Thanks for the info!

Thanks for the tips. So which places should I avoid? Do tell!

Around £20-30 per meal. I know it's a tight budget but last month I overdid it in Paris.

Hi! I'll be in Liverpool this weekend for Macca's concert and I just wanted to know where to eat well on a budget (and hopefully avoiding tourist traps). Even a list of good pubs would be muchly appreciated. Ciao!

Hi! I just got back from a wonderful weekend in Paris. You should definitely play it by ear. I made advance reservations at a couple of restaurants (Chez Michel, Violon d'Ingres) but the best overall experience was the day we just wandered around le Marais and Canal St. Martin in the afternoon. Then in the evening we walked around Butte aux Cailles and found our way to Chinatown. We stopped in the first Vietnamese place that inspired us and had a great, affordable meal. No planning, no Michelin stars, no stress.

Ok, thanks! I just booked. I did it in French too but I guess my accent was so bad they ended the conversation in English. Ha! Well, good to know they speak English in case of emergency.

We'll be arriving late Wed night so Le Poule should be ok. Is it anywhere near Place d'Italie? That's where we're staying.

Thanks so much for the tips! I think this time we'll go to the Violon and save Fables for our next trip. Should I book for around 9pm then?

Which would be the better bet for a romantic, memorable dinner? We love both classic and fish equally.

We'll be arriving in Paris around 11:30 pm. Are there any restaurants serving decent food at that time? My foodie heart can't wait till the morning to have some fine Parisian fare.

I got this message in my inbox at 1 am this morning from Les Elysées:

"Dans le souci d’offrir à notre clientèle un niveau de qualité conforme à son attente, nous vous informons du départ le 30 Avril 2008, de notre chef de cuisine Eric Briffard.

En raison de ce départ précipité, nous allons fermer le restaurant quelques jours, le temps de recomposer nos équipes.

Nous sommes malheureusement au regret de vous informer que nous ne pourrons maintenir votre réservation"

Dommage! I was really looking forward to going there. I guess I'll have to go to Guy Savoy for my special anniversary lunch.

I'm so jealous! We had a last minute booking for May 1 but then they cancelled due to a weekend engagement in the South of France. Oh well!

Thanks! We're actually staying in the 13th so the last two restos sound very interesting. I'm probably going to gain 50 kg just thinking about all the eating and drinking I'm going to do ; )

We'll be in Paris in May and we're dying for some decent couscous. The ones we've had here in Milan just aren't the same.
We've also heard that the Vietnamese restaurants in Paris are great. Any suggestions? We're not afraid of chilli pepper. The spicier the better!

Arrrgh! Decisions, decisions... Not only do I have to choose well for myself but also for my husband. As I mentioned, he's Italian and while he appreciates simple ingredients used well, Italian cuisine's forte is not minimalism. I think that leaves Arpège out.
So I'll have to choose between les Elysées and Savoy for our wedding anniversary lunch.

At least one thing I'm sure of, we're going to Chez Michel one evening. I definitely think the hubby will approve!

Thanks for the tips! I really didn't think I'd have a chance at L'Arpège. I'll try and call asap. But for the ultimate dining experience (quality of food, service, atmosphere, price/quality ratio) which is better, Briffard's l'Elysée or l'Arpège?
It's strange that I didn't get a confirmation from Guy Savoy.
So from what you're saying, la Tour isn't worth the expense.

Salut!
I'll be in Paris after 12 loooong years for the May 1 long weekend. My husband and I will be leaving our kids behind to celebrate our 10 yr anniversary. We actually met in Paris so it's going to be a special holiday. To make things even more special, I want to force my husband to get dressed up and take me to a great restaurant with at least one Michelin star. And since my hubby's Italian, he's very proud of his national cuisine and is hard to impress. Plus there's that eternal French vs. Italian rivalry going on too.
I've been reading different forums and decided to book at a few places online since I thought it would be difficult to find room during the long weekend. I tried booking at the Elysée, Guy Savoy, Tour d'Argent and Ze Kitchen, all for lunch bien sur as ze budget is limited. I'd love to eat at l'Arpège and Astrance but a) it's probably too expensive and b) there's no way in hell I can book a table so late.
Well, I was lucky and got confirmed resos at Elysée, Tour d'Argent and Ze Kitchen, all for the same day! Which one should I choose? Is Briffard still at the Elysée? If so that would be my no.1.
Should I still try for Arpège and Astrance? Are any other great restaurants open on May 1?

ciao!