Great Bistro in Paris for 1st night

[marygray]

I am going to Paris in October and would love a recommendation for my first night there. Some of my favorite restaurants in Paris include: Ze Kitchen Galerie, L'Atelier Joel Robuchon, L'Astrance and Laduree (random, but those are my favorites). I want to try a new place that has innovative food but also typically French and not too expensive. I live in New York, so I am looking for something that I cannot find here. I would say I am looking for a price range that is the same as Ze Kitchen Galerie. Any recommendations?

[George]

bistro not resto
on my recent trip to Paris I fell in love with Au Vieux Chêne in the 11th
I had been there 10 years ago but the owner/chef is now completely different and the food and wine was amazing.

[NWWanderer]

Just got back on Monday...my favorite places for dinner were Mon Vieil Ami (which has a 41E menu and an emphasis on vegetables--I had my 50th birthday dinner there and really liked it) and L'Atelier Maitre Albert (one of the Guy Savoy bistros--we found it randomly walking down a small side street from our apartment and it turned out to be quite wonderful). There was a prix fixe at the latter but we ordered from the carte and it was around 50-55E each.

My experience and reaction to L'Ami Jean were about the same as yours...it really didn't impress me. Part of that may have been the high expectations I had plus the fact that it turned out to be quite a bit more expensive than I'd been led to believe (I must have had bad/old information about a 15E lunch menu--it was more like 34E). I did really like the rice pudding though ;-).

[erly]

We had dinner at Mon Viel Ami, Saturday evening.
I had the smoked sable app. and dh had the fois gras en croute
Mains the chicken, which was very tasty, and DH the Osso Buco, which was cooked Morrocan style with harissa and couscous which he did not like.
So in these excellent Bistro' it depends upon what you order.
I did ask him if he thought that he was in Milan.
We shared a dessert, a fantastic custard with raspberries.
I told the server that one is enough, and not to waste another.
He deducted it from the bill, which was entirely unexpected.
Excellent meal and excellent value.

[NWWanderer]

Ah, different strokes ;-)...two of our party of four had the osso buco (including me) and we really liked it. In any event, glad you enjoyed the restaurant!

[Phil W]

I would second L'Os a Moelle. We also had an excellent meal at Violon d'Ingres in the 7th. I still remember the foie with veal tongue and the caramel souffle. Now that I think about it, the butter, sea salt and radishes on the table when we sat was a nice touch also.

[rrems]

I really liked L'Os a Moelle, which has a 6-course prix-fixe for 38 euros that is quite a bargain. It is innovative, not cutting-edge but more like updated classics. It's in the 15th but very easily accessible by metro. Another place where you might just squeak by for 150 euros is not a bistro, but a really good restaurant with a Michelin star, Le W, in the Warwick Hotel off the Champs Elysees. Unless the price has gone up, the 3-course prix-fixe was 49 euros on weekdays, and I think 55 on weekends. I thought it was very good value.

[marygray]

Thank you both for your responses. I did not love Chez L'Ami Jean because I found it to be crowded and almost too rustic and the cuisine did not wow me (I don't remember anything about it, which isn't a good sign. That is not to say that I don't like more simple places- I love Chez Papa for its incredible salad and that is also rustic). I was wondering if you could also recommend a great steak-frites place and a great oignon soup. It's funny how I crave the classics now but never took advantage of them when I lived in Paris.

[Oakglen]

For great steak/frites try Gourmets des Ternes, Severo or La Rotonde; the cheap spots, Relais + 4 are OK, but I would stick to the brasseries if $$$ is an issue. Steak au Poirve at Bofinger is always good.

[marygray]

Which one would you say is the best out of all of them for Steak Frites? I had thought about le Severo. What about a recommendation for a great croque monsieur?

[souphie]

Le Sévero (and le bis du Sévero). Le Gourmet des Ternes, however, has that special, übertender pavé de boeuf, grilled -- it's very different from the rib-eye/entrecôte at le Sévero, less fat, don't need a knife, obviously less tasty too. And great fries. And they have an incredible baba, rhum, syrup, crème and coulis brought to the table in huge containers, help yourself.

