Strong Euro = Poor Meals?

[raisab]

As I head back to my travels to Paris, how I wish I had bought Euros 2 years ago!

The meals which were such a bargain at $30-35 plus wine ($15-20) may not taste as good at $44-52 ($23-30).

Are there any restaurants which offer great price/value? Any menus at 20-25 euros? Am I destined to eat only at the occasional restaurant, supping in my room with cheese and bread? (I know there are worse things! ) Any suggestions?

Edited April 29, 2008 by raisab (log)

[John Talbott]

Despair not Raisa;

Just last week, in Figaroscope’s Dossier, the team listed and described places under 30 €:

Right Bank

La Cotte Roti

Le Temps au Temps

M comme Martine

O.J.

Left Bank

l’Epigramme

L’Agassin

Au Bon Accueil

Near suburbs

Le Georgeon

Two others places received mention: Le Bistrot de Robert + Les Petites Sorcieres

Myself, I would strongly endorse l'Epigramme, l'Agassin + Le Georgeon from among these and Le Clocher Pereire, l'Entetee + Opus Vins from the Cheap Eats topic. All pretty new and all pretty good.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

It's not only the exchange rate, it's also the general price hikes on food. Anything you'll eat will be basically twice as expensive for you as it was a couple of years ago (30% in price + 50% in exchange rate). Including cheese in your room.

In my opininon, the best value for food lovers is still by far the 32 euro menu-carte at la Régalade and l'Ami Jean, with ingredients and cooking techniques at the level of Michelin starred restaurants.

I don't know if it is any consolation, but meals in the US for us Europeans, conversely, are becoming more affordable. Get ready, Thomas Keller, I'm on my way.

Edited April 29, 2008 by julot-les-pinceaux (log)

[Bu Pun Su]

I agreed with John for Au Bon Accueil

I had a good meal with good value there about 3 years ago

L'Ardoise in the Concorde area was not bad either

[olivier]

In my opininon, the best value for food lovers is still by far the 32 euro menu-carte at la Régalade and l'Ami Jean, with ingredients and cooking techniques at the level of Michelin starred restaurants.

I can't resist to second julot about La Régalade.

I was (and still, am) trying to have dinner at a different restaurant each time since I'm in Paris, but since I've been to La Régalade, I always find myself wanting to go back, bring friends there, etc.

It's just too good not to go!

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Don't feel obliged to try new things. It's an old trick and Bu Pun Su made fun of me the other day because I was not going to the restaurants I actually like. And I hate him for being so right. Don't be like me, son .

Edited April 29, 2008 by julot-les-pinceaux (log)

[robyn]

It's not only the exchange rate, it's also the general price hikes on food. Anything you'll eat will be basically twice as expensive for you as it was a couple of years ago (30% in price + 50% in exchange rate). Including cheese in your room.

In my opininon, the best value for food lovers is still by far the 32 euro menu-carte at la Régalade and l'Ami Jean, with ingredients and cooking techniques at the level of Michelin starred restaurants.

I don't know if it is any consolation, but meals in the US for us Europeans, conversely, are becoming more affordable. Get ready, Thomas Keller, I'm on my way.

←

Actually - the Euro/USD exchange rate is up a little under 25% in the last couple of years (2 years) - not 50%. No doubt - Paris is an expensive city. But it has always been an expensive citiy compared to other cities best I can remember. Robyn

[olivier]

Actually - the Euro/USD exchange rate is up a little under 25% in the last couple of years (2 years) - not 50%.  No doubt - Paris is an expensive city.  But it has always been an expensive citiy compared to other cities best I can remember.  Robyn

←

That's something I noticed when planning my upcoming trip to NYC: most of the restaurants seem to be cheaper than in Paris, even if the exchange rate was around 1/1 (well, maybe not Masa, but I'm not even going with the current EUR/USD rate).

Of course, the quoted prices don't include taxes nor tips, but still, a 2-courses, 1 dessert lunch at Jean-Georges costs $36 (so you have to pay something like $45).

I don't know (yet!) how this restaurant ranks next to other comparable lunches in Paris, but what could explain what seems to be such a huge difference? Do they receive more customers every day, by example?

[olivier]

Don't feel obliged to try new things. It's an old trick and Bu Pun Su made fun of me the other day because I was not going to the restaurants I actually like. And I hate him for being so right. Don't be like me, son  .

←

Thanks for the tip. I'm new enough to the "restaurant scene" that I'm not sure what it is i really like yet. Well, I am exaggerating, as I actually have a pretty solid idea about what my tastes are, but I still have (many) things to discover, and, most of all, I'm trying to enjoy my gastronomic naivete while it still lasts.

I guess this is slightly off-topic...

[Dave Hatfield]

Not that I'm anti- Paris or anything, but my advice is to:

GET OUT OF TOWN!

Big city, big city prices pretty much inevitable. The overheads are high.

Avoid all of the large cities & spend you time in the towns & villages. Obviously, this won't work when you're in France for business, but then you'll probably be on an expense account anyway.

If on vacation ignore Paris in so far as possible. Save lots of money & see lots of beautiful places.

