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My husband and I are leaving for 2 wonderful weeks in Paris on Sat and we have an apartment so I am thinking what a wonderful opportunity to actually be able to cook and use all the wonderful markets and shops. We would appreciate any recommendations as far as opinions on the best open markets, boulangeries, fromageries etc..

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My husband and I are leaving for 2 wonderful weeks in Paris on Sat and we have an apartment so I am thinking what a wonderful opportunity to actually be able to cook and use all the wonderful markets and shops. We would appreciate any recommendations as far as opinions on the best open markets, boulangeries, fromageries etc..

Fauchon.

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What arrondisement are you staying in? There are market streets and there are market days. I find I like the market streets better. Check Egullet.com (is it okay to suggest this?) out for an extensive list of markets and cheese shops that have been compiled by John Talbott.

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While I definitely enjoy going to the smaller vendors at markets and market streets more often, it's fun to check out the Grande Epicerie at the Bon Marche department store on the Left Bank. Along the lines of a Harrod's food hall.

There is a great place to buy roast chicken on the right bank near Tuileries garden - Poularde Ste Honoree I believe, on Rue Marche St Honoree. Across from it is a fantastic wine bar, Le Rubis, one of the oldest in Paris I believe - casual atmosphere to grab a tumbler full of wine. There's also an oyster/seafood place within the same block or two that is supposed to be very good - Tom S. reviewed it in the Northwest Airline magazine.

We unfortunately didn't have time to fit Pierre Herme into the schedule for pastries, but that's on my list for next time.

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What arrondisement are you staying in? There are market streets and there are market days. I find I like the market streets better. Check Egullet.com (is it okay to suggest this?) out for an extensive list of markets and cheese shops that have been compiled by John Talbott.

We are staying on Blvd Arago right on the cusp of the 13th and 5th. I know we are close to Rue Mouffetard market. I have been to Paris twice, but never to the markets. Thanks for your advice.

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We are staying on Blvd Arago right on the cusp of the 13th and 5th. I know we are close to Rue Mouffetard market. I have been to Paris twice, but never to the markets. Thanks for your advice.
As i remember Rue Arago, most of it is in the 13th running into the 14th. Rue Mouffetard is a sweet market street. You have an Androuet Cheese Shop there which is decent. A couple of patisseries and boulangeries. That said, I would not spend too much time there except for a lovely romantic stroll. The Androuet shop was sold years ago and now just carries the Androuet name. For cheese my absolute favorite is La Fromagerie Boursault (14th} This shop is owned by an apprentice of Ann-Marie Cantal, who most people consider the best fromagerie in Paris if not France. Boursault is just as good but at half the price. They will take you to vist their aging caves if you ask nicely. A wineshop that is quite near you is owned by a little old guy, (if he hasn't died), whohas owned the shop for 50 years. He has an incredible collection of old wines at incredible prices and well stored. His original location was much larger but he has moved. He is directly across the street for Hotel L'Esperance in the 5th. Look up this hotel and meander by. You will not be displesed! As for markets, I am not too familiar with street markets in the area, but just walk around! I am familiar with the 13th closer to Place D'Italie, their market is on Tuesdays and Fridays if not mistaken.

For a true shock, get on the RER and take the quick ride to La Defense (The Arche). This takes you to a mall at La Defense.Once there, go to L'Auchon Hypermarche. This is a hypermarket for the masses, but their produce, meats, fish, anything at all, will put the best gourmet shop in our area to shame. Their prices are incredible also.

If you have any questions, PM me. Until about 3 weeks ago I traveled to Paris at least twice per month if not 5 times per month. It is my absolute favorite city in the world, if I can be of any help let me know. I will be back in the City of Lights for Christmas, I can't wait.

By the way, the 13th is a wonderful area to be away from the touristy areas of Paris. It is mostly locals there. Stay away from restos near the typical touristy areas of the Seine, Montmartre, Ile St Louis, Rue St Honore, etc....

