I am planning a trip to Paris in late August and would love some feedback on my food itinerary and planning. Other restaurants on our list but which may be unavailable or not yet able to be booked include: Mosuke, Shabour, Pouliche, Clamato (no reservations alas but perhaps on a day when we have a lot of wandering time), Le Servan, and Jeanne-Aimee. We appreciate a good fancy tasting menu but don’t want to have palate fatigue only with long fancy meals and look forward to a diversity of cuisine.
Aug 25 - Dinner, Ellsworth
Aug 26 - Lunch, Montee (do folks think dinner is better?), Dinner TBD but probably something lighter/casual
Aug 27 - Lunch and dinner on the go
Aug 28 - Lunch, TBD; Dinner, Pierre Sang Oberkampf
Aug 29 - Lunch, Pantagruel, Dinner TBD
Aug 30 - Dinner, Comice
Aug 31 - Lunch, Dinner, both TBD
Sep 1 - Lunch, David Toutaine (thoughts on which menu is best?), Dinner something light
For me dinner at Montee would be better than lunch.
I think you have great choices. Seeing that you have some openings, I would also consider something like Bistrot Paul Bert or next to it, a seafood place L’Ecailler du Bistrot, in the 11th.
This summer’s extraordinary heatwaves have shown that weather is the most critical factor for choosing a resto and type of cuisine. Few restos are air-conditioned. When making bookings, ask if the place is “climatisé” or has outside tables and be prepared to cancel those that don’t if the weather forecast the day before indicates a heatwave. Air-conditioned La Rotonde Montparnasse as a Plan B (or even Plan A if trad cuisine is included in your itinerary). https://larotonde-montparnasse.fr/
Mosuke is the darling of the fear-of-missing-out crowd. Reservations almost impossible. It’s good but not worth the hassle. Cue Jacques Brel singing “Au suivant !”. Good (or maybe even better) alternative: Granite in the Louvre quartier in the 1st. https://granite.paris/
Add a crêperie for a change of pace. My fave is Gigi in the delightful Temple mini-quartier in the trendy upper 3rd because it’s less folklorique than most but lots of other good choices. Other very casual alternatives in the same neighbourhood: Monbleu Le Comptoir wine-bar/ fromagerie on rue Dupetit-Thouars for an exploration of French cheeses and a light meal of well-curated cheeses and charcuterie (dinner only weekdays, lunch and dinner weekends); L’Ilot wine-bar for seafood small plates on rue Corderie, open in the evening only; and the mini-restos and deli counters in the historic covered market Marché des Enfants Rouges on rue Bretagne, communal tables for eating there or, depending on weather, picnic in the Square du Temple park just down the street, open until 8pm Tue to Sat and Sun until 1 or 2pm). https://www.gigi-restaurant.fr/ and https://www.monbleu.fr/monbleu-le-comptoir/ and http://lilot-restaurant.com/accueil/
I think some posters should be starting a pour boire jar through GoFundMe for the kind France board posters spending time to help them narrow down their Parisian restaurant lists.
Made some adjustments based on everyone’s helpful feedback. Having now heard several times about how great Granite is, I subbed Granite for Comice on Aug 30 and also swapped Pierre Sang Oberkampf for Balagan to add a bit of variety and added a few recs from @ParnParis (thank you!!!). I suspect we’ll have some last minute change-ups given an aggressive itinerary and my companion wanting a more free flowing schedule but am very excited .
Will be sure to report back with my reviews when I return.
Aug 25 - Lunch, Pouliche, Dinner, Ellsworth
Aug 26 - Lunch, picnic, Dinner, Montee
Aug 27 - Lunch and dinner on the go
Aug 28 - Lunch, Hebe; Dinner, Balagan
Aug 29 - Lunch, Pantagruel, Dinner TBD
Aug 30 - Dinner, Granite
Aug 31 - Lunch, Gigi Creperie, Dinner, Jeanne-Aimee (TBC)
Sep 1 - Lunch, David Toutaine, Dinner something light
I could see how Balagan could be fun, and I love Machneyuda in Jerusalem, but our dinner at Balagan in 2018 was a disaster in every way. If you go, do seat at the counter rather than at the table.
Incongruously, Balagan is a sparkling oasis of trendiness in the rather rarified and dull Vendôme quartier that, at night, is mostly devoid of Parisians. I did have a meal there years ago and remember it being “pas mal” but not outstanding. This type of Israeli cuisine is very similar to Levantine and North African cuisine that is very familiar to us Parisians so not really many surprises. I now use it only as an after-work cocktail bar to meet up with friends working in the area before heading off to another quartier more appealing to my “style tribe” for dinner.
I like the adjacent Palais Royal area much better but not sure why Ellsworth is the choice. Just cheering for the home team? And indeed its clientele seems to be mostly American tourists and expats. Juvéniles on the same street has much more parisian sparkle and ambiance. If you want a little non-French variety, the very animated “Little Tokyo” quartier between rue Richelieu/ Palais Royal and avenue de l’Opéra and centered on rue Sainte-Anne has some very good ramen and soba noodle joints. My fave: Kudowari on rue Richelieu (but go early or late to avoid the usually very long queues during peak hours).
Since it gives you the opportunity to explore the very vibrant, rather hip, and very parisian Oberkampf quartier, I’d keep Pierre Sang on your list. And one of the best value tasting menus in Paris.
I guess it depends on one’s perspective too. You live in Paris, and going to a lively Israeli joint maybe fun once in a while. I live in the USA, and happened to be in Israel just a few months ago, for me it is not that interesting. My wife and I try to get out to France every year or two, but never more than for 7-10 days, and for us, going to more “French” restaurants (maybe with some Asian influence, as a matter of our style preference) is partly why we go to France. I could see how if I lived in Paris I would be gravitating to much greater variety of restaurants than I do when I just visit.
In all our stays in Paris, we have never managed to go there. So, today I made this our 1st restaurant dinner reservation for our late Sept - Oct trip.
I’m in Tel Aviv presently and wonder why dining in Israel didn’t pique your interest? Meat is certainly not a strength, which could be the reason. But fish is celebrated everywhere. Even some humble beach restaurants turn out a lovely Mediterranean menu - crudo or ceviche, whole roasted or grilled fish, tomato salad, hummus, Turkish salad, olives, watermelon with feta. It cools off near sunset and a simple supper at the beach can be delightful.
The choice of Ellsworth was largely because a friend whose palate I find reasonably aligned with my own recommended it. Not deeply wedded to it but it also seemed a lower commitment option for our first jetlagged dinner than a much longer tasting menu. Juveniles is on my list but I will embarrassingly reveal that I have held off due to needing to call to make a reservation and not yet having found the right time or will to do it…
Balagan seemed like a lively option on a Sunday evening and a respite from tasting menu fatigue. Les Enfants Rouges would also make our list for this though it appears to be closed or fully booked during our trip except on the 1st.
Another knowledgeable friend recommended Racines des Pres as being worth a stop as well. In short, too many options, too few days and stomachs to enjoy them all…
Au contraire!
We had fantastic food in Israel. It should be another thread, but Machneyuda, Yudele, Mona, Eucalyptus in Jerusalem, and Shila, Habasta, Milgo Mibar to name a few in Tel Aviv were all amazing! Falafel Rambam at the Tel Aviv Carmel Shuk was special as well.
I just meant to say Balagan in Paris is of no interest to me when I visit Paris for 5-6 nights.
