BASTILLE and other Paris, France Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Café Français

This is probably the most pleasant of all the bistros and cafes on Place de la Bastille. I only go there for a glass of wine and haven't eaten there yet so I can't comment on the food. But the service is very nice, the place is lively, but at the same tie large enough to handle the crowd. It is head an shoulder above those cafes jammed in on the other side of the circle. I avoid those and opt for this more elegant brasserie.

March 15, 2009 Have returned to Café Français many times this trip and finally decided to try the hot chocolate. Delicious and thick.


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Theme: French

Phone: 01 40 29 04 02
Address: 3 place de la Bastille, 75004 PARIS
Directions: Place de la Bastille at Rue St. Antoine
Website: http://www.cafefrancais.com/

Restaurant Name: Au Petit Budapest

THIS IS POSSIBLY THE WORSE RESTAURANT THAT I HAVE BEEN TO IN PARIS AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE FOR WHAT YOU GET. I love chicken paprikash so when I saw that this was a Hungarian restaurant, I went over to take a look at the MENU or FORMULE. Sure enough that was the special of the day. The MENU was 18.50€. So even though I really didn't even want to spend that because I knew how much it would be when I got my credit card bill, I went in and sat down. It was a very simple, clean, pleasant, tiny, place with the nicest server.

I looked at the formule/menu and I saw that I could choose either the entree and a plat or the plat and a dessert. I chose the plat and dessert. The chicken paprikash came and it was dry as a bone. The Hungarian pasta was like rubber balls. Of course I ate every bit of it, because I rarely don't. Then I looked at the choice for desserts and ordered a crepe affair. It came stuffed with nuts and raisins with a chocolate sauce and whipped cream from a can. It was okay, but nothing special, and not as good as my crepe stand across from the School of Mines on Blvd. St. Michele. I also, BTW, had a 1/4 caraffe of wine.

Favorite Dish: Okay, I was satisfied because I thought I was only paying 18.50€, which was still too much. But I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that it was 28.50€. I asked the very nice server why it cost so much when the menu was only 18.50€. She said, you mean you meant to order the menu but, and this is very important, YOU DIDN'T SAY MENU (formule whichever word they used there). I told her that I had ordered exactly what was on the menu and she said that if I don't say the word MENU then they give more or make it a little more special. I paid, of course, what could I do.

So when I checked my credit card bill on the internet, I saw that this meal, which was not as good as what I would have gotten at my diner in Queens for $12.50, actually cost me $47.00. Yes that's right, $47.00. A piece of dried chicken breast in a cream sauce and some rubbery pasta, 2 glasses of house wine and two crepes (which would have cost $5.00 at a crepe stand at the most). So let this be a warning. DON'T FORGET TO USE THE WORD FORMULE OR MENU if that is what you are ordering. And repeat it twice.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: most expensive
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter

Restaurant Name: Au Vieux Paris d'Aurole

This is the most charming little restaurant tucked away in an old house dating back to 1512 on l'Ile de la Cité. The street is nothing special so not many people venture back there. It does, however, have some very old buildings on it including one where a poet died in 1560. It is one street over from Notre Dame. I found this restaurant one day when I was taking a shortcut. It is totally vine covered. Yesterday I passed by there and decided to look in the window. Beautiful. The tables were set with old china and beautiful crystal glasses. There are several rooms which are very tiny. I plan to go there before I leave Paris so I will be able to update you on the food, but it got very good reviews from Thirza Valois (I wonder if she is related to the Valois kings), the author of many travel books. http://www.thirzavallois.com/

Favorite Dish: My original comments on this restaurant were made before I ate in this resto. Today I had lunch there and what a bust. Yes it is adorable and the tables are set beautifully, but the food was not what Thirza said it to be. Of course I didn't have what she had, so maybe her meal was much tastier than mine.

I ordered the menu for 39€ which included three courses. Wine was extra. My first course was escargot. I haven't had them in 40 years, but at that time I loved them. These were watery. Apparently they didn't drain them well when they took them out of the boiling water. Second course was canard (duck) with potatoes and a spoonful each of three vegetables. The leeks were deliciously caramelized in sugar which was a surprise to me because I didn't think the French liked anything sweet with their main course. The carrots were also excellent and sugary. The potatoes were not good at all. It's the first time in France that I haven't liked the potatoes. The fourth vegetable was a zucchini and red pepper mixture. I could have passed on that. The duck was good, but nothing outstanding.

For dessert I ordered the creme bruleé which I love. It was cold. I like mine warm. It was okay, but again nothing to remember.

The wine, since I was alone, was the house. I ordered a half of a bottle which came in a pichet. Very disappointing. It cost 14€. I only drank two glasses so he deducted 3€ from my bill. I guess he will serve the remainder to someone else.

My bill came to 50€ and that was for lunch. Absolutely not worth it even if it meant sitting in a 500 year old building. I can eat as well in my neighborhood café, Café Daguerre, for a lot less. Of course the atmosphere isn't as pretty, but it is lively there.

