Woody's Restaurant Lists

Rome/ Mainz and Brussels

2010-04-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

Rome/Mainz/and Brussels

Woody’s reasonably priced suggestions for dining.

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Rome

‘GUSTO
Piazza Augusto Imperatore, 9
Via della Frezza, 23
Tel: 06 3226273

I stopped by this place thinking it looked oh so, so trendy….and lo and behold it is!! According to the concierge at our hotel it is very popular and most trendy. The food is wonderfully prepared in the nouvelle style but not sparse. I ate the first time in the restaurant upstairs which is Italian minimalist modern as only the Italians can do it; spare but warm. The downstairs features outside dining and an accompanying large indoor pizzeria. (It is very reasonable to eat in the pizzeria.) You can watch all the good looking people start wandering in around 8PM. The menu is casual and simple. The downstairs is warm and inviting as well as lively. Ladies you can fall in love every five minutes with the gorgeous Italian men who flock to this place.

AD HOC
Via de Ripetta, 43
Tel: 06 2 33 040
Conviviodirepetta@virgilio.it

A new find and the newest favorite. We stopped at the darling hotel Mozart after coming from having a drink at one of our favorite places to "cocktail" garden of the fabulous five star Hotel Russe near the Piazza Popolo. The drinks are as expensive as a better restaurant in the U.S but they bring so many “munchies“ that you can skip the appetizer at dinner.) The concierge at Mozart recommended Ad Hoc which itself is not far from the Popolo. We were so happy with the ambience and our meal that we were actually excited at finding a place with an emphasis on new tastes. Two Italian men at another table offered us some fried bread sticks thick with the taste of parmesan. Two of us shared a marvelous mushroom pasta. Afterwards I dined on tagliata…my favorite of sliced steak on arugula. They gave me four large slices of meat. One person had the mixed grill of fish and another the oso buco. A mixed salad, grilled vegetables, and roasted potatoes plus a nicely priced bottle of wine set us back about 30 euros apiece. The portions were so large that we should have shared the meals or ordered a fewer items and come out paying even less. This is a new “find” and well worth a trip down the Corso towards the Popolo and Via Ripetta.

PICCOLO MONDO
Via Aurora, 39/d-Roma
Tel: 06 4814595
Fax: 06 4828500

My father used to go to this family run restaurant forty years or more ago. It has been in existence 45 years. The daughter and two sons run it now. “A Small World” (piccolo monde) is located on a quiet side street about two blocks away from the fashionable Via Vendetta. You can get a hearty meal at a good price. The typical Romancist dish of pasta Amatriciana was nice and spicy. We split this as an appetizer and then we were practically too full for the meal. I had braised lamb. It was tasty but heavy on a hot summer night.

ARANCIO D’ORO
Via di Monte d”Or 17 at Via dell’ Arancio
Tel: 6865026

If you can find the tiny street Via dell’ Arancio on the map you have very good eyes. If you can find the street you will find this restaurant. It is near Piazza di Lorenzo in Lucino off the shopping street Via del Corso. I love this little piazza. I stop in one of the sidewalk cafes for an afternoon drink quite frequently. I also love this little restaurant shown to me by Jan Costic. The food is always plentiful and tasty and fresh. The prices are very reasonable. I always order their fried zucchini flowers and their pasta arriabiata. I had a nicely prepared chicken dish another visit. I would avoid the lamb. Lamb in Italy seems to be thin and fatty. Anything else you order here will be pleasing. You can check out this and other restaurants at www.ristorantidiroma.com

MACCHERONI
Piazza della Coppelle
Tel. 06 68307895

I think that is how you spell the name of the restaurant. The name is very hard to read on the card It does not matter that you don’t know the spelling as once you get there you will need x-ray vision to locate a name because it is not evident anyplace outside. Look for the burnt red awnings on the little piazza to find it. If you think all this is hard you will need a Global Positioning System (GPS) to find the place! As hard as they make it to find the restaurant is always packed. But if you get past all these obstacles the food is good and very inexpensive.

