Paris restaurants with good value?

[Scott]

Can anyone recommend a place to get really good roast chicken and frites (along the lines of L'Ami Louis with a lighter tab)?

That's easy. 1 word:

ALLARD

[Margaret Pilgrim]

My beau and I went to L'Epi Dupin tonight and I know it's a favourite with many of you, but we were quite disappointed.  The price was right -- 30 Euros for a 3-course meal -- but we found the food mediocre.

Freckles, your opinion has been voiced in this forum before. L'Epi Dupin's reputation continues, I think, because of its name recognition. It was one of the original group of value restaurants in the '90s.

[picaman]

Here is a link from 2001 on this subject that I stumbled across while searching for something else. The info may be somewhat outdated but there are some extremely extensive lists in this post.

Jamie

[Bux]

Problem is, I always think I am pacing myself only to find out later I was wrong.

You're talking to someone who realized he ordered poorly--foie gras ravioles and boudin noir is not a light combination for lunch--so he called the waiter over and asked if he could add a shared portion of the salmon in cream sauce with his companion so as to lighten the average quality of the meal, as if one only had to digest the average and not the sum total of all he ate. Dessert was good was well, but I did fall asleep almost immediately as soon as we got back in the car. Fortunately, that was a few moments after we pulled off into a rest stop.

[bushey]

Bux, you're making me smile. I live with someone very dear who sometimesorders poorly because he just can't help himself. (That's one reason we end up walking everywhere when we travel -- to work off our excesses! ) My sweetie has learned over the years not to order each course based simply on what sounds delicious, but to also take into account how it works as a whole, but it's harder to resist the urge when everything sounds so wonderful.

You're kidding, you mean you can't average calories and consumption for the table as a whole?

[Bux]

You're kidding, you mean you can't average calories and consumption for the table as a whole? 

Of course not, but I hear from very reliable sources that dessert calories only count if you've ordered the dessert. The ones on your partner's plate are entirely guilt free. My only defense these days is to order two desserts if I can't find one my wife doesn't like.

Oh yes, walking is an essential hobby. As long as we don't have days and days of rain, we can usually avoid putting on weight no matter what we eat.

[bushey]

Rain? It never rains on a golf course (or so my husband claims) or in any city I'm visiting. Actually, one of the things I'd love to do this time around is a walking tour of the passages, so a little inclement weather won't deter me.

Another couple has decided to join us on our trip, so now we've got to coordinate food likes/dislikes and preferred dining times (we like late, they like early). But it should be fun. They probably think I'm obsessive when it comes to research on restaurants, but as I told them, it's not as always as easy as one thinks to just find a "little place in Paris" and have a great meal. Especially when one might be jet lagged/tired/hungry/cranky.

We'll be staying in the 7eme, and with all fo the great eGullet recommendations, we could easily eat in the 'hood all 4 nights and be quite happy.

[Freckles]

By the way, my boy and I joined another couple at "Le Petit Prince" in the 5th last night. I would recommend it more that L'epi dupin, where we ate a few nights before. The food was better and more reasonably-priced, the service was warmer and it was filled with French people rather than the japanese and American tourists of L'epi. A happy experience!

[PS]

Any idea if Le Petit Prince is open on a Sunday? We're staying just around the corner from it in a few weeks' time and are struggling to find a restaurant that's open on dimanche. Any other info on it - food, drink, atmos, would be gratefuly received as well.

[PaulaJK]

I have been told that Phillipe Detourbe has closed.

[Bux]

I have been told that Phillipe Detourbe has closed.

A great pity. Detourbe was one of three restaurant meals we had some years back in Paris that rekindled my interest in restaurants without stars. The other two were Eric Frechon's restaurant (he's now at the Bristol) and la Régalade.

[tony h]

Bux

We may not agree on a certain spanish restaurant but on france you have few equals. I am being taken to Paris next month to celebrate a new job. Do you know of any 2 stars that on the verge or deserve (in your opinion) of making it to 3 stars this year - or of a one star that may be promoted to two?

Thanks

Tony

[bushey]

blind lemon --

We could start a new market trend: timing the stars .

