Selected restaurants

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We have selected for you the best restaurants you could possibly find in le Marais area.
Many for as little as 15 euros (lunchtime) to 50 euros per person (diner), including three courses, wine and coffee! Some will also be slightly more expensive, but value for money is what we look for.

Le Marais district offers such a wide choice of cuisine, many of which are only available in other large metropolitan areas, so take advantage and don't just indulge on French food! Open yourself to all sorts of fare you may not have tried before -- as you just might discover some new great tastes.

Special notes about restaurants The restaurants are organized by arrondissement: the 3rd arrondissement is the north Marais 4th is the south Marais, and then alphabetically. Each listing contains the address, phone number, closest Métro stations, special closing information, the menu prices, payment options if it does not accept credit cards (assuming most restaurants do accept them) and a personal description of the restaurant. There is a difference between a "restaurant," "bistrot," "brasserie," "bar a vin," "café" and "salon de thé." Mostly the guide consists of "restaurants" or "bistrots" which serve lunch and/or dinner during normal hours. Lunch is usually served between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., dinner between 8:30 and 11:00 p.m.. If you don't want a full meal and/or you want to eat at an odd hour, a salon de thé or a "brasserie" or "café" may be a better choice than a restaurant because in a restaurant in Paris you are expected to order a full meal -- at least two courses, and they don't serve at odd hours.

3rd Arrondissement

LE 101

Traditional and inventive French Cuisine
101, rue Vieille du Temple, Arrondissement 3
Phone 01.42.77.10.52
Métro Saint Sebastien-Froissart
Closed Saturday Lunch , Sunday evening and Monday
Fabulous brunch on Sunday
€15 2-Course Fixed-Price Lunch Menu with Wine, Average per Person €35 - €45 Dinner
A brand new restaurant with a new team replacing A 2 Pas du 3. Lunch is a particular bargain, but the cuisine is up to beyond par even at their dinner menu prices. One French friend remarked that the cuisine was amazingly "raffinée." I quite agree!.

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AU BASCOU

Southwest French
38, rue Réaumur, Arrondissement 3
Phone and Fax 01.42.72.69.25
Métro Arts et Métiers
Closed Saturday and Sunday
A La Carte Menu: Average per Person €35 - €45
Handsome Jean-Guy Loustau with his well-manicured moustache and round silver eyeglasses, puts on a big smile and uses his charming broken English to describe the delicacies in which you are about to indulge from the Basque region of France. You will enjoy the warm tones and relaxed atmosphere of the newly plastered and beamed little bistrot, seemingly more in the style of Southwest U.S. than the Basque region of France. The aromas coming from the kitchen are intense and alluring. The menu is so intriguing that you might be tempted to order absolutely everything. Presentation of each dish is stunning – almost as good as the taste! Start with "Escargots 'petits gris' à l'ail doux," or "Terrine de gibier – confiture d'oignons," or "Millefeuille d'anchois de Ciboure" or Piperade Basquaise." Follow suit with "Morue 'pil'," or "Chipirons sautés à la Luzienne," or "Agneau de lait Pyrénées." Top it off with "Beret Basque," or "Tourtière pommes et pruneaux." You will be "uhming" all through the courses. Wines from the region run about €23 – €31 a bottle and are a perfect accompaniment to such a robust dining experience. This €40 meal is the biggest bargain in Paris and could be one of the most fun. Final note – don't miss the hand-tiled powder room. It's almost as creative as M. Loustau's menu.

