Light Meals in Paris

[robyn]

We will be in Paris for about 8 days. I am planning some large meals. But - frankly - I can't eat large meals more than once every other day or so. At home - there are many many lunches and dinners where we will have a sandwich and soup - some eggs - a salad - etc. At home - we usually prepare a lot of these meals ourselves in our kitchen - but that isn't practical in a hotel room .

So I would appreciate any recommendations in terms of places where we can have nice light meals. Preferably in nice looking places with full bars. Maybe bars where we can have a few drinks - or glasses of wine - and share some food at the bar? (At least in terms of dinners - we usually don't drink at lunch.) We have sometimes found nice cafes in or near museums - any that you can recommend in Paris? Note that our hotel is the George V - so places near there would be great - as would places where we would be likely to be doing some sightseeing during the day - or places where it's pleasant to walk around in the evening. Robyn

P.S. Regarding walking around in the evening - I've been keeping my eyes open to find out when Nuit Blanche is this year (it will be around the time we will be in Paris). So far - no news. Have any of you seen a day mentioned yet?

[John Talbott]

Your question is a terrific and timely one.

Another member of the Society and I were just talking about where I'd be eating light bites on two forthcoming weekend trips to Hyeres and Bilbao. In Bilboa, even though I haven't been in 20 plus years, I can find the tapas bar street and that'll be perfect. But in Hyeres, like Blanche Dubois, I'll have to depend on the kindness of strangers since the Gantie and other guides don't cover light stuff.

For years, we've been eating our main meal at noon and light stuff at home at night. Even on the road, it may be gauche, but we often eat and sip back back at the gite/B&B.

Around the Georges V, you have Noura (great pastries but also hot dishes), Tokyo Eat (salads, etc, and if good weather, the terrace can't be beat) and Marius & Janette (for one fish or shellfish dish).

Another strategy is to go to a wine bar, they seems to grow like kudzu, but nothing rings a bell in the 8th or 16th nearby. I'm trying a place today that's called Mets & Vins that sounds perfect for you but is in the 17th.

Let's see what everyone else comes up with.

As for the white night, not been set yet, although midsummer's night is a good substitute.

[Ptipois]

Do not forget the Caves Estève, rue de Longchamp, a few steps up from place d'Iéna.

Cured meats, canned Spanish tuna and sardines, salads, sandwiches, light dishes and lovely wines selected by Jérôme Moreau, Le Bristol's talented sommelier.

Other location on rue de la Cerisaie, off the boulevard Henri-IV, between the Seine and place de la Bastille.

Edited May 24, 2008 by Ptipois (log)

[fresh_a]

I had dinner again at the Saut du Loup the other night, and they had a lot of light stuff on the menu, and a nice terrace in the gardens overlooking the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and gangster rapping bums.

http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/12109013...2857_161549.jpg

Light tuna carpaccio

Otherwise , lots of other lighter dining places, depending on where you'll be. Around the Golden Triangle you have the Rival at 20 avenue George V, owned by Philippe, nephew of JL Costes (good salads, clubs and one of the best burgers in town, and great cocktails) , and the 1 avenue George V, formerly a smoky little bar that noone went to, now with a big seletion of salads, salmon tartar, good sandwiches, etc and a busy little terrace. cojean is a nearby snack place on the rue Clement Marot (and elsewhere) with organic soups, salads and sandwiches. Otherwise you have the L'Avenue (expensive but not heavy eating) if you're shopping on the avenue Montaigne, and Les Cocottes , Christian Constant's postmodern diner across the river (good César salad), also behind the George V is a great little family run bistro called L'Oscar which is not touristy and has a daily market menu. Like John said Noura is a good Lebanese place, Meiji on the rue Marbeuf has good Japanese fare not too expensive, Diep has a good Vietnamese cuisine (although a little pricey), the Toyota showroom has the Kaiseki - consulted "bento" restaurant, the Maison de Danemark has their ground-level fish resto with great terrace and the more gastro Le Copenhague if you like fish, everything depends on what style you're looking for....

Edited May 24, 2008 by fresh_a (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Note, also, that many bistros now offer the option of starter + plat or plat + dessert. They shouldn't complain were you to order starter + dessert. By the same token, I can conceive of ordering 4 starters for 2 people to share as a meal. Wine by the glass and you're set.

It may be that inflation has necessitated ending the traditional requirement that a diner order at least three courses. I can remember when you risked life and limb if you declined dessert.

[tonkichi]

I would advise against the Toyota Kaiseki place- the menu is very short, what we ate was sushi which was dabbed generously with olive oil which carries fusion too far. The cafe at Renault showroom is better- it doesn't serve sushi of course but the usual cafe items like omelets etc.