Congratulations on your new job and the good fortune of having friends who know how to celebrate!

bushey

[Bux]

We may not agree on a certain spanish restaurant but on france you have few equals. I am being taken to Paris next month to celebrate a new job. Do you know of any 2 stars that on the verge or deserve (in your opinion) of making it to 3 stars this year - or of a one star that may be promoted to two?

Flattery will get you nowhere, but only because that information is not at my hand. The last time we were in Paris, we ate at Arpège which is not only already three stars, but one of the more expensive ones. Perhaps to compensate, but we said we were saving our appetite for Donostia, the rest of our meals were taken at unstarred restaurants, all of which had no pretenstion to the stars and most of which were good honest and thoroughly enjoyable meals that were aided by their lack of pretense. L'Astrance was our last meal in a restaurant that seemed slated for grander things. It's actually in a fairly simple room and with fine, but less than elegant service and wine list, may not be slated for immediate upgrade. I've also not had the opportunity revisit it.

I've also not been back to Carré des Feulliants in a few years. It has been two stars for so long that I suspect it will never get a third star. We though it was an exceptional meal at a very good price when we were there, but it's been a while. Since then, I've heard mixed views and read mixed views here on eGullet. Nevertheless, the most convincing comments were laudatory. I don't know that I've ever heard of a restaurant that's universally appreciated. Even people whose taste I respect have been know to disagree with mine. Even Robert Brown hated a restaurant I loved.

There's a very interesting one star restaurant in the suburbs--les Magnolias. It's out in le Perreux-sur-Marne and fairly accessible by RER. Fresh_a and Margaret Pilgrim both raved about it here. I had mixed feelings. I found the chef very creative, but I also questioned just about every combination we had on our plates. Once again, I'm not sure if the current location and space will support two stars anyway.

As this thread, if not your question, is about good value, it seems as if the one three star lunch that sticks in my mind as good value is at Grand Vefour, but I haven't been there, so you should check those reviews.

If you care to take a trip to the countryside, I'm still salivating over a two star meal at Lion d'Or in Romorantin. It's 200 kilometers from Paris and hardly a day trip for lunch.

[bushey]

I was just going through my file folder of information that I gathered for my last trip to Paris and found a review of Les Magnolias, as well. I had really wanted to try it but we weren't sure we were up for a train trip at night -- the review I read made it sound like getting back to the city late at night could be a problem. It didn't quite make our short list for this visit either, though I'm tempted to reconsider.

[Louisa Chu]

Do you know of any 2 stars that on the verge or deserve (in your opinion) of making it to 3 stars this year - or of a one star that may be promoted to two?

The buzz is that the 2 stars gunning seriously for 3 are Le Bristol - chef Eric Frechon - do check out the site and see how long it takes you to get to the menu - and Les Elysees - chef Eric Briffard.

One stars to 2 - maybe Hiramatsu?

But the one to really watch - over the next couple of years - is Les Ambassadeurs at the Crillon. My chef at ADPA - Jean-Francois Piege - is officially taking over there on Valentine's Day. They're currently a 1 star but he is not the kind of man who would settle for anything less than 3.

[tony h]

loufood

I at at le Bristol & Le Cinq year & 1/2 ago on consecutive days - I thought Le Bristol was just superb but didn't rate Cinq at all - yet le Cinq got the 3rd star. go figure.

Anyway - there's not much movement this year - only Le Meurice got elevated to 2 & I did really recognise those got their first (btw - 4 lost 1 star).

cheers

Tony

[Louisa Chu]

So much for my predictions - for this year anyway. But I did think Le Meurice already had two - trying to justify my oversight.

What didn't you like at Le Cinq? I've heard consistently good things about them - just the other day from Pascal Barbot - chef at L'Astrance - he thought it was one of the places I should check out.

[Freckles]

Can you suggest anything in the 1st, please? I don't need "dirt cheap" but under 30Euros including a glass of wine is my goal. Merci

[bushey]

L'Ardoise is in the 1st, but I think it would be a tad more than 30€ if you add in a glass of wine. There's another small, charming restaurant we tried several years ago, L'Argentueil (on rue Argentueil) and we enjoyed it very much. We walked by last month and saw that the interior had been redone -- it's much more intimate and comfortable now. Didn't notice the prices but it might meet your budget if you don't order three courses.

