dining alone

[hzp]

bonjour ;)

I'm in Paris for five nights in early December, alone, and am looking for places that are

1. intrinsically french
2. avec bar or something like that so i won't feel quite so wierd dining alone.
3. are an experience of some kind
4. are moderately priced, meaning I can eat, with 2 glasses of wine, for 75$US.

I have made a reservation at dans le noir, just because it sounded so interesting. Anyone have a take on it?

I speak enough French to get away at a non English speaking place. I'm staying at Prince de Galles, but location of restaurant not so important. suggestions?

[hzp]

thanks for your suggestions. i have five nights, and i've decided on four, and will leave one open for what mood hits me. thank you SO much!

[Bill Strzempek]

Le Gavroche is a must for you. You'd also be treated like family at La Poule au Pot, especially in the late night, wee hours.

[hzp]

thanks! i would like to, and had planned on one or two nights of really good dining, for which I thought 150 was fair.

great recommendations that I fully plan to use!

[erica]

For the big night, JR is perfect. You can only reserve for the first seating but it might be more fun to go later and wait on line with a more local crowd; at the first seatiing at 6:30 it was all tourists from various countries. Also for the first seating, they make you wait in the street past the reservation time which I did not like. But the food more than made up for it. Wines are on the high side so go easy there.

[hzp]

thank you!

can you tell me a bit more about either of them? call me compulsive, but i want to make all my reservations this week.

also.... and this is sort of key... anyone do anything spectacular off the tourist books while they were there?

[erica]

Chez Denise is near Les Halles. It is your quintessential French bistro with red-checked tablecloths and hearty food. They are famous for their meat but I had some of the best fish of my trip there..skate with capers and butter; it was a special on the blackboard. There was a long and informative posting on it here recently so do a search....in the last month or so I think.

Ze Kitchen is cutting edge food in a slick atmosphere. Service was not the warmest but the food was out of this world....you need to reserve a few days in advance for dinner, I think.

Remember, I speak almost no French although I can read a menu. I never felt odd or out of place. I also had a great meal at Atelier JR but that was 110 for tasting menu before wine. since it is counter seating it is a natural for singles...you could splurge there. Again, reserve.

[erica]

I ate lunch and dinner alone often during a week in Paris last month; I speak very little French and I was never made to feel the least bit uncomfortable or ostracized. I did not seek out "English-speaking" places although often the servers did speak at least some English if I had questions. I had lots of good meals but if you want an experience, here are two, both very different from each other but both with wonderful food, within your budget:

Ze Kitchen Galerie
Chez Denise

One thing I would urge you to do is to reserve in advance rather than just walking in; even if you call the same day (although for Ze Kitchen you need to give more notice).