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As i remember Rue Arago, most of it is in the 13th running into the 14th. Rue Mouffetard is a sweet market street. You have an Androuet Cheese Shop there which is decent. A couple of patisseries and boulangeries. That said, I would not spend too much time there except for a lovely romantic stroll. The Androuet shop was sold years ago and now just carries the Androuet name. For cheese my absolute favorite is La Fromagerie Boursault (14th} This shop is owned by an apprentice of Ann-Marie Cantal, who most people consider the best fromagerie in Paris if not France. Boursault is just as good but at half the price. They will take you to vist their aging caves if you ask nicely. A wineshop that is quite near you is owned by a little old guy, (if he hasn't died), whohas owned the shop for 50 years. He has an incredible collection of old wines at incredible prices and well stored. His original location was much larger but he has moved. He is directly across the street for Hotel L'Esperance in the 5th. Look up this hotel and meander by. You will not be displesed! As for markets, I am not too familiar with street markets in the area, but just walk around! I am familiar with the 13th closer to Place D'Italie, their market is on Tuesdays and Fridays if not mistaken.

For a true shock, get on the RER and take the quick ride to La Defense (The Arche). This takes you to a mall at La Defense.Once there, go to L'Auchon Hypermarche. This is a hypermarket for the masses, but their produce, meats, fish, anything at all, will put the best gourmet shop in our area to shame. Their prices are incredible also.

If you have any questions, PM me. Until about 3 weeks ago I traveled to Paris at least twice per month if not 5 times per month. It is my absolute favorite city in the world, if I can be of any help let me know. I will be back in the City of Lights for Christmas, I can't wait.

By the way, the 13th is a wonderful area to be away from the touristy areas of Paris. It is mostly locals there. Stay away from restos near the typical touristy areas of the Seine, Montmartre, Ile St Louis, Rue St Honore, etc....

Thanks RaisaB! I am going to print this out and take it with me.

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The wineshop does not have a formal name. Jean-Claude Rossi and Jean-Loup Michel are the owners. The address is 16, rue Pascal 75005 Paris. tel: 01 43 31 31 28

La Fromagerie Boursault 71, Avenue de General LeClerc, 75014 Paris

We're going to be back in Paris in November. Thanks for giving us a couple of new places to shop. How about Madrid?
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When we went to Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal this past June, we were standing in line waiting for a table, and watched the waiters set a five-level plateau at a four-top of young men. They had to stand up to eat, it was so tall. There was an abundance of iced shellfish and mollusks on the lower levels, and cooked or fried things on the upper levels, like lobster and crabs. Mama mia! It was a jaw-dropping display. When we were seated and given menus, we were astonished to see that there was an even larger, six-level plateau available--for more than $400! Jonathan settled on the single, which was a generous-enough selection of oysters, cockles, shrimp, crab, sea snails, etc. on ice. I had foie gras. We didn't rush through our meal, but even so, as we were leaving, the four-top was still working on their plateau.

Stephen B wrote: "It’s simply not as complex as those I've had at Balthazar in New York or La Coupole in Paris or Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal."

I ate at La Coupole in Paris about 3 years ago and can categorically state that absolutely everything about that place sucked. The nasty maitre 'd, the 45 minute wait, the terrible, disinterested waiters, the lousy food, the stingy plateau de fruits de mer. A complete rip-off.

I actually like the shellfish platter at Oceanaire. It would be better if the cold poached items were poached in court bouillion rather than water, but the various sauces are good. Still, the best deal in town is at the Old Ebbitt. The half price deal only makes it sweeter.

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I ate at La Coupole in Paris about 3 years ago and can categorically state that absolutely everything about that place sucked. The nasty maitre 'd, the 45 minute wait, the terrible, disinterested waiters, the lousy food, the stingy plateau de fruits de mer. A complete rip-off.

How is your French?

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How is your French?

Excellent. Plus, I went there with a French person. The fruits de mer was a meager platter, nothing special. The captain and waiters were downright unfriendly. The only amusing part of the evening was the wait for a table. When you check in with the maitre d', he hands you a card with the name of a composer on it. When your table is ready he shouts out to the bar "Beethoven!" "Mozart"! "Scarlatti"!