Special notes about dining in Paris What to drink? What to drink with your meal? At a restaurant serving traditional French cuisine, the French will drink wine or water with their meal. Red wine is preferred by the French over rosé or white wines, but that depends totally on what types of food you have ordered and sometimes the season. You can always ask your waiter for a recommendation on wine. At ethnic restaurants, you may want to try the drinks of that type of cuisine or water, bottled or ordinary. Paris water served in the carafe free of charge is perfectly acceptable to drink. Soft drinks are considered only as refreshments between meals, but never drunk with the meal by the French, and because soft drinks are as expensive as wine, can increase your bill more than you'd think reasonable. What to drink after your meal? Normally coffee, like an espresso, in a small cup, black and strong, is served – but AFTER your meal, not with your dessert. Coffee is a separate course. You may order "café crème" or "café au lait" (coffee with milk) but the French consider this a breakfast drink. A "noisette" is an espresso with a small amount of milk in it. "Café allongé" is espresso with additional water, more like American-style coffee, and can be requested. You can then add milk ("du lait") or sugar ("du sucre"). Decaffeinated coffee is now available just about everywhere, both in espresso or coffee with milk or cream. Just say "déca" (day-kah), s'il vous plait". Teas or herbal drinks are normally available, but they may not have many different varieties to choose from. Cooking meat. French chefs usually cook meat less than you may be accustomed to, so when the waiter asks you how you would like your steak, lamb or any other meat, keep this in mind. Well done = "très bien cuit," medium = "bien cuit," medium rare = "à point," rare = "saignant," extremely rare = "bleu."

CHEZ JANOU

Traditional French, Provençale
2, rue Roger Verlomme, at the corner of rue des Tournelles, Arrondissement 3
Phone 01.42.72.28.41
Métro Chemin Vert
No Credit Cards
A La Carte Menu: Average per Person €25 to €35
Absolutely filled with old world charm, with windowed outer walls, wood tables and bentwood chairs and adorned in old French movie posters, Chez Janou will delight your senses. Daily "suggestions" are noted on one blackboard while another lists a myriad of classic French dishes, names you'll find on thousands of menus. The surprise comes when that scolding hot plate comes to the table and what you thought would be simple turns out to be both a visual and tasty treat. "Carpaccio de thon" or "Petit chèvre roti au romarin" to start, "Cuisse de lapin confite à l'huile d'olive," "Pates au pistou" or "Brandade de morue" for your next course. Accompanying purée (mashed potatoes) are molded to a cylinder shape under the rabbit and dusted with "baie roses" spice. Pasta is "al dente." The mousse au chocolat dessert is served in a bowl the size of a bucket for scooping as much as you like and It's very, very rich! In fact, everything here is very rich, so come with a good appetite!

CHEZ OMAR

North African
47, rue de Bretagne. Arrondissement 3
Phone 01.42.72.36.26
Métro Arts et Métiers, Temple
No Credit Cards, No Reservations
Closed Sunday Lunch
A La Carte Menu: Average per Person €25

North African couscous is as French these days as onion soup, thanks to a large North African population in Paris of more than 200,000. So, to truly complete a French experience, you will not want to visit Paris without a lunch or dinner pause at Chez Omar. It is well reputed for its great couscous, grilled meats, fast, friendly service and Omar himself, who is loaded with personality. The neighborhood residents, local celebrities and tourists all flock here. While not as uncharted as many of the restaurants on the Leeds Good Value Guide to Paris Restaurants, I can rest assured you'll enjoy its vivant ambiance as well as its savory couscous at very reasonable prices. My personal recommendation is to start with a "Pastilla" (pigeon pied -- shared among two or four as it's very rich) then order one meat couscous and one "legumes" couscous between two as the portions are copious. The "Royal" is a platter of different varieties of meats, for a taste of everything. There are also a variety of standard dishes (steaks, roast chicken, etc.) if someone in your party just isn't in the mood for couscous. Dessert can be a tough choice when presented with Omar's platter of Middle Eastern pastries filled with honey and nuts. Instead of coffee after dessert try Omar's Thé à la Menthe (fresh made mint tea). Be prepared – even my most discerning friends agree, it is virtually impossible not to have fun at Chez Omar! Special note: it's a popular place so be prepared to wait to get in unless you arrive early enough.

