Paris Restaurant Openings-Christmas/New Years

[cru]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a simple New Year's Eve dinner in Paris? Something small, quaint, and very Parisian.

[John Talbott]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a simple New Year's Eve dinner in Paris?  Something small, quaint, and very Parisian.

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The only place where I’ve seen a December 31st menu was today at Frugier, 137, ave de Versailles in the 16th, 01.46.47.72.00; it was 57 Euros and looked pretty good; it had smoked salmon, a tartare of scallops, a crepinette of quail off the bone, filet of beef with foie gras, cheese and an individual buche de Noel. I had a good lunch there; Figaro + A Nous Paris give it 2/4 and 3/5 respectively; so despite the distance, maybe this is an option for you. It's small (20-25 covers), all French, very local and brand new but it's a bit out of the center but in a very nice neighborhood.

[TarteTatin]

We had dinner two years ago on New Year's Eve at Rotisserie Beaujolais.

It's the same owners and right next door to La Tour D'argent. Right on the Seine.

But its a Bistro and not half as expensive! It was good! Way too many courses and way too many tourists, but we enjoyed it. I can't remember but I think it was about 85 Euros??

Anyway, John Talbott, thank you for your advice. We think you are right. This year we are going to join our friend and her 14 yr old daughter who loves oysters --on New Year's eve! We'll bring over to their apartment near the Place D'Italie some oysters, pate, maybe rotisserie chicken, cheese, bread, etc and eat with them.

Then we'll take our romantic selves and our bottle of champagne to one of the Ponts and shout Bon Annee with the all the other romantic couples!

[fresh_a]

Many restaurants do a special New Year's Eve menu, and many are open. The good ones are already fully booked (**/***). I'd stay in if I were you, and avoid the overwhelming flood of riff-raff from the banlieu in places like the Champs Elysees, Trocadero, Latin Quarter and Chatelet areas..

[adanzig]

My husband and I will be taking a semi-spur-of-the-moment trip to Paris between Christmas and New Years Eve. Our most recent visit was just over a year ago and now that my stash of Valrohna is all but gone, its time for a return trip!

This time around, we want to have one "blow-out" meal. Husband says it should be at a Michelin-rated establishment. Fortunately for our animal friends -- but unfortunately for me in a city like Paris -- I eat fish and dairy but no other animal products. Is it possible to truly enjoy one's dining experience at a "four star" establishment if the large majority of the menu is off-limits? Are any restaurants (of Michelin caliber) more amenable to diners with "special needs"?

I would be grateful for opinions/recommendations. And, of course, if there's an existing thread on this topic that I missed, please do let me know. I hate to retread ground that may have recently been covered. Thanks!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Adanzig, you have given us several pieces of information. First, you say that this is a repeat visit. Second, you describe your food preferences. As an aside, I can tell you that I ate with your proscriptions for a number of years, and ate very, very well in Paris and elsewhere.

I would ask you a couple of additional questions. Where and what were the best meals you enjoyed on previous visits? And, what would be, in your imagination, a perfect "blow-out meal", both in terms of menu options/degustation plates and cost?

In all events, enjoy. I envy your year's end.

[adanzig]

Where and what were the best meals you enjoyed on previous visits?  And, what would be, in your imagination, a perfect "blow-out meal", both in terms of menu options/degustation plates and cost?

"Best meals" during our last visit universally included a cheese course. I know this sounds fairly pedestrian (and probably doesn't help you much) but my love of cheese runs deep. Very deep.

We like unfussy yet sophisticated food. I hesitate to say we enjoy "modern" cuisine because it sounds so cliche, but I suppose that's where our preferences lie. We live in Seattle so we've grown accustomed to menus that feature very fresh, seasonal ingredients used in dishes that are often Asian-influenced. That said, we're not headed to Paris hoping to recreate a meal that we could have here at home...but perhaps this will help you narrow down the field. On our last visit, we quite enjoyed our meal at Spoon, actually.

In terms of menu options, I would be thrilled if it were possible for me (of the special needs) to actually *have* options. What I fear I will find at Michelin-starred establishments are very few selections that don't include foie gras here or veal shank there...particularly given the time of year. Frankly, I'd be thrilled to be presented with a menu that had more than just one meat-free option (again, fish is fine). We're prepared to spend $500 US.

