I absolutely love to travel. And I love to eat. I could give you a long list of destinations that I would love to visit. Although warm beaches are among my favorite destinations, if I made a bucket list Paris would definitely be at the top. I would love to check out the architecture. I want to see the sights like the Eiffel Tower. I would take soooo many pictures! I am excited just thinking about it.
But I would also love to visit Paris for the food! My daughters and I say that when we strike it rich (because we will) we are going to travel the world and eat. It will be like our own Food TV show. However, how do you know where to find the great food in Paris? I would have no clue since I’ve never been there, so it takes a bit of research. Below is some great information that was shared with me.
Dining out in Paris can be hit or miss. Like any major city, there are overpriced tourist traps, grim fast food outlets and franchises. But then, there are the romantic bistros, the delights of the creperie and, if you can afford it, the astounding haute cuisine. Polish up your cutlery and tuck in your napkin: it’s time for a tasteful tour of Paris, conducted with every type of palate in mind. No matter what experience you are looking for, Paris has something to offer.
For Grandeur on a Budget: Chez Chartier
These legendary dining rooms in Montmartre offer up platefuls of traditional French cuisine, characteristically brusque service and beautiful surroundings, all for less than 20 Euros (approx. $22) per person. The menu has everything you could hope for from a traditional French bouillon, including escargots snorkelling in a pool of garlicky butter, soft duck confit and Chantilly-clouded pastries for dessert. Can you say yum?
For the Vegetarians: La Verriere
Cheap, chic and healthy, this formal diner offers up an all you can eat buffet lunch for just 12 Euros (approx. $13) per person, including a fresh, vibrant salad bar. There are various a la carte options with dishes like vegetable pate, aubergine quiche and vegetable couscous. The variety keeps things interesting. I would love to a restaurant like this here is Chicago. I am not a vegetarian, but I do love my salad and vegetables.
For a Dinner Show: The Moulin Rouge
There is no way that I would visit Paris without seeing a show! Pinpointing the mild red light district of Pigalle, the fairy light-lit windmill of the Moulin Rouge glows with all its might against the night sky. Themed menus include the Toulouse Lautrec. With the price being 185 Euros ($210) for dinner, entry to the Faerie show and a half bottle of champagne it is certainly not cheap. It might be expensive, but it is once in a lifetime experience.
For the View: Jules Verne
Perched atop the fanciful steel framework of the Eiffel Tower, this extraordinary eatery commands views across Paris, an experience akin to sitting amid a constellation of stars on a clear night. The menu is contemporary, wines are 100% French and you should know better than to show up without a smart pair of shoes, jacket and tie. Menu items like gold caviar, black truffle and seared, whole langoustine should assure you: the price tag is as breathtaking as the views, but if you can bear to expend the Euros, you’ll feel as though, for one night, you have the world on your plate.
Beyond dining out, this foodie’s paradise offers you even more, like delicate, pastel macarons in the patisseries and oven hot croissants available at the boulangeries. Paris in one city where it’s worth piling on a few extra pounds in exchange for its culinary delights.
Have you visited Paris? Do you have advice for someone visiting for the first time.
Image by Christopher Michel and Linh Nguyen, used under the Creative Commons license.
Antoinne
What a wonderful selection Kris. Having eaten in the Eiffel Tower myself in the past I can confirm what you say – the views are astonishing! 🙂