Restaurants Abound in Paris!

I promised I would give you some of the names etc of the restaurants I have dined in during this stay in Paris. I have added two of them to my list of Favorites(listed in side column). There are an infinite number and variety of restaurants with ethic cuisines that are both enjoyable and have price tags that are very endurable. They are listed in no order of importance except for the first:

Without a doubt my favorite dinning place in Paris is the embankments of the Seine. It is peaceful to sit and watch the gorgeous sun set over Notre Dame, the ducks floating around in the river and the boats with passengers waving to you. Bring a picnic dinner and wine and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

L'Orangerie: is on the Ile St Louis. It was a pretty restaurant, quiet, sedate but the food was only average even though the price tag was above average. I wouldn't bother again. I had lunch there. 28 rue St Louis En L'Ile 01 46 33 93 98

Roger la Grenouille Restaurant: Had a fun dinner here with its ancient decor. They specialize in frog dishes. I had foie gras, which was delicious. Prices were slightly above average but so was the ambiance. 26-28 rue des Grands Augustins 75006 01 56 24 24 34

Chez Janou Bistrot This restaurant came with a strong recommendation in one of those tourist's books we all buy. However, on a very hot night we were seated near the kitchen and I was horribly uncomfortable the whole time. It was popular (translated: crowded). If you can seat outside and not boil to death it might have been fun. Food: decent Price: Average (for Paris) 2 rue Roger Verlomme 75003 01 42 72 28 41

Auberge Notre Dame Restaurant Traditionnelle French Cuisine. It sits on the Quai just opposite Notre Dame so the view was great. I ate lunch outside, but the inside offered a delightful ,romantic cave ambiance and I hope still to go back and dine there for dinner. (photo) Not cutting-age cuisine but what many have come to expect. Right in heart of French Quartier Prices: Average 69 Quai de la Tournelle 75005 01 43 25 99 98

La Maison de Verlaine This was listed everywhere with controversial reputation in cuisine. It was near the Pantheon, cute as could be. Looked like it was out of a Hollywood movie with its checkered napkins, table clothes etc. Made even more fun as we sat outside during the big Fete de la Musique and watched the people go by. Oh yeah, Hemingway slept here (he got around). (photo) Food: Better than anticipated Price: Decent!
39 rue Descartes 75005 01 43 26 39 15

Le Zimmer I had lunch here. It was just barely acceptable. Price: High They seem to be charging for the history of this restaurant (which, admittedly, is interesting with its foot in the French Revolution). You have to ask yourself is it worth it. Ambiance: Cool, redone in style period of the l8th century. Go for a drink and skip the food. l place du Chatlet 01 42 36 74 03

L'Atlantide Le Restaurant Berbere de Paris (Northern Africa): Cute, little restaurant in the 19th arrondissment (photo). They don't speak English but we worked through that. Lots of atmosphere, near Parc Buttes Chaumont. Food: Good Price: Decent
07, avenue Laumiere 75019 01 42 45 09 81

La Fontaine De Mars Cute restaurant in the heart of the 7th. This is where the Obamas went for hamburgers (although I didn't see hamburgers on the menu). Lots of French feel to it. Delish dessert (photo) Eat outside if possible. By God, you'll think you are in Paris! 129 rue St Dominique 75007 01 47 05 46 44

Cafe de la Paix is a lovely museum, really. Another historic monument. Because of that they are obliged to keep the lights on high during dinner (?). Yeah, it effected everything. It is a beautiful place made less beautiful by enough lights to light up the Eiffel Tower. Food: Average Price: Over priced (again because of the historic significance).

La Bastide d'Opio- Saveurs Mediterraneennes - I stumbled upon this restaurant and loved it. Have been there twice and would return. Both times for lunch. Had a wonderful shrimp dish (photo)which includes a salad and a first course (I had the cold leek terrine: delicious). Service: Friendly Food: Above Average Price: Value for Euro (translated: good). 9 rue Guisarde75006 01 43 29 01 84

Chez Vong - Chinese cuisine My date felt it was the best Chinese restaurant in Paris. It is lovely inside and sports a cute terrace, where we ate lunch. He splurged and ordered us the Peking Duck: Fabulously served in three courses. Lunch for two with l/2 bottle of wine costs over 100 euro so go prepared. Near Les Halles Mall off a side street. Yes, I would gladly return. It has been added to my list of Favorites Cuisine: Above Average Price: Above Average Service: Attentive 10, rue de la Grande Truanderie 75001 01 40 26 09 36

Willi's Wine Bar According to my friend, normally a "happening place". Unfortunately, we were there during a weekend vacation time for many Parisians so it wasn't so happening. Friendly service Wine: Good 13, rue des Petit Champs 75001 01 42 61 05 09

Petit Palais Jardins Cafe Who'd think one could actually get a very good lunch at a very good price at this beautiful museum. I went after viewing the the Yves Saint Laurent exposition. The garden itself is lovely and tranquil. I ordered the plat de jour which that day was Salmon in a lovely sauce with a composition of chopped veggies that made my day. :) Food: Above Average Price: Good (12.50 euro for the plat). (photo)