My hint to find it is to walk to Hadrian’s Column off the Via de Corso. Go past it and up past the front of Parliament. Keep between Parliament and Hotel Nazionale and go down that alley. When you pass Tombolino, a very nice clothing store at the end of the block, turn left. Go to the end of this block past Della Palma. Be sure and plan a stop on the way back at Della Palma as they must have at least 200 selections of gelato. I have never seen such a selection. Turn right after Della Palma and go down the alley until you reach Piazza della Coppelle which is just at the end. Find the burnt red awnings and you are finally there!

LA NUOVA CAMPANNINA
Piazza Delle Coppelle, 8
Tel. 06 688 03 921
http://www.lanuovacapannina.com/

Right near Maccheroni is this find recommended by the Roman jeweler friend of a flight attendant. And what a find it is. DO NOT turn into the restaurant right next door and more visible due to its corner location. You will have to win the lottery to eat there. It is supposed to be one of Rome’s more expensive places to dine. Look back in the corner to find La Nuova Campannina for a wonderful meal at dirt cheap prices. We shared the caprese salad. It came with very fresh mozzarella, artichoke and tomatoes on large platters. Accompanying the salad were huge artichoke bulbs marinated in olive oil and spices. I have never seen artichokes served in this manner. They were terrific. I had the house chicken (ala Campannina). It was cooked in Marsala wine. I loved every bite. I especially loved the cost....six euros! The pastas were yummy and ran seven euros. Most of the meats were ten to eleven euros. We all enjoyed our meals and we all agreed it was a multi-repeat place to visit for dinner. (I have dined here many times now and always like my meal. The couple who run it are a joy.)

L’ORSO 80
Via Dell’Orso 33
06 686 49 04
http://www..orso80.it/

Turn on your GPS system again to find this alley. It is not far from the Pizza Navona. There is no outside dining so you may want to save this one for more inclement weather. Bring your appitito however. When you sit down and order the antipasto (13 euros) they bring at least twenty plates of wonderful vegetables, melon, procutto, and olives to begin your meal. Most of us found it impossible to go on to a main entrée as there was so much to eat for the first course. The main courses that were ordered were quite good and reasonably priced in the ten to thirteen euro ranges. Order the good house wine and you are out the door for a most reasonably priced meal .

RISTORANTE ALA RAMPA
Piazza Mignaelli 18
Tel: 06 6782621

Facing the Spanish Steps walk to the right until you see a column that is covered right now as it is obviously being restored. Walk up the slight incline of a hill to All Rampa. It is a bit touristy because of the location. They have lots of outdoor seating which is wonderfully pleasant on a warm summer night. Ala Rampa also features an extensive antipasto bar if you wish to go the heavy starter route. The prices are good. I like the chicken with the Gorgonzola sauce. You can get out the door...or should I say patio....in the twenty to twenty five euro range. Note: they do not take credit cards.

A MUST STOP:

The terrace on the rooftop at the Grand Hotel de la Minerve
Piazza della Minerva…right across from the Pantheon.

Do stop here for a drink. (Again, the drinks are expensive but they, like the Hotel Russe bring you a plethora of items to snack on. You will pay about 9 euros for a beer; a little more for a glass of wine.) This rooftop bar has a great view. It is a most delightful place to stop for a drink in the evening. They always have live music around 7PM. You can dance and enjoy the breeze as well as the view.

Check out www.amicimusicasacra.com for the free music concerts at the churches around Rome. Also www.mendelmusic.com. Check out www.micanet.net/accademiadoperaitaliana/eventi.htm for the schedule of operas at the Anglican Church. (Or e-mail them at operaitaly@micanet.net.) This is a deal for 21 euros. (Usually an opera runs $100 a performance

The “Plate” restaurants- Go to the website www.buonricordo.com/ for a list of the restaurants in Rome, Milan and around the world that give you a really neat plate from the restaurant if you dine on their house plate for your meal. E-mail this group for the booklet, which will show you all the restaurants and cities which offer this plate special. I have only eaten in the first one listed below. It was across the Tiber near Trestevere. There is no outside dining so it would be a place you might want to save for winter. The food was very nice but to get the plate you are eating from a set menu. You will not have a choice as it a fixed price.

Ristorante Dante-Taberna de Gracchi
One of the “plate” restaurants. Via de Gracchi
http://www.tabernagracchi.com/

Trattoria Checchino Dal 1887
I think this is another “plate” place.

