Fun Places to Eat Good Small Meals

[robyn]

I was reminded reading some of the threads here how excessive some eating in Paris can become. My husband and I never set world records for eating the most when we were 30-40 (and we sometimes got sick from trying to eat too much rich food). Now that we are 60ish - I'm sure we will be trying to do things in moderation.

One thing we do when we travel is to go to a nice attractive fun place which has a bar. Sit at the bar - have a few drinks - nibble - split a few dishes. Good food - but nothing we will regret at 3 am. Or - for lunch - we try food courts (sometimes they're grand emporiums) at department stores. Or a great bakery - or cheese store - with some table service. Or a "street" market - as long as there is a place to sit down and eat (we don't like to eat standing up). Anyone have any suggestions along these lines? Robyn

Edited January 16, 2008 by robyn (log)

[John Talbott]

I was reminded reading some of the threads here how excessive some eating in Paris can become.  My husband and I never set world records for eating the most when we were 30-40 (and we sometimes got sick from trying to eat too much rich food).  Now that we are 60ish - I'm sure we will be trying to do things in moderation.

One thing we do when we travel is to go to a nice attractive fun place which has a bar.  Sit at the bar - have a few drinks - nibble - split a few dishes.  Good food - but nothing we will regret at 3 am.  Or - for lunch - we try food courts (sometimes they're grand emporiums) at department stores.  Or a great bakery - or cheese store - with some table service.  Or a "street" market - as long as there is a place to sit down and eat (we don't like to eat standing up).  Anyone have any suggestions along these lines?  Robyn

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Great topic. Us too.

Off the top of my head - ideal are Afaria's Tapas Table, Pinxo + Les Papilles.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

The bar at Senderens' (le Passage). BE (boulangépicier by Ducasse) with their 15eur coquillettes aux truffes (and cheaper fancy sandwiches). Some small chinese/vietnamese such as Pho 14 avenue de Choisy or Thao Ly rue Berthelot (super budget, delicious). Cosi rue de Seine (nothing to do food wise with the NY chain). Sushis at Okame, next to the place des Ternes. Bellota sandwiches at Lafayette Gourmet, or Le Bon Marché.

John, do you ever sleep?

Edited January 16, 2008 by julot-les-pinceaux (log)

[sharonb]

Hm... Les Papilles, while delicious, has a humungous four-course set meal with no choice... One of the largest meals I can think of.

At lunchtime, it's easy to order simply a plat du jour and have done with it. Also good choices are wine bars with plateaux de charcuterie or de fromage. There are many that serve excellent-quality meats and cheeses (two examples, though in "young" neighborhoods - Les Crâneuses on the rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud in the 11th and Le Verre Volé on the rue de Lancry in the 10th). Another great solution is some oysters or a plateau de fruits de mer. Régis in the 6th is a great place to stop in. Or l'Arbuci on the rue de Buci, which has an unlimited-oyster (but only oyster) set-price meal.

Tapas-type meals are encroaching, as well.

Julot - Cosi seems pretty similar to the NY chain, no? At least the bread they serve across the street at Fish and which comes from Cosi is exactly that flat, olive-oil and salt, vaguely industrial bread... One of those things you like but aren't actually that good...

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Cosi has nothing to do with the NY chain -- in terms of the quality of what you eat there (don't know about possible other links). Their bread/pizza is baked throughout the day in their wood oven, so when you get a sanwich there it is always warm and "juicy". Now the idea of treating it as a bread that keeps and that you can eat cold sounds plain absurd to me. It is pizza, only good when still warm, but the stuffing does not cook with the dough. And their ingredients are quite decent, their prices gentle and their wines pleasant. That's a case where a 7eur, 1O min visit is better than a long review.

[Felice]

Cosi has nothing to do with the NY chain -- in terms of the quality of what you eat there (don't know about possible other links). Their bread/pizza is baked throughout the day in their wood oven, so when you get a sanwich there it is always warm and "juicy". Now the idea of treating it as a bread that keeps and that you can eat cold sounds plain absurd to me. It is pizza, only good when still warm, but the stuffing does not cook with the dough. And their ingredients are quite decent, their prices gentle and their wines pleasant. That's a case where a 7eur, 1O min visit is better than a long review.

