and order a steak tartare, raw hamburger with condiments.

I'm thinking that a lot of these "unadventurous" questioners never return to say what they ate because they are embarrassed on two levels: 1) they found that it was super easy to find simple food and 2) they ate some 'weird' things that they loved.

but probably not Rognons de veau....

The French are not very good at preparing steaks. While there are standout exceptions, most of the time the steaks are like a chunk of tire rubber.

There's a restaurant across from Harry's Bar that supposedly has very good steak, and I'm sure there are others, but they are the exceptions. Fortunately I don't care for steak, so I'm mostly unaffected by the prevalence of bad steak in Paris. The French are not that much into steak, either, at least not like many Americans.

Michelin stars are usually quite reliable. Single-star restaurants are often very good. Three-star restaurants may be overexpensive and overrated, although the food should still be good.

Eating raw hamburger may be sticking your neck out more than you realize, if it has any E. coli or parasites in it. And it doesn't have much taste, anyway&mdash;the taste comes from all the stuff that you pour onto it.

The stuff that turns out to be unpleasant is almost always from animals, so if you avoid dishes made from animals, you're usually safe. An unfamiliar veggie, grain, or fruit dish might not be to your taste, but it probably won't make you gag (although I once did see someone gag on chutney).

And then there are bean sprouts from Hamburg (breaking news)...