Via Monte Testacco
http://www.checchino-dal-1887.com/
E-mail- checchino_roma@Tin.it

IL BACARO

Via degli spagnoli 27
Tel: 06 6872554
Info@ilbacro.com
www.ilbacro.com

Nestled back in a corner under a canopy of ivy Il Bacaro thrives and presents an unusual and delightful combinations of food that belies the usual “sameness” of restaurant fare in the big city of Rome. My Tagliata was served with a pesto sauce over the strips of steak. A striation of different vegetables flanked the meat. From the rolled pork to the peppercorn chicken we all delighted in the variation on theme that we found in this cozy corner in Rome. We accompanied the meal with a most reasonably priced Noble de Multipulciano. (Think 15 minutes from Multicino where they make Brunelo. Same terroir, same sun and half the price because the name is not as well known.)

DA FRANSISCO
Piazza del Fico
Tel: 06 686 4009

Located on the tiny Piazza del Fico a few streets behind the Piazza Navona is a pizzeria that is always packed to the rafters here. If you start with the antipasto they charge by what you take.....and they don’t charge much. You can stuff yourself at the antipasto bar and then follow with an inexpensive pasta in the six or seven euro range. I had a very cheesy eggplant Parmesan. You can always stick with a pizza only and really skate out the door for a pittance. We ordered several bottles of house

INSALATA RICCA
Largo del Chiavari , 85
Tel: 03 0668803656

Walk to the very end of Piazza Navona (facing the church…walking left) until you get to the street that takes you out of the piazza) into the little square of Largo del Chiezuri. You will find a favorite of some of the Italiian speakers. This reasonably priced restaurant looks small but stretches back like a long railway flat. The list of pastas and salads is quite long. Split a salad and then order your own pasta. All run in the 8 euro range. Then walk across to the statue and rub it. Supposedly it will bring you economic good luck! The fact that you get out the door for a real reasonable price in Rome is good luck!

OSTERIA DEL SOSTEGNO
Via delle Colonelle, 5
Tel: 06 679 38 42
http://www.ilsostegno.it/

This small restaurant is tucked back in a corner between two buildings on a small street a block back from the Pantheon. If you can find this tiny “via”you will find a large green neon sign that says Trattoria. You are there! Peek into the small entrance with tiny Christmas lights to the delightful patio that will lead into another small room housing the main part of the restaurant. Order off a most reasonably priced menu which is extensive with interestingly prepared appetizers and main courses. The appetizers are , of course, smaller than the main course but the different ingredients in both areas of the menu will make you glad you took the time to locate Osteria Del Sostegno. From the spinach salad, the avocado, argula salad with avocado and walnuts to the eggplant parmesan and asparagus ravioli to the many other items on the menu you will find a lovely combination of tastes emanating from the tiny kitchen.

LA SAGRESTIA
Via del Seminario, 89
Tel: 06/67.97.581
Fax: 06/69.90.885

As per its street name this place was a seminary at one time housing monks. It is now owned by an Alitalia pilot and serves good hearty fare. The two rooms comprising the main dining areas are small. The décor is minimalist with painted walls being the soul decoration. It is not gourmet but the food is flavorful. I liked the eggplant Parmesan even though it is a flatter version than I am used to eating. La Sagrestia is a half block from the Pantheon. Again, this can run you about twenty euros if you don’t go overboard with the wine. We ordered house carafes. It was ultimately drinkable

Rinaldi al Quirinale
Via Parama
11-a-00184, Roma
Tel: 0647825171
Fax: 0647882980

This is a favorite of the crews, as it is owned by a very friendly family that seems to pile on the extras for crewmembers. The food is very nicely done and is reasonable priced. The main room is light and airy. It does not have outdoor dining in winter but it would be very ephemeral in the twilight of winter. The anti-pasta is too expensive so just order around the anti-pasta.

