Bonjour. We will be visiting Paris and I am really starting to worry about what I will find to eat. I%26#39;m really worried that I am going to have to survive on French Bread and Cheese.
Seems that so much of what is listed at the recommended restaurants are things that I just don%26#39;t eat.
I dont eat lamb, ham or pork, or much fish. I dont eat cold soups, or %26quot;gizzards%26quot; I don%26#39;t like spices and creme sauces. I don%26#39;t like fast foods, and havent been in a McDonalds or Burger King etc for probably three decades. And I dont think I could stand to eat %26quot;pigeon%26quot; no matter how well it was prepared.
My usual diet is grilled chicken, and pasta, and the (very) occasional piece of beef. I like them prepared simply. I like salads too.
I would be happy to spend 50-75 Euros per person for a nice dinner, and do not need to eat at a place where they charge more. Nothing against such places -- but I just wont enjoy them enough to justify the cost -- and I%26#39;d rather spend it on other things on my trip.
Could anyone suggest places in central Paris, within a mile or two of the Louvre if possible? (we are staying at the Tuileries).
Many many thanks to all who read this. It%26#39;s great to get all the help from people who know.
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You can check out Atelier Maitre Albert. I%26#39;ve been told that their rotisserie chicken is excellent. I plan to give it a try.
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You will find many options that suit your palate at any brasserie or bistro. Poulet frites (baked/roasted chicken and fries) and steak frites are available most anywhere. Simple and tasty. Plenty of salad options as well.
50-75 euros per person implies (to me) richer, more unusual ingredients (for your taste) -- foie gras, cream-based sauces, specialty cuts of meat, etc. Many, many restaurants in Paris offer straight forward fixed price menus for far less than your price point...
My wife has very different tastes from mine -- I am quite adventurous, will eat almost anything raw, think everything tastes better with a little duck fat, etc. -- while she would describe her tastes as very similar to yours: simple, foods she recognizes and is familiar with, etc. She absolutely ADORED the food in Paris last summer.
J
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Maybe some Pintade (Guinea Fowl) or Magret de Canard (Duck Breast). There are also many excellent Japonais restaurants in France.
If you are going to eat pasta, take care with the menu wording. Be careful when you see the word %26quot;pate%26quot; on a menu. Depending on the accents it could refer to Pâté (as in de Foie Gras), pâtes which is pasta, and pâte which is pastry. I think I have the accents correct.
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Most places have steak frites (steak and chips) and roast poulet (chicken). You may need to be careful about how you like beef cooked as the French often cook it quite rare (bleu; blue: saignant; bloody: a point; pink: bien cuit; well cooked but often has a blush still: my mum went for bien, bien cuit; very well cooked)
Duck magret (breast)too is often served quite pink.
Composed salads in France are lovely things, big enough for a meal and with interesting combinations. You can avoid the gizzards (geziers) and have combinations with cheese, chicken, interesting vegetables and so on. Most places for an everyday meal offer quite a lot of choices.
The cheese board should not be ignored either, as you enjoy cheese. The many different types are a delight, from soft and creamy, to hard and crumbly to smelly. It is mostly served onto your plate at your choice from the trolley and you eat it with a knife and fork, maybe a little bread. The cheese trolley with maybe 20 cheeses to choose from is, alas, becoming less common.
The French also make wonderful omelettes, with and without filling. They will be creamy still in the centre, not cooked so long that they go all dry.
Then there are the desserts. Please have at least one creme brulee, a soft custard with a top of brittle, thin toffee. In France they use wide shallow earthernware dishes and you get lots of crunch with the custard which is yummy.
Lots of vegetarians eat well in France. Do not despair, you will have wonderful food.
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A pigeon would never be a street one and would be tasty.. Duck definitely taste more meaty--beef like-- than chicken..your food restrictions would make both a nutritionist and a doctor cringe as they recommend we eat a wide variety of foodstuff to stay healthy.
You can find prix fixe menus for between 15 and 25 Euros per person. This give you a choice of either hors d%26#39;oeuvre and main course or main course and dessert. Taxes and tip are included in the posted price. Locals ask for plain water (une carafe d%26#39;eau) and do not ask for a coffee at the end, in order to keep costs down. You can have a coffee later, in a cafe, not a restaurant. You Know of course that all eating places MUST have several menus, and their prices, posted outside their door, along with the %26quot;a la carte%26quot; choices and prices. This helps you making up your mind before going in.
Many streets have lots of restaurants, cafes, brasseries next to one another..so giving a list is impossible. Not to mention that these places would be overrun by tourist who can%26#39;t be bothered to read posted menus and make up their mind. AVOID places near touristy sites where most customers look foreign.
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Recently had some friends in twon and they had just spent a week in the Loire eating nothing but bread and cheese. It is not that they didn%26#39;t hae a zillion other options, but the cheese here is pretty darn good.
Relax! You don%26#39;t hear about all those skinny Parisiennes and then think everything they eat is literally dripping in sauce, do you? For the most part, the diet here is plain and simple.
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A strong second to Shoesy%26#39;s recommendation of Atelier Maitre Albert. Their chicken with mashed potatoes is divine. It%26#39;s a lovely restaurant with attentive but not stuffy service. They%26#39;re at 1 r. Maitre Albert in the 5th. I also strongly recommend that you make a reservation at 01 56 81 30 01. Have a look at their website: ateliermaitrealbert.com
You%26#39;ll really have no trouble finding food you like. We promise.
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