era's Profile
Need ideas for 2 Over the Top Choices for Paris Lunches
Hi,
Reading your request, Jules Verne also came up in my mind, location and view are of course amazing and the food is pretty good too.
Other good options would include Apicius, quite popular among French people and located in a nice hotel particulier with a private garden as well as Le Pre Catelan, a 3 Michelin star with excellent food in a hotel particulier in the woods.
I had a really amazing meal at Le Pre Catelan and the chef Frederic Anton is considered by Joel Robuchon as his best heir.
Further but could be nice if you plan to visit the castle and its gardens is a meal in the Trianon Palace in Versailles. Gordon Ramsay dropped the restaurant though so I don't know what to expect, but the location, the place itself, the service and the settings (Versailles gardens) are just amazing...
Paris, Champagne, and Charente
Depends on your price range.
Would recommend Le Troquet in Paris, casual typical French restaurants with a great 30 euro menu.
In Champagne, Les Berceaux in Epernay is cool, nice and reasonnably priced with a great champagne list. Food is pretty good and the place a favourite among the locals.
Had dinner last WE at L'Assiette Champenoise which is really nice but found it too expensive (some 3 stars restaurants are actually cheaper and better).
In Charente, the most popular restaurant in Angouleme is Brasserie Paul, pretty cheap and good with cool atmosphere. A favourite for local and all Brits living in the area !
If you're looking for more upmarket places, you'll have to try la Ribeaudiere in Bourg Charente (the best restaurant in the area with a great cognac list) or head to Restaurant du Chateau in Jarnac which many people love too...
In Saintes, a very creative restaurant has opened before summer but can't remember its name... otherwise Relais du Bois St George is nice.
In La Rochelle, Bar Andre is very cool ortherwise Les Flots or Les Mouettes in Aitré are very nice too.
Driving through France
Probably too late and a bit pricier than a Routiers Restaurants, but I hugely recommend the restaurant La Regalade in Le Petit Pressigny which is mid way between Paris and Bordeaux.
1 star Michelin but food worth a 2 star at the very south of Touraine... with very moderate prices... all wine makers from Loire Valley love this place. Really worth the drive.
Otherwise, check out for bib restaurants in Michelin guides. La Chancelliere in Montbazon (ex bib and now one star restaurant) is pretty good but not as much as La Regalade which is a real treat.
Les Ombres and Mini Palais
Have some good memories of Petit Palais.
Not so special but nothing bad to tell about it.
Les ombres : great great view, but a real rip off.
Hugely overpriced for not so bad food but at a price of a 2 star restaurant in France. Service was really poor too with a 40 minute wait to get our main dish. A real shame...
For the same price, I really prefer L'Atelier Robuchon !
2nd trip to Paris...restaurant suggestions!
If you've enjoyed Le Comptoir du relais, I can recommend you Le Troquet rue Francois Bonvin 75015, a truly excellent place, my favourite in Paris. Always packed.
Le Troquet is where the 3 star chefs love to go when they dine out... it's bistrot atmosphere with a prix fixe menu at no more than 30 euro or gastronomic one at 45 euro with the chef preparing you surprise dishes.
I remember dining there and see the whole George V brigade with the Gilles Legendre coming there for dinner !
I go there once a month and all people I've brought to this place do come back often !
L'ami Jean is a good bet as well.
You should try out L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, not really a bistrot but food is truly excellent and does not have to be expensive. The caille and the puree are simply the best !
Le Dauphin opposite Comedie Francaise is also a favourite for many chefs. The chef Didier Oudil used to run a 2 Michelin star in Biarritz and opened this brasserie style restaurant a few years ago. It's still very popular and good with reasonable price.
One very simple but truly good brasserie is the Brasserie de l'Ile St Louis opposite to the Bertillon Sorbets. It's 110% French, very traditional atmosphere with waiters coming out from an Audiard movie, the crowd is a mix of locals, some of them living on the island, and tourists... But it's not at all a tourist trap.
We generally eat there the jarret marmelade (pork jarret with apple marmelade, ligthter meal than it seems) with their beer which is truly excellent !
We Love Paris -Need Help.
Try out le Troquet in Paris , rue Francois Bonvin 75015 Paris.
My favourite place in Paris... prix fixe menu is I remember well 30 euro and it is just EXCELLENT...
Went there with american friends, they were just amazed !!!
But you have to book ahead !
One fun place with kids is La Cigale Recamier as you can have a full meal of souffles !!! http://www.zagat.com/verticals/PropertyDetails.aspx?VID=8&R=100773&SI=BFWS
Paris: Gare de l'est, anything good near there?
The place to go to is Le Chateaubriand, with chef Inaki Aizpitarte.
Was voted as best new table, best table for Le Fooding critics... arty crowd, foodies, locals, young people in a relaxed atmosphere but all loving the place and chef's creativity.
129, avenue Chateaubriand 75011
01 43 57 45 95
Make sure to book ahead, lunch is said to be cheap.
Ze Kitchen
ZKG has been one of my favorite place in Paris for a long time and i'd definitely recommend it.
LB... Went there once, noisy, speed service making you feel that people are waiting for your table... Don't remember anything of what I ate but I know I was quite disappointed...
Opposite to LB on Cité Island a new restaurant called Quai Quai has just opened. Francois Simon known for its harsh critics in Le Figaro liked it... so maybe worth a try and should be packed with locals.
here is the address
74, quai des Orfèvres 75000 Ier. Tél.:01 46 33 69 75. Ouvert du mardi au samedi, au déjeuner et au dîner.
Here is Francois Simon critic (video in French)
http://francoissimon.typepad.fr/simonsays/2008/02/quai-quai-ok.html
