Restaurants open weekends

[John Talbott]

I figure we have 3 breakfasts, 3-4 lunches, and 3 dinners to plan so any help would be greatly appreciated.  I'd like to do one high end meal and the rest low to middle. 

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Considering the rules; from your list, considering openings/closings, if it were me, this would be my reckoning:

Friday

Dominique Bouchet lunch

Spring dinner

Saturday

Violin d’Ingres lunch

Magnolias dinner

Sunday

Dome lunch

Grand Colbert dinner

Monday

Ze lunch

Cerisaie dinner

[John Talbott]

Breakfast is normally croissants and a café or café crème, so I would just find a café near your hotel that you like and head there each morning. 

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I would never diasagree with my esteemed co-host but since we're deviating from the list you gave, I would do one blowout breakfast at Laduree.

[AlexBernardo]

Another splurge is Senderens on Place de la Madeleine at the old Lucas Carton location. And for a casual eat, if you like to find a good selection of wines, how about lunch at Restaurant Lavinia on Blvd Madeleine in one of the best wine shops in Paris?

[hshiau]

Thanks for the great input...but I must have gotten mixed up. We're there Saturday morning through Tuesday morning. Would you switch the Friday meals with any of the others? And would you replace any of my choices with others not on my list?

Considering the rules; from your list, considering openings/closings, if it were me, this would be my reckoning:

Friday

Dominique Bouchet lunch

Spring dinner

Saturday

Violin d’Ingres lunch

Magnolias dinner

Sunday

Dome lunch

Grand Colbert dinner

Monday

Ze lunch

Cerisaie dinner

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[hshiau]

My wife actually was a french literature minor in college. Not sure if that's still helpful at our age but it's a start.

As for Aux Lyonnais, if the food is good, I don't necessarily care if we're surrounded by Americans although we're surrounded by Americans in New York already.

I have taken visitors to Aux Lyonnais several times and think it’s a good choice as well.  The décor is beautiful and the food has been very good to excellent each time I’ve been.  You’ll probably be surrounded by a lot of other Americans, but in that sense it’s perfect for first timers, especially if you don’t speak any French. 

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[Felice]

Magnolias dinner

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I like Magnolias a lot as well but since it's outside Paris it might be difficult for first timers to find, non? Maybe I'm being unfair thinking of my own relatives who would probably have trouble finding Notre Dame on their own

[John Talbott]

Magnolias dinner

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I like Magnolias a lot as well but since it's outside Paris it might be difficult for first timers to find, non? Maybe I'm being unfair thinking of my own relatives who would probably have trouble finding Notre Dame on their own

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Should you decide to go, I'll provide easy instructions.

[grace3]

I keep picking up bits of information for my early February trip to Paris.

I think I will try to finalize my reservations the first of January. I earlier told Catherine Constant I would e-mail her and I will then let the Westminster Concierge do the others for me.

I keep reading all this great information that you supply!!

Joan

[grace3]

I don't remember reading any comments about l'Obelisque.

Any comments?

Joan

[hshiau]

Almost forgot...one more thing. My wife doesn't each much in the way of seafood so any of the above recommendations that's primarily a seafood restaurant is probably out.

Howard

[grace3]

Almost forgot...one more thing.  My wife doesn't each much in the way of seafood so any of the above recommendations that's primarily a seafood restaurant is probably out. 

Dome would probably be out for you because of the above.

Joan

[Carlsbad]

What about Mon Vieil Ami and/or Drouant on Sunday for lunch or dinner?

[John Talbott]

What about Mon Vieil Ami and/or Drouant on Sunday for lunch or dinner?

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Absolutely. I was limiting myself to the list. But Carlsbad, not everyone has had the positive experiences we've had at Drouant; and, one of six meals I've had at Mon Vieil Ami was "off" just after Westerman and Anthony Clemot shifted their attention to Drouant.

[pierre45]

Hshiau is a lucky man.He is getting customised advice from knoledgable people.

The fact is he will not go wrong if he goes to any of the restaurants that have been recommended.

[hshiau]

Absolutely.  I was limiting myself to the list.  But Carlsbad, not everyone has had the positive experiences we've had at Drouant; and, one of six meals I've had at Mon Vieil Ami was "off" just after Westerman and Anthony Clemot shifted their attention to Drouant.

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Perhaps I shouldn't have provided any kind of list. It was just a list of names I gathered from the various forum topics and may not be indicative of current preferences. Should I start over?

[John Talbott]

Perhaps I shouldn't have provided any kind of list.  It was just a list of names I gathered from the various forum topics and may not be indicative of current preferences.  Should I start over? 

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Ah that's another matter; on Saturdays and Sundays and even Mondays, one is dealing a different set of cards. I'd say yes; start over; what would folks recommend for lunch and dinner those days. That said, Pierre45 has a point when he says

Hshiau is a lucky man.  He is getting customised advice from knoledgable people.

The fact is he will not go wrong if he goes to any of the restaurants that have been recommended.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Perhaps I shouldn't have provided any kind of list.  It was just a list of names I gathered from the various forum topics and may not be indicative of current preferences.  Should I start over? 

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Ah that's another matter; on Saturdays and Sundays and even Mondays, one is dealing a different set of cards. I'd say yes; start over; what would folks recommend for lunch and dinner those days. That said, Pierre45 has a point when he says

Hshiau is a lucky man.  He is getting customised advice from knoledgable people.

The fact is he will not go wrong if he goes to any of the restaurants that have been recommended.

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Yes, I would like to expand my own list for Sundays and Mondays. John? Pierre? and you others who fact this problem weekly?

[hshiau]

Hshiau is a lucky man.He is getting customised advice from knoledgable people.

The fact is he will not go wrong if he goes to any of the restaurants that have been recommended.