RISTORANTE S. ANNA
Via St. Anna 8/9
(Right of Piazza Argentina)
Tel:06,68307190
http://www.ristorantesantanna.it/

Located right off the piazza where all the wild cats reside you will find a small street and a light airy restaurant with a wide menu and good prices. It is also well liked by the crews. There is limited outside seating as it is down an alley way.From the catch of the day cooked in a salt bake to the wide range at the anti-pasta bar you will find something good to eat. I finally found tagliata cooked as nicely as I found it in Florence. I asked for the shaved parmesan over the meat as they prepare it in Tuscany. They were happy to comply. (Tagliata consists of strips of steak over rocket lettuce.) The service was friendly and accommodating. I think you will like St. Anna

TRATTORIA EL FICO
Via di Monte Giordano 49
Tel: 06 6875568
http://www.ilfico.com/

I was originally put off by the appearance of this restaurant because there was so much scaffolding around the building. They were apparently resurfacing the outside of the entire structure. We vacillated about eating here at all. We were very pleasantly surprised by the taste of our meals. The food was very tasty and nicely prepared. My second visit was even more pleasant than the first because they moved around the corner to a new place. (Note the new address.) The menu is very, very reasonable with most items running around 5 euros. The main course is about 8 to 10 euros. Try the spinach. It was steeped in garlic and yummy. The fish was excellent. Do not order fish by the gram in Italy unless you want to give up your first born to cover the price. Do eat the fish that has a set price and do try the new Il Fico. The pasta is quite nice here. My friends were startled by the fact that they brought a whole lobster on top of the featured lobster with pasta they ordered. Remember; even small crustaceans come unpeeled in Europe….as well as in your pasta. It is just startling to see a huge lobster treated the same way by just setting it smack on top of
the pasta. (The dish was only 16 euros.)

Wine in Italy

When I spent three weeks in Tuscany with friends we started out ordering fairly expensive wines until I read that the house wines are usually quite good. Restaurants in Italy do not want to shed a bad light on their establishment by serving any bad wine; including the house wine. If you want to save some money try a carafe or bottle of the house wine first to see if it is palatable. If you don’t like it move on to a more expensive bottle.

La Casina Dell L’Orologio
Viale dei Bambini, Pincio
06 679 8515.

Bucolic. This absolutely beautiful setting and tranquil kiosk type eatery in the Borgese Gardens is a must stop on a hot day to escape the heat and go to your “Zen” space. It sits under a carpet of trees making it a bit of heaven in the park You will find it located very near where you exit the zoo and also near the Spanish Steps. Walk left up the road at the top of the Spanish Steps until it forks and veer right until you see the obelisk. A few yards past the obelisk is this lovely setting and another approach to the gardens.

RICCIOLI CAFÉ
Via Delle Coppelee, 13 Roma
Tel: 6.682 10313

Try this wine bar on the little square next to Maccheroni and La Nuova Campannini for free cocktail munchies with your drink. You could actually make a meal out of all the food they offer at their sumptious happy hour if you were looking for lighter fare for the evening. They had some sushi, a little pasta,and other sizeable treats to nibble on with your large glass of wine equally large beer.

VINOTECA NOVECENTO
Right down from Riccioli Cafe
is a new wine bar that I thinkwill give Riccioli “a run for it’s
money. You can get a nice glassof wine for about 7 euros and sit
outside sipping it on large wine kegs….a bit gimmicky but pure
fun. Here they bring you a lot of snack items like bruchetta and
ham slices on toast. The ubiquitous olive is also in play.

ARCO DE S CALISTO in Trastevere
Via Arco di S. Calisto, 45
Tel: 06 5818323

Off the beaten track in Trastervere you will find what I think is the best eggplant Parmesan you will find anyplace. Just go to Piazza Santa Maria. Put the Basilica Santa Maria to your right shoulder and your back to the Tiber. Go down the little street right in front of you and turn at your first left to put you on Via Arco di S. Calisto. You will find yourself in a quiet place away from the madding crowd you have been plunged into in the old town of Trastevere. I like to sit outside in the summer but the restaurant is quite nice inside. I would not go earlier than 7:30PM for dinner as you may have a bit of a wait. Typical of most restaurants in Europe the staff is dining before the actual dinner hours begin. Being American early can cause you to have delays in getting your meal. They haven’t finished their dinner to get to the kitchen to start yours. The prices here run around 12 euros for the main course. The anti-pasta, which can be shared, runs around 6to 8 euros. A mixed salad is 3.50 euros. Do try the procutto and melon. Melon in Italy is vine ripened and the best tasting melon you will ever put in your mouth.

