Paris Guide©
Mel & Judith Croner
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Paris Guide© |
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Right Bank Restaurants
Chez Georges. 1, rue du Mail, 2e. Métro: Bourse. (Just off the Places des Victoires.) Téléphone:
01.42.60.07.11. A classic Parisian bistro. The focus is on traditional French cooking. The restaurant has two rows of banquettes and a tile floor. The service is friendly and impeccable. Lots of offal such as «riz du veau» (kidneys) grilled with a wonderful béarnaise
sauce. Breizh Café. 109, rue du Temple, 3e. Métro: St. Paul. Téléphone: 01 42 72 13 77. URL: www.breizhcafe.com. An authentic Breton creperie with both salty (buckwheat) and sweet crepes. It is a small cafe in the Marais, so one may be required to wait. The authenticity runs to the Bretagne chins and fair completions of the waiters. Moderate. Restaurant Garnier. 111, rue St. Lazare, 8e. Métro: St. Lazare. Téléphone: 01.43.87.50.40. (Just across the street from the Gare St. Lazare.) Finally, a real brasserie that is not part of a chain. Much better choice during the "R" months, when an excellent selection of shellfish «coquillage» and seafood is available. Very attentive service. Moderate. Dominique Bouchet ("DB"). 11, rue Treilhard, 8e. Métro: St. Augustin. Téléphone: 01.44.61.09.46. An upscale restaurant that was opened in late 2004 by Dominique Bouchet, former chef at the Crillon Hôtel. Modern, but warm interior. Classical bistro menu. Very good service. It is remains hot, so make a reservation. Moderate++.
Stella Maris. 4, rue Arsène Houssaye, (just off Champs-Élysée) 8e. Métro: Charles de Gaulle. Téléphone: 01.42.89.16.22. A very trendy Asian/French fusion restaurant. Recently awarded one-star by Michelin. Very inventive menu. Excellent service. Minimal furnishing. Expense. Taillevent. 15, rue Lamennair, 8e. Métro: Forget the Métro, if you are going to spend this much on eating, take a taxi. Téléphone: 01.44.95.15.01. [ mail@taillevent.com ] This may be the best restaurant in the world. The entire experience is flawless, from arrival to departure. The ambience is lovely, but no overwhelming. The greeting and service fabulous, friendly and attentive. The food, like nothing else. This is a Michelin three-star that has held three stars for at least two decades. In 2007, it lost one of its stars, and, in early 2008, the owner, M. Jean-Claude VRINAT died. Reservations, in advance, are a necessity, if you can get them. (Call a month before you leave home!) Expensive +++. Casa Olympe. 48, rue St-Georges, 9e. Métro: St-Georges. Téléphone: 01.42.85.26.01. A small, tight, "Med-Provençal" bistro that focuses on good cooking. The chef, Dominique Nahmias (aka "Olympe"), is a pioneering woman chef who has been on the Paris scene for over 30 years. There are two small rooms. We always request a table by the door to get some air. The roasted lamb served with roasted potatoes is superb. Because it is small, reservations are a must. Closed weekends. Moderate+. Market. 15, avenue Matignon, 8e. Métro: Champs-Elysées - Clemenceau. Téléphone: 01.56.43.40.90. A hot, "trendy" restaurant just off the Champs-Elysées with a definite New-Yorkaise feel. They are open late, so is a good place for after theater. Don't go during regular dining hours. Menus has an Asian spin with lots of little plates presented in an artistic manner. Try the pizza. The restaurant is the creation of Jean - George Vongerichten of Jo-Jo fame. Expensive.