But all those places are very different from your favourites and are as busy, crowded, tiny and noisy as Chez l'Ami Jean.

Have you considered Senderens, Macéo, Sensing?

Speaking of crowded, l'AOC is a great great place for anything meaty (www.restoaoc.com), except, unfortunately, for beef (which is quite decent but does not compare with le Sévero or l'Ami Louis). And it is less tiny and more friendly than Le Sévero.

Croque monsieur are a lottery and I have no idea how to be sure to have a good one, eventhough I've been living here and been a foodie for a while. I'd make it, or just have a look at those people are having.

Oakglen, I would dispute your characterisation of la Régalade as better than chez l'Ami Jean -- I think it really depends on meals. Just had the best veal chop of my life at CAJ but also had incredible duck at la Régalade. Terrine was better at CAJ but foie gras better at La Régalade.

[PhilD]

"I would dispute your characterisation of la Régalade as better than chez l'Ami Jean -- I think it really depends on meals" I wouldn't disagree as I don't think it is a dramatic difference, but IMO I found the average standard better a LR compared to CAJ.

However, I love them both, and would probably choose between the two based on ambiance rather than food.

[ccferg]

Re l'ami jean and la regalade: Both are described as crowded and noisy -- is one a little less so than the other? Do you feel rushed at these places?

[PhilD]

Le Regalade is the quieter of the two, and is less rushed, LAJ turns the tables up to four times a night so can feel a little rushed.

Both are fairly typical of Paris in terms of packing people in. Space is a premium so most restaurants/bars/cafes will have you almost sitting on your neighbor - but that is Paris so simply go with the flow.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Have felt very rushed at Reg, not so at CLJ, not relaxed, but not rushed, much less so at lunch

[PhilD]

I should qualify "rushed". I have never felt (at either of them) that the meal was served in a rushed, too quick way. However at LAJ you often wait in the small bar area for your table to open up, and usually there will be people waiting in this area for their (reserved) tables. Once we were asked to go to the bar for coffee as they needed our table - we were happy to oblige even without the complimentary champagne. Can't comment on lunchtimes (I was at work) as we always went in the evenings.

[marygray]

Do you think Le Severo is then the best for Steak Frites? And of Senderens, Maceo and Sensing which is the best for lunch? Also any recommendations for great lunch places with delicious salads?

[souphie]

Yes, le Sévero is the best for steack frites. BUT it is tiny, noisy, crowded and the owner is obnoxious.

I personally prefer Senderens and think poorly of Guy Martin in general. That said, the response to your question probably depends on location, setting and prices. I think Macéo has good value. Another element of response is that only Senderens has two Michelin stars.

[marygray]

What makes the steak-frites at le Severo so good? It's too bad that the owner is obnoxious- I really hate that. Is he particularly rude to Americans? If so, then I definately would not want to go. Have you ever been to Le Nemrod, and if do did you like it for lunch?

[Dodo]

Le Nemrod is a neighbourhood café, close to a small brasserie. Great for people watching or/and after a stroll at Le Bon Marché. Usually extremely busy around lunch time. It's ok for a snack like an omelette, a composed salads (hot goat cheese and alike), a croque monsieur, etc. Nice wines by the glass. Food is correct, but nothing exceptional. Daily specials can be fine though. However, it's not the place to particularly expect outstanding steak/frites.

[marygray]

Could you recommend a great place then for excellent salades composes? I used to love the one at Chez Papa, although it is very heavy. Thanks!

[Dodo]

I absolutely love L'Heure Gourmande, 22, Passage Dauphine, 6th arr. Not only for its fresh and wonderful salads, but also for its excellent quiches and home made cakes. I wonderful quiet oasis, perfect for tea as well.