EDY
Vicolo del Babuino, 4
Tel: 06 36001738 (Between the Piazzade Popolo and the Spanish Steps)

Edy is located on a tiny street near the Hotel de la Russe (It is a bit more expensive but finding Edy and eating here is such a nice evening out. The restaurant is darling and the menu is varied. I have some friends who made this a repeat during their stay near The Spanish Steps.

IL CIAK
Vicola del Cinque, 21
Tel: 065894774
Trastevere

( Go to the main square in front of the church and then turn right towards the river. Vicolo Del Cinque runs parallel to the street in front of the church.)A Tuscan restaurant in the heart of Rome’s old town area which is owned by a former Italian move star will convince you that you actually can order lamb in the Eternal City and like it. Are you tired of ordering lamb in Europe only to find it very thin and very fatty? Paolo Celli’s restaurant will change your mind. Paola is the on site host. (Take a look at his movie star poster that hangs by the kitchen.) He makes sure your meal is to your liking as everything, including the vegetables, is flame grilled. This way of cooking gives the meats, fowl or game a wonderful flavor.

He starts you off with a toasted bread. If you ever spent time in Tuscany you are aware that the bread has no salt in the recipe and therefore no flavor. The toasting with olive oil resolves that problem. After my brescola appetizer (dried beef with rocket salad….it was enough to share) (6.75 euros), I ordered the Tuscan lamb chops (11.50 euros). I received three large chops that covered the entire plate. Ooooooh were they good. My grilled vegetables were also terrific and enough to share (4.50 euros). The house wine comes in the large basket bottle and had a nice, soft flavor. The best thing is that they only charged for the amount you consumed from the bottle. For Tuscan style cooking and a wonderful meal I suggest you spend the time to find Il Ciak

Le Cave di S. Ignazio
Piazza S. Ignazio, 169
Tel: 06-67 97 821
http://www.dasabatino.it/

Besides the fact that this is, to me, one of the most beautiful churches in Rome and that they have both indoor and outdoor concerts at this church year round it is also the location of a lovely piazza and Ristorante da Sabatino a S. Ignazio. If you manage to be there on a night with an outdoor concert and sit at the large outdoor seating area for dinner you will have one of your more delightful evenings in Rome.

They have most friendly service and give you what looks like a large bloated pita and fried rice cakes “gratis” to start you off on your meal. We all enjoyed our pastas. My puttanesca was really good. We shared a veal saltinbocca which was thin and tasty. We did not stay for dessert as the huge selection of the most wonderful gelato at De la Palma (near the Pantheon and not far from the restaurant)was calling our names. (Watch the bill like a hawk. They tend to “add on”. Really… keep a close tab on your expenditures. I only go here now when the Military Bands are playing on the steps of the church which makes it most worth while for the extra trouble of watching the bill.)

L’OSTERIA de “MEMMO”
Via dei Soldati, 22-23
Tel: 06 68135277
http://www.osteriadememmo.it/

A sister restaurant of Orso ( I think by marriage) ; this osteria has the same over the top anti-pasta offering as Orso. It is as hard to find but down the street past Orso by a number of blocks. It is quite close to the water. Just keep following directions to Orso and then keep going. The interior is cozier than the larger Orso. Have the anti-pasta and then do not expect to have room for any other food or eat off the menu and have a meal more intended to keep you at your fighting weight!

IL DUCA
In Trastevere
Vicolo del Cinque 52 56
Tel: 06 5817706

This is one of Audrey’s favorite places in Trestevere. It is right down from Il Ciak. They have the wonderful thin crust pizzas and a well priced menu of pastas. It is casual and welcoming for airline crews so mention you are crew. The interior looks very nice and inviting but we chose to eat outside on a lovely summer evening. They use salt liberally but I love salt. I had the pasta primavera. We shared grilled artichokes. For a big group or a casual bite stop here.

FLORENCE

The following are such terrific restaurants that I would recommend you try all three. The main courses all run in the 15-euro range to a little bit more. The appetizers are about 8 euros. If you wild with your wine you can bump your price up a lot but remember; the Italians are not going to embarrass themselves by serving rot gut wine.

