February in Paris
photo credit: iStockphoto.com
Other than New York, I probably get asked more for Paris restaurant recommendations than for any other city. I usually just send people to patriciawells.com and davidlebovitz.com, because I trust their judgment. They both live in Paris, and they both have steered me and many of my friends and family right many times. But when I go to Paris, I like to be armed with a few specific recommendations that I can act on. That's where a trusted pal comes in handy. My friend and sometime collaborator Kathryn Kellinger and her husband, Balthazar co-chef Lee Hansen, just returned from Paris and filed this report:
"The not-so-fancy restaurant of the moment in Paris is Le Comptoir. Both Gourmet and Food & Wine have recently written about it. It was great. Besides Le Comptoir, we loved Bistrot Paul Bert (18 Rue Paul Bert; phone, 33-01-43-72-24-01)—exciting and excellent food, one of our absolute favorite meals.
"We also enjoyed Le Baratin (3 Rue Jouye Rouve, way the hell out in the 20th Arrondissement; phone, 33-01-43-49-39-70). Organic wines by the glass, slow, simple food. A great place for lunch, in what might be the Parisian equivalent of going to Queens for a meal. We liked everything about this place.
"Chez Omar (47 Rue de Bretagne; phone, 33-01-42-72-36-26). Cous cous that shouldn't be missed—order the royale with all its adorning lamb."
And here's one more timely, finite source:
Last week's New York Times magazine had a fun piece by Christine Muhlke about
L'Ami Jean, chef Stephane Jego's gastro-bistro (27 Rue Malar; phone, 33-01-47-05-86-89). Here's a quote: "Along with Parisian restaurants like Chez Michel (10 Rue Belzurze; phone, 33-01-44-53-06-20), L'Os a Moelle (3 Rue Vasco de Gama; phone, 33-01-45-57-27-27), L'Oursine (92 Rue de Broca; phone, 33-01-47-07-13-65), and L'Acajou (35 Bis Rue de la Fontaine; phone, 33-01-42-88-04-47), L'Ami Jean serves food that is adventurous while sticking close to home."
That sounds like exactly the kind of food I would want to eat if I were going to Paris.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
8 Comments:
I'm compiling notes on this subject since I have a few days stopover in the City of Lights on an upcoming trip to Europe. It's my first trip so I'm relying on recommendations from David and yourself. Now if I can just master enough language to navigate through a menu and recognize what it is I'm ordering! Thanks for this post and source referrals.
Acme Instant Food at 1:59PM on 02/09/07
Not a restaurant, a boulangerie: Jacques Bazin. Métro : Ledru Rollin 85 bis, rue de Charenton. Try the eponymously named Bazinette.
Dish at 2:02PM on 02/09/07
It's almost a cliche, but a meal under the central dome at Bofinger is as close as you can come to duplicating the food and feel (wood, stained glass, leather banquettes, two huge bouquets in the center) of a Belle Epoque brasserie: wonderful plats de mer, excellent choucroute, and first-rate simple cuisine bourgoise (roast lamb, grilled fish). Not the gourmet experience of a lifetime, but a romantic dining experience not to be missed.
Also, to second Ed's comments, Patricia Well's site is particularly good. Two of the more out of the way recommendations that we particularly enjoyed were La Cagouille (fish) and Le Severo (beef), both a little hard to find in the 14e.
gustoct at 4:50PM on 02/09/07
With so many great restaurants to choose from in Paris, I always look for places with excellent price/quality relation. Here a few of my favorites
Le Violon d'Ingres
135 rue Saint-Dominique (7th) 01 45 55 15 05
Le Pré Verre
8 rue Thénard (5th) 01 43 54 59 47
I also love food from Languedoc and always enjoy
Ambassade d'Auvergne
22 rue du Grenier-Saint-Lazare (3rd) 01 42 72 31 22
Thor Thorson at 7:05PM on 02/09/07
I am always awed by the culinary excellence and the vast number of great restaurants in Paris. Two places really stand out from my last trip:
1.Guy Savoy's Les Bouquinistes - simply fabulous food quality, presentation and staff. Will return again and again! Salmon & tuna tartare, risotto & shrimp, sea bass w/almond crust, lapin prepared 2 different ways, heavenly desserts and a bottle of St Julien.
2. La Maison du Jardin - a gem hidden away by Luxembourg Gardens on Rue Vaugirard. So good we ate here twice. Very Parisian, family owned, 30 seats in a charming setting. The food is lovingly prepared. Highlights were Ox cheeks that were so tender they almost melted in my mouth, curried prawns w/avocado, roasted cod, margret canard and pork terrine.
Livetotravel at 8:15PM on 02/09/07
several additional not-to-be-missed: chez denise 1e, ;'ami louis 3e, chez josephine 6e, le pre catalan 16e. also, it would be helpful if comments would include arrondisement.
baruch at 12:53PM on 02/10/07
l'ami louis!
pinchus at 6:16PM on 02/10/07
Bofinger is at the very eastern limit of the 4e, by Place Bastille. Second the motion on Pre Catalan, It is superb anytime, but especially in the warmer months when you can eat outdoors. It's in the Bois de Boulogne.
gustoct at 4:16PM on 02/14/07