Help with Paris (eating) itinerary

[karina_h]

Hello! This is my inaugural post - though I've been lurking on the boards for months reading through countless posts on Paris restaurants. Actually, I might have read too much, seeing as now I can't seem to make decisions on where to eat! Please help!

My husband and I will be in Paris late April and early May (sandwiching Spain travel in the middle). Thanks to the boards, I've managed to make some concrete decisions and made reservations for Spring, Le Cinq and Les Ambassadeurs (I just can't pass up the Versailles-esque room!), all for lunch - a compromise since the dinners are too rich for us, in more ways than one.

In light of this, I have a few questions:

1. In general, how filling is lunch at Spring on a scale of 1-10; 1 being "can still fit in a trip to Jacques Genin and polish off copious amounts of éclairs and caramels" and 10 being "can't even look at food until the next day"? Will we be able to fit in dinner at, say, Au Passage, if we're careful not to over order?

2. In the same vein as above, how filling is lunch at Chez L'Ami Jean? I've read conflicting reports about this restaurant - mainly about the prix-fixe being not so "inspired" and that one should opt for the large serves of meat to share. My husband and I aren't overly keen on giant serves of meat (we LOVE meat, mind you, but perhaps not upper-arm-sized portions), will it still be a good idea for us to dine at Chez L'Ami Jean?

3. As I understand it, morels come into season in spring. Where would be the best place to have them?

4. I'm very interested in dining at a number of wine bars, most notably Frenchie Bar à Vins (mostly because Frenchie proper just. won't. answer. my. calls), but here's the thing: I can't drink alcohol. At all. Lacking enzyme and all that jazz. My husband drinks a little bit, but not that much either. Will there be raised eyebrows if we dine at a wine bar and not actually order wine?

5. We're also looking for a few classic French bistros that costs under €40 per person and serves just-slightly-more interesting food. Let me explain: at the moment I've decided on Café Constant because I'm already dreaming of their "tête, langue et cervelle de veau croustillante" (side question: do they change their menu often? Will I actually be able to order that come May?). Looking for other bistros with similar offerings. Are Chez Casimir and Le Casse Noix good choices in this category?

Please excuse the long post - I'm too confused (and sleepy) to try and be more succinct. Any help will be much appreciated. Merci beaucoup d'avance!

[Parigi]

1. Spring is not a gut-buster.
2. Chez L'ami Jean is a gut-buster. Better clear one meal before and one meal after.
3. Are you asking which restaurant makes the best morilles? Impossible to say, as all good restaurants change their menu weekly if not daily. I have had excellent morilles in Spring and Saturne and Frenchie, but how can one guarantee the resto will serve it on the day you go?
4. Yes.
5. Chez Casimir yes. Dunno La Casse Noix.

[mangeur]

Once when I was on intensive pain medication, I asked for a glass of water in a wine bar of note. The owner told me that they didn't serve water, just wine. I indicated my pills, and he brought me a small glass of water. He was also insistent that wine didn't count re the "no alcohol with pain pills" warning, This, despite our lively and friendly conversation on Irancy and St. Bris wines that were being featured that week, since we had just returned from that area. Wine bars are...surprisingly...for drinking wine. However, you never have to order wine in a bistro or restaurant.

Personally, I feel there are many better bistros than Casse Noix which was horrendously noisy and (to us) indifferent food.

[karina_h]

Thank you both for the responses. Much appreciated.

Re: wine bars, what if my husband and I get a glass of wine each (I'll get him to drink mine) - would that be enough, or is one generally expected to drink a lot more than that?

Mangeur, which bistros would you recommend?

[mangeur]

We have drifted away from the classic bistros and toward the modernized French cooking of the young chefs who are popping up all over town.

We still love Les Papilles in the 5th and La Table d'Eugene in the 18th.

[karina_h]

Yes, I noticed that, and I'm very excited to try Spring, Frenchie, et al. However I'm keen on the classic bistros since Melbourne (where we're from) is quite lacking in the traditional French bistro fare department.

Thank you for the recs, will definitely check them out.

[mangeur]

You won't go wrong with Chez Denise, or Chez L'Ami Jean, or old Regalade, but you may have to order carefully to stay under you cost limit.

[karina_h]

The cost limit is more of a guideline, so it's not too much of a problem if we exceed it a *little* bit. That brings me to my next question; I'm very interested in going to Chez L'Ami Jean, but also slightly concerned with the famously gargantuan portion sizes. Would it be adequate to just order a plat each (or share a dish clearly designed for it - the côte de bœuf, for instance) and leave it at that (no entrée or dessert)? This would be for lunch, if that makes a difference.

It's been brought to my attention that it's good dining etiquette to order either entrée + plat or plat + dessert as bare minimum, but I wonder if this is still the case with places famous for serving huge portions? I'm afraid it'll be even more of a faux pas if I just don't have the stomach space for all the food!