Restaurant Pétrelle. 32, rue Pétrelle, 9e. Métro: Anvers or Poissoneire. Téléphone: 01.42.82.11.02. Bibelots, plants and books on each table along with fresh flowers. Single chef in the kitchen preparing each dish to order. 28€ for a fixed price, 3-course dinner. Moderate. Chez Michel. 10, rue Belzunce, 10e. Métro: Poissoniere. Téléphone: 01.44.53.06.20. A small and somewhat cramped restaurant just across the church of St. Vincent de Paul. The menu features the Brittany specialties of the chef, Thierry Breton. The food was excellent. A good idea to reserve, and make sure they verify how many people are coming. Moderate. Le Châteaubriand. 129, avenue Parmentier, 11e. Métro: Goncourt Téléphone: 01.43.57.45.95. A very "in" restaurant populated with the French version of "yuppies", c'est a dire, «BoBo's» who are never without their cell phones or Blackberries. However, the 33 € fixed menu (only!) was delightful and the service friendly and efficient. Moderate. Repaire de Cartouche. 8, boulevard filles du Calvaire, 11e. Métro: Filles du Calvaire. Téléphone: 01.47.00.25.86. A somewhat funky restaurant on two levels. Their specialty is game such as deer «biche». Our server tried hard but needed help. Moderate. Le Square Trousseau. 1, rue Anton Bollon, 12e. Métro: Ledru-Rollin (Line N° 8). Téléphone: 01.43 43 06 00. An old art deco restaurant with a very inventive menu. Just across from the charming Square Trousseau, a very professional staff prepares and serves variations on classical French bistrot cooking. Moderate. Astrance. 4, rue Beethoven, 16e. Métro: Passy. Téléphone: 01.40.50.84.40. A very "hot" restaurant in the fashionable 16éme arrondisement. Contemporary, «New Yorkaise» decor. Very inventive cuisine. Excellent service. To reserve you must call at least 30-days in advance ... or more. Expensive. Fakhr El Dine. 30, rue de Longchamp, 16e. Métro: Trocadéro. Téléphone: 01.47.27.90.00 An excellent Lebanese restaurant with a wide selection of regional favorites and excellent service. The service is overseen by the owner / manager who takes each order and serves each plate. Try the Lebanese wines, they are excellent. Moderate. Hiramatsu. 52, rue de Longchamp, 16e. Métro: Trocadéro. Téléphone: 01.56.81.08.80. A very trendy, "in" restaurant. While the name and chef are Japanese, the cooking is French. Very creative French cuisine ... to the ultimate.
In October 2004, the restaurant moved from the Ile St. Louis to a larger location in the «16éme arrondisement». Also in 2004, Hiramatsu was awarded a Michelin star. Try «le menu degustation». It is necessary to book exactly one-month in advance. Expensive +. L'Ampère. 1, rue Ampère, 17e. Métro: Wagram. Téléphone: 01 47 63 72 05. It's back. Philippe Detourbe has re-opened l'Ampère after a closure of several years. With a varied and highly creative menu that fades toward inventive seafood combinations.
Reasonable wine list and very friendly service. Moderate+. Baptiste. 51, rue Jouffroy d'Abbans, 17e. Métro: Wagram or Malesherbes. Téléphone: 01.42.27.20.18. A charming restaurant located near almost nothing of touristic interest, i.e., our neighborhood. Very cozy, 1930's art deco interior. The two young partners who run the restaurant not only produce excellent food, but personally work hard to provide excellent service. They speak good English and are patient with tourist French. While usually not busy in the evenings, (they do a big business lunch business), reservations are a good idea. Moderate ++. Le Bistrot d'à Côté. 10, rue Gustave-Flaubert, 17e. Metro: Courcelles. Téléphone: 01.47.63.25.61. One of the "baby" bistros of two-star chef, Michel Rostang. (There is another at 16 avenue Villiers,
17e. Metro: Villiers., but we've had very bad service there.) An excellent, small bistro with exceptional cooking. Moderate, but a real value for what you get. Service can range from excellent to snotty. If you like what is being offered, select your meal from the one of the menus ... a value. In the summer, ask for a table «sur la terrasse»
(outside). Le Café d'Angel. 16, rue Brey 17e. Métro: Étoile. Téléphone: 01.47.54.03.33. A cozy, homey bistro with an high creative chef. Each day there are lots of specials. The
