thoughts about our "meal plan" in paris please

[ctl98]

Two friends and I are going to be in Paris late June. We're there from Saturday to Wednesday morning and want to make the most of our 5 brief days. We've all been to Paris before so sightseeing is secondary to good eating :-)

After reading this board for over two weeks, we've come up with our plan...assuming we can get reservations. Any thoughts from the generous people of this board are greatly appreciated!

Sat lunch: Spring
Sat dinner: Chez L'Ami Jean
Sun lunch: Da Rosa (for wine and jamon iberico!)
Sun dinner: La Cave de l'os Moelle (recommended by a friend...still any good?)
Mon lunch: Chez Dumonet
Mon dinner: Frenchie
Tues lunch: Pierre Gagnaire
Tues dinner: ? something light, maybe Huitrerie Regis

I wonder if we are too ambitious in attempting Spring and CLAJ in one day?

Thanks in advance!

[ctl98]

Thanks to this board, we had a wonderful trip! It was sale season so shopping and food were high on our list :-)

We ended up going to the following:

Sat dinner: Spring
Sunday lunch: Cafe Briezh
Sunday dinner: Le Relais de Venise (yes, yes, but it was near the hotel)
Monday lunch: Pierre Gagnaire
Monday dinner: small bites (Jamon Iberico from Bellota-Bellota, Laduree macarons)
Tuesday lunch: Cuisine de Bar
Tuesday dinner: Chez L'Ami Jean

I also bought caramels from Jacques Genin and more macarons from Pierre Herme.

I can't decide which was my favorite meal because they were all so different. For my next trip, I certainly would go back to all of them. Well, maybe not Pierre Gagnaire. Even though it was an excellent meal, I would probably try another 3star resto next time just to compare.

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Pierre Herme
72 Rue Bonaparte, Paris, Île-de-France 75006, FR

Laduree
75 Champs-Élysées, Paris, Île-de-France 75008, FR

[ctl98]

Tweaked our list and decided to do just one major meal a day :-)

We got reservations for CAJ and Spring already and just waiting for Pierre Gagnaire.

So far, this what we have:

Saturday night: Spring
Sunday lunch: Briezh cafe
Monday lunch: Pierre Gagnaire (fingers crossed!)
Tuesday night: Chez l'Ami Jean

I'm sad that we won't get to try Frenchie but excited that we got Spring!

I wonder if we should do Les Papilles on Sunday night. Any other suggestions for Sunday dinner?

Any suggestions for lighter meals to complement our eating schedule will be much appreciated too!

[mangeur]

Les Papilles is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

[ctl98]

I just realized that too :( But thanks for the heads up!

[plafield]

If it were me, on Sunday, if the weather is nice, I'd move Briezh to dinner and go to the Lenoir market in the morning and collect treats for a picnic lunch in one of Paris's gorgeous gardens.

[Parigi]

That get's my vote.

[ctl98]

Sounds lovely! I think I will do this instead!

[mangeur]

If crepes and iberico are really on your bucket list, I'd stick with Da Rosa (really just an epicerie with a few tables, but always several choices of hams and decent wine) and do Briezh at dinner. This is a totally unambitious meal plan that allows you to nosh at the Lenoir market and find an ice cream in the afternoon.

A Sunday addendum: After lunch at da Rosa, you could take the #63 bus east on St. Germain to St. Michel and transfer to the #27 south to the Monge/Claude Bernard stop to watch (or join) the street dancing at the foot of Mouffetard. (Join, that is, if your Pasa Doble is up to snuff...)

[ctl98]

Iberico is definitely on the must-do list since we don't have it here in Canada. Noshing around sounds like a wonderful way to spend a Sunday in Paris. Hmmm, paso doble...may have to start taking lessons now! :)

[PhilD]

If that is the case then Bellota-Bellota is a better bet - far superior to Da Rosa. You can sit at the bar and have a great selection plate of their 4 or 5 different Iberico hams.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Agree, they have a 48 month old Iberico that defines the breed for me.

[mangeur]

Bellota-Bellota is open Monday through Saturdays. Da Rosa open 7/7.

[ctl98]

Thanks for the rec! I love iberico so much that I may need to hit both places.

[ctl98]

Thanks for the feedback! This is exactly why I posted the question of ambition :). I wish my stomach had more fortitude!

So for the two days where we are doing two major restos (Spring, CLAJ, Dumonet and Frenchie) which ones should I prioritize? I guess that's the problem with Paris. With the number of excellent places, the spirit may be willing but the body is weak :)

[Parigi]

Of your 4 choices, if I were not living in Paris, Spring and Chez l'Ami Jean would be places that I miss sorely. So I would choose both of them, on different dates of course.
Very personally, I would have chez Dumonet as consolation prize if I can't get into Chez L'Ami Jean. And I would have Frenchie as consolation prize if I can't get into Spring, and Saturne as backup if I can't get into either. This is based on my personal - which means highly biased - perceived parallels of their culinary profile

[plafield]

I think it totally depends on what you'e looking for. Dumonet is heavy, rich very well prepared, classic upscale French bistro food served in a relaxed and pretty classic "bistro" setting. CLJ is packed, elbow to elbow, heavily Basque influenced "bistronomique" food, also very rich but totally different. Both have many choices with Dumonet totally ALC and CLJ offering a 3 course menu as well as an extensive carte. Spring and Frenchie have little to no choice in what you eat and the fare is generally much more simply prepared, though very fresh and not "light" but not as rich as the other 2. Some of your choice will also have to come down to when each are open. Check carefully about closings and make your reservations ASAP. It's likely already too late for Frenchie and maybe Spring too.

[Parigi]

I agree with Plafield. All your addresses are good (but I don't know Da Rosa). The pacing seems exceedingly ambitious. Spring and l'Ami Jean on one day? Each of them deserves some space for you to define and enjoy the experience. Ditto Dumonet and Frenchie. I doubt you can appreciate Frenchie as it deserves.
But if you have such a capacity of appetite AND enjoyment, all the power to you.

[plafield]

Good luck getting a reservation at Frenchie. Although I'm not sure you'll want even that much dinner after lunch at Dumonet. Also, I don't think CLJ is open on Saturday nights. Please do rememerb to post a report!

[Busk]

It was last week when I ate there.