Special Anniversary Lunch in Paris
 

I know this topic has been done to death, but I will ask anyway. In fact, there was a thread about special lunch menus at fine restaurants some time ago, but I can't seem to find it.

Anyway, we will be in Paris in early October, and I want to take my really special wife to someplace really special for lunch on our 25th Anniversary. I would prefer dinner, but she cannot eat large meals in the evening. I know there have been threads that talk about really nice, even starred, restaurants that have menus at lunch that do not break the bank.

Any suggestions in the vicinity of €100 without drinks?

le cinq.

the price has gone up since we went to €95 but it is still a bargain - although it is sold as 3 courses you get about 6 and they are all wonderful - I would go again just for the seaweed butter.

and the service is utterly impeccable.

btw, nukesafe, drop a hint that it's an anniversary, and i bet they will pull out the stops. I had to change the time of our reservation due to having tickets for an exhibition that was sold out, and not only did they remember where we'd been, they even sounded genuinely interested!

Le Pre Catalan.....gorgeous setting and wonderful food and service. It's a bit over 100 Euros but worth every penny.

Another vote for Le Pre Catalan.

Both Le Cinq, and Le Pre Catalan sound delightful, thank you both very much. We have not tried either one, and I will consider both.

BTW, we have eaten at Jules Verne, but not since the change of ownership. Has anyone eaten there recently that can comment on the experience? If anyone has eaten there and at other high end place, and can compare, it would be most helpful.

I was looking for a €95 for LE Cirq, but couldn't find it. Do you have a link? Thank you.

DebitNW,

Make sure you are spelling correctly: LE CINQ, not Le Cirq as you've typed above. It may just be a typo on your part, but I just wanted to make sure!

I've frustrated myself on many an occasion by doing just that type of thing!

LisaG

There's no link to the 95 euro lunch menu online but it's offered every day of the week and changes frequently. They can email you a copy of the current menu if you email [email protected]. When we dined in December, there were 3 choices of starters, 2 choices of mains and I think 3 dessert choices plus a pre-amuse, amuse, pre-dessert and mignardises. The cheese course is extra. If anything on the prix fixe doesn't appeal that day, ask if they can substitute something from the a la carte.

Thanks, Patty! That helps.

My current list, in no particular order, is:

Le Grand Vefour

L'Astrance

Jules Verne

Le Cinq

Le Pre Catalan

Guy Savoy

They all look wonderful, but looking at the sites, I get the feeling that none of them match the mood I want. All are glorious huge rooms with widely separated tables, which is nice --- but they seem to lack the feeling of intimacy that would match the mood of our occasion.

Can anyone suggest Parisian restaurants have great food, but are cozier?

You want intimacy with the table next to you?!

Nukesafe, my husband and I have been going to La Truffiere (in the 5th) since 2002. They just earned their first Michelin star a couple months ago (good for them, bad for us! ;-)). I'd say it's cozy.


http://www.la-truffiere.fr/

P.S. I did not check the menu for your price point. It was downright reasonable at lunch last time we were there (Feb 2011) but I have no idea if the Michelin star has had any effect on that.

Bon chance!

It sounds like you just want a small restaurant, I don't like those fancy old-fashioned French ones that are so formal, either. The problem is the ones that are small also tend to have tables very close together, they can't afford not to. So it's a problem.

Why not take a look at the restaurant in L'Hotel in St Germain -- it has a Michelin star and a very reasonably priced fixed lunch menu around 50 euro. I think it is smaller and cozier than Pre Catalan, for example. Check out the video tour http://www.l-hotel.com/restaurant/introduction/

http://www.la-truffiere.fr/menu_2.php?id=37>>

here's a link to the €75 evening degustation menu. 4 courses plus the extra bits and bobs that seem to be required nowadays. there is also a €145 tasting menu, and much cheaper lunch menus as YG says.

I don't see it being any more intimate than le cinq, though it is very different in style, admittedly.

Wow, now you are talking! Both La Truffiere, and the restaurant in L'Hotel look wonderful!

Thank you! I will present all of my suggestions to "My Manager", and let you know which she chooses.

I'd like to do them all, so at the price points of the last two we could do a couple, at least.

Hi ns,

1. Taillevent, Le Menu Déjeuner, 98E pp including wine.
www.taillevent.com

2. Anywhere else.

Enjoy

((I))

the €95 lunch menu including drinks looks like a bargain!

nukesafe, it seems you're well on your way to making a decision. If you want to add more options to the list, you might look up the trip reports by denisea. She and her husband always dine at delicious-sounding restaurants!

I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean by intimate/cozy but take a look at L'Auberge du 15 http://www.laubergedu15.com/index.php

It was on my list the last 2 trips but we never made it there. a friend whose opinion I trust dined there in May and raved about it. The lunch menu is only 26 euros but if you feel like you need to spend more, you can always order the degustation or a la carte ;)