LA GIOSTRA
Borgo Pinti IOR
Tel:055/24 13 41
e-mail lagiostra@mclink.it

I was talking to a passenger who had lived in Florence about eating in Florence. He said to definitely try La Giostra. I noted the name on a slip of paper and meant to put it in my wallet to take to Florence. I remember looking at the name right before I left for Europe but I completely forgot to take it. Imagine my surprise when we walked into the restaurant where we were to have Christmas Eve dinner to see the name La Giostra on the door. I turned to my friend’s daughter who had made the reservation to tell her the story. She is attending college in Florence and loved this place. What a coincidence! And what a great place! To start out with it is darling with beams and whitewash walls. The waiters are darling. It helped that the sommelier looked like Kneau Reeves. The owner-chef is a character right out of a movie. He flits from table to table bringing a large antipasti plate , complimenting the table and generally spreading good cheer. Then comes the food. It is so scrumptious. The portions are large. I found the tagliani, which I had not tried before. I thought this was pasta from the name but in reality it consists of slices of steak covered with arugula and slices of Parmesan. I ended up having it every night. I was able to taste everyone else’s meal as well. Everything was divine. This is a must stop evening.

TRATTORIA 4 LEONI
Via Vellutini 1 50125
Tel: 055-218562
Not far from the Piti Palace
http://www.4leoni.com/

Anthony Hopkins apparently ate here every night while filming in Florence. He remarked that it was partially because he could always get a table. The owner then remarked that it was because he was Sir Anthony that he could get a table. We were seven coming in at the last minute and we too were able to get a table. We did not have a reservation but I would not try that in the tourist season. Another adorable restaurant with exposed brick and colorful walls and interesting lighting making the ambience delightful. The food was marvelous as well. I had my steak dish. I began with the wonderful dried ham and melon. The others l loved their pasta starters. Check out the menu on their website.

RISTORANTE RICCI
Piazza Santo Spirito
Numero 8/R, 50125
Tel: 055 215864
Also fairly near the Piti Palace

Piazza Santo Spirito is a must see. It is a small but supremely lovely piazza that holds this precious restaurant that features fish. The dishes are quite a presentation themselves. I decided to forgo the fish. I had my steak dish once more but this time it was served in the elegant style of a really expensive restaurant. One of our party decided to have the steak Florentine. This steak is always served by the kilogram and is meant to be served to two people. This steak is usually the size of a small car so be really hungry when you order this typically Florentine dish made with olive oil brushed T-bone and cooked with garlic and rosemary. I was boring starting with a mixed salad. We shared a dessert that was a tasting of several of their yummy desserts that you can get individually if you prefer.

Brussels

BALTHAZAR
Rue Archimede
Tel. 02/742/06 00
Metro: Schumann

Balthazar is a smart looking restaurant near the new EEC building and the hotel Dorint. The food is artfully presented and reasonable. The entrees (appetizers) are in the 7 to 8 euro range and the large salads run about 9.20 euros. The main courses vary from 9 to 15 euros. The pave de salmon served with a vinaigrette carrot coulis and wild rice, farfalle (bow tie) pasta with tomatoes, olives, rocket lettuce, Parma ham and shaved parmesan or chicken breast on a bed of new potatoes with celery and sweet corn in a yogurt sauce are just a few of the offerings.

SI BIMOL
Rue aux Fleurs, 20
Tel: 02 219 63 78
Metro: Bourse

This is definitely a crew hangout. It is also tough to find so how someone located it to begin with is astounding. You go to the area of the Bourse (stock exchange) and walk down the large Blvd. Emile Jacquemain towards the large neon Coca Cola sign. (This must be the Brussels version of Times Square). Turn left on either Rue Vander Eist or Rue du Cirque and go one block. Rue aux Fleurs runs parallel to the large boulevard. The atmosphere is how shall I say…..zilch. However the food is very good and the portions are quite large. You may wish to share an appetizer. They run in the 8-euro range. The main courses are in the environs of 10 to 17 euros. I would stay clear of the steak unless you choose the rib eye. Go for the fish or the gambas (large shrimp). Remember that the gambas in Europe are served with their heads still on. The chicken is very nice. The caprece salads are huge and lovely. The French fries come in a big bowl so you get plenty of food with any of the choices.

