Restaurants in Paris

Periodically I will comment on restaurants, boulangeries, patisseries and other food places that I have visited in Paris. However I don’t write restaurant reviews even though I’ll share my opinions about restaurants ad nauseum to friends, family and people that ask my opinion and equally to people who don’t ask my opinion.

It really is a challenge to find good food and particularly memorable food for a value in Paris. This is why I'm starting to make notes on this topic. Before spending time in Paris, I had a food myth that good eats are plentiful at the charming cafes, bistros and restaurants of Paris. I've learned through personal experiences and those of many friends, that a little research and some luck are best if you desire a good food experience.

Here are my personal Paris restaurant requirements for a repeat visit:

1) the servers notice your presence and then serve you and are even nice or mostly nice;
2) you don’t have to raise your voice to talk;
3) the menu does not focus on traditional French dishes, and
4) offers good values for Paris.

I also do have a preference for family-owned establishments and gastro-bistros or neo-bistros with seasonal local foods.

I have been using two food guides on Paris. The first is “Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City’s 102 Best Restaurants” which I’m enjoying as an entertaining and insightful guide to eating in Paris. The author, Alexander Lobrano has lived in Paris since 1986 and according to the book reviews is Gourmet magazine’s European correspondent. An addition to many interesting personal stories of eating in Paris and the culture of eating in Paris, the book describes the evolution of Paris bistros and offers explanations for the declining quality of bistro foods, but offers hope for options--see link for more info: http://hungryforparis.squarespace.com/

The second food guide is the Chocolate and Zucchini guide by Clotilde Dusoulier. Her book includes restaurants, all types of food shops, cooking stores and outdoor markets plus some recipes. She is a reliable resource for food recommendations and her passion for food is contagious. See this link for more information: http://chocolateandzucchini.com/books/

I will start a list here of places I’ve enjoyed. Eventually I will post pictures and/or some additional information. I begin with my most recent meal at L’Ourcine. The next restaurant post will be about Passage 53.