saintfan57

Just a back to the top to keep this thread alive! I've been away on vacation down in New Orleans where the food was (as always) tres bien! Anyone else been to Port of Call, Deanies, Mother's and Commander's Palace (of course!)? There were a few more places I would have liked to been able to get to, but there is only so much time... Now that the New Orleans trip is behind me, I'm focusing on the preparing on the Paris trip in a little over a month!

Thanks for the info loufood, I appreciate it! I will be on the look-out for your other 7th arrondisement recomendations as well. Gooey butter cake is good but I haven't had it in years, I may have to pick some up soon! Do they have toasted ravioli or pork steaks in France too?

Thanks very much for the info, it re-inforces what I had been thinking. The best plan is probably to enjoy a nice lunch at a quality establishment, then pick up some local delicacies and eat them in the room for dinner. After the evening meal we'll probably head out and just enjoy the atmosphere around either the Eiffel Tower (if they will be having fireworks) or along the ponts with a bottle of bubbly. While I'm definitely looking forward to enjoying some good meals, my budget will only go so far. We'll eat at the nicer establishments other nights of the trip when there isn't the inflated new year's eve mark-up.

Bux, I don't necessarily have a certain $ amount in mind and understand that a good dinner can easily cost 100 Euros or more (per person). If I could keep it around that or less for the New Year's Eve dinner I'd be very pleased. I would really like to try as many good places as possible on the trip and am wondering if I shouldn't go to one of the more expensive places on another night, when there wouldn't be the New Year's Eve price gouging. That said, I'm not travelling all the way from St. Louis, USA to not do something special either!

I will also be in Paris (for the first time) over New Year's eve and that sounds exactly like what I hope to do! Do you have any recommendations for reserving a boat ride on the Seine as well that evening? I've emailed some of the ride providers through their websites asking if I'll need reservations that evening but none of them have replied to me. Also, I'll be staying at the Hotel de la Bourdonnais, in the 7th Arrondisment. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to eat in that area? This trip is going to be a surprise Christmas present for my girlfriend and while I'd like to go to a nice place, I'm not going to be able to afford the 680 Euro meal mentioned above! :) Finally, anyone know if there will be fireworks around the Eiffel Tower this year? I have heard sometimes there are fireworks and sometimes not. Sorry for having as many non-food questions as food questions but I appreciate any info that is provided!