GLI ANGELI

Italian
5, rue Saint-Gilles (corner of rue de Béarn), Arrondissement 3
Phone 01.42.71.05.80
Métro Chemin Vert
A La Carte Menu: Average per Person €25 to €30
I am forever in search of great Italian cuisine at inexpensive prices. Gli Angeli, off the beaten track just behind the beautiful and elegant Place des Vosges, is well-known by the neighborhood denizens, and simply as authentic Italian as it gets. The jovial Italian owners, Malio Miglioli and Bernardo Paventa are trilingual (at least), so speak with them in English, French or your best Italian. They'll make you feel right at home in their tiny stone-walled corner establishment, busy as a hive, serving up hot pastas, lavish plates of antipasti and beautiful desserts. They have so much demand, that they will accommodate you only at two dinner seatings – 8:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Portions are enormous – more for an Italian appetite than a French one, so don't feel compelled to order three courses. For starters, try the "Pepperoni con Bufalo" or "Antipasti degli Angeli," or any of the other arrays of salads and appetizers. If you're a serious pasta lover, choose from a long list of both traditional and not-so-traditional sauces – "Taglierini Rucola e Parmigiano" is creamy with fresh parmesan, "Linguine alla Vongole" with its spicy kick and "Tagliatelli al Nero di Seppia" is black, oozing and the squid is tender. The menu changes from time to time, so these same dishes may not be there, but similar recipes will. Recently, mussels in a garlicky tomato sauce were changed to mussels in a safran cream sauce and I'd have to say it was even better! The "Tiramisu" gets a rave review, too. House wines are Italian, inexpensive and quite acceptable. The espresso is Italian, thick and syrupy. Dining at Gli Angeli is more like having a party in Verona than a dinner out in Le Marais.

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LA FONTAINE GOURMANDE

Traditional French
11, rue Charlot, Arrondissement 3
Phone 01.42.78.72.40
Métro Filles du Calvaire, République
Closed Saturday Lunch, Sunday, Monday Evening and August
Lunch: €11 2-Course Fixed-Price Menu and €14 3-Course Fixed-Price Menus, Dinner A La Carte: Average per Person €25 - €35
La Fontaine Gourmande is one of my favorite spots in my own Marais neighborhood to take a group of friends who I want to impress. The décor of this tiny, cozy stone-walled nook (just near the Musée Picasso) didn't change much except to freshen up the walls with fresh paint and new art when new owners came in a couple of years ago, but the quality of the food has far surpassed it. Expect traditional French fare, two steps up from the ordinary, of a very good quality, beautiful presentation and large portions. Service is very helpful, friendly and they speak English if you have questions about the menu. I find the service is quite well timed. My personal favorite is the "foie gras poêlé" entrée which I often order as a main course and add a green salad to balance the richness of the dish.

LE CONNETABLE

Traditional French
55, rue des Archives, Arrondissement 3
Phone 01.42.77.41.40 or 01.42.71.69.21, Fax 01.42.77.84.66
Métro Rambuteau
€21 3-Course Menu, Average per Person €30
In a Hôtel Particulier of the Cardinal de Retz of 1611, this stone walled corner with its iron work on every window seems uninviting from the foreboding exterior, but don't be fooled. On the first level, the bar accommodates local drinkers of ale and wine. Upstairs, where most diners dine, is warm and comforting under a beamed ceiling with a view onto the length of rue des Archives from the windows. Even though it's small and cozy, parties of 8 or 10 seem to be very at home in this atmosphere, but two at a window table is romantic and intimate. The tables are set elaborately, almost baroque tableau-ish. You will know in an instant what is to come just by the quality of the fresh "baguette de campagne." Be sure to check the "plats du jour" before making your choice – but, you are sure to enjoy "Salade de haricots verts aux foies de volaille," "Filet de canard aux fruits peches" or "Steack aux poivres." Service is female and friendly.