I like Noura too (esp their chicken livers with sumac) and their 3 outlets along Avenue Marceau are open till late every day. Better than Divan across the road from your hotel.

L'Avenue is very popular, reservations needed, the food is not cheap for what you're getting but well, people don't exactly go there to eat.

There's an outpost of Bellota-Bellota (Jabugo Iberico) along 11 rue Clement if you don''t fancy going to their bigger place in 18 rue Jean-Nicot. Best ham sandwich in town if you ask me but it sells out quickly and at peak dining hours it may not be possible to eat 'sur place', otherwise you can make a relatively light meal of their hams of the day, salad (actually just a bunch of arugula) and their bread and tomato sauce. Their canned fish are also very good, actually everything on the menu is very good. Seating is bar-stool style, not designed for lingering.

I also like Publicis at the corner of Ave Marceau and Avenue Champs-Elysee, you can eat along the terrace but I like to have a drink at the bar where they can make decent cocktails and then eat indoors, they have blinis with good smoked salmon, simple sandwiches and salads and the rice pudding is usually tasty.

Across the Pont de l'Alma the cafe at Musee Branly is not bad either.

Edited May 24, 2008 by tonkichi (log)

[OAKGLEN]

Like John T, we tend to have our main meal at midday, so finding evening places for a light snack etc has proved somewhat difficult. We often eat at the bar at Le Castiglione, 235 St. Honore, Le Rubis is good for tradtional dishes that will take you back to post WWII days, and the bar at Meurice has a great turkey club sandwich at NYC prices. Cafe Constant is good for a salad and glass of wine. We haven't had a bad meal at any of the wine bars; but none of these are what we would call "destination" spots, except for Willy's perhaps. The new, upscale cafes don't have tiered pricing, so you don't have to sit or stand at the bar. But it can be fun to nosh at the bar, elbow-to-elbow with the regulars, enjoying the banter with the bar staff.

[John Talbott]

Cafe Constant is good for a salad and glass of wine.

←

I was thinking nearby the G 5 but the Cafe Constant and Les Cocottes de.... are great suggestions and Mr. C. in addition to running a spectacular 3-5 course place up the street often drops in to both for a bite to eat.

[fresh_a]

or more likely a drink and cigar!

[robyn]

Thanks for these ideas - I'm printing out the thread and will save it for future reference. Robyn

P.S. In Japan - when we weren't too hungry - and kind of tired - we sometimes did "take-out" from department store food basements. Amazing take-out food. Any places we can do that near the hotel? Robyn

Edited May 26, 2008 by robyn (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

....P.S.  In Japan - when we weren't too hungry - and kind of tired - we sometimes did "take-out" from department store food basements.  Amazing take-out food.  Any places we can do that near the hotel?  Robyn

Suggesting the obvious, Galleries Lafayette Gourmet offers take out from some of Paris' most famous purveyers, and they deliver orders of 152€ or more. I would think that take-out for two plus a bottle would cover that nicely.

[fresh_a]

Hediard is right next door and Jabugo Iberico just across the way.

[John Talbott]

Robyn: Have the near the Geo V rules changed?

Because that opens a whole world of opportunities for great carry-out/snacking food.

Guidance please.

[robyn]

I think with "take-out" - the place(s) would have to be pretty near the hotel. Doubt our room comes with a microwave to heat things up . And you will have to forgive me - but 152 euros sounds a bit much for "take-out". You could get this for about $30-40 in Japan! Robyn

[John Talbott]

A loyal member just asked me where to have a "light" meal after two (I assume) "heavy" ones. He suggested Ze which I seconded and I also suggested Clocher Pereire + Jadis.

My own way of dealing with having a "light' lunch say, when I'm facing a big event in the PM with colleagues, (a rare event) is to have oysters or fish rather than going to Cojean or the like which are not to be dismissed. Or if one can restrain oneself, there's always just ordering one dish or doing what I recount Francois Simon suggesting in a review of a book here a while back:

Lesson # 11: How to work up an appetite?

Alleging that he only eats once or twice a month at the grand restaurant, he advises that, on those days, we have a light lunch, have sage or green tea in the afternoon, a lemon squeeze at 6 PM and drink lots of water. He also fasts once a month, regularly works out, drinks only the best of apéritifs, diets and drains his liver with herbs (I’m not making this up). Finally, psych yourself up.

[robyn]

What about stopping in a cafe in the area where you happen to be - and having an omelette with a hunk of bread? If that's not enough - you could always add a side of potatoes (funny - grits were never an option in Paris ). We had a couple of meals like that - and weren't disappointed. Robyn

[KD1191]

For lunch before or after a big dinner, I like to go for a crêpe. One of my favorite spots is Crêperie des Canettes.