Taillevent reservation
 

I am going to France for the first time. My husband and I have a reservation at Taillevent this Monday night(a week from today), We are starting to wonder if we should try to change it to lunch or cancel because it is so expensive. But I am learning that the French are quite formal and polite and so on. I don't want to be rude. What should we do? Would canceling be in poor taste?

Of course you can cancel! Or you can change to lunch, where there is a possibility of ordering the set meal. They are very responsive to e-mail.

The lunch menu is 80 Euro per person and you should be able to see the dishes on offer with the set lunch on their site, as long as they keep it updated (click on "lunch menu"); you can also order a la carte at lunch.

http://www.taillevent.com/English/Taillevent Food And Wine.html

What are you imagining that the prices are like for dinner?

I am guessing it will be around $500 for two without wine?

The link shows 38 Euro per person or 75 Euro per person for the tasting menu, plus wine.

cyn - if this is not within your budget and you prefer dinner for a romantic anniversary then there are many good restaurants in Paris where you can have a nice meal less expensively. You won't relax and have a good time if you're worried about the cost.

I see 190 Euro for dinner.

cyn, you are right in the "about $500 for dinner". I just tried to get a lunch reservation myself for Taillevent on the 24th and have not heard back yet. I have gone to a restaurant in the Latin Quarter called Le Coup Chou (they have a web site) and found it to be very good, reasonable and very romantic, it is in an old house and most rooms have fireplaces, low beamed ceilings and stone walls. I love the atmosphere there. But there are soo many to choose from....good luck, and you will enjoy whatever you do!

<< I see 190 Euro for dinner >>

Sorry - I was looking at the lunch set price.

I have eaten their once, for lunch since that was the only available reservation. We had the table for the entire lunch and were never pressured to permit them to turn the table, and probably spent four hours at lunch. But, we were enjoying several exceptional wines and perhaps that's why we weren't politely encouraged to vacate. My lunch was in 1992 and I think we topped $1,000 for two back then.

I had a similar experience in 2005 at The Fat Duck outside London where we enjoyed a five hour lunch, but it was also around $500 per person.

I have been to several Michelin 3-Star restaurants for lunch (the two above, Paul Bocuse, Arzak) and prefer the lunchtime experience to dinner (a 5-hour dinner would take me to the early hours after midnight).

On their site, the set lunch price is 80 euro and the discovery menu is 190; the link I gave above is not working; see this:


http://www.taillevent.com

Adrienne: There is no meal for 38 euro at Taillevent.

I think you are looking at their second restaurant, also on the website, L'Angle du Fauborg.

A group of 5 of us went to Taillevent for lunch back in 1997. At that time they didn't have a set/fix price lunch, everything was a la carte. We decided to go for lunch as it was less expensive than dinner. I don't remember exactly what we paid but it was at least $200 a person. I remember having a soup that was close to $30!! (but worth every penny!) We had some aperitiffs and a bottle of wine and some port at the end. The table was ours for the duration, we were the 2nd to last table to leave.
We still talk about the amazing experience , food and service wise. It was perfect.

I go to Taillevent for lunch and for dinner every so often. I like it!

The lunch is very nice. I think they have a 'special' price, as most of the starred restaurants have. Why not use a 1010 dialing number and call them for your reservations...much better to do.

Enjoy...

Joan

It's silly to spend all that money for dinner if you really don't want to. I'm not saying it's not worth it - we;ve been and found it definitely worth the cost but if it doesn't fit you budget, then look for somewhere less expensive.

And when you go to a starred restauarant they don;t expect to "turn" the table. There is one set of people for lunch and one for dinner - that's part of the reason for the price - they don;t expect to get you out in 1.5 hours and serve to another set of people.

But before you decide do look at the menu online to see what the prix fixe meals offer - if you like those you might consider that rather than a la carte.

<<And when you go to a starred restauarant they don;t expect to "turn" the table. >>

Some do (e.g., Gordon Ramsey RHR -- I haven't been, but I have friends who told me that a time limit was firmly in place for the first dinner seating).

So realistically if we have dinner and a bottle of wine or two what might it cost? I guess they say if you have to ask you can't afford it:) We are willing to splurge some because I have never been to such a fine restaurant and it is our 25th Anniversary. I also have the issue of needing to eat Gluten Free because I have Celiac Disease. Which I will make them aware of in advance.

I don;t see any prices for the a la carte - but the discovery menu is 190 euros each which would be more than $600 with wine, water etc. And that's with limited selections. Now, a la carte you don;t have to order every course - but it doesn;t seem like the type of place where you would order just a main course and a bottle of water.

If you have any doubts at all about wanting to spend that much - of if the dishes could be adapted to meet your needs I would cancel.

Have you thought about emailing them to ask what they could offer someone with celiac disease?