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I am in France at the moment. I just had dinner at a new restaurant named Spring. It is run by a young American named Chris. Seats 16 covers. It has been open 7 weeks. So far it has been reviewed by Figaro 3 hearts, a couple of other local publications, and Michelin is actually including it in it's guide next year. Yesterday it was voted the most improbale restaurant to make it this past year. Pretty premature but still pretty neat for this young guy.

We had four couses tonight, 26 euros, Cauliflower soup with Pigeon and Balsamic Reduction, Calamari with a Radish and Pepper Olive Oil Relish, Pork Confit with Oyster Mushrooms and a Chard Cream Sauce which alludes me. The dessert was a Chocalate Tart sans Tart with Carameled Pecans and a Mango Coulis with Fresh Mango. It was all honestly very simple, but the quality of the ingredients spoke for themselves. It was honestly one of hte best meals I have had here in a long time. The simplicity and the honesty of the ingredients blew you away. This young man is on a roll. I wish him the best. If you make it here, reserve in advance, you will not be dissapointed.

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Anyone read the article in the NY Times on The Best Steak Frites in Paris? I'm intrigued by his description of Le Severo. Good entrecote, frites, and boudin noir - sounds like my idea of heaven. We'll be in Paris in early June and lucky for us, Le Severo is only 3.5 km or 4 Metro stops from our hotel (which is in the Rue Cler area - a gastronomic adventure in of itself!).

Can any fellow travellers comment on any of the bistros Bittman writes about??

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Consider La Bourse ou La Vie. 12 rue de Vivienne 75002. 20-30 seats, rowdy chef/owner has limited verbal inhibitions. Wear your maple leaf, talk softly and study surly french vernacular slang. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Expensive but everything housemade. Bourse metro. Picholine olive green colored Line #3.

Mr. Bittman's temperatures of cookery translation is erroneous.

Bleu = rare

Saignant = mid-rare

A Point = medium

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Well, crap. I should have listed to M. Farci's recommendation because Mr. Bittman's blew chunks.

We went to Severo with the expectations of having the best steak frites ever. What we got was a decent cut of steak, cooked to the proper temperature, but without any seasoning whatsoever. I don't know if this is typical of steak frites in France (I highly doubt it) but it was so not worth the wait. Very disappointing.

The frites themselves were nicely done - crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. No fault there. They were the "thick cut" fries.

We also had the steak tartare and it was....OK. Again, the main problem was lack of flavour. Maybe it's my crude North American tastebuds, but it tasted like the finest ground steak mixed with ketchup. And LOTS of it. I guess I was expecting subtle hints of mustard and anchovy, combined with the crunch of cornichons, and the brine of capers. My bad.

Still, to this day, the best hanger steak I've ever had (other than my own ;) ) is at RtC. The best steak tartare I've ever had is at Les Halles. The best fries I've ever had came from a chip wagon in Ottawa (doused, for God's sake, I mean doused in salt and vinegar!!).

One favorable comment - I had the boudin noir for a starter and it was excellent!! My wife's salad with chevre was exceptional. FWIW - this seemed to be a continuing theme for most of our meals in France. The appetizers were outstanding, while the entrees disappointed.

The one meal that was great from beginning to end was thanks to Waitman's recommendation: Le Petit Tournneau near Rue Cler served up some very tasty andouilette indeed!! Thanks for the hint! We chatted with the chef/owner for about half an hour as we finished our meal and wine. A very lovely lady. And while I'm giving Waitman his props, thanks for recommending Marie-Anne Cantin's fromagerie (on Rue Champs de Mars near the Rue Cler area). They no longer ship to the States since all their cheese is made with raw milk and they don't feel like dealing with the hassles imposed by the US FDA. But we had them vacuum seal a whole bunch of stinky cheeses and we brought 'em home with us anyways!

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My quest for the best baguette in Paris may be complete. La Fournee d'Augustine, at 96, rue Raymond Losserand, in the 14th. This place has won "best baguette" awards numerous times in the last 4 years, which I don't always trust as meaningful, but wow. I've rerouted my walk to school so I can pass by this place every day.

Also, with apologies to those whose strawberry tarts I've tried and loved, they have the best one of those too.