Do's and Don'ts Part 1 : THE "DO'S" When in Rome, do as the Romans. When in France, do as the French. With a few simple "do's" and "don'ts," you will have a more rewarding and less expensive dining experience in Paris than you might have expected. Many of these tips I learned on my own through trial and error, so I hope that providing them here will speed up the process for you! One thing I find to make a big difference in service, even when in a simple café or brasserie, is to never take a table without asking permission from the wait staff. This shows a level of respect for the establishment, and will immediatly set up your treatment with favor. The following do’s and don’ts are more specific and will help guide you through the maze of dining “politesse” -- and if followed, you are more sure to have success and a pleasant dining experience wherever you go. RESERVATIONS Make reservations whenever you can. Many of these restaurants are small, independent businesses owned by individuals. They likely take Sunday off, close the entire month of August or certainly fill up quickly, so call in advance to ensure the restaurant is open and can seat you. Cancel your reservations if you have a change in plans, as a courtesy to these small independently owned restaurants. SMOKING If smoke bothers you, then while you're making reservations, ask for "non-fumeur" (non-smoking). Many restaurants now have special non-smoking sections or will seat you at their best non-smoking table if you ask for it in advance. Also, if you dine at an earlier hour, about 8 p.m., you'll find the restaurants less smoky than later hours (likely due to the young who tend to dine later and smoke more!). DINNER DINING TIMING Parisians dine after 8 p.m., and most reservations are made for 9 p.m. If you do dine earlier, expect to be the first to arrive or to be dining with mostly Americans. Most restaurants will not be ready to serve until 8 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.! DRESS Dress appropriately. We are not suggesting that you don your finest suit and tie or Sunday best, but dressing well is part of the French culture, so use your good judgment. I think you'll find that if you're dressed to fit in comfortably with the Parisians, that overall you'll be treated with much more respect. Parisians rarely will be seen wearing shorts even in very hot weather. This goes for athletic shoes, too, which are reserved for the gym or the teens. True, you will see a more casual Paris these days than even just a few years ago, but if you don't look like a tourist, you won't be treated like one, and that can take you a long way. BEING SEATED Wait to be seated when entering a restaurant or bistrot. Someone will normally greet you and take your name if you have reserved or ask you "combien de personnes?" before seating you. In a brasserie, it is more customary to find a seat yourself, unless it is particularly crowded and you need assistance. That being said, as noted above, if you take the time to ask, you’ll likely be treated better. "FLIRTING" WITH THE WAITPERSON AND "POLITESSE" Be polite and by all means, "flirt" with the waitperson. It has taken me years as an American who was taught to "get to the point" that doing just that gets you nowhere in France and even less from the service in any eating establishment. The general consensus among Americans (as I am told) is that the waiters in France are "surly," when the truth is we just haven't learned the art of seduction. The French are taught to be "seduisant" (seductive or attractive) and to "flirt" in a non-sexual, but friendly way. If you learn this simple method, I can guarantee you great service every single time. Man or woman, waiter or waitress, establishing a rapport with the server first will insure you success. Say "bonjour." Make eye contact. Smile. Take a deep breath. Apologize for bothering the waiter ("Excusez-moi de vous déranger ... ") or for your lack of French ("Excusez-moi, mais je ne parle pas beaucoup de français ... ") or if you have a question about the menu (S'il vous plaît, j'ai une petite question sur la carte ... ") and smile and be polite and always, always say "s'il vous plaît" and "merci beaucoup." One final note -- please, never shout "garçon!" "FORMULE" AND FIXED PRICE MENUS Order the "menu," "formule" or "plat du jour" for the best value. A "menu" refers to a two, three or four-course meal offered at one special price in which you choose from a list of items within each course category. For example: a "menu" of €20 could consist of one "entrée" (first course), one "plat" (main course) and one "dessert" (dessert). You may be given three or more choices within each category. Often a menu will also give you a choice of "fromage" (cheese) and/or dessert, or offer a choice from any two categories, such as "entrée et plat" or "plat et dessert." During lunch, you may see a restaurant offer a "formule." This is normally more limited in choice, but a very good value. When ordering "à la carte," you can often order any assortment of dishes, charged for individually. Quite often, "un plat garni" (one main course garnished with a side dish) from the à la carte menu, is usually a larger portion than if you had ordered it as part of a "menu." Special note: what we call "the menu" in English is "la carte" in French; what we call "an entree" in English is "un plat" in French and "un entrée" in French is an appetizer or first course in English. Confusing, but true. WINE When choosing a wine, consider "le vin de maison" (the house wine). Usually, you can count on it to be acceptable and very reasonably priced. "Un quart" (pronounced "uhn kar") is a quantity of 25 centiliters, enough for two glasses and can often be about the same price as one single glass. "Un pichet" or pitcher, very often of the house wine, is usually either 25 or 50 centiliters ("un demi"). THE CHECK After the meal, ask for "l'addition, s'il vous plaît" (the bill). It won't just arrive automatically, as the custom is to allow you ample time to relax after your meal, so be prepared to ask for it before you're ready to leave. Often, you can catch the eye of the waiter and motion a "scribbling" in the air to indicate that you would like the check. Politely, though, please! Errors in addition do happen unintentionally, so be sure to check the bill thoroughly. CREDIT CARDS If you prefer paying by credit card, find out in advance if the restaurant accepts credit cards or not, so that you are prepared with enough cash if necessary. Most restaurants will accept VISA, but MasterCard and American Express are not as widely used at these restaurants or credit cards may not be accepted at all. TAX AND TIP Restaurants are required by law to include tax and service in their prices. Normally 12 to 15 percent is included, but there is no real guarantee the server will actually receive the entire amount. If you were satisfied with the meal and the service, then it is customary to leave a few extra Euros as a tip – five to 10 percent of the bill. You cannot add a tip to your credit card receipt, as you can in the United States, so be prepared with a little cash. Special note: please report to us any restaurant in Paris which tries to convince you their prices DO NOT include the tip! COMMENTS Please write us by email, fax or "snail mail" as indicated below. We are very interested in your comments about the meals and service you experienced at any of these restaurants and any restaurant suggestions you might offer us.

