stefaniem's Profile
Best Chocolate in Paris?
I'm suprised no one has mentioned Patrick Roger. http://www.patrickroger.com/
In my view, he and JPH are the kings of couture cholocate in Paris. Roger goes above and beyond traditional ganache, praliné etc and experiments with peppers, heat, teas etc.
Did the search...has no one been ?
L'Arôme is quite good - I go there often for business lunches. The restaurant is lovely and so is the staff - but the food is solid modern French with fresh ingredients. The disadvantage is that the neighborhood is barren at night...
Comerç 24 vs Cinq sentis
Thanks to everyone for weighing in. In the end, we really aren't big on "foam" so we decided to go to Cinc Sentis instead which was solid, with excellent service but kind of boring and staid. Like PSBF said, Comercç 24 probably would have been the better place to go for a wild night out. Cinc Sentis was like going to the opera. We also ended up at Tapaç 24 which we loved...
Thai in Paris
Voyage au Siam in the 11th (60 rue saint maur, Metro rue saint maur) is excellent and authentic.
Suokthai in the 13th (12 rue père guerin. Metro Place d'Italie) is also a good bet but is very cramped.
Baan Baran is better than Blue Elephant. But I would stay away from both.
Oth Sombath is a new high-end refined thai place on the rue du faubourg saint honoré (metro: st phil du roule) that will set you back 35€ for lunch. He is the chef behind Blue Elephant and Banyan. The decor is sumptuous but I had lunch there this week and haven't made up my mind whether the food was worth it.
Finally, a lot of people love Krung Thep in Belleville 93 rue Julien Lacroix (metro Belleville) - it is small and cramped and in my experience hit or miss between delicious and greasy....
Comerç 24 vs Cinq sentis
We're going to Barcelona this weekend and have a reservation for Comerç 24 on Saturday night...but after sleuthing around chowhound, it looks like Cinq sentis more often comes up as a favorite. Can anyone weigh in about the pros and cons of both? Should we scrap our reservation for Comerç 24 and try and get a spot at Cinq Sentis?
Thoughts on Maison BLanche for a special dinner?
I've heard very mixed things about Maison Blanche, although it would be hard to beat the view.
If you're looking for a view of the Eiffel Tower, the restaurant at the Quai Branly museum, Les Ombres probably is the next best thing to actually sitting in the Tower itself. I've never been, so I can't vouch for the food, perhaps others can?
What about Les fables de la fontaine or Violin d'Ingres, the Christian Constant restaurants on the rue Saint Dominique. They are both excellent and just a stone's throw from the back side of the Eiffel Tower. You won't have a view, but the decor at both restaurants is lovely.
Romantic Paris...
I don't think you have to limit yourself to brasseries, many restaurants will still be open the last week in July. I think Mon Vieil Ami would make an excellent choice for a romantic dinner, followed by a stroll on the Ile Saint Louis. They should be open, but make sure to call in advance to reserve. The dinner menu is somewhere around 45€ so should be in your budget.
If you want to venture out of Saint Germain (highly recommended, there is so much more to Paris than Saint Germain and the left bank), try the Repaire de Cartouche near Bastille.
Near Odeon, Le Comptoir du Relais is a great choice for lunch (gastro bistro) and a fun place to people watch. You could also try to get reservations there for dinner where chef Yves Camdeborde takes thing up a notch. The prix fixe is somewhere around 40€, while lunch salads are around 15€.
Frenchies come to Portland
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. My stomach is already growling and I have a week more and an 14 hour flight to go!
coming to paris - any fun/neat/odd foodie can't miss places?
Another good place to go is La Grande Epicerie at Le Bon Marché in the 7th. (metro Sevres Babylonne). I like to compare it to Dean & Deluca but on a grander scale. The local markets often have little gems as well - chestnut honey, olive oils, spices, sea salt etc. http://www.paris.fr/portail/marches_parisiens/Portal.lut?page_id=5675&document_type_id=5&document_id=10926&portlet_id=12148 My favorite market is the one on the Boulevard Richard Lenoir (bastille) on Sundays.
L'Arôme?
I've been many times for lunch as it is right near my office. Good food but not amazing. Plus, that part of the 8th is dead at night. For that price, I think you can do better in a more lively neighborhood - think any of the Christian Constant restaurants, Mon Vieil Ami, Racines.
Frenchies come to Portland
A native Portlander who hasn't been back to the city in 10 years, I'm taking my French husband to visit my beloved pacific northwest. I'd like him to get a taste of the fresh pacific northwest cusine but don't know where to start (apart from Wildwood which is on the top of my list). He also loves sushi and other Japanese fare, Mexican (is Acapulo's Gold still around, and good?) and Indian food, cuisines that are not particularly well executed in Paris. We love equally hole-in-the-wall and fine dining. Thanks in advance for your suggestions...
