 | Paris Dining & Drinking Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 76 |  |
It is easy to confuse menu (in English) with menu (in French). They are two different words. What is referred to as a menu in English is called a "carte" in French. In French the menu is a prix fixe choice of set menu items for a specific price. (The one price is for all the items listed for that particular prix fixe menu.)
First, you ask for the Carte to get a list of food offerings. Next, when you read the carte, you will see one or more menus offered at one or more prices. Each "menu" is quite specific as to what you may order, e.g. a starter, a main course and a dessert. You may have a choice of several items in each section . . . or for a very inexpensive prix fixe menu, you may have no choice at all. You take what they give you. (Don't worry, it's usually great.)
When you order a menu, you simply call it by the price, e.g. I would like the 25 euro menu. If there are choices on that menu, the waiter will then ask what you want in each section. If it's a 25 euro menu, the cost is 25 euros for whatever is listed under that menu on your carte.
You will be charged for drinks unless they are listed as part of the menu. You may ask for a carafe of tap water and no one will think you odd. Ask for a "carafe d'eau." If you just ask for water, you may get mineral water and it's expensive.
You can also order "a la carte" or off the carte. Then you may choose anything you like. If you order several courses a la carte, it can be very expensive, often nearly twice as much as a menu. The prix fixe menu choices are a great bargain. In cheaper restaurants they are often the best tasting items on the menu because that is what the locals will order and the chef knows better than to provide poor food for his bread & butter clients.
The service charge is usually added to the bill . Check for the words "Service compris" or just "SC" to see if service is included. It is okay to round up the amount to the nearest euro. Leave a Comment
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Back in Montmartre’s cabaret heyday in the late 19th century, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and his fellow gang of merry artists and writers spent many an evening swimming in a hallucinogenic sea of absinthe.
Also known as the 'Green Fairy' , absinthe was an anisette-based liqueur with a bit of poisonous herbs that didn’t just get people drunk, but also apparently turned them mad.
So absinthe was banned and the party ended.
A few years ago it re-emerged in a legal version that tastes the same (a bit like pastis, which was the original absinthe alternative), minus the poisonous bits.
Of course, the new versions have different names, such as 'Versinthe'.
You can purchase it in most liquor stores in France, although it’s still sort of a novelty so don’t expect to see it served in the corner café.
There’s a method to serving it that involves a water tank with a spout, a flat silver spoon with holes in it, and sugar cubes.
If you’re interested in an introduction to the whole tradition, stop into the Hotel Royal Fromentin (11 rue Fromentin, 9th; right around the corner from Pigalle), a former cabaret known as Le Don Juan with a lovely bar specializing in absinthe.
Try popping in after dinner when the night staff aren’t too busy and can give you the full presentation. (And guests at the hotel even get a little color booklet about the history of the beverage)...see website below for more info. Leave a Comment
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I should not have been surprised to see wine tasting offered in the street market, but I was. We went with GUYON to rue Mouffetard for a stroll through the Sunday market which is wonderful. I don't know why anyone in this quartier cooks - you can just get everything you would want here. We did see some people doing serious wine tastings with appropriate reactions - "yum" or "yuck." I missed getting an actual taste, but the man in the photo is ready when you are. This little street has so many delightful shops you could spend all day just looking and eating. Even the buildings are artistically appealing. At the lower end of the street is the Church of St. Medard and graveyard where, in the 18th Century, miracles were reported years ago involving the 'miraculous' healing associated with a leader buried there. Eventually a sign was erected forbidding God from performing miracles here by order of the king. It was probably not official but there is now an official sign denoting the history. Leave a Comment
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Parisians take their food VERY SERIOUSLY! It's almost like a religion. Recently they pared down their work week from 40 hours to 35 and one of the reasons, I'm certain, is to enjoy those long lingering lunches with family & friends and to get home earlier so that they can linger over their dinners as well.
When dining in a nice bistro or brasserie, especially if it's a place with a fine reputation, expect to spend at least 1-1/2 hours to 3 hours for lunch and even longer for dinner. They want you to enjoy the food, to savor, have time to digest it, drink in the surroundings, engage in discussion with people at the next table. In fact, a great many restaurants are open for only several hours for lunch, they close, then open up again later for dinner!
People who rush through a meal are looked at rather askance! Why you haven't had a chance to even taste the food! It's practically an insult to rush through a meal.
If you want something quick yet Parisian, your best bet is to go to a café (although these are great places to linger over, too). You can stop in a café, order just an omelette, or quiche, or salade, crêpe, drink a quick cafê and be off to the next musée or jardin. For even quicker (and cheaper) service, stand at the comptoir (bar). It's quick, stand-up service.
I have fond memories of Le Vieux Bistro - I had a wonderful time there, spent almost 3 hours - I will definitely go back there!
Please click on the photo at left to view the full ménu!
Photo: April 2003 Leave a Comment
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The Place des Vosges in the Marais is a wonderful place to catch the Parisians in non-posing action. Amid the beautiful square are little parcs where the locals bring their bébés to play.
As I passed thru one day, I saw a young, chic maman trying to get her child to slide down a 2-foot 30º-angle slide and watched a little 3- or 4-year old expertly kicking around a soccer ball.