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4th Arrondissement

EQUINOX

Traditional French / Québecoise Specialties
33-35, rue de Rosiers (at the corner of rue Vieille de Temple), Arrondissement 4
Phone 01.42.71.92.41, Fax 01.42.71.92.43
Métro Saint-Paul, Hôtel de Ville
Open Tuesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., Closed Monday
€12 2-Course Fixed-Price Lunch Menu with Wine, €17 3-Course Fixed-Price Menu 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., €20 and €23 2-Course Fixed-Price Menus, €26 3-Course Fixed-Price Menu
Don't be deceived when you pass the corner and see only a bar. Tucked behind the bar with a separate entrance on rue des Rosiers is this intimate 30-seat stone-walled and beamed restaurant, sure to have an interesting past. The bargain here is lunch and what I would call the "Early Bird Special" served between 7 and 8 p.m. Daily, the entrée du jour and tarte du jour change. The fish dish they serve is according to what's fresh and in season. Salads and entrées are particularly above average, but the main courses are simply "correct." This good-value find in my own "quartier" (which I must have passed a thousand times), is thanks to veteran guide purchasers Walter and Shirley Pappas who periodically take time here in Paris to explore the city and test restaurants.

GRIZZLI CAFE

Traditional French
7, rue Saint-Martin, Arrondissement 4
Phone 01.48.87.77.56
Métro Châtelet
Open Everyday 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Average per Person €25 - €30
Next to one of my favorite bargain bookstores, "Mona Lisait," and across from another well-known bistrot, "Benoît," but half the price, Le Grizzli serves beautifully prepared and inventive meals morning, noon and night to a non-touristy clientele in a very touristy spot. Just last week, Le Figaro gave it a two-heart rating. The upper level is pleasantly decorated in deep lavenders, candidate for a romantic dinner at a late hour, but watch going up or down the treacherous not-quite-but-almost "calimaçon" (spiral) stairs. The plat du jour, entée du jour and dessert du jour changes daily, so note the "ardoise" (blackboard), but don't miss reviewing its "petite carte": "Gnocchi d'escargots à la tomate au basilic," "Navarin de la mer aux trois poissons coulis d'ecrevisse," "Gateau de pommes de terre au foie gras," " Filet de boeuf façon rossini," "Tarte Fine au thon mi-cuit sauce vierge," "Pavé de saumon sauce gribisse, galette de pomme de terre." This is not light dining, so be sure to go with a good appetite and you'll enjoy every morsel.

