As a Parisian, I sometimes struggle to advise foreigners on where to eat. For me, the food on the plate is important but not more important than the theatre, sparkle and the very Parisian joy of a restaurant. I used to be a huge fan of Japanese cheffed restaurants for the excellent, wonderfully creative, and very precise cuisine. Indeed, my very first Japanese chef doing modern French at tiny Table d’Aki in the 7th was one of my most memorable eating experiences… and, unlike many of the Japanese-French restos that sprang up later, Aki had a “soul”. But that was years ago and there now so many very good Japanese-French restos doing great food that I would be very hard pressed to select standouts. All too many have a very similar modern elegant décor, subdued almost reverential vibe as well as a central-casting clientele that I often get “déjà-vu” very quickly. And often way too expensive for dinner “entre potes”. Now I usually only go to them for expense-account business meals with clients or colleagues. Admittedly, not the best way to experience a restaurant.
There are exceptions. Although Korean rather than Japanese-cheffed, Perception is a star-worthy modern French restaurant that has a bit of sparkle and “joie” that most of the Japanese-French restos don’t. I have been a few times for both lunch and dinner and immensely enjoyed each experience. Fab creative food, complex flavours, appealing non-cliché décor, interesting clientele, great value for the quality (way under my own usual ceiling of 100€ for a non-expense account dinner and a bargain at lunch), personable service (at least in French), great neighbourhood (SoPI/ Sud Pigalle and the rue des Martyrs corridor). Seems not to have been discovered yet by foreign tourists and so, if you rely on Anglophone “happen to know” reviewers and sources, it probably does not get the attention it deserves. https://www.restaurant-perception.com/
And yes, yes, yes to sfcarole’s suggestion of Chocho. Compared to many of your other picks, a breath of fresh air. French-American chef (born in NYC, French parents, grew up in Brooklyn, returned to France at the age of 14, and now a minor celeb because he was a very personable candidate but eliminated in the 9th round on the French version of Top Chef), very creative modern French cuisine, sparkling fun vibe, excellent price/quality ratio.
I’m a bit ambiguous about Alliance. It’s become so incredibly expensive that I can only afford it for expense account dinners. I have also been a few times for lunch years ago when it was much more affordable but only have vague memories. For dinner the food is definitely A++ but, for me, the overall experience is pretty joyless. The vibe is earnest, almost reverential. Perfect for a business dinner. Sometimes there is no sense of Parisness at all and I occasionally feel like I could be eating in an upscale restaurant in Dubai, New York or Tokyo.
FWIW, my favourite expense account restaurant is Le Clarence in the 8th near the Grand Palais. The setting oozes Frenchness (in contrast to the more international “good taste” of many Japanese-cheffed restaurants), the modern French cuisine is stellar (Michelin 2 stars), and the service although initially a bit formal soon softens to something more playful if you give the right cues.
I for one could eat oysters/ fruits de mer everyday without getting bored. And oysters/ fruits de mer is one of Paris’s most iconic and popular dishes and there’s a huge choice of places that serve them. If you want a place with typically French style (after all, you are tourists visiting Paris, not NYC or Tokyo), the landmark brasseries La Rotonde Montparnasse (my favourite… apparently Président Macron’s as well) and La Coupole Montparnasse are very much a unique Paris experience. For me, an easy walk. For you, a quick taxi ride (check the distance and route on Google and then calculate 1€ a minute for any taxi ride in Paris if you are worried about being ripped off, no tip required) from Hôtel-de-Ville.
