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Where The French Meet To Eat:
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Prices, based on $1.30 = 1 Euro, incl tax and service. The number followed by 'th' is the arrondissement. Many are closed during Aug, Christmas - New Year's and on Sun and/or Mon, so check first. When calling from the US, dial 011 33 and omit the first 0 of the telephone number. When calling within Paris you need that 0.
Mostly French Clientele
1. Le Pré Verre: 8, rue Thénard, 5th, 0143 54 59 47. Metro: Maubert-Mutualité.
Chef Philippe Delacourcelle combines his knowledge of Asian cooking (he's lived in China, Indonesia and Malaysia) with that gained during his training with the late Bernard Loiseau.
Recommended: Veal with a puree of cauliflower and almonds; superb fish dishes for non-meat eaters. Lunch: 2 courses, glass of wine, cup of coffee, $15.60
Lunch or dinner: 3 courses, $32 Wine: Cheverny (a light Loire red), $14.30/half bottle.
2. L'Os à Moëlle: 3, rue Vasco de Gama, 15th, 0145 57 27 27. Metro: Lourmel.
Yellow cloth runners on wooden tables and big windows give this small bistro an airy feeling. Tables are close together; the French clientele are friendly. Chalk board menu changes daily.
Recommended: Amuse-bouche (marrow bone topped with chopped parsley and coarse salt, accompanied by a small spoon and toast); one of Chef Thierry Foucher's soups, such as pumpkin cream poured over mini ravioli stuffed with Comté cheese or cold celery cream with morels and croûtons.
Lunch: 3 courses, $42.90 Lunch: 6 course tasting menu, $49.50 Dinner: 6 course tasting menu, $49.90 Wine: $6.50/glass.
3. Les Zygomates: 7 rue de Capri, 12th, 0140 19 93 04. Metro: Daumesnil, Michel-Bizot.
In this former butcher's shop, which has its original hand painted ceiling tiles, an etched glass partition divides the 2 dining rooms which seat 18 each. The old custom of saying hello to the room at large when you arrive is alive and well here.
Recommended: Marinated duck liver shaved over mixed greens with pine nuts; mixed mushrooms in puff pastry; canneloni stuffed with chèvre. Roast lamb, grilled sea bass and stewed rabbit are each accompanied by potato gratin, grated sweet and sour beets and parsnip or rutabaga puree.
Lunch & Dinner: 3 courses, $36.40; 2 courses, $28.60 Wine: Burgundy, $19.50/half bottle.
Bistros With Regional Dishes
4. Les Caves Solignac: 9, rue Decrès, 14th, 0145 45 58 59. Metro: Plaisance.
This intimate bistro, scarcely changed since the 1930s, features the food of Sarlat. Host Jean-Francois Banéat, an amusing and interesting man, will make you feel at home at one of his 6 tables.
Recommended: Sauteed rabbit kidneys on a frisee salad; duck confit served with Sarlat-style potatoes (sauteed with garlic and mushrooms).
Lunch: 2 courses, $23.40 Lunch: 2 courses plus dessert, $32.50 Dinner: 2 courses, $35 Wine: House red, $4.55/glass or $9/half bottle.
5. Chez Maître Paul: 12, rue Monsieurle-Prince, 6th, 0143 54 74 59. Metro: Odéon.
Mirrors, fresh flowers and exposed old stone are signatures of this long-established bistro featuring cooking from the Franche-Comté region. Jean François Debert is an attentive host.
Recommended: Chicken dishes — with morels or in a creamy cheese sauce.
Lunch & Dinner: 2 course prix fixe, $37.70 Wine: House Bourgueil (red or white), $7.80/half bottle.
6. Au Trou Gascon: 40, rue Taine, 12th, 0143 44 34 26. Metro: Daumesnil.
A large ham from the Landes region in SW France sits on a carving table in the middle of this circa-1900 dining room, elegant with cream pillars and linen-covered walls. Formally dressed Parisians enjoy their wine in the thinnest Spiegelau glasses and the refined versions of hearty gascon cooking by Alain Dutournier, "the" star chef.
Recommended: Gâteau de Cèpes; Dutournier's versions of cassoulet and confit.
Lunch: 3 courses: $52, incl a bowl of olives and a little pot of delicate rillettes (shredded pork pâté) Dinner: à la carte from $78 Wine: House red or white $11/half bottle.
 The charming La Truffière, with its friendly staff and famous chef, has been under the same ownership for 25 years. |
The exterior of this 17th century stone house with potted plants trailing down wrought iron gates, is just as charming as the candle-lit interior with exposed beams.
Recommended: Salmon served with diced beets in vinaigrette and mashed potatoes; slow-cooked lamb shoulder; cod with fennel, leeks and mushrooms. Dishes from the southwest are a specialty; the more expensive items incl truffles and foie gras.
Weekday Lunch: 2 courses, $24.70 Dinner: Prix fixe $71.50 & $93.60; à la carte from $80 Wine: $5.20/glass at lunch.
"Second" Restaurants Of Star Chefs
 Mon Vieil Ami's charismatic chef, Antony Clémot (center) changes his menu seasonally. |
Vegetables take top billing in this charming new bistro owned by Antoine Westermann of the 3-star Buerehiesel Restaurant in Strasbourg. Arrive early if you prefer to sit at a separate table rather than at the long table d'hôte. However, since tables are only 6 inches apart it hardly matters. The room holds 45 guests. Most dishes are served on large plates with enough for 2 people.
Recommended: Venison, marinated overnight in red wine and cooked slowly for 4 hours, is removed from its bones and combined with garlic cloves, onion and a full-flavored broth, topped with potato puree — a superior shepherd's pie.
Lunch or Dinner: Three courses: $49.40 incl a glass of Alsace Pinot Blanc or mixed fresh fruit juice. If you choose the dish of the day, this meal is $42. $Tip: A less expensive alternative is to eat the dish of the day for $19.50, choose a dessert for $10.40 and have an elegant meal for only $29.90.
9. Les Bouquinistes: 53, quai Grands Augustins, 6th, 0143 25 45 94. Metro: St. Michel.
This very modern restaurant, one of four of Guy Savoy's establishments, looks onto the book stalls by the Seine. Savoy plans the menu and Chef Caussimon supervises the kitchen.
Recommended: The tender Hereford steak with pureed pumpkin and chestnuts; fresh figs roasted with honey and served with black currant ice cream.
Lunch: 3 courses incl a glass of wine and a cup of coffee, $34.45 Lunch: 2 courses incl a glass of wine and a cup of coffee, $30.55 Dinner: à la carte from $65.
10. La Table de Joel Robuchon: 16, avenue Bugeaud, 16th, 0156 28 16 16. Metro: Victor Hugo.
Joel Robuchon, one of the world's leading chefs, also runs L'Atelier. His menu incl some of his famous dishes plus many new ones; most come in appetizer-sized servings.
Recommended: Foie gras custard; tender quail with Robuchon's famous silken potato puree (half potato, half butter) with white truffles shaved over the top; beautifully boned whole whiting.
Lunch or dinner: set tasting menu, $195 Individual dishes for a 3 course meal, $65 Wine: $12/glass at lunch.
(Elizabeth Cawdry Thomas holds a certificate from the London Cordon Bleu and conducts French cooking classes in California.)
