This is a collection of the places we have eaten in Paris between August of 2006 and March of 2007, and recommend. By arrondissement.
1st arrondissement:
Higuma (32 rue Sainte Anne; Metro: Pyramides; open every day, ph: 01-47-03-38-59) This place was very basic in the décor – mid-twentieth century squalor but that was deceptive. On the right as we walked in was a row of seats at a counter facing the cooking area, consisting mainly of a bank of enormous woks – and all around us the diners were hungrily eating and slurping their way toward nirvana. This place was clearly basic dining only – but man what “basic”! And the smells were incredible! If the food was only half as good as it smelled we were definitely in paradise.
After a few minutes wait a young woman came and ushered us toward the back room, threading our way through a maze of tables and chairs packed with people devouring their food. (My only hope now was to be one of those people!)
The dishes were primarily noodles – stir-fried or in broth -- but there were also steamed dumplings and several rise dishes as well. The food was absolutely delicious and unbelievably inexpensive: €43 for the five of us! For example, I had a large bowl of noodles with pork and a half-dozen steamed dumplings for €10! 2006 11/05
Higuma (163 rue Saint Honore; ph: 01.58.62.49.22; Metro: Palais Royal/Musee Louvre) The second restaurant to the one above this place is a bit more upscale in the décor but the menu is the same (and so are the prices we thought). They also have samples in their window, which helps the first time diner. We ate lunch here with friend Beth and enjoyed it immensely. Noisy and crowded when we first arrived, we were soon up to our elbows in noodles – Susan and I each had the Yakisoba sautéed noodles, which I liked more than she did. Order the “set” which includes a noodle dish plus 5-7 “gyoza” (fried dumplings). 2007 3/30
2nd arrondissement:
Sapporo (2 rue Daunou; Metro: Opera or Pyramides) A funky, noisy little Japanese noodle bar a bit more upscale than Higuma and equally great food at rock-bottom prices. One of Susan's Japanese co-workers didn't much of this place however. 2006 11/18
Bistrot Vivienne (4 rue Petits Champs) We had a delicious lunch here, located off of one of the coolest old galleries left in this part of Paris. 2007 2/28
L’Ostria (4 rue Sauval; ph: 01 40 26 08 07; Metro: Louvre-Rivoli) A wonderful place to eat fish. The restaurant is small, seating maybe 30-55 people, and was operated by two guys: one working the tiny kitchen within view of us all and one working the floor so to speak. Very efficient, very smooth operation (at the end of the evening a woman joined them as well). Word is they make one of the best bouillabaisses in Paris (in season however).
For starters (“entre”) Susan and I had a goat cheese and haddock salad: a bed of fresh greens, with slices of grapefruit, apple, and ultra-thin slices of smoked, salted haddock (raw), and in the center were two small pieces of bread each topped with sliced goat cheese and then placed under a broiler to melt. A-M had a salad of greens covered with “crevettes” (small shellfish); and Guy had a mussel (“moules”) salad. The wine for the evening was a crisp Sancerre.