Go back to Paris when the exchange rate shifts back as it will - eventually. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself. (having income in dollars & pounds, but living in a Euro economy hasn't been much financial fun over the last year or so.)

Come down our way & I'll give you list of under 15 Euro (including wine) places for lunch & another for under 20 Euro dinners. (no wine included.)

[raisab]

Thanks for all the advice! I am in Paris right now...staying an extra night due to flight cancellation.

Last nights dinner was horrendous, it was Day of the Ascension and every restaurant I tried was closed. I ended up eating at some non-descript place on Edgar Quinet......

I do not have the ability to go out of town when I am here, and there is no "expense" account,, just a poor per diem.

Thank you for the names Mr. Talbott, there are some new ones on there I must try.

[robyn]

Actually - the Euro/USD exchange rate is up a little under 25% in the last couple of years (2 years) - not 50%.  No doubt - Paris is an expensive city.  But it has always been an expensive citiy compared to other cities best I can remember.  Robyn

←

That's something I noticed when planning my upcoming trip to NYC: most of the restaurants seem to be cheaper than in Paris, even if the exchange rate was around 1/1 (well, maybe not Masa, but I'm not even going with the current EUR/USD rate).

Of course, the quoted prices don't include taxes nor tips, but still, a 2-courses, 1 dessert lunch at Jean-Georges costs $36 (so you have to pay something like $45).

I don't know (yet!) how this restaurant ranks next to other comparable lunches in Paris, but what could explain what seems to be such a huge difference? Do they receive more customers every day, by example?

←

I think the lunch at Jean Georges is a real bargain (heck - you can easily spend $15 at Cheesecake Factory for lunch) - and there are probably similar relative bargains in Paris (although probably not $45 for 3 courses - although I did see a 3 course bar menu + amuse bouche at Senderens for 36 euros). I think in general that if you poke around - you can find decent values just about everywhere in terms of lunches at some nice restaurants - frequently half or less what you'd spend for dinner (e.g., the set menus at JG for dinner are about $150). So it can pay to shop around.

BTW - when you're looking at menus - it helps to know what ingredients cost. Higher priced ingredients will usually translate into higher prices on menus. Robyn

[Felice]

Not new at all but Le Pré Verre is one of the best values in Paris, the menu is now 27€ I believe, and Les Papilles is also a bargin for the quality.

Breizh café would be a good choice, you can easily eat there for under 20€.

For steak frites, Le Relais de Venise is not expensive.

And as for Olivier's question about why Paris is more expensive than NY, I think it's because of the VAT and wages, an employer in Paris will pay at least double if not more than an employer in NYC to cover health insurance, vacation pay, etc. Plus the minimum wage here is much higher.

[raisab]

Not new at all but Le Pré Verre is one of the best values in Paris, the menu is now 27€ I believe, and Les Papilles is also a bargin for the quality.

Breizh café would be a good choice, you can easily eat there for under 20€.

For steak frites, Le Relais de Venise is not expensive.

And as for Olivier's question about why Paris is more expensive than NY, I think it's because of the VAT and wages, an employer in Paris will pay at least double if not more than an employer in NYC to cover health insurance, vacation pay, etc.  Plus the minimum wage here is much higher.

←

Thank you all....

Felice. I went to Les Papilles on my last trip. The menu is 32 euros, but even at the dismal exchange rate is a great value. It had been too long since I had a dinner like that. The only dissapointing part is that you have to purchase an entire bottle of wine. I had him choose for me after giving him a price (25 euro). The wine was a decent Cote du Rhone, but the nice gentlemen at the table next to mine also shared their wine with me, the name was Chateau Talbot. Besides the very appropo name (though ahem ... mispelled), THAT wine was very, very good.

[Dave Hatfield]

Not new at all but Le Pré Verre is one of the best values in Paris, the menu is now 27€ I believe, and Les Papilles is also a bargin for the quality.

←

Thank you all....

. The wine was a decent Cote du Rhone, but the nice gentlemen at the table next to mine also shared their wine with me, the name was Chateau Talbot. Besides the very appropo name (though ahem ... mispelled), THAT wine was very, very good.

←

Wow! Lucky you! a terrific wine. Add a zero to you price guide. No, not that pricey really, but depending upon the year 100 Euros on a restaurant wine list would not surprise me.

There is an interesting story about how the chateau came to be named as apparently it never has been owned by anybody name Talbot.

[John Talbott]

There is an interesting story about how the chateau came to be named as apparently it never has been owned by anybody name Talbot.

←

Correct. Family lore has it that the wine was named for (rather than by) John Talbot who reconquered Bordeaux in 1452.

Robert Talbott wines of Monterey, CA, however, is owned by a Talbott.

[Dave Hatfield]

There is an interesting story about how the chateau came to be named as apparently it never has been owned by anybody name Talbot.

←

Correct. Family lore has it that the wine was named for (rather than by) John Talbot who reconquered Bordeaux in 1452.

Robert Talbott wines of Monterey, CA, however, is owned by a Talbott.

←

Yes, and pretty good wines they are. We used to buy quite a lot of them when we lived in Carmel Valley.

Their tasting room is in 'The Village' which is just below where we used to live. Many a sip has been had.