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Hi all,

My husband and I are heading to Paris for four nights at the end of July. Can't wait :lol:

I was wondering if anybody could give us some recommendations (for dinner, lunch, anything really - nothing ~too~ outrageous in terms of price) based on recent experiences?

We'll be staying in the Marais but will go anywhere for good food! I did contact Daniel Rose at Spring, but am wondering if it's too late to get in there. A friend recommended Le Procope, but the reviews that I have read were pretty bad.

Thanks in advance!

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My mom and dad are celebrating their 40th (!) wedding anniversary in Paris this fall (basically, the month of September -- gotta love it!) and have asked for our help in selecting the restaurant for THE dinner. The four that she's thinking of are

Jacques Cagna

Violon d'Ingres

Georges (top of Pompidou)

Le Jules Verne

She expressed it better than I could when she said:

"We would like to go some place nice, like Restaurant Eve, some place with good food, nice ambiance, and frequented by French people, as well as the ubiquitous tourist."

So...any thoughts?

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My mom and dad are celebrating their 40th (!) wedding anniversary in Paris this fall (basically, the month of September -- gotta love it!) and have asked for our help in selecting the restaurant for THE dinner. The four that she's thinking of are

Jacques Cagna

Violon d'Ingres

Georges (top of Pompidou)

Le Jules Verne

She expressed it better than I could when she said:

"We would like to go some place nice, like Restaurant Eve, some place with good food, nice ambiance, and frequented by French people, as well as the ubiquitous tourist."

So...any thoughts?

Violon d'Ingres. By far, one of the best meals I had while living there. And not as touristy as the others on your list.
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I'm looking for recommendations for restaurants in Paris serving Christmas Eve dinner and/or Christmas day dinner. Fancy schmancy is not required, good food (great ingredients, fresh, seasonal, either modern and creative or traditional and homey, cooked perfectly) is required. Location is not terribly important. We're aiming to stay in the 4th, 6th or 7th, most likely. Any other suggestions for things to do/see during Christmas week would also be appreciated. Thanks.

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I'm looking for recommendations for restaurants in Paris serving Christmas Eve dinner and/or Christmas day dinner. Fancy schmancy is not required, good food (great ingredients, fresh, seasonal, either modern and creative or traditional and homey, cooked perfectly) is required. Location is not terribly important. We're aiming to stay in the 4th, 6th or 7th, most likely. Any other suggestions for things to do/see during Christmas week would also be appreciated. Thanks.

You and me both - I just decided to go meet a girlfriend for a significant birthday she's having on the 26th. We'll be flying in on the 25th and leaving NY's eve morning.

Anything that anyone could add to the above thread would be greatly appreciated. We're both foodies, and we'll likely splurge on one blowout - but we'll be looking for not quite so high-end places for the rest of the trip I'm sure. I haven't been to Paris since my student days, so I remember pretty much nothing that will be useful to me.

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I am planning a foodie vacation in Paris in January. I have never been...I would appreciate recommendations! :P

found the tinyest coolest italian place near metro saint paul. some famous italian actress was there (can't remember her name). reservations are a must, there are only 10 tables. there's no sign, it's just a door and windows at 10 rue sevigne.

the chef is a hot young italian who announces when he's firing the risotto if you want some. comes out and helps out, very friendly. service is...Typical paris. food unbelieveable. menu handwritten. recommendations: tagliatelle with calamar, papardelle with unbelievably fresh crab. and on top of it all, pretty cheap! entrees and mains for 4 people, with 2 bottles of wine and dessert (we were comped for an amawing tiramisu when the waiter fell in the weeds) came to 150 euros. oh, if you order anything with truffle ( there's a lot on the menu) it'll cost triple, but likely worth it!!

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You and me both - I just decided to go meet a girlfriend for a significant birthday she's having on the 26th. We'll be flying in on the 25th and leaving NY's eve morning.

Anything that anyone could add to the above thread would be greatly appreciated. We're both foodies, and we'll likely splurge on one blowout - but we'll be looking for not quite so high-end places for the rest of the trip I'm sure. I haven't been to Paris since my student days, so I remember pretty much nothing that will be useful to me.