For main course (“plat) we all had the sea bass (“bar”). Fresh? They brought each of us an entire fish, “sitting upright” (rather than on its side), with the head and tail still on, cooked to perfection; and surrounded by a small handful of sliced cooked vegetables: potatoes, fennel, turnip. We skipped dessert. 2006 11/18
3rd arrondissement:
Chez Omar (47 rue de Bretagne, 3rd arr. Closed Sunday noon; ph: 01 42 72 36 36; Métro: Arts et Métiers) Great for couscous and steak and frites and who knows what else it is deeeelicious. 2007 2/11
4th arrondissement:
Les P’tits Loup (rue Saint Antoine; Metro: Bastille) Run by two middle-aged women (whatever that means), one on the inside, the other the outside. The food was delicious, priced well and the service remarkable: friendly, charming and obviously a person who enjoyed dealing with strangers in search of a good meal. This is a solid recommendation for lunch. Located just a hundred meters or so from the Metro. 2006 9/17
L’Enoteca (25 rue Charles V, in the “Marais” neighborhood; ph: 01.42.78.91.44; Metro: Saint Paul). A wonderful evening of good food (OK outstanding food!), and equally good wine. 2006 12/10
Cafe Med on rue Isle St. Louis -- a delicious lunch. 2007 2/25
5th arrondissement:
Coco de Mer (34 Blvd Saint Marcel, 75005 Paris; ph: 047074188; metro: Saint-Marcel; online at: www.seychelles-saveurs.com). 2006 8/3 and 2007 2/26
Cafe des Isles (111 rue Monge, 75005 Paris; ph: 01 47 07 55 55; Metro Censier-Daubenton). The sister restaurant to Coco de Mer where we have eaten twice. Both are in our neighborhood (the Cafe is on rue Monge and Coco is on Rue Saint Marcel) and both provide a wonderful gastronomic eye on the Seychelles ( off the northern coast of Madagascar). Outstanding seafood (fresh snapper from the Seychelles), very nice staff and reasonable prices; very highly recommended. 2007 1/5
L'Arbrea Cannelle Two great lunches here. 2007 December 2006 and January 2007
6th arrondissement:
Le Relais de l’Entrecote (20 bis, rue St-Benoit; ph: 014 5491600; Metro: St. Germain des Pres. A second restaurant 15 rue Marbeuf.). A favorite with tourists and locals alike – we had in fact been given the tip from a businessman who eats out in Paris a great deal – this is one place you should definitely go, but if and only if you like beef. They don’t serve fish, pork or chicken, and they only serve one cut of beef one way with one sauce and a side order of potatoes. No frills, no choices, but then no problems making up your mind either.
We arrived at about 8:30 and there was a short line already forming outside along the street. They don’t take reservations and we had been warned that it’s a good idea to come a bit early before they open to avoid the long lines but we figured hey it’s a Tuesday evening plus we didn’t want to eat early so we’d take our chances. The restaurant was quite large with lots of tables spilling outside onto the sidewalk on the little side street of Rue St.-Benoit just around the corner from Saint Germain-des-Pres and just a block off the busy Blvd. Saint Germain. Across the street were two other restaurants, one of which was generous enough to provide live jazz music not long after we sat down.
Anyway, after about a 15-minute wait we were seated at a table just inside but since the walls were gone for the season we were in effect also outside. Tres cool. The waitress then came to the table and asked what we would like to drink (water first) and then how we want our meat prepared: rare, medium or well. That’s it. Oh and yes you have just three choices for wine: red, white or sparkling (we chose red). She wrote our orders on the tablecloth and a few minutes later we had our wine, fresh bread and soon afterwards our salads – all very delicious I might add.
A little while later out came the meat. The meat was swimming in a unique pesto-like sauce -- the basil flavor was distinct but not as strong as a traditional pesto or so we thought – and it had a rich, buttery edge to it. Perfect with the meat, which by the way appeared to be slices of sirloin cooked to a tender perfection. I should perhaps explain how they plate the food since it too seemed quite different from any other experience we can recall. They brought out the meat in covered serving trays which were then placed on portable burners scattered strategically around the restaurant – and these were soon followed by huge platters of “pomme frites” (french fries of course) the only accompaniment to the meat. The fries are spooned on to each plate followed by the meat and sauce and then brought to the table. But only half of each person’s portion is given out; and after you finish that you get the “second” helping of both fries and meat. Interesting, no?