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Theme: French
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 40 51 78 52
Address: 23 r, Chanoinesse, 75004
Directions: Near Notre Dame, but not in the touristy area.
Website: www.auvieuxparis.fr

Restaurant Name: Café Marly

Cafe Marly is known to be one of the hippest and most trendy restaurants in Paris. It is very pretty and it is perfectly placed in the courtyard of the former home of Catherine di Medici which is now the Louvre. You may find yourself sitting among celebs, but for sure you will be among very chic and well dressed people. This would be the time to leave your trainers at home and put on your Manolo's unless you are going there after the museum tour and are sitting outside. The food is good, but nothing was memorable for me. If you get an invitation to go there, however, don't turn it down. That is how I ended up there.


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Theme: French
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 01 49 26 06 60
Address: 93 rue Rivoli 75001, Cour Napoléon
Directions: Louvre Museum
Métro stop: Palais-Royal Musée du Louvre

Restaurant Name: Who Has The Best

Now that it is getting warm, all over Paris you will see long, and I mean very long, lines of people waiting to buy an ice cream cone. Probably whichever one you pass when you get the yearning for ice cream will be the one where you stop. But Bethillon has the reputation for the best ice cream in Paris. I had it once and haven't bothered to go back. My favorite is Gelati d'Alberto and second is Häagen-Dazs. There is also Ben and Jerry's and Amorino.

I have given a little more information in my ice cream tips.


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Theme: Ice Cream

Restaurant Name: Gelati d'Alberto

For me Gelati d'Alberto is to ice cream what Pierre Herme is to macarons. It's the best. Alberto has most of the same flavors as other glaceries, but with a different touch. And he also has some unusual flavors. My favorite is the rose. If you should happen to pass this ice creamery at either its Left or Right Bank location, do stop in.

Alberto is from Parma, so his gelati is authentic Italian ice cream.


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Theme: Ice Cream

Phone: 01 77 11 44 55
Address: Two locations. See below.
Directions: Right Bank: 12, rue des Lombards near Beaubourg and Rivoli 75004
Left Bank: 45, rue Mouffetard 75005 near Pantheon and rue Monge
Website: www.gelatidalberto.com

Restaurant Name: Amorino

Founded by two Italians, it has the consistency of gelato rather than American ice cream. Laura, a friend who was born and raised in Italy, but now lives in Paris, does not think this is good gelato.

Amorino has 12 shops, known as boutiques. The locations are as follows:

47 rue Saint Louis en L’Ile (Paris 4ème)

4 rue Vavin (Paris 6ème)

31 rue Vieille du Temple (Paris 4ème)

Lafayette maison - 35 bd Haussmann (Paris 9ème)

4 rue de Buci (Paris 6ème)

17 rue Daguerre (Paris 14ème)

82, rue Montorgueil (Paris 2ème)

119/121, rue Saint Martin (Paris 4ème)

Centre commercial Colombia (Rennes, 35)

18, rue de la Salle (Saint Germain en Laye, 78)

23, rue du château (Nantes, 44)

Centre commercial les 4 Temps (Paris la Défense, 92)


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Theme: Ice Cream

Website: http://www.amorino.fr/

Restaurant Name: Berthillon

Berthillon's has the reputation for being the best ice cream in Paris. The main creamery is on Isle de Saint Louis. When the weather warms up, it seems to have the longest lines.


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Theme: Ice Cream

Website: http://www.berthillon-glacier.fr/

Restaurant Name: Häagen-Dazs

I was surprised and disappointed to read on the Häagen-Dazs website that the idea for this ice cream goes back to the 1920s and that the origins of the name is a mystery. Most New Yorkers know another story and that is that this ice cream was started in the 60s by a couple from The Bronx, NY, named Rose and Ruben Mattus. The name was created by Ruben, it is not a Scandanavian name. The Mattus sold the company to Pillsbury in 1983. Sometime after this Rose started another ice cream called Mattus.

Ruben died in 1994 and Rose died at age 90 in 2004.

In my opinion Häagen-Dazs is the best ice cream that I have eaten, even though it is a commercial ice cream.

Favorite Dish: Dolce da Leche

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Theme: Ice Cream

Restaurant Name: Chez Marianne

Since arriving in Paris, I have wanted to eat at Chez Marianne. There is always a long line outside and that made me think the food was more than good. Recently I had a chance to try it as it must have been an off day and there was not even anyone eating inside. It is an adorable, charming little restaurant, for sure. The food, as you can see from the photo, is set up in a buffet fashion in the window, but you do not serve yourself. You select 4 or six items on the menu and it is brought to you. I ordered the pastrami, falafel, and couscous. As you will see the meat has a dyed pink color. I have no idea what they did to make it look like that. It was good in spite of the color. Also notice the large pickle. I haven't seen those in France. You usually find those little tiny cornichons. So with a large pickle like that and the pastrami, you could almost think you were in a deli.

The food was good and I would probably go back if I were in the mood for Middle Eastern food and in the neighborhood.

The long line outside, I discovered, is for the take out window.


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Theme: Middle Eastern
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 01.42.72.18.86.
Address: 2, rue des Hospitalières-Saint-Gervais - 75004
Directions: Métro : Hôtel de Ville