Girl415

I will be dining at Taillevent in April and have read that the restaurant has two separate dining rooms. From what I understand, one room is wood paneled and has square tables and banquettes while the other has round tables and armchairs. Can anyone who has dined there comment on the ambiance in one room versus the other.

We have confirmed reservations at all of the restaurants except for for L'Atelier de Joel Rubuchon where we plan on waiting for a table. I appreciate the pastry suggestions as I have a vicious sweet tooth. I was already planning on visitng Fauchon, La maison du Chocolat, Fouquet, Hediard, Richart, Laduree and Pierre Herme (I am a macaroon adict). Also L'Ipicerie (for mustands and jams) and Maison de la Truffe (as I dream of truffles). I also hope to stop at Dehillerin, A Simon and Laguiole. Seems to be a food and cooking themed trip... Are there any other food related spots that I should not miss??

Many thanks to everyone for their thoughts and suggestions. We have finalized our list and are now counting down the days until we leave. Friday - Jamin Saturday - Le Violon D'Ingres Sunday - L'Atelier de Joel Rubuchon (Crazy for a group of 4, but we want to go anyway) Monday - La Regalade Tuesday - Taillevent (birthday dinner) Thanks again for all the help!

My group has come full circle and we have decided to go for the big splurge. Assuming we can get a reservation, which of the followng restaurants should we go to for my 40th: Taillevent Grand Vefour Guy Savoy Le Meurice Les Elysees du Vernet Pierre Gagnaire Jamin Remember we are four girls ranging in age from 35-41. We are looking for the best combination of food and atmosphere. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

I apologize for not being able to better articulate what I am looking for. Having not been to Paris in fifteen plus years I am not able to provide examples of the type of restaurant I am looking for. Ideally I would like to find a restaurant that has excellent food, isn't too stuffy (I don't want to feel as if we need to whisper when we speak) and isn't too loud -- I know, that narrows it down from a thousand to several hundred... Perhaps something similar to Boulevard in San Franciso (if that reference is helpful). I am currently thinking about La table du Lancaster, which I believe is the new restaurant of Michel Troisgros. Has anyone been there?

Thanks for all of the thoughful comments and suggestions. In terms of the trip overall, my preference would be to enjoy the best menu possible at second best places than to eat economically at the top restaurants. I am happy to splurge, I just don't want my sisters to spend 5 days complaining! For my birthday, its easier to describe what I am not looking for than it is to tell you what I am looking for since I haven't been to Paris in a long time. I would prefer not to eat at a top restaurant such as Taillevent, Guy Savoy or Le Grand Vefour, nor do I want to eat at a casual bistro or brasserie, no matter how fabulous the food may be. What I guess I was looking for was something in between. In addition, I would prefer a more traditional French meal to a Haute cuisine meal, though eating at one haute cuisine establishment during the trip would be fun and variety is the spice of life... I had been using Zagat as a price guide, however, having filled out their restaurant surveys before, prices are subjective based on each consumer's experience and memory of what the bill totaled. One of my biggest challenges has been figuring out what one restaurant costs versus another try and narrow down the choices. I will try www.viamichelin.com and see if the site proves more useful. Thanks again.

La Braisiere was recommended by the hotel where we will be staying (The Victoria Palace Hotel). The concierge recommended La Braisiere (he said it recently recevied its first star). Based on what I have read, it seems as if Paris bistros have been through a major transformation over the last ten-plus years and are currently all the rage; so I thought it would be fun to try some of the better ones. This is my first trip to Paris in about 15 years. The last time I was there I was with a friend who treated me to Jules Verne, Lucas Carton and La Tour D'argent. I originally made a reservation at Taillevent for my birthday but later cancelled as I think we can have a fantastic meal without paying $250/pp. We will be in Paris for 5 nights and so I was hoping to find find 5 restaurants with excellent food that aren't prohibitively expensive or too touristy. My sister thought it would be fun to enjoy one meal at a "celebrity chef" restaurant, however, some of the lesser priced spots, such as L'Atelier du Rubuchon, Spoon, food & Wine, seem to garner mixed reviews. I have read positive reviews on the following and was wondering if any might be a good birthday dinner choice: Au Bon Accueil Au Camelot Au Trois Gascon Chamarre Jamin Le Bristol Le Pre Catalan Le Repaire de Cartouche Le Carre des Fueillants Atelier Maitre Albert Aux Lyonnais La Table du Lancaster I am also curious if any of the restaurants listed above would be good substitutions for La Braisiere on our first night? I am definitely at a point where I have read too many reviews and find myself going in circles second guessing my decisions. At this point, personal recommendations would be very helpful, and greatly appreciated.

I am heading to Paris at the beginning of April with my two sisters and best friend for my 40th birthday and would greatly appreciate some assistance in selecting restaurants. Currently I have reservations at the following restaurants: La Braisière Le Violon d'Ingres Chez Georges (Sunday eveing) La Regalade L'angle du Faubourg (birthday dinner; wanted to eat at L'Astrance but could not get a reservation :(-- I have a couple of questions that I would love to get some opinions/thoughts on: 1. Are there any names on the list that we should delete? 2. Does anyone have a better suggestion than Chez Georges for Sunday dinner? 3. Will we really miss out by not eating at Epi Dupin or Les Bookinistes (I took them off the list after reading reviews that led me to believe they are over-run by Americans). 4. Can anyone suggest a good restaurant for my 40th birthday. I am not sure L'angle du Faubourg is the best choice, however, given how weak the dollar is I don't feel up to splurging at a three star. I have read so many reviews on egullet.com, chowhound.com, zagat.com and Patricia Well's site that my head is starting to spin. Too much information seems to have paralyzed me... I would truly appreciate thoughts/suggestions/ideas. Thank you!