Restaurant Old Kashmir Specialized in Indian and Pakistani dishes. We accidentally found this tiny bistro and grabbed the remaining outdoor table, which almost sat on the street. Good food Reasonable prices Service: Attentive Be sure to order their specialty breads We ordered the Cheese bread...twice. 13 rue Gregoire de Tours 75006 01 43 29 01 00

Cafe Restaurant Louis Philipp at 66 quai de l'Hotel de Ville in the 4th was a picturesque cafe just off the Seine. In the middle of a busy area they have acquired a peaceful outdoor setting. Very French. I went with a Frenchman and I was the only Anglo in the joint. They refused to speak English. tsk tsk. But I had a wonderful lunch which included an appetizer, appertif, a bottle of red wine, Duck in a lovely cepe sauce, then a fromage course. Have no idea of the price (desole) but it was a lovely, long lunch with a charming ambience. Service: Good (if you speak French) Food: Good

404- Morrocan with specialites in tagines couscous pastilla This restaurant came highly recommended by a friend and was listed in several books. Still, my date and I both did not like the food. Just too bland for us. I would not return. Ambiance: Nice Service: Friendly Price: Average (for Paris) Food: Uneventful
69 rue des Gravilliers 75003 01 42 74 57 81

Chez Rosito near place de Vossage on Pas de la mule (4th) is a tiny, very French menu. I had adventurously and at the urging of my date tried a dish called "Spider of the Sea", which was a close relative to the crab except there wasn't much meat in it. More than the cuisine I was influenced by this restaurant because my date had flowers waiting for me at the table, bless his heart! Pricing: above average, Food: Authentic French.

Casa Bini at 36 Gregorie de Tours in the 6th arrondissment. We arrived around 8 PM and 90% of the tables were empty but they wouldn't let us have our choice. Even with reservations apparently whoever makes the reservation first gets the first choice. We had reservations but hadn't requested what table we wanted. They wanted to sit us in the back room away from breezy opened windows. Only when I suggested that we leave did they give us a better table. The place filled up eventually, but the attitude was unfriendly. Cost: Average Quality: Disappointing Service: Combative

My friend, Robbin, and I labored over where our splurge lunch would be. After much research we decided on Drouant 16-18 place Gaillon in the second arrondissment. You can tell from the wait staff how they have been trained in the better restaurants. I recognized that immediately. Chef/Owner Antoine Westermann is known for his vegetables(We went anyway). We decided to order a start and split it: for 25 euro we received some cold foie gras, a glass with avocado, tomatoes,and crab, an eggplant dish and a 4thdish, which I have forgotten. Each of us had two of the dishes and were happy with the presentation and flavorings. I then had a zucchini soup with mint that was delicious. Our main plates were fish and chicken, both of them good. Along with them they served three separate ramekins of fresh vegetables, which was a happy surprise since many restaurants in Paris totally ignore vegetables. Robin had a dessert and between us we had three glasses of wine. They brought truffles, bless them, for a finale. The tab came to 65 euros each. But while the food was decent it lacked in that WOW factor that we experienced in Tour D'Argent last November. Food: Above average Service: Impeccable Price: A splurge (for us)

On my last Saturday evening in Paris a friend took me to a restaurant that I had wanted to try for some time: It is in the skyscraper building in Montparnasse on the 56th floor Le Ciel de Paris. It offers a beautiful, full window panoramic views of the Eiffel Tower and its surrounding area. We started with a glass of champagne, were immediately brought little tinsy appetisers as the better French restaurants do. We didn't care for our waiter but eventually he rebounded with our good will. It took quite awhile to get our first appetizer courses: I had a crab dish with paramsan "chips" and he had a fabulous cold foie gras(photos). The presentation on my dish was excellent but it lacked in a definitive taste and might have benefitted from a squirt of lime or lemon. For dinner he chose a steak and I chose a Chicken breast stuffed with foie gras served with a small portion of angle hair pasta swimming in a divine sauce that was influenced by that foie gras (photo). Now this is living! What a delightful dish!Then there was a fromage (cheese) course. If that weren't enough, my date insisted on desserts for us and far be it from me to argue the point. I had what we Americans call Napoleon(photo) but it was their version of Napoleon made with whipped cream and served with a raspberry coulis. Tasty and pretty but not what I expected. He had what we would call a flourless chocolate torte with ice cream. We enjoyed a bottle of Medoc and the entire meal was a surprisingly delicious one...abeit expensive. The table was 300 euros (@$425.00) and I was glad I wasn't paying the bill. Food: Excellent Service: From faulty and slow to improved Price: Expensive Obviously, this makes it into my list of Favorite Restaurants! Le Ciel de Paris 33 rue du Maine, 75755 Paris, 01 40 64 77 64

Jenny Craig where are you when I need you?