Restaurnts close to Place Victor Hugo
 

Six of my friends and I will be in Paris this summer and one friend will have a birthday the Friday we arrive. Since we are staying in the 7th, the plan was to take a leisurely walk over to the Eiffel Tower/Champs du Mars and then into the 16th along Rue de Passy and wind our way to Place Victor Hugo (or wherever!) for dinner, to Dokhan's for champagne, and down Raymond Poincare to the Trocadero for a glorious night view of the Eiffel Tower. I have had a suggestion of Scossa but, frankly, I'm not sure what is meant by "fusion" cuisine. Can someone describe what that might be? Also, I've read of Cafe du Trocadero. What other restaurants in that general area would you suggest and what type of food does each offer? We're not out to break the bank, but we would like a great dinner for our first night in Paris. Many thanks!

Obviously, the title should be "Restaurants." I really do need to "review my reply" before posting!

Brasserie Scossa (yuck) is reasonably priced but that is all I can say positively about the place. Bras. Stella is a much better choice in the same area. If you want to dine near the Trocadero try Le Scheffer, 22 rue Scheffer.

Scossa is a place to drink more than eat. Since its change from a traditional style to modern, it has a become very popular drinking spot with the younger crowd in that neighborhood. Still makes a good cappuccino and excellent tea with fresh mint leaves.
Better restaurant choices would be Bistrot l'Etoile Lauriston and Conti, both on rue Lauriston. Conti is an upscale Italian; L'Etoile leans toward seafood, but isn't fish only.
Stella is fine IF you like the kind of food they specialize in--my husband doesn't like their main courses (saucisson, pied de cochon, haddock--he loathes haddock--calf's liver).

I recently ate at Convivium (5 place Victor Hugo, tel 01 44 17 91 92) and really enjoyed it. It's a Sicilian restaurant, upscale without breaking the bank. There are some quite affordable options (e.g. pizzas and pastas at about 15-18 euros), plus more expensive options. Be careful if you decide to order antipasta platters, though. The price adds up very quickly. We asked for such a platter (enough for six people), ended up with far too much food (enough for 12 people, I think). One platter (at 17.50 euros) is enough for 3 people.

It's rather large, so there should be room for a group for dinner. (We were a group of six and made a reservation on a Wednesday fairly late in the day, without any problems.) Don't ask for a non-smoking table, though. You'll get stuck in a room with no view. (Since it's a Friday, though, you should book the restaurant before you leave home.)

And, since it's your day of arrival, some of you might need a nap before dinner.

Convivium is fun and a friendly, if sometimes hectic, place to dine, definitely more casual than Conti. We've eaten there several times, but never with a reservation. If you do reserve, be sure to request a table on the main floor and not downstairs, where they tend to place tourists/nonregular customers--and us, because we usually have our dog with us and it's so busy and crowded upstairs, she'd probably get stepped on by a rushing waiter. Kate is right, it is reasonably priced but can add up. Our normal bill for dinner for two (the dog eats at home) is around 100 to 125 euro, which includes several courses and a mid-priced bottle of wine.

Why not walk down toward the Arc to
17 Avenue Kléber, and the Hôtel Raphaël...take the elevator to the roof and have champagne while gazing over the Arc and Paris...and contemplating your dinner?
Go to the web site below, click on Hotel, then Panoramic Terrace and Gardens for a 360 degree view that you will enjoy...

Forgot to post the website:

http://www.raphael-hotel.com/uk/navigation.htm

Orval -- what a fabulous place!!! I have already emailed for a reservation and a copy of the menu! Thank you SO much for suggesting this over-the-top dining spot. I'm sure the "birthday girl" will absolutely love it!!!

Merci!

Joy