This may be a little late in the game, but I love Willy's Wine Bar. http://www.williswinebar.com/

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Cafe Constant in the 7th is marvelous, and very reasonable (I think we got out for under 120 euros with wine), but the opening hours/days seem to be a little random. We had to try a couple of times before we caught them open, and I noticed upthread that someone else had tried to go on a night they were supposed to be open and found them closed. It's totally worth the effort, though, and literally a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower if you want to go see the lights after dinner.
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A few restaurants I visited last week with my Dad. Prices are for two people.

Dinner one night: Restaurant Perraudin, near the Pantheon: 3-course prix fixe. 60E plus tip. I am dreaming about the Saucisson de Lyon avec la moutarde. Mit de Kartoffeln of course (ok, the menu wasn't in German). No wine for this meal.

Lunch: A resto not too far from Carrefour de l'Odeon, Seraphin Tea Room? (will have to look at map). Roughly 40E plus tip. No wine for this meal.

Dinner another night: Le Petit Pontoise on the left bank not far from Notre Dame. 115E plus tip. A la carte. Kir Royales to start, then three courses, then espresso. URF.

Gerard Mulot Patisserie, as we were wandering. Not far from St. Sulpice church. Heavenly chocolate, pastries, macarons...

Dinner one night: Le Petit Prince de Paris for 29E plus tip. Dad was full from an earlier crepe so he had just a salad. I had an entree and plat and we had a carafe of Bordeaux, all for 29E.

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Based on a recommendation from Mr. Slater, my wife and I went to L'Ebauchoir during our time in Paris. We were served by Citronelle alum Thierry Bruneau, who spoke great English and was very gracious, seating us at a table that he pulled aside during the rush so we could sit outside. I had a lot of good foie gras in Paris, but L'Ebauchoir's version was the best, a seared piece of rich duck liver resting in a sweet (but not cloying) melon sauce that balanced out the fatty richness of the foie. I followed that up with the best piece of veal steak I have had since Citronelle's version a few years back. It rested in a light reduction of veal jus that had a faint taste of garlic and morels. My wife never eats veal, but she made me trade her for her almost-as-good filet, as she was obsessed with the sauce. For dessert, we shared a plate of salted caramel ice cream sitting on top of a caramel macaroon, which was just about the best expression of the salty-sweet dessert I've had. The ice cream had large salt crystals mixed into it, which was probably too much saltiness for some people but it really hit the spot with us.

We also went to L'Osteria and found it to be great if a little stuffy from the blistering heat a couple weeks back. The Langoustine pasta dish we had was just outstanding, as was entertainment provided by the incredibly odd owner/server. He spoke in half Italian/half French, making it even harder for us to understand him, and ran around the restaurant in a huff the whole time we were there, asking everyone who walked in the door if they had reservations despite the fact that the place was 3/4 empty the whole 2 hours we were there. He also talked to himself in Franco/Italian the whole time he sliced the charcuterie in the back of the restauarant, which both scared/amused my wife. Highly recommended for a fun night and some great Italian in Paris.

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Le Catherine in the 6th, across the street from Jacques Cagna's Rotisserie d'en Face

Mon Vieil Ami

Agree with these two recs. Both are nice. Mon Vieil Ami is particularly good and probably my favorite place in Paris. Some friends were there a few weeks ago and were raving how good it was. Plus Ile Saint-Louis is rather romantic.

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Plus Ile Saint-Louis is rather romantic.

Oh, strolling around Ile Saint-Louis after a phenomenal meal at Mon Vieil Ami -- yep, pretty much perfect!

We took our honeymoon -- on a slight delay from our wedding -- in Paris, and had dinner at Le Catherine with dear friends also on their honeymoon (which they had spent in Tuscany, but came through Paris for two days on their way home). I still remember the duck and the rabbit we had there.

We also loved Au C'Amelot on the rue d'Amelot in the 11th, but sleuthing tells me it's closed. I hope the young, talented chef has landed somewhere; he crafted one of the most singularly spectacular meals of my life.

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