[Poppy Quince]

adanzig, I can think offhand of at least three Michelin-starred seafood restaurants which should offer you plenty of choice: Le Divellec, La Marée and Le Duc. Petrossian would be a great Christmas season choice for caviar and smoked salmon. At a less extravagant level, Macéo just off the Palais Royale has a number of vegetarian dishes on the menu, and Gaya on both sides of the Seine specializes in seafood. And of course there are all the brasseries with enormous oyster and shellfish stands melting ice (or maybe not, at this time of year) onto the sidewalks all over town.

As for cheese, I don't know if the Androuët restaurant on rue Arsène Houssaye is still open. Unfortunately the one on rue de Verneuil in the 7th recently closed. A cheese lover's paradise, practically every cooked dish contained cheese and vast platters were offered from which a meal could be made.

[fresh_a]

Le Duc has no Michelin stars, and Androuet has indeed closed on Arsene Houssaye.

Edited December 5, 2004 by fresh_a (log)

[Bux]

It's worth noting that $500 is about €400, unless it's less now -- a quick check reveals that it's less than €375. Thus I won't suggest Arpège. Gourmard is a rather pricey one star fish restaurant, but you should be able to have a rather fine meal there with a reasonable bottle of wine for your price. We had a couple of spectacular first courses. The langoustine and blue lobster were superb specimens exceptionally well handled and garnished in a very light contemporary fashion. Our main courses were less impressive. We had a plane to catch that afternoon and didn't have dessert or cheese, so I can't comment further. I haven't been at le Divellec in over a dozen years, so I can't say how it compares, but it appears to be more expensive. In general, you shouldn't have too much problem finding vegetable and seafood first courses in any fine restaurant, and if you're ordering three courses à la carte, I'd expect you to find a couple ofl fish choices, but you're probably going to find more attention to red meat and game in the middle of the winter. A fish and seafood restaurant is going to offer the most choice.

[John Talbott]

For the record in future years:

David Rosengarten’s November 22, 2004 Report (to subscribe click here) gives some New Year’s eve suggestions:

Le Cinq for $800, three stars

Taillevent for $325, three stars

le Pre Catalan for $500, two stars, or the no-starred:

Allard for $160

L’Angle du Faubourg for $150

L’Avant Gout

Bofinger

Le Dome for $125

Market between $125-180

Les Ministries for $150

[TarteTatin]

Inbetween your extravagant meal(s), try Chez Prosper at Nation on one of the far corners outside the Metro. It's a bistro that we hesitate to mention, for fear of it getting more popular than it already is!

But they have amazingly large salads and quiche, etc. A few weeks ago I had Fromage Quiche (or Quiche Fromage) made with 3 or 4 different cheeses and a huge amount of salad on the side.

Hubby had a huge Croque Monseiur which came with a large salad as well.

We often go there inbetween the heavy, rich, indulgent meals for just a salad or soup.

Delicious, fresh, I guess its "service non-stop".

Good wines by the bottle; we found that ordering a carafe last time was actually more expensive than some of the good roses, beaujolais wines.

Their desserts are homemade and delicious too.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Thanks, Adanzig, for so precisely clarifying your target meal. Given your food preferences, regional experience, price point and the dismal dollar, I throw out a Michelin 1-star. We have enjoyed, and have sent not a few West Coast friends, to Les Magnolias in a relatively accessable eastern suburb of Paris. (PM me for simple directions.) It is in no way a "blow out" experience, but the service is sweet, the food inventive, and at all times you will have the feeling that "someone is in the kitchen cooking just for you.". Their website is slow but worthwhile.

Wherever, enjoy.

[Poppy Quince]

Le Duc has no Michelin stars

fresh_a, my 2003 Red Guide shows it with one star...was it demoted?

[Carlsbad]

My current guide shows one star as well.

[adanzig]

Thanks, all, for the many recommendations (if there are more out there, I'll gladly take 'em). I'll post upon my return!

[cigalechanta]

I eat meat but prefer seafood, so for me I can highly refer to a previous poster's choice of La Mareé.

It's been many years since Prunier. Is it still there?

[John Talbott]

I eat meat but prefer seafood, so for me I can highly refer to a previous poster's choice of La Mareé.

It's been many years since Prunier. Is it still there?

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Yes both Pruniers are in existance. The one on Rue Duphot went through a transition from Prunier (since 1890) to Goumard Prunier (1980's) to Goumard, its current name. When last visited it was still good, with a 40 Euro menu for lunch (astronomically higher for dinner) which sadly no longer includes water, wine and coffee which made it a superbargain for such fine fish.

There was also Prunier Traktir in the 16th, which is now Prunier, bought by Pierre Berge of YSL fame. I've known no one whose eaten there lately.