[OAKGLEN]

Lescure, 7 rue Mondovi, just off Place Concorde, has a prix-fixe menu at 20 euros and Dauphin, 167 rue St.-Honore, has a luncheon menu at 24 euros. If you are willing to walk a bit to the slightly lower rent 2nd eme, Vaudeville, 29 rue Vivienne, has a luncheon menu at 21 euros. JP

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Lescure, 7 rue Mondovi, just off Place Concorde, has a prix-fixe menu at 20 euros and Dauphin, 167 rue St.-Honore, has a luncheon menu at 24 euros.  If you are willing to walk a bit to the slightly lower rent 2nd eme, Vaudeville, 29 rue Vivienne, has a luncheon menu at 21 euros.  JP

Lescure is one of the most unusual dinners we have ever had in Paris. I posted about it years ago on rec travel europe. At reception, you are asked smoking or non, and when you say non, you are excorted to an alcove table that seats around 10, all Americans. It was a mixed bag: a professor, minister, travel agent all with spouses, a mother/college-aged daughter duet and us. The table changes when those on the outside are finished, so that the people on the inside can get out. Food is passed over the heads of those sitting on the outside, with the waiter occasionally bobbing your head for you!

The food was surprisingly decent. I remember some excellent chanterelle ravioli type things and that several other dishes around the table were quite interesting. As I remember, desserts were simple and good. It is dirt cheap, and although we were somewhat boggled by it at the time, it remains a memorable evening.

Should one want to avoid this kind of sitting, ask for "Fumer" at reception, and you will be shown to the French section.

[picaman]

On our recent trip to Paris, we had reservations at L'Ourcine that fell through, so we went at the last minute to a restaurant in our hotel's Sacre Coeur neighborhood that was recommended by our hotelier: Le Cottage Marcadet (151 bis, rue Marcadet - 18th, 01 42 57 71 22.)

I'm very glad that things worked out the way they did. Total price for two was 73 euros, which included an amuse (mousse de saumon for each of us), an entree, a plat, a cheese course, a dessert, and a serviceable bottle of wine.

My entree was an excellent slice of foie gras with baby lettuces, tomatoes, and diced red, yellow and green peppers in a light vinaigrette. Kirk had the better entree--creme de potrine avec marrons--a very nice pumpkin taste complemented by three whole chestnuts and some pieces as well. A perfect rainy-day bowl of soup.

My plat was rognons de veau, a point, with shredded potatoes, spinach, haricots verts and carrots. Much more basic and earthy than were loufood's rognons de veau at Mon Vieil Ami on Saturday, but I actually liked them a bit better. This, to me, had a more pronounced liver-ish/offal flavor that I rather liked. The sauce was a bit salty but went well with the rognons as a result, though the sauce was a bit too salty for the other items on the plate.

Kirk's plat was perch in sauce basilique with lightly cooked skinless tomatoes, cucumbers, and julienned carrots. He said the perch was very light and tasty, and was cooked perfectly.

There was a well-chosen variety of cheeses from which to select, and I had a perfectly done creme brulee that had a light texture and flavor reminiscent of marshmallows roasted over a fire. Kirk had a yummy fruit tart.

I won't waste bandwidth on posting pictures of all the dishes, but a couple of the highlights are below. In a neighborhood with a lot of touristy restaurants, this stood out as a nice choice with well-prepared food at an excellent price. Certainly much better than a Place de Tertre alternative, and less than a ten minute walk from Sacre Coeur. The owner, Jean-Marie Robin, turned out to be a delightful man. He was initially a bit cold but definitely warmed up a bit when the American tourist ordered rognons de veau and ate it all. We ended up talking food, culture, and politics until the wee hours of the morning, and he promised to take us to Rungis on our next visit. A most memorable evening created by the best of luck through what started as a negative circumstance.

