BISTROS 2022
Time to revise our list of favorite bistros: Ones in red are on our must list.
CHEZ JANOU 2 RUE ROGER VERLOMME 75003 01.42.72.28.41 OPEN DAILY, including Sundays. metro: 8 Chemin Vert. Busy, busy place with a varied menu, market driven. great value and good food makes this bistro a winner. Many times you are sitting closed to our neighbors, that it is impossible not to start charring We have met some wonder people there. They have a outdoor patio which is fun in really nice weather.
Le BUISSON ARDENT 01.43.54.93.02 Open Monday thru Saturday. 25 Rue Jussieu, 75005 New Owners. 2022. No longer a bistro, as we know it. It is now about drinking spot for generation X mixed drinks and loud music, with some snacks.
AXURIA 54 Ave Felix Faure, 75016 01.45.54.13.91 €36 open SUNDAY> Chef Oliver Amestoy has taken over this spot form another of our favorites, La Chaumiere, now defunct. He has remade this into a very good contemporary French place, with authentic French food. Try the excellent fish soup or the grilled shrimp on a bed of quinoa. or my favorite, seared foie gras with artichokes, last visit he had a special of spicy fish sausage into a broth. Incredible! His main plats are great steaks, swordfish in citrus sauce or stuffed sea bass with Swiss chard. Dolt miss his Gtrand Marnier soufflé.
Les SAISONS. 52 Rue Lamartine, 75009 01.48.78.15.18 www.restaurant-les-saisons.com closed Sunday and Monday Metro 12: Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, change at Madeline from the 8
We love this little place, we usually go twice a vacation. It was on the fork.com once, but even without, at €34 it is the place to go. This is in the "new" area of Pigalle, which is fast becoming the new trend area. Chef Jonathan Lutz, from Alsace has made this beautiful bistro his new home. What to order? Everything and anything on the menu. The chalk board changes regularly. Talk to his lovely Japanese wife for suggestions. When we were there, she suggested that we dine upstairs as a large group was coming in, and she was concerned that they would be rather vocal and disturb our meal. Don't forget to have his chocolate cake from his grandma's recipe. Rich, moist, not too heavy or his excellent apply tart.
Le CASSE NOIX 56 Rue de la Federation. 01.45.66.09.01 €34 open Monday thru Friday. Owner/chef Pierre-Olovier Lenormand has found his niche. The menu has 4-5 choices per course, and there are an additional 3-5 special, market based, on the chalk board. The regular menu had coquille St Jacques, 5 of them, which is quite generous. I had the canard, € extra but worth it. Joan stated with saumon sable - a round of crust, then goat cheese, then salmon fume
La CAGOUILLE 10 place Contantin Brancusi, metro: Gaite 14th 01.43.22.09.01 We were put on to this fish house by a few Parisians. Nothing too fancy, just the best and freshest fish ever. Ample portions. The smoked haddock salad starter [entree] is incredible. Great oysters from David Hervé. Open daily. They serve warm cockles as an amuse bouche, which are to die for. A fine shady terrace in the warm months. Their oysters are the best in Paris. dozen and a half of oysters, then mussel apps, with a small delicious side salad., half bottle of Sancerre.. They also have a large selection of half size bottles of wine. A perfect welcome meal to Paris. web : la-cagouillle.fr
L'AVANT GOUT 13th 26 rue Bobillot Metro: place d Italie 01.53.80.24.00 closed sat, Sunday, Monday. metro: Place-d'Italie New owner 2022. Not the same, trouble with getting wait staff and it shows. But nice food, slimmed-down menu.
Le GRAND PAN , 15th 20 rue Rosenwald 01.42.50.02.50 closed saturday and sunday metro: Plaisance Chef Benoit Gauthier [from le Troquet and Guy Savoy] and Arnold, a great host. Wonderful bistro food, our only problem was that most dishes were for 2. But if you ask nicely, they will usually accommodate serving just one. They are known for cote de bouuf, wonderful seafood, , , wines by the glass or carafe. He lists the pedigree of the meats on a chalk board on the wall. We now usually go there twice a trip.
The last time we were there, they could not find our reservation, but he did remember us, so he suggested that he would set the four of us up at the bar, which sounded like fun. As we sat down, a gentleman and his wife, who were sitting at a four top near by, had just finished there main courses, suggested to Arnold that they could finish up at the bar, and that we could take his table. [The french are so unfriendly]. We sat down, and I sent over to our "friends" an after dinner cordial. When they came over to thank us for it, and we proceeded to have a very cordial conversation.
For a Special, special dinner: APICIUS 20 ave d'Artois, 8th, 01.43.80.19.66 Ask for a table in main room. This 2 star restaurant, just a few blocks from Etoile, is in a spectacular space. The mansion is a Rothchild home that Chef jean-Pierre Vigato has made into an over-the-top dining experience. Figure to spend $400-500/ couple easily. The menu is about 160 €, plus wine. Ask the sommelier for suggestions. He will find a little know wine, with a little price to go with your meal. I love the lamb [french lamb is nothing like what is available in the US] and his dessert of 4 chocolate delights, is , well, delightful !
March 2022 new owner, new chef. We haven't tried it recently, but it gets good reviews.
Some notes: All these bistros require reservations of 5-7 days in advance, and I suggest that you confirm on the day, too. Dress code is Paris is casual, even clean, pressed jeans. No ties or jackets required, except in Apicius it would be nice to wear a jacket for men. Today, most bistros have a web site for their menu, [english and french] check them out before going.
