gastrominator

If they fancy a real French meal, I would count on €30 a head. Unless these young ladies are 'mature' and want to spend nights out on the town, in which case they should get in touch with fresh_a or myself, I see very few other solutions other than eating foreign food. The shawarmas at Noura are great for €4,50. Some of the best in Paris. You could probably eat-in for €15 a head, which is not bad for a tip-top lebanese. The Tour d'argent days are, however, pure decadence as upwards of €200 per person is not what you have in mind! Unless you go out with Mr Talbott!!!

Chauvel IS the boss. His cuisine is excellent ostentatious, intrinsic, inventive french gastronomy. He'll surely get a second star in Paris. After having spoken with his wife for quite some time about his egg-yolk risotto with fake-squid-ink caviar(which became a family discussion for days) amongst other things I am convinced that he thinks and lives 'cuisine' twenty-four hours a day. Les Magnolias is tomorrow's Astrance, and far more.

With whose culture? ← Both. The United States of America is a relatively new nation and has not yet gone through the cycles that are necessary to create a true 'culture' found in countries that have had thousands of years of history with wars, uprisings, decadence etc. When the french, as most europeans, go abroad they do not generally expect foreigners to speak or understand their language as do almost all americans. It is exactly the same comparison with smoking. The primary reason that many restaurants offer non-smoking sections is due to the american demand, which is understandable due to the fact that the americans leave a lot of money here. But the number of times I have heard americain people looking for 'local bistros' with 'no tourists' and 'non-smoking sections' it is hilarious! It is obviously not an authentic experience, then as this is part of french life and french culture. California does not exist in France and vice-versa. They both have their positive aspects, and that is the reason to go to both places. I would sacrifice someone smoking next to me in Ledoyen so that I may enjoy a filet of tubot with black truffles on a bed of fork-mashed potatoes with truffle emulsion, I can say. ← Its strange but I can't see at all this comparison with English language and non-smoking as two things wrongfully imposed on the French by tourists. Most of my French friends can't stand being smoked at while they're eating, and always request non-smoking if they have a choice. Furthermore, I have dined with French people who ask smokers to stop when their meal is served, and their request has been honored without comment or conflict. I'd say claiming smoky restaurants to be a 'French thing' is an exaggerated cultural stereotype. ← I would imagine that would depend on what type of restaurant we would be considering. If you go to the local 'Café du commerce' at lunchtime(which tends to be a 'true' stereotype, may I add, such as Bison Futé gives the 'weekends de grand départ', the ballon de rouge a midi etc) it tends to be rather smoky, no? Anyway, that aside, I did not mention 'smoky' restaurants. Restaurants (certainly the ones that us gastronomes tend to go to) where people smoke are not generally smoky. I avoid smoky restaurants like the plague as enjoying good food in this type of environment is rather difficult. Smoky bars, on the other hand, is a completely different subject, as most good bars tend to be relatvely smoky - take the Hemingway, for example.

Sure. I'm with you on this one. That's why governments should super-tax cigarettes so that they cost €100 a packet. The trouble is that they make too much money from taxation so this will never happen.

With whose culture? ← Both. The United States of America is a relatively new nation and has not yet gone through the cycles that are necessary to create a true 'culture' found in countries that have had thousands of years of history with wars, uprisings, decadence etc. When the french, as most europeans, go abroad they do not generally expect foreigners to speak or understand their language as do almost all americans. It is exactly the same comparison with smoking. The primary reason that many restaurants offer non-smoking sections is due to the american demand, which is understandable due to the fact that the americans leave a lot of money here. But the number of times I have heard americain people looking for 'local bistros' with 'no tourists' and 'non-smoking sections' it is hilarious! It is obviously not an authentic experience, then as this is part of french life and french culture. California does not exist in France and vice-versa. They both have their positive aspects, and that is the reason to go to both places. I would sacrifice someone smoking next to me in Ledoyen so that I may enjoy a filet of tubot with black truffles on a bed of fork-mashed potatoes with truffle emulsion, I can say.

I have a life long non smoking friend who always sat in smoking on planes & trains. Said he met more interesting people there. ← I totally agree. It comes with the definition of 'sybarite'. Only true americans would expect to find real non-smoking areas in France. It comes with the culture.

