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what
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By Meredith
Fisher
If
New York is the City that never sleeps, then Paris is the
city that never stops eating. As the gastronomic capital of
the world, the streets of Paris are a food lover’s dream
come true. However, deciding where to eat in Paris can be
a challenge. The choices are endless: right bank or left?
The styles are completely different: bistro or brasserie?
And with the weak dollar, everything is expensive.
The best thing about a trip to Paris
is that whether you are looking for chic or cheap, it can
fit any mood or budget. Hopefully, after reading about a few
of our favorite places, the toughest part will be figuring
out how to extend your trip.
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| RESTAURANTS
Pierre
Gagnaire
Haute Splurge
 Pierre
Gagnaire
6, rue Balzac (Charles de Gaulle-Etoile/George
V)
8th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 015-836-1250
Pierre Gagnaire’s
8th arrondissment restaurant reaches for the stars and gets
three (to be exact) from the Michelin Guide. With a dining
experience that takes haute cuisine to new heights, you quickly
realize why it’s so hard to get a reservation. There
are misses, for example, a black olive saffron ice cream,
but many hits, as in a shot glass of fresh pea soup with avocado.
Be prepared for a multi-course extravaganza of edible art
painted by one of the true masters of modern French cuisine.
- Recommended Dishes:
Tasting Menu
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Joel
Robuchon
Most Welcome Comeback
 L’Atelier
de Joel Robuchon
5, rue de Montalembert (Rue du Bac)
7th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-222-5656
La Table de Joel Robuchon
16, av. Bugeaud
16th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 015-628-1616
Whether you wait it out at L’Atelier
or reserve in advance for La Table, Robuchon crafts creative
dishes that challenge your taste buds without completely
alienating them. At Atelier, park yourself at the bar-seat-only
dining room, order a few small plates (try the langoustine
ravioli), and watch the action in the open kitchen. Be sure
to get a side of the signature whipped potatoes, so creamy
and decadent, that you’ll forget that low carb ever
existed.
- Recommended Dishes:
Langoustine
en Papillote
La Caille (Quail)
Pomme Puree
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Chez
L’Ami Louis
Ultimate Bistro
Chez L’Ami Louis:
32, rue du Vert-Bois (Arts et Métiers)
3rd arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-887-7748
What does it take to have the best poulet
roti in Paris? Find out for yourself on this side street
near the Bastille, where you can also indulge in thick slabs
of house made foie gras and buttery escargot. When the food
arrives you’ll forget you might forget your name,
but don’t fret, you’ll never forget L’Ami
Louis once you recover from your food coma. Portions are
huge; take, for example, a cow-like l’entrecote that
was apparently so finger-licking good that the flashy twosome
on our right opted for tongues (each others’) over
napkins to sample every juicy bite. Linger over your heaping
mound of frites and just keep telling yourself they’re
a digestive aid. Who knows, they might be?
- Recommended Dishes:
Foie Gras
Poulet Roti
L’Entrecote
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L’Epi
Dupin
Staying Power
 L’Epi
Dupin:
11 rue Dupin, (Sevres-Babylon)
7th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-222-6456
Though not new to the Paris dining scene,
this petite bistro is still as crowded as ever. Whether
it’s the small size, the reasonable prix fixe, their
limited hours of operation (it’s closed on the weekends
and Monday) or simply the market-driven menu, locals and
tourists alike crowd in nightly. Chef François Pasteau’s
inspired modern creations have stood the test of time, making
this one of the hottest places to dine on the Left Bank.
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Yannick
Alleno, Restaurant Le Meurice
Chef to Watch
 Restaurant
Le Meurice:
228, rue de Rivoli (Concorde/Tuileries)
1st arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-458-1055
Barely six months after taking over
the kitchen at the Le Meurice hotel on Rue de Rivoli hotel,
Yannick Alleno’s creative spin on French classics
has earned him two Michelin stars and reservations have
become scarce. At only 35, Chef Alleno demonstrates the
ability of a true master, and one who is not afraid to experiment.
It pays off in a light and airy langoustine cannelloni and
a roasted turbot that is nearly worth the 110 Euro price
tag. The only thing more decadent than the food is the ornate
décor fit for a king. Lunch is the best value at
75 Euros, it will satisfy even the most discriminating foodie.
- Recommended Dishes:
Cannelloni of Langoustine
Roasted Turbot on Marrow Bone
Iced Mousse Hazelnut Praline
Duck Foie Gras Poached in Chambertin Wine
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Mon
Viel Ami
Island Dining
 Mon
Viel Ami :
69, rue St-Louis-en-l'Ile (Hôtel-de-Ville/St-Michel)
4th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-046-0135
With a communal table, minimalist
dark wood décor and a market driven menu, this petit
bistro would be at home on the streets of New York, but
instead it’s on the main strip of the Ile St. Louis.