[mangeur]

You could share an entree and/or dessert and each have a plat. And, FWIW, I have never been served a gargantuan portion at LÅJ. Thinking back to my last dinner, it was a very manageable pigeon. From what I understand, the foie gras and cote are the large orders, certainly to be shared. There is a lot more on the menu.

(I would also ask a rhetorical question: where are you from and what quality beef are you used to sourcing. French beef is very different from ours and the cote may not be your best order.)

[Parigi]

We didn't have to but each time ordered the 55 euro dégustation menu chez l'Ami Jean.
One may order less, but I can't. Jégo hypnotizes me and makes me do foolish things.

[karina_h]

Hmm, this intrigues me. Re: the French beef, in what way is it different? My husband and I hail from Australia - I believe we have some of the best beef in the world hahaha. Certainly, some of the best steaks I've ever had was here (Wagyu 9+ MS, grain-fed, dry aged, rib eye). But we love all manners of beef and slow-cooked beef in particular - nothing better than gelatinous, falling-off-bone beef cheeks and ribs, so you can see why the côte de bœuf caught my attention.

I read in a number of responses in this forum that the shared dishes are the way to go - I was under the impression the prix-fixe menus were less "inspired"? Lol, forgive me, I'm very prone to overthinking things!

[Parigi]

"the shared dishes are the way to go - I was under the impression the prix-fixe menus were less "inspired""

Respectfully disagree, twice.

[karina_h]

Wonderful! We'll go with the prix-fixe menus then - I believe they offer a €35~ option for lunch now? Or have I confused them with a different establishment?

[Parigi]

" believe they offer a €35~ option for lunch now?"

Yup

"Or have I confused them with a different establishment?"

Stop! You're easily confused. :-)

[karina_h]

Thanks for the confirmation. Hahaha yes I won't argue with you there!

[PhilD]

Karina, as a fellow Australian, I can say you will find the beef quite different both from a flavour and a texture perspective. It isn't better or worse just different, and the methods of cooking, and different cuts used in France get he best out of the local meats. In France they serve meat quite rare, but be careful and be really specific about how it is cooked as they often think non-French like it well done so often over cook it "just to be safe" for the tourists.

Don't be worried about portion size, Chez Josephine Dumonet is the only place I know they are gargantuan. At CLJ the only big portions are clearly indicated for two people, the other dishes on the ALC and set menus (they have three I think) are normal size.

We often shared dishes in Paris, but that was usually to get a broader selection of dishes rather than to have less food i.e. we would share a cheese plate then share a dessert. IMO sharing is fine as long as the table spends enough money to cover the cost of each of the occupied seats. I can see restauranteurs getting quite annoyed at a table for two sharing the cheap set menu and drinking tap water!

[karina_h]

Thanks for all that! We like our beef really quite rare. How do I ask to make sure I get the "proper" rareness?

Yes I'm sure that would annoy restaurateurs anywhere in the world haha! We're not trying to be cheap, it's just that I've read quite a number of blog entries on Chez L'Ami Jean and the pictures feature a whole foie gras and meat the size of my arm. Naturally I was concerned we wouldn't be able to finish them, let alone even think of fitting in dessert. I realise now that's not typical. Phew!

[PhilD]

Here is more information than could could ever want: http://www.hertzmann.com/articles/200...

[karina_h]

Thanks for the fantastic link! Bookmarked!

[Delucacheesemonger]

The wine bar, Jacques Melac, sells a t-shirt with the message 'Water is used here only to wash potatoes'. A glass is more than adequate, always can order bottled water as well.

[karina_h]

Ahaha, oh dear. A glass of wine each it is, then. I'll find my water elsewhere. Thank you!

[ChefJune]

Karina: bottled water is available for sale everywhere. Carry a bottle with you, and if necessary, you can "refer" to it...

[karina_h]

Oh! Is that commonly done? The idea occurred to me, but I was afraid it might be considered rude. If it's quite acceptable to do so, that would be so convenient for me!

[PhilD]

Why bottled water? French tap water is very good and it is free and offered automatically when you sit down. However, if you are in a bar it may be nicer to the owners to buy some bottled water if you are not drinking there as they need to make their money somehow and drinks are an important part of their business model.

And I agree with others - never bring your own.

[mangeur]

I am confused. Are you suggesting that the diner tell the waiter that she wants an "encore", i.e., another of the same, or that she should show the waiter a bottle she brought in from outside, indicating that she didn't need additional liquid. (I shudder at the suggestion of the latter.)

[Parigi]

I would never bring a bottle of water to a resto. I shudder too.

[karina_h]

I plan to ask for "une carafe d'eau" at bistros, but I was concerned about wine bars in particular. Just to be safe, we'll ask for a glass of wine each and my husband can drink mine. Will get water elsewhere.

[PhilD]

Just order what you want, you don't both need to drink.