Paris - Marais/Bastille Bistros and Restaurants

[SPO]

I will be visiting mid-MArch and would like to find some moderately priced bistros in the area (staying at Metro St. Paul). Any cuisine ok. Suggestions?

Also would like to find some take out groceries in the area.

ALSo I am staying a week . what is the best deal for RATP discount pass PARIS VISITE, NAV IGO, MOBILIS, or CARNETS?

[Gman]

A fair amount of decent food along Rue St. Antoine, Good roast birds at Becquerel. Fabu fromage at Pascal Trotte and several decent boulangeries to sample. Izrael Epicerie du Monde on Francs Bourgeois has lovely dried fruits, nuts, etc. Good market at Place Badauyer twice a week and then the BEST marche at Bastille on Sunday and Thursday. Not far from there is Chez Janou, just north of Place des Vosges. A couple of interesting places on Rue St. Paul.

[toitoi]

In the past, I've enjoyed dinners at Le Bouledogue, 20, rue Rambuteau. It's steps from Metro: Rambuteau and the Pompidou.

http://www.lebouledogue.fr/index-en.html

[Laidback]

I have been to "Les Cotelettes" about 3 times since it opened and feel that it fits your described needs; it is close by St. Paul Metro at #4 Impasse Guemenee. I always buy a Navigo but your needs may be different, depending upon frequency of use. The carnet of 10 tickets is the simplest and may serve you well if your metro/bus usage is nominal.

[John Talbott]

My favorite over Cotelettes (http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/john_talbotts_paris/2008/04/les-cottelettes.html) would be Le Gaigne - http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/john_talbotts_paris/2008/05/le-gaigne---a-little-gem-barely-found-but-for-how-long.html or counterintuitively, Vieil ami on the Ile where I've had inconsistent results http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/...

And the Navigo is the way to go if you'll be taking (as Laidback suggests) more that 2 trips a day. I think the Paris Visite is a rip off.

[menton1]

One of the really "fun" restaurants in the Marais is Monjul, on a little street near Rue des Archives and rue des Francs Bourgeois. It's not just the food, it's the presentation. This is a unique place, where the presentation of the food is art. The plates as served could actually go in a museum! (They taste good, too!)

http://www.monjul.com/

[John Talbott]

And two steps West is Claude Colliot's new place which I find terrific and others mystifying.
http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/john_talbotts_paris/2009/12/claude-colliot-in-the-4th-hes-back-big-brash-and-brilliant.html
http://johntalbottsparis.typepad.com/...