Do's and Don'ts Part 2 : THE "DONT'S" RUSHING THE MEAL Don't rush the meal. Allow enough time to dine in French time -- two hours on the average. Service is generally at a relaxed pace and each course will be served separately in this order: "apéritif" (any pre-dinner drink, traditionally a "Kir" (Crème de Cassis with white Burgundy wine - Mister Kir, former mayor of Dijon gave his name to this drink), water and wine, appetizer, main course, cheese, dessert, coffee. You may order the wine, appetizer and main course at first, then after having eaten those courses you may order cheese and/or dessert. When those have been eaten, then you may request coffee. Coffee is not served with dessert unless you request it. A traditional French coffee is an espresso (see below for a more detailed explanation), unlike an American-style coffee which is drunk to "wash down" dessert. SPEAKING LOUDLY Don't speak too loudly. It's considered impolite to infringe on someone else's privacy, so the French have learned from an early age how to "modulate" their voices so they cannot be overheard. If your conversation can be fully understood even at the next table, then it would be too intrusive, so try to tone it down. USING YOUR UTENSILS AND DON’T CUT THE LETTUCE The French use a different method of wielding a fork and knife. With the fork in your left hand and the knife in your right, stab the food with the fork and cut the food with the knife. Bring the morsel to your mouth with the fork still in your left hand, but turned downward. Rice and potatoes must be pushed up onto the back of the fork! Yes, it is awkward! But, so is shifting the utensils from one hand to the other as we were taught to do! With practice, you’ll get it. Also, one small difference in our cultures -- cutting your lettuce is simply not done. I learned this the very first time I dined in a French friend’s home. So learn to fold the lettuce onto your fork until it’s small enough a package to put into your mouth! DOGGY BAGGING IT Don't ask for a "doggy bag." Portions are for normal appetites and it is customary to eat most everything on your plate. Occasionally you'll encounter very large portions when you will have the urge to ask for a "doggy bag." Resist! Restaurants are not prepared with disposable cartons for your leftovers and the French consider it extremely bad manners. SEPARATE CHECKS Don't ask for separate checks, especially if you're asking for more than two. You can easily ask for a particular amount to be charged on each person's credit card, or each contribute a variety of different payments (checks, cash and credit card) which all together total the amount of the bill. If everyone is ordering similar meals, then it's best etiquette to simply divide the bill by the number of people in the party, some will pay slightly more and some, slightly less. If the amounts owed by each are too unbalanced, then do the math yourself and do not impose on the restaurant personnel who are servers, not mathematicians.

L'ENOTECA

Italian Wine Bar
25, rue Charles V, Arrondissement 4
Phone 01.42 78 91 44
Métro Saint-Paul
Open Everyday for Lunch and Dinner Until 1 a.m.
A La Carte Menu: Average per Person €25 - €35
Wood beamed with deep terra-cotta colored walls and a soft toned silver ceiling in an ancient Marais building, Enoteca is known in Paris as THE Italian wine bar with an excellent "cave" and very respectable and authentic cuisine. While expensive wines are available, the list is long (about 300 wines) and inviting for excellent quality lesser expensive vintages and because you can order by the glass, in one evening you can taste-test several. The antipasti table is copious and is a delightful array of unusual dishes – grilled cabbage, peppers and eggplant… Pastas are made from fresh noodles and every day there is a different "pates du jour" to keep you coming back. The wait staff is really Italian, really knowledgeable and friendly. The ambience is typically casual and spirited for an establishment of this kind.

LA TABLE DES GOURMETS

Traditional French
14, rue des Lombards, Arrondissement 4
Phone 01.40.27.00.38
Métro Hôtel de Ville, Châtelet
Closed Sunday
€15 and €26 3-Course Fixed-Price Menus, €32 4-Course Fixed-Price Menu
On a busy touristy street among many other restaurants unequal to it, La Table des Gourmets is situated in the cave of a medieval Gallo-Roman 12th century chapel with high vaulted ceilings and run by a Chinese family the past 12 years. From every aspect, this is a most unusual restaurant. Prices are right, quality of cuisine is very "correct" and service is efficient and pleasant. A few ideas from their traditional French menu to try are : "La salade d'endive Tourangelle," "Soupe a l'oignon," " Le steack de gigot d'agneau au beurre Provençal," "La salade aux crevettes," "Le delice au chocolat blanc et coco." There's no air conditioning, so you may want to avoid it in Summer.