service could have been better. Reservations are a good idea as the place is small. Moderate. El Picador. 80, boulevard Batignolles, 17e. Métro: Rome. Téléphone: 01.43.87.28.87. A charming neighborhood "ethnic" restaurant not far from Sacre Coeur. A large selection of Spanish specialties, including several kinds of paella. Small «terrasse» on the sidewalk. Usually, you can just walk in. Reasonable. Graindorge. 15, rue de l'Arc de Triomphe, 17e. Métro: Charles de Gaulle. Téléphone: 01.47.54.00.28. A charming restaurant, run by a husband (chef) and wife (hostess) featuring the flavors of northern France and Belgium. Excellent, friendly service. Relatively limited, but very interesting menu. Try «waterzoï», a Belgium specialty made from meat or fish. It's a small place, so reserve in advance. Expensive, but worth it. Jardin de San Souci. 124, avenue de Villiers, 17e. Métro: Ternes. Téléphone: 01.42.27.20.18. A special Chinese restaurant. We ordered without a menu based on the recommendations of friends. Special dishes included: pot stickers; scallops in the shell (they were in season); shrimps. Attentive service. Moderate +. Cave Petrissan. 30 bis, Avenue Neil, 17e. Métro: Péreire. Téléphone: 01.42.27.52.03. A classical, timeless bistro with a changing, seasonal menu. Not nouvelle cuisine. Attached is an excellent wine boutique specializing in Burgundies. There is a small, intimate room near the kitchen. The owner is a charming woman who speaks excellent English. Reservations are a good idea. Moderate. Rech. 62, Avenue des Ternes, 17e. Métro: Ternes. Téléphone: 01.45.72.29.47. A classical Paris seafood restaurant recently taken over by Alain Ducasse. The dark wood interior with dining rooms on the street and first floors gives one a choice. There also is a «couquillage» (seafood display and stock). The menu focuses on seafood but includes other offerings. Be sure to climb the steps to see the open kitchen with the chef working away. Reservations are a good idea. Moderate++. La Soupière. 154, Avenue de Wagram, 17e. Metro: Wagram. Téléphone: 01.46.22.80.10 or 01.42.27.00.73. A classy but somewhat out-of-the-way "local" restaurant run by a husband and wife, Camille and Christian Thuillart. Very classical menu. Good service. Moderate ++.
École Hôtelière de Paris, Jean Drouant. 20, rue Médéric, 17e. Métro: Monceau. (Near the Parc de Monceau.) Téléphone: 01.42.12.62.02. This wonderful art deco building houses a hotel and restaurant school that trains young people in the French hospitality industry. Open only for lunch, Monday through Friday, lunch is served in a dining room modeled after the le grand salon of the luxury liner Normandy. There is a lovely bar. Meals are served in the dining room by students under the close supervision of their instructors. The menu is set in advance with no choice. Most dishes are labor intensive from a service point of view, i.e., lots of slicing and preparing of sauces. A truly unique, fun dining experience. Moderate.
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Send your suggestions to: mel@croner.biz |
Grand Vefour. 17, rue Beaujolais, 1e. Métro: Palais Royal / Musée du
Louvre. Téléphone: 01.42.96.56.27. We usually do not include "starred" restaurants in this guide, but could not resist including this jewel. One of the oldest restaurants in Paris, it is located at the "back" of the «Jardins du Palais Royal» in the shadow of Colette's apartment. It is owned by LVMH and is their "flagship" restaurant with almost as many servers a guest. The setting is spectacular ... turn of the 19th century Paris. The menu is creative. lush, and an culinary experience. The service is impeccable. Reservations, that must be made some time in advance, are a must. Don't come in jeans. Expensive +++.
Naî Restaurant. 229, rue Faubourg St-Honoré, 8e. Metro: Ternes.
Téléphone: 01.40.68.90.70. If you are in the mood for something other than French food, Naî Restaurant is an elegant Lebanese restaurant. Their «mezze» is extensive and made with very fresh ingredients, even in the winter. The service, proffered by two brothers, is very attentive and the surroundings attractive. Ask
to be seated in nice weather on the «terrasse». Try a Lebanese wine. Moderate+. 
Charlot le Roi des Coquillages. 81, boulevard de Clichy (near Place de Clichy), 9e. Métro: Clichy Téléphone: 01.53.20.48.00. A classical brasserie with a large, diverse menu. The
restaurant is "1950's retro". The bouillabaisse is authentic and well served. Moderate ++. Reservations are a good idea as the brasserie often is booked. 
Taïra, Cuisine de la Mer. 10, rue des Acacias, 17e. Métro: Argentine. Téléphone: 01.47.66.74.14. The owner, Taïra Kurihara is a French-trained Japanese man. He has cooked in such restaurants as
Tour d'Argent before starting this restaurant. The menu is very creative, with an evident Asian touch to an almost entirely seafood restaurant. The restaurant is within sight of l'Arc de Triomphe. Moderate with menu at 35 € (~$30). It has become very popular, so book in advance.