In this month's Food & Wine Anya Von Bremzen interviewed Francois Simon, Le Figaro's Grand Reporter, who according to Vom Bremzen is a "provocateur who uses his whimsically poisonous prose to shake up the ossified world of French haute cuisine, and the ferocious expense and acrid snobbery that goes with it." My friend Steingarten knows and respects Simon very much, so I tend to trust his judgment as well. Here are a few of his picks: Gaya: 44 rue du Bac, 7th Arr.: 011-33-1-45-44-73-73: Three star chef's inventive, casual new fish restaurant. Le Bistrot Paul Bert: 18 Rue Paul Bert, 11th Arr.: 011-33-1-43-72-24-01. Great insider's bistro. Bakery: Boulangerie Julien (75 Rue St. Honore, 1st Arr., 011-33-1-42-36-24-83. Baguettes and croissants. For... More

My brother Mike just got back from a long weekend in Paris (lucky him) and because he is as obsessed with food as I am, he immediately called us to tell me about two great meals he had. Le Severo is a tiny bistro that specializes in great aged Limousin beef, saucisson and frites. Those are all the major Levine food groups in one meal. Need I say more? Perhaps to counteract the effects of all the aforementioned animal fat he and his wife Carol also went to a really simple fish restaurant, Cagouille. He found both restaurants on Patricia Wells' website. Wells is the restaurant critic at the International Tribune and a terrific cookbook writer. Her Food Lover's Guide... More