T’KELDERKE
Grand Place, 15
Tel: 02 513 73 44
Metro: Centraal

For good hearty typical Belgium fare I like this place right on the Grand Place. As you face the town hall look left. You will see two red awnings. Take the stairs down between these awnings to T’Kelderke. I particularly like the carbonnade which is the Belgium version of beef stew without the vegetables. It has a dark sauce that is finger licking good. They also have stomph which is a typical dish of mash potatoes served with your choice of accompaniment such as sausage or other meats. Waterzoi is the Belgium version of chicken soup that can be a whole meal. It has a half chicken in broth and julienne vegetables. This is a nice choice when you want comfort food. Everything here is in the 8 through 15 euro range.

ET QUI VA PROMENER LE CHIEN
2 Rue de Rollerbeck- A walking street right off the charming Place Sablon
Tel: 32 2 503 23 04
Metro: Centraal or Trone
e-mail etquivapromenerlechien@skynet.be

With a catch name of “Who is Going to Walk the Dog” you expect a little bit of a difference in a place to manger (eat). Pan European food makes up the menu with a bit of Asian influence tossed in for good measure. A modern presentation of the food is in accordance with the equally modern purple and cream décor. With interesting touches such as S shaped glasses, little tea lights and purple globe ashtrays you will find a pleasant atmosphere. The restaurant is casual and the prices match making it a reasonably priced place to get out the door. The appetizers run about 6 to 7 euros. The main courses run from 9 to 14 euros. I started with a delicious large timbale of goat cheese, spinach and tomato. For my main course I enjoyed a lovely pasta with Parmesan cheese, fresh vegetables and pine nuts. I had a good glass of Brouilly type

BLUE de TOI
Rue des Alexians 73
Tel: 02 502 43 71
http://www.resto.be.bleudetoi/

I had passed this restaurant so many times. I finally made a reservation to dine. The place is adorable. It is right down from Rollerbeck and Place Grand Sablon and not far from the Grand Place. The food is terrific and different. Their specialty is something called a Binjtze. There seems to be a long story associated with this dish. You can read up on it on their website. There was apparently a farmer who developed a new breed of potato which he named after his son Binjtze. The restaurant takes this potato and makes wonderful toppings. This is not your basic stuffed potato. I had a sweet potato topped with a fragrant crab curry. One of my table mates had the classic Binjtze with three types of mushrooms capping it off. The Binjtze dishes come with a salad. They run about 10 to 12 euros if you have them as a main course; less if you have them as a starter. Another person with us had a fish which was also excellent from their list of more traditional main plates. These ran about 17 euros. The other specialty is lobster which runs about 22 euros. I have not tried the lobster yet. We shared a starter. I would never had thought of putting cheese with pumpkin and a bit of what seemed to be a type of salami. I could have eaten ten dishes of this appetizer as it was so delicious.

The easiest way to get here is to go to Place le Grand Sablon and walk down Rollerbeck. At the bottom of Rollerbeck you will find a square. If you see Super Bowling on the square so you will know you are in the right place. Just keep going the hill about a half block. You will see Blue de Toi on the left. You can stop by and bowl a few lines before dinner if you are so inclined!

IN ‘T SPINNEKOPKE
1, Place du Jardin Aux Fleurs
Tel” 02 511 86 95
E-mail info@spinnekopke.be
http://www.spinnekopke.be/

To find this very old restaurant put your back to the Bourse (Stock Exchange) building. You will be facing the Marriot across the street. Go to the left of the Marriot until you reach the very next intersection. Turn left. That will lead you a few yards to a three way split of streets. Take the street to the far right. It’s name is Rue Chartreuse. Go all the way down the street until you see Spinnekopke about two or three long blocks down on the corner. Bring your appetite because the food is really good but also very plentiful. You could split most of the entrees because they are quite large. First they bring you a whole basket filled with a loaf of bread. I had the carbonnade ; a pure beef stew steeped in a wonderful beer based gravy. Don’t look for a vegetable in this typical Belgian stew. It is all meat A small bit of greens accompany on the plate. Scrumptious French fries are a side dish to the stew. I ordered a side mixed salad. That was a generally a lot more than I needed to eat so I would suggest you share or split if you want more salad. The adjacent table ordered what seemed to be a vat of the largest serving of mussels I have every seen. This is an old fashioned Brussels eatery, very good and a nice chance to experience the local atmosphere.

