Upper-medium scale restaurants in Paris

[olivier]

Not unlike our dear host, I am looking for restaurants where one could have dinner for a set budget. However, I'm looking for something that would probably be pricier.

The thing is, I'm looking for a place to have dinner for my birthday. I'd like to be able to have some kind of a "splurge" dinner, but as I also have other plans than eating out this month, and considering that my budget is not unlimited, I guess the usual suspects like L'Arpège or L'Ambroisie, which I really intend to try this year, though, are out.

The ideal budget would be something around 300-400EUR, 500EUR even, for 2, all included. The idea is I don't want to think about what I order food- and wine-wise. I'm also looking for something more elaborate that the usual parisian bistrot.

The ideal restaurant may be something like Senderens, which I'm considering, but where I have already been.

I am also thinking about le Relais Louis XIII (I don't care how "old-fashioned" it might look, but haven't read much about it, especially about the food), Gerard Besson (which I wanted to save for game/truffle seasons, but as far as I know, there's no law against going back to the same restaurant several times), maybe l'Agapé... L'Astrance would be almost perfect, too, albeit a little bit pricier.

Any idea?

[pierre45]

You have 3 options

L'astrance

Lunch at any 2-3 star restaurants

Restaurants mentionned recently under 100 euros/person dinner

[SDyson]

A couple of years ago I had a really good meal at Le Chiberta, which might fit the type of experience you're after. Great service, beautifully-cooked and presented food, a room that feels special, but prices that aren't as stratospheric as the 3 star alternatives.

[Laidback]

Others you might consider are some of the good 1 stars, such as Vin sur Vin, in the 7th, Jean in the 9th or Passiflore in the 16th

[robyn]

I second the idea of lunch. I know I've been told by various people that in a lot of restaurants - dinner is better than lunch - but I am not sure how to quantify how much better (especially since I tend to eat at perhaps a couple of 3 star Michelin restaurants a year). For example - the 340 euro dinner menu at Arpege would have to be I don't know how much better than the 130 euro lunch menu for me to think I had gotten my money's worth.

FWIW - in terms of searching - I am using both the Michelin guide - and Zagat's (Michelin has the lunch and dinner menu prices and then I go to Zagat's for some "chatty" information).

Also - as a practical matter - in a lot of Europe - people do eat their big meal at lunch. So it is not as if you would be doing anything unusual by having a lunch celebration. Robyn

[olivier]

I second the idea of lunch.  I know I've been told by various people that in a lot of restaurants - dinner is better than lunch - but I am not sure how to quantify how much better (especially since I tend to eat at perhaps a couple of 3 star Michelin restaurants a year).  For example - the 340 euro dinner menu at Arpege would have to be I don't know how much better than the 130 euro lunch menu for me to think I had gotten my money's worth.

FWIW - in terms of searching - I am using both the Michelin guide - and Zagat's (Michelin has the lunch and dinner menu prices and then I go to Zagat's for some "chatty" information).

Also - as a practical matter - in a lot of Europe - people do eat their big meal at lunch.  So it is not as if you would be doing anything unusual by having a lunch celebration.  Robyn

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Oh I would totally love to have a great lunch, but I'm afraid it's not really an option unless we take (half) a day off, which may not be possible.

Maybe that's something I'll try to consider, though.

By the way, I reckon there are no lunch menu at l'Ambroisie?

[robyn]

If you drink enough wine at dinner - you may miss half a day in the morning . According to Michelin - there is only 1 menu at l'Ambroisie - "carte" at 196-252 euros. Robyn