[souphie]

Steak and fries are what makes the Severo steack-frites the best. The fries are made in goose fast (if I remember right), crispy, tasty. And plenty. The steak is from the best butcher in town (www.regalez-vous.com) and aged on demand longer than usual. It's also cooked black and blue, as it should be (is that the correct phrase?). By the way, don't go if you want your steak well done, it's not on the menu. The boss is not more obnoxious to Americans than other persons. Le Bis du Sévero, next door, same food, lightly alleviates this particular isssue.

By the way, my best entrecôte ever was at La Table de Robuchon, it was on the lunch menu that day. Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/jultort/L...

[PhilD]

"And of Senderens, Maceo and Sensing which is the best for lunch?" It depends what you want. Senderens is a very stylish, quite expensive but very good starred restaurant. Maceo, is still stylish but far cheaper and good value for money. I like them both, but tend to think of them as dinner venues rather than lunch.

[souphie]

Chez l'Ami Jean or La Régalade actually offer top food for less than ZKG. They're arguably less creative/original/fusion but have better ingredients and better food. Here are recent pictures from CAJ: http://picasaweb.google.fr/jultort/ChezLAmiJean# and from La Régalade: http://picasaweb.google.fr/jultort/La... . But I guess those are all places less original than the ones you mention.

[marygray]

I think that I have in mind around 150 euros for two people. I went to Chez l'Ami Jean last year and did not love the cuisine or the atmosphere. I am curious about La Regalade, so maybe I will try that. Do either of you know how to get a reservation at Le Comptoir? That would be perfect, but I am never able to get a dinner reservation there!

[lisavf]

marygray, what didn't you like about the cuisine? I've heard nothing but good, but I'd also like to hear the other side.

[PhilD]

For Le Comptoir the best bet is to book a room in the hotel - I understand they save tables for guests.

La Regalade is slightly more refined than Chez L'Ami Jean. I find the food to be slightly better, although also a little more traditional. The tables are still very close together (but I like that in Paris) however they don't appear to turn the tables as fiercly as Chez l'Ami Jean. Le Regalade is a great bistro that must be tried.

[marygray]

I still am undecided about where to go. I want something really wonderful that will taste amazing my first night in Paris (the first meal always tastes the best in my opinion). I used to love La Maison du Jardin just because the recipes were so French, but I want something a step up from there. I am still tempted to go to L'Atelier Joel Robuchon, but I fear it will be too expensive (any idea how much it will cost for two if we order reasonably?) I want a place that is middle range but that you would go to if you had been away from Paris for a long time.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Yes, you can spend 300€/pp here, but when l go, order the squab, cabbage, fois gras, plat TWICE, and glass or two of wine, get out for @ 85€

[marygray]

Why those particular dishes? When I was there I remember having some kind of amazing out of this world meat dish ( I think it was lamb or beef, not sure) and those incredible mashed potatoes! That is pretty much all I want there. What do you recommend as the most melt in your mouth meat dish? Thanks!

[Delucacheesemonger]

That is one dish, pigeon stuffed with foie gras and wrapped in cabbage with coarse salt, comes with pomme de terre puree. Sorry, that and cochon de lait are the things l get. Do not know which meat dish you are referring to

[PhilD]

The "Ris de Veau" are pretty good - probably the best I have had.

[souphie]

I second that -- especially at the "melt in your mouth" level.

[marygray]

So the Ris de Veau is the best thing on the menu? Anything else that I shouldn't miss?

[souphie]

In my opinion, the merlan frit colbert (just a fried fish, whole, but perfect), and the morels if they have some. Desserts have ups and downs.

[ccferg]

OMG, I LOVE ris de veau. Now I'm thinking I have to include this on my list as well. What will this cost me for dinner? Do they have a prix fixe and would the "ris" be on that menu.?

[rrems]

When I had lunch at Ze Kitchen Galerie 2 years ago they were offering the same prix fixe menu at dinner, but that is apparently no longer the case, and the a la carte prices are much much higher, so when you say you are looking for the same price range can you be more specific about how much that is?