Restaurants to return to?

[BradenP]

After last night's disappointing meal at Au Filo Delle Stagioni, I was thinking about the restaurants we return to over and over again and why. Since living in Paris I have made many treks across town, changing several metro lines to get to a bistro that's good, but only someplace I would return to if I lived in the neighborhood. So using our own neighborhood as a starting point, I have created the following criteria that brings us back to certain restaurants. Let me know if you think there is more I should add.

I live in the: 3rd

Because it's close: Le Barometre

Because it's really good: Au Fil des Saisons

Because it's a novelty: L'os a Moelle

Because it's different/exciting: Le Pre Verre

Because it's a good value/cheap: L'As du Falafel

Because it's fun: Petite Marche

[loladrian]

When there is so much in Paris to explore and so many wonderful restaurants, it is hard to go back to the same place twice! But there is always that desire for something you know, something comfortable. So there are a few restaurants I would return to, or have returned to.

Because it's fun: Bistro Vivienne and Fish

Because it's different/unique: Spring

And I would like to add:

Because it reminds me of home: Rose Bakery (lunch)

Other than that, I am going to keep eating my way through Paris one (different) restaurant at a time.

[John Talbott]

After last night's disappointing meal at Au Filo Delle Stagioni, I was thinking about the restaurants we return to over and over again and why. Since living in Paris I have made many treks across town, changing several metro lines to get to a bistro that's good, but only someplace I would return to if I lived in the neighborhood. So using our own neighborhood as a starting point, I have created the following criteria that brings us back to certain restaurants. Let me know if you think there is more I should add.

I live in the: 3rd

Because it's close: Le Barometre

Because it's really good: Au Fil des Saisons

Because it's a novelty: L'os a Moelle

Because it's different/exciting: Le Pre Verre

Because it's a good value/cheap: L'As du Falafel

Because it's fun: Petite Marche

←

Because it's easier to eat out than cook some nights

Because places can make stuff better than I can (eg pizza, sushi, complicated dishes).

[Laidback]

A place that we visit about once per week because of the interesting dishes of Jean François Renard( and the amazing rapport qualité/prix...€35 for 3 courses) is Carte Blanche, on rue Lamartine in the 9th. John Talbott alerted us to this place right after it opened last year, and since then we have gotten to know it well as we stay in the area. It is a joint venture of Claude Dupont, who was a front man for Pierre Gagnaire since his days in St. Etienne and J. F. Renard, who was the chef for M. Carlier at Beavilliers during its' salad days, but he attributes his technique to the talented but slightly wacky M. Duquesnoy, who a few years ago had a very good restaurant in the 7th.

Renard spends his free time traveling and loves to adapt the spices and serving pieces to his French cuisine. He also offers a very interesting, hands on cooking course on Saturday morning, limited to 6 people. I took my son who is an amateur, autodidacte chef, and he picked up several little tid-bits, like a toque-oeuf which necessitated one more trip to Dehillerin. If you are not a dyed in the wool traditionalist you may enjoy this place; it sort of reminds me the old Clos des Morillons when the De la Courcelles brothers worked out incorporating Asian spices into French cuisine. If you hate it, blame Dr. Talbott, if you like it thank me!

Edited April 11, 2007 by Laidback (log)

[Forest]

I think this is an interesting question because I am always torn between revisiting places I enjoy or trying something new. And, there's so many places I've yet to try in Paris, so more often than not I'm trying something new. There's several places where I've been only once and either been impressed or distressed - and my opinion is formed from that one visit.

And, I wonder, can you really judge a restaurant on just one visit? Ideally, of course, each meal and every experience you have there should be good (and of course, sometimes it's obvious that a bad experience is a clear indication of what the general level of food, service, etc is.) But, really, should one bad experience turn us off for good - or one good experience guarentee it enough that we can confidently recommend it to others?

Sorry, I think I'm diverging. As said above, I'm usually trying new places. But, I return often to

because it's cheap and good: Chez Marianne in the Marais for falafal.

because it's cheap and good and close to home: Mount Liban on bd des batignolles

because it's one of my favorites: Parc aux Cerfs in the 6th - (I notice that this one doesn't get a lot of talk on eGullet, but I really think the price/quality is excellent and have never had a bad meal there.)

For me, there's restaurants I return to that are close to home, simply because they are close to home (but it's not enough for me to recommend them to someone visiting Paris.) So, personally, I'm most interested in finding out where other Paris eGulleteers return to on a regular basis because it's really good, regardless of location.

Edited April 12, 2007 by Forest (log)

[John Talbott]

OK I'm game;

I live in the: 18th

Because it's close: 2 Pieces Cuisine

Because it's really good: Spring

Because it's a novelty: Ze Kitchen Galerie

Because it's different/exciting: Ah, what's the distinction? Ze Kitchen Galerie

Because it's a good value/cheap: Dix Vins

Because it's fun: Le Truc

Because it's easier to eat out than cook some nights Any place - but why eat out when we can have BBQ chicken from Maitre Mathieu.

Because places can make stuff better than I can (eg pizza, sushi, complicated dishes). 139 Rue Ordener, 145 rue Ordener, all over, respectively.

[Dave Hatfield]

I'll bite.

Le Galopin - because its near, cheap & good. 11 Euro four course lunch with wine.

Le Vieux Pont in Belcastel - because they do everything right, the food is excellent and reasonably priced for what it is and to see what the Chef (chefeuse? What is the femine?) has been up to as the menu changes frequently.

Seglier - Good food, fun & the people watching is great. Artisan's, lorry drivers and other assorted characters.

Otherwise we spread our custom & are always on the lookout for new places.