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Actually, it does have something to do with the chain in NYC, although indirectly. The two guys who started Cosi in the US were exchange students in Paris who became addicted to Cosi sandwiches and convinced Drew Harré, the original Cosi's founder, to allow them to bring Cosi to the States, so it was his original idea which they then transformed into a franchise. He was a consultant but does not own the Cosi Franchise in the US.

[sharonb]

Julot, I didn't take it away and eat it cold. It is served in bread baskets, warm, at the restaurant Fish.

It may be fresh-baked, but to my tastes, there is something industrial about the dough. That was all. So promising, but somewhat lacking.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Well, it makes (or used to make, havent' been in a few months) for great simple sandwiches. The dough may not be made on site, I don't know.

[Felice]

Well, it makes (or used to make, havent' been in a few months) for great simple sandwiches. The dough may not be made on site, I don't know.

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It is definitely made at Cosi, and I agree it can be quite good especially straight from the oven. The owner went to study violin making in Italy and wound up working in a bakery, which is where he learned to make the bread.

I worked at Fish across the street for some time, which is how I know all this

[OAKGLEN]

Being of the same generation, we also like to eat lite in the evening. Many of the **** hotels offer Bar menus that will meet your needs. We like the Meurice bar; their Club sandwich is my favorite. NYC prices, unfortunately.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

True confessions time: we very often eat lunch at a Chinese traiteur where we can order exactly what and how much we want. Often I will have 200g steamed broccoli or salad or Vietnamese springrolls or dim sum. The one on Buci is centrally located and pretty good.

This kind of lunch allows us to enjoy wine and cheese in our room later in the day and go on to a multicourse dinner (after a wee nap, perhaps).

We also often choose a meal at one of these when we arrive late in Paris by train since they are often open until midnight. The typical plate is a choice of noodles or rice piled high with your choice of some dozen poultry, fish or meat dishes. This small dinner is very welcome after a week of big meals in the country.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

The one called Patya in rue Cler is my favourite in that category. I think they're one of the obvious choices for very broke food lovers in Paris.

[robyn]

Thank you for these suggestions. I have to buy that little Michelin map book and start making notes on it. The latest edition is about 4 years old - but I suppose the streets in Paris don't change all that much over the years .

Julien - I'm not very broke - just too old to stuff myself every day!

SharonB - I love seafood platters. Have a question about Paris. Apparently there is a problem with various types of seafood from all over the world - and especially Africa - winding up in Europe (some legal - a lot illegal). Here's an article about the problem that was written in the New York Times this week. Apart from the political issues (which can be discussed elsewhere) - I am always concerned about disease when I eat raw seafood - especially things like oysters and other shellfish. One reason I don't eat local (Florida) oysters. Too many come from illegal polluted beds. Are there raw seafood places in Paris that are pretty dependable in terms of sourcing their ingredients - or is it just the luck of the draw? Robyn

[julot-les-pinceaux]

I don't think you have to worry about that -- brasseries and restaurants recommended on this board and which serve raw seafood are totally safe.

[sharonb]

Robyn, while seafood in markets and fishmongers' must by law display the origin of the fish next to the price, it's true that there is no sure way to know in restaurants (except oysters, which are often noted as being Spéciales, Claires, etc. or from Brittany or whatever). You could ask, definitely. I don't think oysters or bulots (whelks) would ever be imported, but langoustines, shrimp and even mussels (from Spain, mostly) could be.

[robyn]

Whelks - I've eaten those before. I don't mind working for my food. I just don't like to work that hard . Robyn

[pierre45]

Well, it makes (or used to make, havent' been in a few months) for great simple sandwiches. The dough may not be made on site, I don't know.

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It is definitely made at Cosi, and I agree it can be quite good especially straight from the oven. The owner went to study violin making in Italy and wound up working in a bakery, which is where he learned to make the bread.

I worked at Fish across the street for some time, which is how I know all this

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Felice.You did not have to say how you obtained all that info.

You were quite impressive.