Recommendations for Paris restaurants

[Watson]

My husband and I and our two adult/teenage daughters depart for Paris in 38 days! We are thinking about booking reservations at some restaurants because some may be closed during August or because some just need a month or more advance reservations. May I impose upon the knowledge and expertise of this board to seek advice about some Paris restaurants?

We are looking to sample restaurants in some different areas of Paris and some range between traditional and innovative. We also want to leave some days to decide our meals on a whim or cook for ourselves after a market visit.

Budget is not a consideration but my daughters and my husband prefer not to have to dress up most of the time. Having said that, I have booked La Tour d'Argent for our last night in Paris, not so much for the food but because of the setting. As a result, we will have appropriate clothing for dinner in more formal settings although more casual dining settings tend to be our preference expecially if we are not near our flat and wearing our casual day wear.

I have looked at postings here, Alexander Lobrano and Clothide Desoulier's books and the Paris by Mouth website. These are the restaurants I am considering:

in 11e - Paul Bert or Chateaubriand
in 5e on a Monday evening: L’Agrume or Le Reminet
in 7e: Violin d’Ingres or Chez L’Ami Jean
near Sacre Coeur: La Bonne Franquette or Chéri Bibi or Cave du Miroir
in 1er: La Régalade St Honoré or Tour de Montlhéry-Chez Denise or Les Bistronomes
in the 5e, 4e or Ile Saint Louis, not on a Monday or Sunday (when most restaurants seem to be closed) and possibly a more formal restaurant for a day when we will be near our flat and able to change into appropriate dress. Too many choices in this area, soI haven't narrowed it to a few restaurants.

I'd appreciate any recommendations including any suggestions for places other than those I have listed.

Merci!

[souphie]

If budget is no consideration, then you need to eat at one of the awesome places, and La Tour d'Argent doesn't count -- L'Arpège, Ledoyen, l'Ambroisie, Pierre Gagnaire are absolutely unique restaurants. Having to dress up is a strong word -- you can't go in sneakers and shorts, but your husband just needs a jacket. Dress code worries are very overstated.

Your choices are good, but every one is apple and oranges: Paul Bert is a textbook perfect Parisian bistrot for steak and creme brulée, while le Chateaubriand is all about new nouvelle cuisine and creating a new bistrot cuisine. Violon d'Ingres is a comfortable, professionnal restaurant while L'Ami Jean is an ingredient-driven, cramped eatery. La Régalade is in the same category as Chez l'Ami Jean -- top notch ingredients and cooking in casual satting, while La Tour de Monthléry is a traditional restaurant for ogres open all night.

There's no shortage of other place suggested. How about, for a change, le Bistral, that brings together innovation and focus on wine.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Am l an ogre, as a fan of Chez Denise ?

[Parigi]

Ahem.

[Delucacheesemonger]

You are quick.

[souphie]

Nah, you're just lost with the big boys, in over your head.

[Kathyd1]

I love La Table du Lancaster on rue de Berri off of the Champs Elysees in the 8th. The restaurant is in an old restored private mansion and is part of the Lancaster hotel where Marlene Deitrich once kept her a private apartment. I went there for a business lunch and did not have the opportunity to linger all afternoon as I would have liked to. The food was light and elegant and the room was very zen and lead out onto a outdoor japanese garden. The restaurant gets one Michelin star and the chef is Michel Troisgrois.

The other recommendation I will be likely called an ogre for. Café Lenôtre in the park near Le Petit Palais. it’s creative, fresh and seasonal with a terrace in the summer months, and a conservatory all year round. Stop in for lunch after seeing the decorative arts at Le Petit or for tea and a macaroon. Café Lenôtre – Comptoir – Ecole – Salons de réceptions
10 avenue des Champs Elysées - 75008 PARIS
N° tél : [phone]