Creme de potrine avec marrons

Rognons de veau

Perch with sauce basilique

Jamie

EDIT: grammar

Edited April 15, 2004 by picaman (log)

[picaman]

Nearly three years ago (wow...time flies...) I compiled the list of restaurants at the beginning of this thread. At the time, I defined the "good value" in the thread's title as:

our average cost per meal at dinner for two people, with maybe a kir to start, the prix fixe meal or entree + plat with one bottle of usually a house/fairly inexpensive wine, dessert then coffee is 100 euros-ish plus or minus 25 euros or so. Very ballpark but every little bit of info helps.

Since I'm returning to Paris this January, I thought this would be a good exercise for me to repeat. I've gone through the 2006 threads, and compiled the following list of restaurants that seemed to have "good buzz" from respected sources. I've also added address and contact info.

Please comment on the list, feel free to add anything you think I've missed, and especially let me know what you think should rise to the top, or be deleted for whatever reason.

To account for inflation, I'll pry my wallet open and increase the target to 125 euros plus or minus 25 euros (or so) for a typical dinner for two described above. Less than that, of course, is fine too!

Here's the list:

By arrondisement:

Casaluna 6, rue de Beaujolais 75001 - 01 42 60 05 11

Au Crus de Bourgogne 3 rue Bachaumont Paris 2 - 01 42 33 48 24

Drouant, 16-18, place Gaillon in the 2nd, 01.42.65.15.16

Le Petit Pamphlet 15, r St Gilles 75003 Paris, France - 01 42 71 22 21

Les Enfants Rouges, 90 rue des Archives 75003- 01 48 87 80 61

Le Buisson Ardent 25, r Jussieu 75005 Paris, France 01 43 54 93 02

Les Papilles 30, rue Gay-Lussac - 75005 Paris - Tel : 01 43 25 20 79

Ribouldingue, 10, rue St Julien le Pauvre in the 5th, 01.46.33.98.80

La Bastide Odéon 7 rue Corneille 75006 - 01-43-26-03-65

La Ferrandaise 8, r Vaugirard 75006 Paris, France - 01 43 26 36 36

Le Comptoir 9, Carrefour de l'Odéon 75006 Paris 01 43 29 12 05

Le Timbre 3, rue Sainte-Beuve Paris 6 Tel: 01 45 49 10 40

Maison du Jardin 27, rue de Vaugirard 75006 Paris 01 45 48 22 31

Sensing 19, rue Bréa, 75006, Paris,01 43 27 08 80

Wadja 10, r Grande Chaumière 75006 Paris, France - 01 46 33 02 02

Ze Kitchen Galerie 4, rue des Grands Augustins Paris 6 Tel: 01 44 32 00 32

Gaya 44, rue du Bac 75007 Paris 01 45 44 73 73

Le Florimond 19, Avenue de la Motte Piquet. 75007 Tel. : +(33) 1 45 55 40 38

Les Anges 54 Boulevard de La Tour Maubourg Paris 7 Telephone: 01 47 05 89 86

l’Ami Jean 27, r Malar, 75007 Paris - 01 47 05 86 89

Dominique Bouchet 11 rue Treillard, Paris 8 - 01 45 61 09 46

Le Cou de la Girafe, 7, rue Paul-Baudry in the 8th, 01.56.88.29.55

Maxan 37 rue de Miromesnil in the 8th, 01.42.65.78.60

Senderens 9, Place De La Madeline / 75008 - 01 42 65 22 90

Carte Blanche, 6 rue lamartine, 75009 Paris - 01 48 78 12 20

Chartier 7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 9e 01-47-70-86-29

Le Charlain 23 rue Clauzel Paris 9 - 01 48 78 74 40

Le Jardinier 5, rue Richer - 9ème Tel : 01-48-24-79-79

Les Zingots 12, rue de la Fidélité 75010 PARIS - 01 47 70 19 34

Terminus Nord 23, rue de Dunkerque 75010 Paris Tél:33.(0)1.42.85.05.15

Astier 44 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011 Phone: 01-43-57-16-35

Bistro Paul Bert in the 11th at 18 Rue Paul Bert (01.43.72.24.01)

