Montparnasse area recommendations- moderately priced

[joni mae]

Looking for good local fare just southeast of montparnasse shopping area...near the hotel delambre, if you know where that is. Could also be ethnic, not necessarily French.

[purpleceline]

Try Wadja-- 22 euro prix fixe w/2 choices per course, plus a full menu. Delicious food, friendly service. Oddly a lot of Anglophones though.

[POY]

After reading this post, my husband and I ended up at Bistro du Dome at 1000pm, the last couple seated that night and had a wonderful monk fish. Thanks, because not much not else was available that late on Friday night without a reservation.

[rrems]

Check my report on Monsieur Lapin. It is about 6 blocks from where you will be staying.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/656893

[joni mae]

Thanks so much. I just read it. Sounds delicious.

[mangeur]

You should also note that there is an enormous Monoprix on Rue du Depart on the east side of Gare Montparnasse, excellent for grabbing some bottled water, bottle of wine, bakery, fruit, cheese or simple take out for your room or a fast picnic. Not the best in town, but a wide assortment allowing one-stop shopping, just what we all decry doing in Paris.

We have on occasion found the best quality reine claude plums and moroccan clementines of our stays at a Monoprix. One never knows.

[joni mae]

Thanks, mangeur. I already know about the Monoprix and usually buy balsamic vinegar there to take home. You are right about getting food there for takeout.

[John Talbott]

For the record, I took my tribe of 11 here pre-TGV and everyone from age 3 to me, all food-fussy by nature, found something delicious they wanted. It's a great place before a trek.

[souphie]

Just reread your post -- Southeast of Montparnasse is usually not considered Montparnasse. There's the excellent bakery/pastry shop Des Gateaux et Du Pain on bd Pasteur. Hermé has a shop on rue de Vaugirard. There's Le Bistrot d'Hubert. Thierry Burlot is good but not local and somewhat too fancy, if not very expensive.

There's also something to be said for walking uphill on Pasteur to Catalogne and walk down the rue du Chateau from there, to l'Assiette, l'Amuse-Bouche, le Sévero...

[Dodo]

If you consider the area around Gare Montparnasse and Rue de Rennes the 'shopping area of Montparnasse', then I'd consider Rue Delambre where the hotel is located, pretty much 'south east'.

BTW and to the OP, if you should be a night owl, you'll find The Rosebud on Rue Delambre the perfect spot for a night cap. The place is sort of a Parisian or at a least a Montparnasse institution just like the other famous cafés near Vavin métro stop.

[joni mae]

thanks for setting me straight on the location. What is the area of the Delambre Hotel called?

[Parigi]

To confuse you thoroughly, I go on the record to say that rue Delambre is très Montparnasse, even though I usually agree with Soup on everything. Man Ray, André Breton, in short all the home boys of the whole Montpartnasse gang lived at one time or another on rue Delambre.

[souphie]

My bad. Delambre is indeed très Montparnasse. What confused me is the mention of Southeast, which I assumed to be SE of the station or of the Place du 18 juin 1940. The neighborhood SE of the station does not really have a name, though Pasteur would be the clearest indication I can think of.

[joni mae]

thank, you, souphie. Any other little tidbits about the area would be great, if you live there,.

[souphie]

Créperie Génia on bd du Montparnasse is where I go for gigantic buckwheat street dinner crepes -- see: http://picasaweb.google.fr/ZeJulot/Cr...

Just so people don't believe I only care about fancy expensive stuff.

[ChefJune]

yum! I need one of those. ;)

[John Talbott]

To these many fine suggestions I'll throw in the Bistro du Dome just down the rue Delambre, if in a seafood mood. Never had a bad or off meal in 20 years there.

John Talbott

[Dodo]

I second le Bistrot du Dôme which, BTW, is open on Sundays as well.
Also, highly recommend La Cerisaie for which you'll need a reservation since it's real small.

Other than that, you'll find some nice cafés perfect for people watching on Place Edgar Quinet like (Café de la Place). They also serve breakfasts, plats du jour, composed salads and other snacks all day long.

On Rue Odessa, off Place Edgar Quinet, you'll find a nice boulangerie artisanale at number 19. They have pretty decent pastries and sandwiches to take out.

It's also the area where you'll find lots of creperies like Josselin, 67, Rue du Montparnasse (always packed).

There's also a small Franprix on Rue Delambre which may be convenient for purchases such as bottled water, soft drinks, wine, fruit, etc.

[Parigi]

A bistro with very good food that is an easy 10 min walk from the hotel Delambre: Joséphine chez Dumonet. Better book early though.
117 Rue du Cherche-Midi 01 45 48 52 40‎

For more casual eats like a croque monsieur, the cafés around the corner at Vavin are great fun spot for people watching.

[plafield]

La Ferrandaise 8, rue de Vaugirard 75006 Tel : [phone] “serves up good classic 'old school' food with a twist” says John Talbot. 32E prix fixe menu.

Cerisaie • 70 bd. Edgar Quinet, 01-43-20-98-98 Reservations essential. Closed weekends and Aug. Metro: Edgar Quinet Bistro excellent reviews on egullet and various French reviews for best food under 30E.

An my favorite for fab Steak Tartare and great people watching from the sidewalk: LA ROTONDE MONTPARNASSE - 105, Boul. Montparnasse - 01 43 26 48 26 – Great brassiere food, open til 2:00AM every day!

[joni mae]

Hi, Parigi. Thanks so much. If you live in that area, I'd appreciate any other tidbits of information. Joan

[kathrynj]

Had an excelllent lunch at Le Ceereisaie last May and would recommend it highly. Small place, husband and wife combo that is charming as well as delicious.

[kathrynj]

Parigi,

How far in advance for Josephine Chez Dumonet for lunch reservation?

[Parigi]

"How far in advance for Josephine Chez Dumonet for lunch reservation?"

I'd say a week in advance, but I tend to be the paranoid type. :-)

[souphie]

Actually, for Joséphine, one week in advance is just reasonable. I would feel more comfortable two weeks in advance.

Warning -- Joséphine serves very generous portions, and the prices, while totally fair, definitely put it more in the middle range than, say La Cerisaie or even La Rotonde.

L'opportun could also be added to the list of Montparnasse goodies. And I think Le Bistrot du Sud-Ouest, with its all included "formula", is a pleasant and reliable place.

[plafield]

Bistrot du Sud-Ouest seems too inexpensive to be of any decent quality. The 36E formula includes a 3 course menu with many choices (including foie gras and bresse chicken?!) plus a cocktail, plus a bottle of wine, plus coffee? Is it really to be considered "pleasant and reliable?" If so I'd think folks would be lining up! Please tell us more Souphie.

[souphie]

And you know what? Even the wine list is interesting and nicely priced. Their foie gras is pretty good, so is their duck. Plus, there's lots of room and wide tables. It was a great deal when I was a student and still is. All I can say is, it may not be a place I would fly to Paris for, but I've been going for over twenty years and always have a very pleasant, and affordable, time.

But I don't think their chicken can really be Bresse. Good maybe (though I only ever had duck there and would not consider getting chicken in an inexpensive place) but Bresse at that price seems very unlikely.