New York vs. Paris

[weinoo]

We're in the middle of a week long stay in Paris- no two or three-star restaurants for us, because we're really not into that kind of dining experience.

My first thought after 4 or 5 meals out, including a number of places considered hip and happening, is that there's no music playing, or when there is, it's background music. Makes for a nice dining experience, imo. Maybe some NY owners can get the message.

Wonder what Beard would have thought.

[raji]

Yeah but the waiters are still French, right?

[cinghiale]

Yeah but the waiters are still French, right?

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Lord, the irony (or is it sarcasm?) is killing me.

I'm with Mitch. I like a little Led for the head with my pot, just not with my lamb's tongue, Mario. I'm getting old, I guess; I like being able to talk at table without having to shout.

[johnder]

What Mitch is really saying is he isn't going to any expensive restaurants because he wants to spend all his money at Dehillerin.

[weinoo]

I'm with Mitch.  I like a little Led for the head with my pot, just not with my lamb's tongue, Mario.  I'm getting old, I guess; I like being able to talk at table without having to shout.

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That's it - I think the French just care so much about what they're eating rather than what is playing and how hip the scene pretends to be. Or perhpas NY chefs are worried that if people focus too much on the food, they'll notice that it ain't as good as everyone wants to believe.

What Mitch is really saying is he isn't going to any expensive restaurants because he wants to spend all his money at Dehillerin.   

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Well, that too...and the beautiful evasee that's coming home with me is worth every penny that would've been spent on the 2 star meal.

[weinoo]

As LPShanet is discussing in this topic, here's another difference in the two cities and their respective dining habits.

We faced an interesting conundrum at a little restaurant in Paris' 9th er. We showed up for a reservation that we thought had been booked for us on a Friday night...the reservation wasn't in the books, and the restaurant was fully booked. The hosts checked with the chef owner, and they agreed to seat us if we agreed to give up the table after 2 hours - the table we were seated at was reserved for a 10:30 party and they were not willing, without checking with us first, to seat us because they obviously didn't want to ask us to leave if we were still eating when the reservation showed up.

This was a table that would have sat empty for over two hours, but because they evidently don't like to ask anyone to leave once they're seated, they weren't going to risk it.

Much different philosophy than in NYC, and imo, the restaurant handled it correctly.

Funnily enough, there was music playing when we arrived, they saw we liked what was playing but as others arrived, the music was turned all the way down to a whisper.