Le Temps au Temps 13, r Paul Bert, 75011 Paris - 01 43 79 63 40

Biche au Bois 45, Avenue Ledru Rollin. 75012 Tel. : +(33) 1 43 43 34 38

La Gazzetta 29, r De Cotte 75012 Paris, France - 01 43 47 47 05

l’Avant Gout 26, Rue Bobillot 75013 Paris Tel : 01 53 80 24 00

l’Ourcine 92, r Broca, 75013 Paris - 01 47 07 13 65

Bis de Severo 16 rue des Plantes Paris 14 - Quartier Montparnasse tél. : 01 40 44 73 09

Giufeli 129 rue du Chateau, 75014 Paris 01 43 27 32 56

La Cerisaie 70, bd Edgar Quinet, 75014 Paris - 01 43 20 98 98

Beurre Noisette 68, Rue Vasco de Gama, 75015 Paris - 01 48 56 82 49

Dix vins 57, rue Falguière 75015 Tel: 01-43-20-91-77

Le Troquet 21, rue François-Bonvin, 15th (01.45.66.89.00)

Minzingue 5, pl Etienne Pernet 75015 Paris, France - 01 45 32 48 54

Le Pergolese aka Gaboriaule Pergolese, 40, rue Pergolese in the 16th, 01.45.00.21.40

Goupil le Bistro 4 rue Claude-Debussy 75017 - 01 45 74 83 25

Le Bistral, 80 rue Lemercier in the 17th, 01.42.63.59.61

Le Baratin 3, Rue Jouye-rouve 75020 Paris Téléphone : 08 99 78 21 40

Other areas:

Les Magnolias 48, avenue de Bry, Le Perreux-sur-Marne; (33-1) 48.72.47.43

l’Escarbille, 8, rue de Velizy in Dept. 92 (Meudon @ the Bellevue train stop on the Rambouillet/Mantes line from Montparnasse – 4.10 € RT), 01.45.34.12.03

For reference, here's the original list, copied from the start of the thread:

Fish - 69, rue du Seine (6th)

Aux Lyonnaise - 32, rue St. Marc (2nd)

La Régalade - 49, avenue Jean-Moulin (14th)

Au C'Amelot - 50, rue Amelot (11th)

La Chope de la Marie - 88, rue Ordener (18th)

L'Occitanie - 96, rue Oberkampf (11th)

Clown Bar - 114, rue Amelot (11th)

Jacques Melac - 42, rue Leon-Frot (11th)

L'as du Fallafel - 34, rue du Rosiers (4th)

Cafe Constant - 139, rue Saint-Dominique (7th)

Au Bon Acceuil - 14, rue Monttessuy (7th)

Violon d'Ingres - 135, rue Saint Dominique (7th)

La Fontaine de Mars - 129, rue Saint-Dominique (7th)

Au Dauphin - 167, rue Saint-Honoré (1st)

Chez Michel - 10, Rue de Belzunce (10th)

Philippe Detourbe - 8, rue Nicolas Charlet (15th)

Bistrot du Dôme - 1 rue Delambre (14th)

La Cave de l'Os a Moelle - 181, rue de Lourmel (15th); and

L'Os a Moelle - 3, rue Vasco de Gama (15th)

Le Repaire de Cartouche - 99, rue Amelot (11th)

Aux Negociants - 27, rue Lambert (18th)

Calixte - 64, rue Saint-Louis en L'Ile (Patissierie - 4th)

Benoit - 20, rue Saint-Martin (4th)

Le Pré Verre - 8, rue Thenard (5th)

L'Estrapade - 15, rue de l'Estrapade (5th)

Le Dome due Marais - 53, rue des Francs-Bourgeois (4th)

OK then--fire away! Thanks in advance for your input.

Jamie

[Bartow]

Hello, Jamie-

Many thanks for updating your '04 list. I'll be going to Paris in 3 weeks with some vegetarian friends (but hope to sneak in a steak frites when they aren't looking).

I notice that you omitted the Violon d'Ingres from your new list - Any reason? I was thinking of reserving there, and asking the Constants to create a veggie-friendly menu for my friends.

Regards,

Bartow

Nearly three years ago (wow...time flies...) I compiled the list of restaurants at the beginning of this thread. At the time, I defined the "good value" in the thread's title as: