OAKGLEN

I second the advice of Dave Hatfield; some of my most memorable dining experiences have been outside Paris. Perhaps a historical perspective would also be enlightening. The only Parisian places which seem to have remained unchanged (not including prices, unfortunately) in my 35 plus years, are Le Rubis, a wine bar just off Place du March St. Honore, and Brasserie Balzar, on rue des Ecoles. JohnTalbott, Dave and other posters could no doubt add many more.

Just across the street is Le Castglione, on St. Honore, more like an upscale cafe but with surprisingly good food. Their Dover sole was excellent. A few blocks away on Mont-Thabor is Le Souffle; try the three course souffle dinner...memorable.

In Japan, and most of the far East, when dining in a private room, the eldest or most senior person is seated the farthest from the door. That person begins the meal. This practice is at times followed in Europe when name cards are used. Otherwise I always look to the host to start, especially a business meal.

Le Castiglione, 235 St. Honore, has a fine Cheeseburger for 21E. Good Dover Sole too.

Sorry, my computer is acting up. What I was about to say was that the Chef at Au Carrillon taught me that you can serve Steak Au Poivre with just a copper pan and an alcohol flame. We kept ordering the dish until I had his process down pat. Their steak was extremely flavorable but not fork tender. That is the essential difference between pen-raised American beef and what you get on the continent. Today, my favorite steak dishes in Paris are at Les Gourmets des Ternes, 87 bd de Courcelles; perhaps more pricey than the NYT restos but still superb.

OK, I have to join this fray. It was Steak au Poivre avec frites that started me on this love affair with French/Parisian bistros. We had no money; stayed at a place called Hotel Paradis, just off Place Abessess. The bottom two floors rented by the hour; we were on the top floor with an expansive view of most of Paris. The Bistro (now long gone) was called Au Carrillon, across the street from the church . A husband and wife team ran the place with the assistance of an unseen helper in the tiny kitchen.

Chez Flottes is cheap (relative to the area, that is, and we have never had a poor meal there....try the croque sandwiches; they are superb!) we usually eat in the bar area with the locals. Just across the street from the Concorde metro and English bookstore....very convenient. And try the Aligot....if the kids like mashed potatoes, this is the very best side dish, albeit sinfull. The web site should set your mind to ease re pricing.

It must have been 12 years ago; dancing to a live band, great food and we never saw the price list. A truely enchanted evening.

On our last visit to Paris one of our party had the steak tartare at Brassiere Balzar, 49 rue des Ecoles; he pronounced it "superb". The dish was prepared near our table by one of the head waiters. Balzar gets a well deserved rap for reheating some of it's more popular dishes such as the poulet roti; we love the ambiance of Balzar and just avoid that dish and concentrate on those which have to be prepared fresh, such as the steak tartare etc.

Our consistently reliable choice on Sunday is the fish specialist, Goumard. Never seen another American here; this restaurant is not a favorite of the English web sites, for reasons I don't know. Try it; for a Michelin one star, the prices are not that bad and the crab soup and Dover sole are superb.

I second Florimond; and would add Leo le Lion across the street from Florimond. More pricey but with quality ingredients and larger portions. A few blocks away is Maupertu, another Bib Gourmand with a 21 euro prix-fixe lunch. This part of the 7th has got to be "ground zero" for quality/price!

The Croque Royale and Croque Provencal at Chez Flottes, on rue Cambon, are as good as they get. It is just off rue de Rivoli and across the street from the English bookstore.

Kai Mayfair is one of our favorite London restaurants; awesome soft shell crab. Could this be the same ownership? I hope so!

We are currently planning our next Paris visit and have been arguing about a return visit to Vin Sur Vin. Last summer, four of us found the entrees and desserts to be outstanding but the plats more ordinary. We were seated in what I assume is the "American" table; it is off to one side and could fit six diners in a pinch. Prices are quite reasonable; way below other one-stars visited in recent years. With Kir Royale and a decent bottle of wine and a half, the three course meal cost just a bit over 100 euros per person. JKP

Chez Flottes, on rue Cambon, and just across from the Concorde metro station, is a good spot for reasonably priced meals. Their Croques (sandwiches) are great; we like the Croque Imperiale and Croque Provencal (no meat). Aligot, a truly superb mashed potato dish, is always available. Their duck, salads and frites are consistently good. Your family should like this spot. Check it out at www.flottes.fr.

Of the "traditional" brasseries, we like Julien, Bofinger and Lorraine; Julien will give you the best "photo op" even though the area is not the best if you are planning on dining late. Book Julien on-line and save 15% at www.flobrasseries.com. John is probably correct re his quality ratings.

le Maquis, 69 rue Caulaincourt, is a fine restaurant, out of the tourist areas and frequented by locals. Prices are extremely reasonable. Please reserve (01 42 59 76 07).

LE FLORIMOND, 19 Ave. de la Motte-Picquet, a Bib Gourmand Michelin recommendation, and is a favorite of both locals and tourists. Reservations are a must; we saw many people being turned away. We started with entrees of lobster ravioli, just OK with a generic sauce, and a green salad, super fresh with a fine vinegar & oil dressing, and then confit of duck, tender and juicy with all fat rendered out, accompanied with a bit of salad and the best garlic fried potatoes ever, crisp and not greasy. A risotto dish with crab and smoked salmon was rich and tasty. With a bottle of Badoit and a decent bordeaux ( the vin carte is full of reasonably priced wines; mostly smaller bottlers) the tab came to 78E for two, a great value. LEO LE LION, 23 rue Duviver, is relatively new, and while about the same size as Le Florimond, this restaurant is more upscale, with higher prices, more complex dishes and larger servings. Our group of four all ordered off the special daily menu which consisted of several options for entrees and plats. Prices were ala carte; they have prix-fixe menus for lunch and dinner that go up to 47E. We all started with the white asparagus; the spears, about eight in all, were relatively small, perfectly cooked and served with two sauces, a mustarde vinagrette and a light, sour cream-based sauce. Superb. Plats included Langustines, eight in all, served over a bed of mushroom risotto, and roasted Turbot with truffles, a light mushroom sauce and a mixture of spinach, scallions, carrots and zucchini vegetables. The deserts were outstanding; a large plate of profiteroles, clearly made to order, warm chocolate cake with creme anglaise & mint, and a light fruit brochette with three sorbets (coconut, raspberry & lemon) on a light sauce of raspberries & mint. All were so good! The only downside was an obtrusive waiter who became a real pain by the end of the evening. He did speak English well and did recommend a excellent wine, a 2001 Chateau Couchenoy, Pessac Graves, that was cheaper and superior to the one I had picked out. Total bill: 65E per person. BRASSERIE BALZAR, 49 rue des Ecoles, was packed with locals; we were the only tourists I could identify. Now I know the kitchen is not what it used to be, and in truth, we have not been back for several years, but for reasons I do not clearly understand, this is the most up-beat, happy place to be found in Paris, in my opinion. The wait staff and customers always seem to be enjoying themselves; we had a great time too. Entrees included white asparagus, served with the traditional Hollandaise sauce, Assiette crudite and escargots. Plats included Poulet Roti avec frites (slightly overcooked), steak tartare (excellent) and Crottin salad. With kir royales, a bottle of Bergerac bordeaux ( the house red is better), a Baba au Rhum, cafe express and Badoit , the bill came to 47E per person. VIN SUR VIN, 20 rue de Monttessuy, is a tiny one star restaurant near the Tour Eiffel. The feel of the place is more like a private home than commercial establishment. We were given what I assume is the “American” table, off to one side and separated from the five tables in the main room. Only one other table for two was occupied when we were there for a long lunch. Service was impeccable; the staff of two is headed by the Maitre’d/ Sommelier who decanted both bottles of our wine, a nice touch. For reasons I do not understand, he refused to give us a copy of the paper menu at the end of our meal so our comments may not be complete. The amuse bouche was a lightly fried slice of eggplant with cucumber & parsley ragout; different and superb. Three of us started with an Artichoke entree; the artichoke was diced and then reconstructed in the general shape of the plant and covered with finely shredded Jicama, sliced truffles, bacon bits and roast garlic. This may have been the single best dish of our Paris visit! The other entree was Lapin, prepared three ways, it was quickly ingested before I could get a good look at the dish. The plats included Rouget with ratatouille wrapped in seaweed with a light mustard sauce, a free-range chicken dish (the only so-so offering), the day’s special of Sole served with quenelles of mashed potato flavored with a garlic, butter sauce and a Lamb dish. For dessert, two cheese plates were offered, one consisted of various goat cheeses and the other disappeared before I got a taste. A Chocolate cake with Chocolate ice cream and a superb lemon tarte completed the desert course. Almond crisps & bittersweet chocolate candies were served with our coffee. Wines included a 2002 Savennier Domaine aux Moines and a great 2000 Jamet Cote Rotie (half bottle). Including Kir Royales at the beginning of our repast, the total bill came to 105E per person; a true value for food that rivals the best of the starred restaurants we have visited over the years. JK & M.E. PETERSON, TUCSON

We have been frequenting Le Rubis for about 30 years or more, and I am sure it hasn't changed since the post war period. Not a spot for great food or a large group. this is an experience in what a classic wine bar was, and is, in the truest sense. In busy times, locals take their glass of wine outside, to better enjoy the smoke free air or whatever. Paris must have been full of places like this in Hemmingway's time. Give it a try. JP

We had a good meal at Bistro de L'Oliier, 13 rue Quentin Bauchart, just a block behind the Geo V. They have prix-fixe menus at lunch and dinner; given the posh area, the prices were reasonable. Michelin gives them two forks. JP

Your right bank apartment is in one of the most expensive areas of Paris; the word "moderate" is not generally used in this part of the 16th. Try Oscar, 6 rue Chaillot, they have a prix-fixe luncheon menu at 19 euros. Good luck! JP

Vin et Maree, 108 ave. Maine, is a reliable fish house. They have two other Paris locations and all are given the same two forks by Michelin. This place should be a short walk; it's only a few blocks from the Gaite metro. JP

L'Ardoise will probably be open, and now that Michelin has dropped them totally you should not have a problem being seated immediately, especially for a late dinner. If you want to stay in the 6th arr., Fish La Boissonnerie and Mediterranee are open, as well as Chez Maitre Paul and the usual group of brasseries/cafes like Balzar, Flore and Deux Magots. JP

Lescure, 7 rue Mondovi, just off Place Concorde, has a prix-fixe menu at 20 euros and Dauphin, 167 rue St.-Honore, has a luncheon menu at 24 euros. If you are willing to walk a bit to the slightly lower rent 2nd eme, Vaudeville, 29 rue Vivienne, has a luncheon menu at 21 euros. JP

Goumard, 9 r. Duphot, in the 1st, one block from the Madeline metro, is an excellent seafood specialist. Michelin one star, no tourists, no write-ups on web sites or tourist guides, we greatly enjoyed it. Tables widely spaced; attentive service and at prices one-half or less of those seen at the more noted spots. The crab soup entree is to die for! Goumard is open Sat. & Sun. JP