Most of the 'Trendy' restaurants in Paris are terrible for food. Avoid: Buddha bar, Kong, Mandalaray( I heard an appaling report two days ago), La Cantine du Faubourg(It does have its followers - I haven't been for quite some time) and most of the others. Try: Market - Jean-Georges' first restaurant in Paris and although not as big as the other 'lounge bar restaurants' still has a vibe and pretty good food (french/japanese) Costes - Still the trendiest hot-spot hotel with a great bar. The food is reasonable fusion/contemporary french, but it is a place which is still the reference in style - everybody who is anybody goes there. Decor is napoleon III, in a Dracula-style residence with large expressionless portrait oil- paintings. Piped club music - A real 'trip'. For saturday you can only reserve two days before, so make sure that you call early on thusday morning to get a table. For dinner they take reservations at 8:30 or 10:30(or later) Barlotti - Italian Buddha bar spin-off with much better food, such as the white truffle risotto(when in season) which is rather good.

I'd third that. I went there a week ago and after an eighty-two euro menu, four-and-a-half hour exceptional tasting experience, I had a long chat with Madame Chauvel who explained that they were still looking for the 'perfect' setting in Paris, so the move is definitely on the cards. They'll certainly get a second star in Paris, so it's better to go now whilst they remain undiscovered or 'inaccessible' and you can get a table before they reach Astrance fame. I'm going back in a few weeks so I'll let you chaps(so to speak) know if I have any cutting-edge news. On the much cheaper side Beurre-Noisette is also an excellent choice. The proof is that Christian Lesquer is very proud to talk about the fact that the chef is one of his prodigés. Shame Jamin is no more, as Guichard's 48 Euro lunch menu was the best 'cheap' two-star lunch in town. Try most of the one-stars as you can normally get away with €100 a head if you take it easy on the wine. It depends what style of cuisine you fancy. L'Angle du Faubourg is a great example.

I wouldn't, unless you like septuagenarians with dogs in Louis Vuitton bags etc, that is.

I agree. The Meurice has a magnificent dining room for a 'traditional' place, or the Park Hyatt Vendôme for something far more contemporary.

Outside of a hotel, you'll be hard pushed to find anywhere with 'delicious' food to have breakfast, as the French tend to have a coffee and cigarette or maybe a croissant or pain au chocolat instead. You could try Angelina's on rue de Rivoli(famous for their hot chocolate), or the Café Marly at the Louvre. Neither places are ideal for conducting business, though, and breakfast would be quite simple. I would be interested to see what eveyone comes up with on this one....

French "trendy" chocolate tends to be too dry, bitter and abstract, headache-indulging. Hévin is an example of the tendency. We do have great chocolatiers but I count as such those who do not follow that trend, like La Maison du Chocolat or Michel Chaudun, or even chains like Cacao et Chocolat. I don't think Hévin is such a loss for a chocolate tour, and IMO French trendy chocolatiers are a bit overrated. Most of it is Valrhona, anyway, so much of it tastes the same. ← I totally agree 'dry, bitter and abstract'(more like cooking chocolate. ie I could imagine Mr Yoshino popping one into his red wine and chocolate sauce that he serves with the 'lièvre à la royale' at the Stella Maris). I love the Maison du Chocolat's champagne truffles, and I think that they've definitely hit the nail on the head with what I would define as perfect chocolates. The thing about chocolate eating is that you have to use self control because you will always want another one if they are very good(like tasting dishes at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon). If I eat Hévin-style chocolates, one is enough.

I don't care much for their chocolates, to be honest. The packaging is nice. The French think a lot of their chocolate-making prowess. Swiss chocolate is much better.

Thanks for agreeing with me Pierre. I find your estimate about right. With wine that would be, well, €100pp!

I agree! I went there for lunch about three years ago, before the €90 menu came into play: Three of us, desserts on the house, a more than reasonable bottle of wine, water, coffee = €200 per head. If you want to go for a special celebration you have to look upwards of €400pp(If you take ONE 'cheap' but decent bottle of wine).