The evening air was perfect, the music coming from across the street just added to the fact that yes, we were in Paris, with good friends eating good food, and, as one at our table that evening is often fond of saying, we’re just happy to be here. 2006 9/17
Les Bouquinistes (53 Quai des Grands Augustins; ph: 01 43 25 45 94; Metro: Pont Neuf, Odeon or St. Michel; online at: www.guysavoy.com) Susan and I had eaten here in 1998 and had always wanted to return. The food was even better than we remembered. The service was impeccable, and the wines, a red Merseault and a red Volnay, worked really well with our food; three of us had seafood and Stan had veal. The desserts were equally spectacular; and the cheese board (which I had) consisted of four different cheeses, a hard Comte-like cheese, a chevre, a Brie -style and a fabulous blue called “Fourme d’Ambert,” which was almost sweet. Delicious! 2006 9/17
Ze Kitchen Galerie (4 rue des Grand Augustin; ph: 01.44.32.00.32; Metro: Pont Neuf, St. Michel or Odeon; online at: www.zekitchengalerie.fr) Very creative food, big on multiple flavors with a strong Asian twist. Reasonable prices adequate wine list. 2007 3/29
Lombardi’s (29 rue Dauphine). This place is small but the food was good, service slow, prices OK, and we got to hear and speak Italian. 2007 2/5
8th arrondissement:
La Ferme Saint Simon (6 rue Saint-Simon; ph: 01 45 48 35 74; Metro: rue du Bac; online at: www.fermestsimon.com). 2006 8/27
9th arrondissement:
Rose bakery (46 rue des Martyrs; ph: 01.42.82.12.80) Delicious lunch, great breads, funky interior but overall worth an afternoon stop. 2006 November
13th arrondissement:
Del Navona Pizze (Blvd. des Gobelins) They advertised offered "wood-fired" pizzas and we weren't disappointed. Both of us ordered pizzas (mine came with the wonderful "Merguez" sausage), of course, and a half bottle of Valpolicella. One of the two men sitting next to us caught our eye at one point. He casually remarked to us as they received their pizzas that they were big but good. And he was right! 2007 2/20
Les Pissenlits (11 rue de la Butte aux cailles) The food was pretty good: I had a burger with the first handcut French fries I have seen since coming to Paris! Truly amazing! Susie and Beth both had hearty French-style cassaroles which were tasty but filling. The service was good but the wine mediocre. We skipped dessert. 2007 3/5
15th arrondissement:
Bistrot d'Hubert (41 Boulevard Pasteur, 15th arr.; ph: 01 47 34 15 50; Metro: Pasteur; online at: www.bistrodhubert.com). The restaurant is quite small but very nicely laid out with a superb view of the kitchen space to the rear. I should also add the staff were pleasant, attentive and alternated between French and English with ease. 2007 3/4
16th arrondissement:
Aux Marches du Palais (rue de la Manutention 75016 Paris; ph: 01 47 23 52 80; Metro: Iena) The food was very good but the service a bit inattentive. We also missed out on the fixed menu that just about every restaurant in Paris has since when we asked our waitress she said no there wasn’t one and yet it was on a chalkboard on the wall. And we never received the wine list, which was on another big chalkboard brought to the table. Maybe we had to ask. We did order the “vin rouge du maison” and it was actually just fine, and of course inexpensive. The food was quite good and reasonably priced we thought, although two meals had to go back because they were undercooked. Aside from these glitches one could recommend this place – and particularly if you enjoy a firm grasp of French. Diane had “gambas” (shrimp), Susan had “poulet” (chicken), Lorenzo actually had two starters, fois gras and “champignons” (mushrooms) and I had a small steak (“l’entrecote”) that was superb – aside from being undercooked, the sauce was very tasty and the potatoes (“pommes du terre”) just right. 2006 9/10
18th arrondissement:
Coquelicot (24 rue des Abbesses; ph: 01.46.06.18.77; Metro: Abbesses) Located just a block or so from the metro stop, the café looked fascinating from the street and so the food and service proved even more so. Nor would this be the last time we would visit this wonderful little café -- we returned there for lunch where I had one of the best goat cheese salads I have ever eaten. 2006 May
If you’re looking for more restaurant reviews an excellent website is chocolateandzucchini.com:
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