[John Talbott]

For the record, Thursday/Friday Jean-Claude Ribaut in Le Monde's “Toques en Pointe: Gouts,” wrote up a place for New Year’s Eve at 170 € with performances. It is the brasserie, the Café du commerce, 51, rue du Commerce in the 15th, 01.45.75.03.27, open every day but Christmas, which he says is in good shape with commendable steak and frites, pot au feu of pork (21 €), country cheeses and desserts from olden days (Paris-Brest, Saint-Honore, etc.). Their non-New Year's Gourmet menus are 26 and 50 €, and a la carte is about 40 €.

[John Talbott]

For the record and future searches, today's Figaroscope's Dossier is on New Year's Eve places from under 100 Euros to over 400 Euros.

I just realized that the link above will not work in a year so I'd better list the New Year's places fully. They are:

Less than 100 €:

Le Pavillon des Princes

La Bleuetière

Le Cafe Moderne

100-200 €:

Bon

Mon Vieil Ami

La Cuisine

Chez Clement

Blue Elephant

Cafe de la Paix

Les Ormes

Le Cafe du Commerce

Le Cabaret

Park Hyatt Madeleine

La Suite

200-300 €:

Goumard

Helene Darroze

Les Elysees du Vernet

Meridien Etoile

300-400 €:

La Table du Lancaster

Pre Catalan

Le Bristol

More than 400 €:

Murano Urban Resort

Hotel de Crillon

Le Ritz

[John Talbott]

More:

Friday/Saturday in Le Monde’s Toques en Pointe”, Jean-Claude Ribaut reviewed three more restaurants for New Year’s Eve:Le Celadon at the Hotel Westminster for 290 € without liquids (normally menus are 48 € and 62 €, with wine at lunch, and a la carte is 110 €. Michel Rostang, 300 € without wine (normally the lunch menu is 65 €, others 175 € and 230 € a la carte = 150 €. Les Elysees du Vernet, 295 € without drinks or 395 € (with champagne and great wines), normallt it’s 60 € for lunch and a la carte, about 120 €.

[menton1]

Was curious to learn of any exciting events for New Year's Eve in Paris. One that sound really tantalizing is Christian Constant's event at Violon d'Ingrès in the 7th. The tarif is about 250 E p/p. (sans boissons!) The other attraction here is that Catherine Constant will be providing the music.

Any other great events scheduled for la vielle du jour de l'an?

[John Talbott]

A couple of thoughts:

Figaroscope yesterday gave a bunch of cabarets etc to go to.

Zurban next Wednesday will list some places to eat at that will not break the bank.

The Paris Tourism site suggests stuff like Christmas tree creations at the Pompidou and skating at the Eiffel Tower (resumed after high winds closed it a few days ago)

The Ile de France website lists special concerts such as the one at the Madeleine (a magnificent place to hear music) by Bernard Thomas, etc of Vivaldi, Gloria Magnificat, Mozart, Ave Verum, Handel, and the "Hallelujah" plus a jazz one and one devoted to the old floating barge dancehalls outside Paris (Nogent) - the guinguettes.

[John Talbott]

Just in the nick of time, Sebastien Demorand in today's Zurban has listed places to go that won’t break the bank as the Bristol’s 560€ menu without drinks, might. Demorand does a lot of phoning around and comes up with these three ideas:

Le Baratin, 3, rue Jouye-Rouve in the 20th, 01.43.49.39.70

Chez Jean, 8, rue Saint-Lazare in the 9th, 01.48.78.62.73 for 70€ without wine

Les Ambassadeurs, 10, place de la Concorde in the 8th, 01.44.71.15.15.00 for 670€ for dinner but only 70€ for lunch (as he says in the subtitle, the reveillons are ten times more expensive than lunches).

[John Talbott]

Tuesday, Liberation published yet another list of places to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Since the restaurants are well known and listed in the guidebooks, I will list most of them by name and price:

Carré des Feuillants menu at 260 € without wine

César Ritz Place Vendôme menu 590 € with wine

Hôtel Crillon Les Ambassadeurs menu 670 €

Castel menu 220 €

Cabaret menu & entrée to the club 180 €

Vip Room menu and club 150 €

La Mezzanine de l'Alcazar dinner 175 €

Le Piccolo Teatro, 6, rue des Ecouffes in the 4th, 01.56.23.19.21, vegetarian dinner at 7 PM = 38 €

Le Cinq at the Hôtel George V, menu = 650 € without wine