LE COUDE FOU

Traditional French, "Bar à Vins"
12, rue du Bourg-Tibourg, Arrondissement 4
Phone 01.42.77.15.16, Fax 01.48.04.08.98
Métro Hôtel de Ville
Open Everyday
Fixed-Price Lunch Menu: €18 2-Course Fixed-Price Menu with 2 Glasses of Wine, €23 3-Course Fixed-Price Menu with 2 Glasses of Wine, Sunday Brunch 12 noon – 4 p.m. €23, Dinner A La Carte Menu: Average per Person €30 to €35
Just down the block is the elegant and pricey Mariage Frères Salon de Thé and across the street is one of the best hair cutters in Paris, Peter Gadge. For such a small street, there are lots of wonderful shops and restaurants, including Le Coude Fou. There are only two choices in each category on the fixed price menu, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. This charming old-world typically Parisian bistrot serves a meal as perfectly prepared as you might have much more expensively. The first good sign is the delicious crusty bread, then steak (their specialty) with a very robust green peppercorn sauce, or pink trout in a buttery, but flavorful light sauce. Servings are copious. The wine list is the most impressive aspect, as this is one of the neighborhood's favorite "bistrot à vins" and the wine which is served with the fixed-price menu is much better quality than the usual "vin de maison." Service is prompt and friendly and the décor simple and comfortable. This is the kind of restaurant that reminds me why I like living in Paris and I can go there often never to be disappointed.

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LE PETIT BOFINGER

Traditional French
6, rue de la Bastille, 4th Arrondissement
Phone 01.42.72.05.23
Métro Bastille
Open Everyday and August
€18 2-Course (Lunch) and €27-Course Menus, €7 Children's Menu
Pleasantly surprisingd, not only is the food quite nice for the price, the service and ambiance is excellent and not at all insulting to tourists. This is Le Bofinger's lesser expensive "child" – and a chain, to boot. The décor isn't quite the belle époque magnificence of Bofinger across the street, but neither are the prices. While I don't normally recommend chain restaurants, this is one worth knowing, particularly for dining on Sundays, holidays and in August when more independent restaurants are closed.

VINS DES PYRENEES

Traditional French
25, rue Beautreillis, Arrondissement 4
Phone 01.42.72.64.94
Métro Saint-Paul
Open Everyday Lunch and Dinner
A La Carte Menu: Average per Person €30 - €40
What used to be a wine merchant is now a charming, romantic traditional French bistrot with antique post card memorabilia adorning the walls and an old-world charm. Clientele is young, hip and late – don't expect the restaurant to fill up until at least 9 p.m. The cuisine is one step up from the usual offering; the menu changes frequently, but you might find such creations as: "Salade d'artichauts à l'oeuf poché et crème de lard," "Poêlée de champignons et escargots," "Fricassée de'encornets au pistou, risotto crèmeux à léncre de seiche," "Saumon de Norvège rôti l'anis étoilé" and "Souris d'agneau braisée au chou vert." Be sure to take a souvenir "carte de visit" (business card) – it's a recreation of a World War I post card picturing two lovers and the notation: "Lorsque de tes deux bras, tu entoures mon cou, je me rappelle notre premier jour au Vins des Pyrénées, le petit bistrot où tu me souris pour la première fois ..."

11th Arrondissement

AU C'AMELÔT

Modern French
50 rue Amelot, 11 arrondissement
Phone 01.43.55.54.04
Métro Chemin Vert or St. Sébastien-Froissart
Closed Sunday and Monday and the month of August
No you’re not in Camelot, you’re in an excellent bistro, which serves a fantastically prepared 4-course meal with a fixed price menu of only 32 euros! My mother use to say, that a perfect vacation was when you didn’t have to make decisions. Just outside the Marais but well worth the trip the chef here decides for you what you’re going to eat. The starter is normally a fabulous soup followed by 2 small main courses. First fish then meat or poultry. The dessert is the only decision you’ll have to make and you’ll probably wish he had decided that too because they’re all wonderful.  This was my regular restaurant when I lived close by and I’m glad to say it hasn’t changed.  

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