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Indeed I am. And I have no doubt I could stop now and be very happy with any of the recommended restaurants. I'm completely confident that the eGullet community would not steer me wrong. After all, food is more than just sustenance to everyone here. That's why I'm researching food before deciding anything else I want to do on my first trip to Paris!

edited to correct my grammar.

Edited December 17, 2006 by hshiau (log)

[John Talbott]

Yes, I would like to expand my own list for Sundays and Mondays.  John?  Pierre?  and you others who fact this problem weekly? 

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I know you know, but others may not, that we have a compendium of threads running on Sunday and weekend dining as well as what's open and closed on Mondays.

In addition, to update those, I've been impressed in 2006 with La Maree Passy, La Mascotte, Petrus, Jarasse, Vieil Ami, Pinxo + Fogon on Sundays and Les Anges, l'Accolade, Cerisaie, Drouant + Senderens on Mondays.

[hshiau]

Ah that's another matter; on Saturdays and Sundays and even Mondays, one is dealing a different set of cards.  I'd say yes; start over; what would folks recommend for lunch and dinner those days. 

Ok, so let's wipe the slate clean. From Saturday breakfast through Tuesday breakfast, where would folks here go?...understanding that it will be my first time in Paris.

[orangewasabi]

Saturday breakfast at Laudree will be easy to get into, esp if you go early, right at opening.

We went this morning to the location in the 5th and at 8:30am we were the only people there. If you do get the breakfast menu, be warned, it's a lot of sugar if you get the hot chocolate (which is fantastically rich).

My recommendation, if you are going to Pierre Herme also is to buy un petit box of macarons at each place to try. They are massive sugar overload.

Also, I highly recommend Taillevent for a lunch. Get the E140 tasting menu (because the other one is heavily seafood) and enjoy -- book well ahead.

[John Talbott]

Ok, so let's wipe the slate clean.  From Saturday breakfast through Tuesday breakfast, where would folks here go?...understanding that it will be my first time in Paris.

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You know there's another way of looking at it; start with what a first-time visit should include, then fill in the possibilities. For instance:

A grand brasserie - such as Bofinger

A modern gastro bistro - such as Cerisaie

A very good resto - such as Violin d'Ingres

One at the edge - such as Ze Kitchen Galerie

One that's trendy - such as Drouant

A luxe place - such as le Meurice, Bristol, Table de Lancaster

An old master in a new place, such as Dominique Bouchet

A new master at a new place Spring

Which would leave you with something like:

Friday

Dominique Bouchet lunch

Spring dinner

Saturday

Violin d’Ingres lunch

le Meurice dinner

Sunday

Bofinger lunch

Drouant dinner

Monday

Ze lunch

Cerisaie dinner

[Carlsbad]

Ok, so let's wipe the slate clean.  From Saturday breakfast through Tuesday breakfast, where would folks here go?...understanding that it will be my first time in Paris.

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You know there's another way of looking at it; start with what a first-time visit should include, then fill in the possibilities. For instance:

A grand brasserie - such as Bofinger

A modern gastro bistro - such as Cerisaie

A very good resto - such as Violin d'Ingres

One at the edge - such as Ze Kitchen Galerie

One that's trendy - such as Drouant

A luxe place - such as le Meurice, Bristol, Table de Lancaster

An old master in a new place, such as Dominique Bouchet

A new master at a new place Spring

Which would leave you with something like:

Friday

Dominique Bouchet lunch

Spring dinner

Saturday

Violin d’Ingres lunch

le Meurice dinner

Sunday

Bofinger lunch

Drouant dinner

Monday

Ze lunch

Cerisaie dinner

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Wow! What a great line-up.

[hshiau]

Which would leave you with something like:

Friday

Dominique Bouchet lunch

Spring dinner

Saturday

Violin d’Ingres lunch

le Meurice dinner

Sunday

Bofinger lunch

Drouant dinner

Monday

Ze lunch

Cerisaie dinner

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This does look amazing. But since we won't be there Friday and may decide to skip the fine dining this time around, replacing le Meurice with Spring would give me:

Saturday

Violin d’Ingres lunch - 7eme

Spring dinner - 9eme

Sunday

Bofinger lunch - 4eme

Drouant dinner - 2eme

Monday

Ze lunch - 6eme

Cerisaie dinner - 6eme

Now I need to organize our sightseeing/shopping with the meals.

Musée du Louvre - 1er

Notre Dame - 4eme

Sainte Chapelle - 4eme

Eiffel Tower - 7eme

Musée d'Orsay - 7eme

Arc de Triomphe - 8eme

Galeries Lafayette - 1er

Au Bon Marche - 7eme

BTW, I did find Daniel Rose's blog which references your review.

http://www.springparis.blogspot.com/

[pierre45]

Which would leave you with something like:

Friday

Dominique Bouchet lunch

Spring dinner

Saturday

Violin d’Ingres lunch

le Meurice dinner

Sunday

Bofinger lunch

Drouant dinner

Monday

Ze lunch

Cerisaie dinner

←

This does look amazing. But since we won't be there Friday and may decide to skip the fine dining this time around, replacing le Meurice with Spring would give me:

Saturday

Violin d’Ingres lunch - 7eme

Spring dinner - 9eme

Sunday

Bofinger lunch - 4eme

Drouant dinner - 2eme

Monday

Ze lunch - 6eme

Cerisaie dinner - 6eme

Now I need to organize our sightseeing/shopping with the meals.

Musée du Louvre - 1er

Notre Dame - 4eme

Sainte Chapelle - 4eme

Eiffel Tower - 7eme

Musée d'Orsay - 7eme

Arc de Triomphe - 8eme

Galeries Lafayette - 1er

Au Bon Marche - 7eme

Incidentally .Do you drink wine with your meals?