Which French Restaurant Would you choose?
Will my fellow hounds help me decide between the following list of French Restaurants. Having been to Paris numerous times, I really would like to go to a place that brings me back to the great little bistros I have visited in Paris. Thanks!!!
Tree
Le Tableau...is it still there??
lucien
Danal
Le Jardin Bistro
Le Gigot
Le Petit Bistro
-
-
re: fgf
kittykatkid
Oct 27, 2007 06:39 AM
It looks ggod, I went to their web site. I am definmitely going to try it, I don't know if I will this coming week, I but I will, My girlfriend's husband is having a knee replacement and we are meeting for dinner. It is on 17th and 1st so she want to stay closer to the east side. I just faound this out. But thanks for the heads up. Know anything closer to 1st????
-
re: kittykatkid
Some up-thread mentioned La Petite Auberge, on Lex, b/t 27th & 28th. The interior decor makes you feel as though you are dining in a little inn in Britanny. Excellent escargots Bourguignon and delicious canard a l'orange. Unfortunately, a recent rack of lamb was disappointing. Nevertheless, LPA remains a favorite of ours.
http://www.lapetiteaubergeny.com
Cosette is on 33rd, b/t 3rd & Lex. Teensy and charming with nicely-prepared food. I like their duck with cherry sauce.
-
-
-
-
re: alex70
kittykatkid
Oct 26, 2007 04:41 AM
I think I am leaning towards Tree and possibly 26 Seats. I know 26 Seats was not on my original lists but I have heard some good things about it, like they serve reall good sized portions for a French restaurant, and they seem to fit the bill with the escargot. Tree has Foie gras in a port wine reduction, that sounds like something i would love.
-
re: kittykatkid
Deenso
Oct 26, 2007 05:14 AM
I haven't eaten at Tree, so can't comment. But I have dined at 26 Seats. While the food is quite good, the atmosphere is definitely East Village, not Left Bank. It's a tiny, dark and cramped place with mismatched, thriftshop furniture - no problem, if that's the atmosphere you're looking for.
For my taste, Jules or Le Gigot would be strong possibilities. I would lean heavily toward Jules (see my post above), even though Le Gigot's food is excellent and the prices aren't completely out of line. It's another tiny place, where your dining neighbors can easily participate in your table conversation without even having to lean toward you. If you don't mind that kind of forced intimacy, then Le Gigot's your spot.
-
-
re: Deenso
kittykatkid
Oct 26, 2007 12:24 PM
Actually, theb it would really remind me of a Paris Bistro, if your neighbors can easily hone in on your conversations....Paris bistros are notoriously cramped. I am disqppointed to hear the food is medicore at Tree.. now I am back to square one!!! Oh well I am sure some more opinions will pop up here and I will decide soon. Thanks for all the imput!!!
-
-
-
-
kittykatkid
Oct 25, 2007 10:33 AM
.Thanks for your posts!!Let me say that I love escargot, just love it, and in bistro in Paris in May, I was served a small copper pot filled with escargot & mushrooms in a garlic cream sauce...to die for. Any of these restaurants serve anything like that?I also love foie gras, duck, frog legs and rack of lamb.
-
Spiritchaser
Oct 25, 2007 07:38 AM
I think I'll take a lot of heat for this but I really like Pastis. You could check Chez Jospehine and Artisanal as well. Oh, sorry, I now see you wanted comments on your list. I'll post this anyway.
›1 Reply -
Deenso
Oct 25, 2007 07:15 AM
I don't know how long Jules (St. Marks between 1st & 2nd) has been around, but my husband and I just sort of stumbled across it a couple of days ago. We thought it was very Parisian, actually - the only thing missing was the stench of Gaulois and Gitanes, fortunately. We had a good dinner - his was the steak frites (NY Strip), accompanied by a nicely-dressed green salad. I had schnitzel - not exactly French, I know - tender enough to cut with my fork, accompanied by a tasty cucumber salad and really good roasted potatoes that had been tossed in garlic/parsley butter. We shared a peach tart for dessert.
We ate quite early - around 6:00 or 6:30 - and the place had open tables galore. We asked the waitress if that was usual and she told us that they get busy a bit later in the evening, when they have live music - a jazz combo, a cuban quartet, flamenco guitarists - a different type of music each night.
We'll definitely return to try new dishes and maybe stick around for the music.
-----
Jules Bistro
65 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003›2 Replies-
-
re: Deenso
Everyone I brought to Jules loved it. I discovered it by chance on the Internet and brought a friend of mine there who lived in New York and did not know about it. He then brought plenty of people there. It is quite fun going there and having a glass of champagne after your dinner and listening to the music. We always get good service there because we speak French. They tease us because they say that people from Quebec are heavy drinkers:) There is food on top of the alcohol and it is good. Foodwise I would say that Lucien is better but Jules is strong bistro food.
-
-
In that list, I ate at Lucien and really loved the food there. They were so gracious with us. I was dead tired, I has spend the last 12 hours on a train, and the girl brought me a stool to sit on. There was no table available and no seat at the bar, it was almost 11 o'clock and I looked about to pass out and the waitress brought me a stool and she brought us a glass of wine. She gave us a Chateauneuf du pape. They do that when you are waiting and there is no seat at the bar and you have to wait standing up. They did a couple of years ago, I don't know if they still do it. The food was excellent. I had a salmon tartare which was excellent. I would recommand this restaurant highly!
-
-
I haven't been to Tree yet but I remember the space when it was Brunetta's. It has a back garden. Haven't been to Le Petit Bistro either.
From the rest of the list I like Le Gigot, Lucien and Le Tableau in that order.
Le Jarden Bistro is nice when you have good weather for the patio.I don't care that much for Danal except for teatime or brunch. The food to me is just so-so but it's a homey atmosphere and also has a backyard.