At this Parisian outpost of Strassburg star Antoine Westermann,
38 Euros will buy you three ample courses, such as a yellow
beet salad with coriander or seared scallops with frisee
and wild mushrooms. The only thing more enjoyable than the
food is the accommodating staff that seems as excited about
your dinner as you are.
-
Recommended Dishes:
Yellow Beet Salad
Seared Scallops with Frisee and Wild Mushrooms
Pâté en Croûte
Chocolate Tart
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Le
Relais de l’Entrecote
Steak Frites
 Le
Relais de l’Entrecote:
20 bis, Rue St-Benoit, (Odeon)
6th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-549-1600
15, Rue Marbeuf, (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
8th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-952-0717
Don’t bother looking at the
menu because there isn’t one. The only decision you’ll
need to make at either outpost of this red meat mecca is
rare, medium or (gasp!) well-done. A simple green salad
and the house Beaujolais go perfectly with the steak and
fries. Don’t ask what’s in the sauce; it’s
obviously a secret. Expect long lines on the weekends, because,
of course, they don’t take reservations.
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Recommended Dishes:
Steak Frites
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| Mariages
Freres
Tea Time
Mariages
Freres:
13 Rue des Grands Augustins (St-Michel)
6th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-051-8250
30 Rue du Bourg-Tibourg (Hotel-de-Ville)
4th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-272-2811
260, rue du Fabourg-St-Honoré
8th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-622-1854
With over 300
different varieties of tea to choose from, both locations
of this traditional French tea house will satisfy your curiosity
to find out what caramel or chocolate tea taste like. If you
would rather get your sweet sensation from the real thing,
opt for the assortment of fresh pastries that change daily.
Take home any of the teas you taste from their store, or take
the smell of tea home with a tea candle.
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| Angelina
Sweet Tooth
 Angelina:
226, rue de Rivoli (Concorde/Tuileries)
1st arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-260-8200
This tourist trap
on the Rue de Rivoli might be a tad over the top and a tad
overpriced, but well worth the visit if only for the world-renowned
hot chocolate. One sip, and you’ll realize why people
come from far and wide for deliciously thick mugs of utter
chocolate perfection that is rich enough to bring even the
staunchest chocoholic to their knees. Avoid the weekend crowds
and schedule an early morning visit, when both you and your
waiter can delight in the pleasure that something this sweet
can give.
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Recommended Dishes:
Hot Chocolate
Pain au Chocola
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| L’As
du Fallafel
Cheap Lunch
 L’As
du Fallafel:
34 Rue des Rosiers
3rd arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-887-6360
After you work
up an appetite visiting the Picasso Museum and cruising the
streets of the Marais, make a beeline for this bumping falafel
stand/restaurant. 4 Euros will buy you a falafel special to
go, and for 2 euros more, you can upgrade to a table inside
the cramped quarters.
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Recommended Dishes:
Falafel specia
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| Bar
de Theatres
Steak Tartare
Bar de Theatres
6:
av Montaigne (Alma-Marceau)
8th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-723-3463
French woman apparently
don’t get fat by eating steak tartare for lunch. The
secret is to split the monster-size portion of finely ground
meat and to get half salad/half potatoes as a side. This may
be the only splurge you can afford after window shopping on
Rue de Montaigne, one of the most beautiful and expensive
streets in Paris.
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Recommended Dishes:
Steak Tartar
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| Coffee
Parisian
American Breakfast
Coffee Parisian:
4 Rue Princesse (Odeon)
6th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-354-1818
When you’re craving
some American bacon and eggs, secure a stool at the bar or
squeeze into a table on top of your neighbor at this ‘50s
style diner. There is nothing French about this place, except
all the Sorbonne students and the indifferent service from
your waitress.
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Recommended Dishes:
Pancakes
Omelette with Hash Browns
American Coffe
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| La
Grande Epicerie at Le Bon Marche
Grocery Store
 La
Grand Epicerie:
38, rue de Sevres (Sevres-Babylon)
7th arrondissement, Paris
phone: 014-439-8100
An international shopper’s
delight, it is one of the only places that carries peanut
butter in Paris. If your tastes are more Fleur de Sel than
Skippy, you’ll have access to a world of products, as
well as a bakery, butcher, patisserie, and wine store.
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