This is also a beautiful place to stroll when the hubbub of the Marais wears you down. Listen to the playful rush of the fountain as you admire the lovely apricot glow of the ancient buildings surrounding you.
Then stop off for un café at one of the sidewalk terrasse cafés (Ma Bourgogne or Nectarine) surrounding the square; a prime opportunity to people-watch and not nearly as touristy as the Champs-Elysées or St-Germain-des-Près.
Nearby is the Maison de Victor Hugo.
Photos: Feb 2006 Leave a Comment
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Follow the mist from the Seine that drifts into the city just before dawn, clinging to bridges and lampposts---start early to capture Paris at its famed black-and-white best.
Begin your day with a visit to the neighborhood bakery that spins out warm, flaky treats each morning, and enjoy these tasty delicacies all day, or lunch on a sandwich of apples, brie, and sweet walnuts at the zoo in the Jardin des Plantes.
Spend a rainy afternoon (you're sure to have at least one) taking tea in a 'salon de thé' and then while away the evening in a piano bar, sipping a whiskey and listening to Piaf impersonators.
Or, you might try lunch at a bistro---you won't be disappointed; beautifully trimmed with brass, these neighborhood locales serve up well-sauced plats and fine red wines.
Paris will still be there waiting for you after your meal.
Europe's capital of culture, the city has more movie theaters and film festivals than any other on earth.
You might be fortunate enough to catch Henri-Georges Clouzot's "Quai des Orferes," a detective thriller that won Clouzot the best director prize at the 1947 Venice Film Festival.
The real delight of this 'film noir' is in its mood and atmosphere. From the seedy music halls of Menilmonant to the dank police headquarters of the Quai des Orferes, it captures the underbelly of post-World War II Paris in the most glorious black and white you've ever seen.
But...if you miss this one, there are always others....this IS Paris, after all. Leave a Comment
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Part of the absolute charm of being in Paris is the custom of enjoying an aperitif. You will see all Parisians doing this and you should take their cue and do the same.
Two types of aperitif are kir and pastis. Kir is made with a mixture of white wine and creme of cassis which is a black currant liqueur. It is pure heaven. To spike it champagne is added and then it's called a kir royal.
Pastis is an aniseed flavored drink. It's served alongside a glass of water and you mix them together. Usually it's about a 1:5 ratio (one part pastis to 5 parts water). The mixture will look milky hence it's nickname 'the milk of Provence'. Due to aniseed it is licorice flavored.
So order up one of the above and savor it slowly. It leads to the upcoming meal which is eaten slowly and itself savored. No rush at all when you're dining in Paris. Leave a Comment
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The institution of the French cafe has taken a beating from fast food and the frenetic pace of modern life ... yet some of the cafes survive and thrive!
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Some basic rules: If you order at the bar, eat/drink at the bar. The prices are different between the bar and the tables. Once you have ordered something the table is yours until you decide to move. This young couple on Rue de Buci can stay there as long as they like! Service is included so the normal policy is to round up to the next euro. Leave a Comment
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(d) Fancy a coffee, newspaper and mingling with the chic Parisians? Then head to the world famous Café Flore (172 Bv. St. Germaine) or Deux Magots (170 Bv. St. Germaine) and...you WILL find a lot of singles (Parisians and foreigners) who don't mind chatting and getting to know you better. It's just like what you would see in the once-popular HBO TV series "Sex In The City" i.e. the kind of fabulous places the gals from SITC would hang-out. And don't worry... this is not some cheap pick-up joint. Many are habitués (regulars) but these two 'literary' (and very expensive) cafes attract tourists from all over the world.... from New York to Tokyo, Berlin to Singapore and Australia. :-)) Hey, some of them would even be thrilled to join forces with you to explore a bit of Paris or simply take a walk. My best friend and I have had some great moments at these cafés. Ah, c'est la vie...
So, go ahead and order a petit crème (that's - coffee with piping hot milk, baby).
(e) Sushi bars are another fun way to meet nice, cool and chic single diners. The current 'in' sushi hangout must surely be Lo Sushi (8, rue de Berri 75008). It has a revolving sushi bar where diners help themselves to the delectable sushi et sashimi that catches their fancy. I like it this way... The decor is better than the sushi, but amazingly this restaurant is a BIG hit with locals and foreigners alike.
Who recommended us this place?
A sales assistant from Chanel (the branch located along the Champs Elysees) highly recommended this joint to us. 100 brownie points to her.
(f) If you're interested to meet interesting people living in Paris, you should also consider popping into a wine bar (only the chic wine bars, pur-leeese!) where people have the same taste preferences or share a sense of sipping adventure. Food and wine in France tend to be the bond that binds like-minded people together!
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In America, the expectation is fast and efficient service. It's rare for your drink or meal to be anyway near finished without a waiter asking how everything is and whether you need another drink. And when your meal is finished, the check typically comes quickly in an effort to get you up and on your way. That is how we do things.
That is not how things are typically done in France. I think the secret is to just relax and go with the flow. Hey, you are on vacation. What's the rush! And when your waiter does come, be aware that it may be a while before he or she comes back.
And bringing the check may not be automatic.
"J'ai fini. L'addition, s'il vous plait" (I'm finished. The check, please.) is a good way to practice your French and let them know you are ready to go. Leave a Comment
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