AMADEO
Rue St.-Catherine, 26
Tel: 02/502.51.37

Would you like to go to a place that gives you all the ribs you can eat for 13.50 euros?
Who would not! Scoot down to the area of the Bourse again,face McDonald’s (in front of the Marriott) to proceed down the street to the right of the Marriot; about two block. You will find Amadeo, The Place for Ribs. Mind you this is Thai barbeque so you need to understand that the sauce is more like teriyaki sauce. For 13.50 euros you get a foot long rack of ribs with a large sweet potato and a small salad served on a big wooden platter. Then they come along and offer you more ribs when you are finished with the huge portion you just attacked. You can ask for the ribs with the sauce on the side. The service is very accommodating.

(They also offer a gigantic steak for 17.50 euros.)

I was attracted to Amedeo by it’s unusual atmosphere. It a bit like a library plopped down in a Thai pizza parlor. Books on shelves line the wall, the lighting is very red, the table clothes checked and a lot of Thai gods and goddesses intersperse the room. It is fun so take your appetite and go for a good time and lots of food.

CARPE DIEM and LA TERRACE
Avenue de Tervueren,13 and the adjacent Av. Des Celtes, 1
02 735 05 49 or 32 02 732 28 51 for La Terrace.
(Info@brasserielaterrasse.be)

Go to the wonderful War Museum in the park near the European Building for the free entrance. After touring this excellent museum walk towards the fountain at the back of the park towards Carpe Diem and the adjacent La Terrace on the next corner. Sit in the garden during the summer and order a light meal. La Terrace has an exceptionally lovely plant covered terrace. You can walk down this long avenue to experience about ten restaurants along the way.

MAINZ

HEILIGGEIST

(Holy Ghost)

Mailandsgasse 11

http://www.heiliggesit-online.de/

Pull up this website with it’s super cool streaming video to get a look at the interior of this church- cum- restaurant. You can also download the menu in English. The main plates are plentiful with food so you can probably split the appetizer if you want one. The food is great. The vaulted ceilings of this former church/hospital add to the ambiance of the modern interior décor. They have something that looks down like a huge rectangular pizza served with a variety of toppings on a super thin special crust. It looks like enough to share but a lot of people were “eating the whole thing”. I had the pork with a side of Bayrish Kraut and dumplings. It was scrumptious. Try Holy Ghost for a different spin on German food.

BRAUHAUS ZUR SONNE
(Flaylaufa II)
SonnengaBchen 55116
Tel:0 61 31 23 16 10

Another chicken schnitzel with pepper sauce mecca. Airline crews have made this a “must” stop for a brew and what seems to be the most popular dish in the Mainz area. Zur Sonne is always lively. It tends to cater to every airline known to man. You can have interesting conversations with people from all parts of the world as well as have a huge portion of chicken schnitzel, roasty potatoes and sauerkraut.

ZUR KANZEL
6 Grebenstrasser
http://www.zurkanzel.de/
6131 237 137

I thought Zur Kanzel was Hansel for Hansel and Gretal but instead it means “The Pulpit”. Who knew! Nonetheless it is a wonderful little restaurant on a side street off the main street in the Old Town area. Zur Kanzel is a little more expensive and a little more upscale than the usual “brauhouse” fare in Mainz. I have dined here several times so you can get a bit of an more upgraded version of your old favorites and some new and interesting menu items.

AUGUSTINERKELLER
Augustinerstrasse, 26
0 61 31 31

Augistinergkeller is a restaurant and wine stube on the main street through Old Town, Mainz. It has the best cheese schnitzel I have eaten anywhere and will let you pack on the pounds as well as anywhere in this town of caloric feasting. Order the roastie potatoes and red cabbage for a downhome German meal.

2009-09-12T09:07:00.001-07:00

* WOODY’S PARIS RESTAURANT GUIDE

Dining reasonably in Paris (for under 35 Euros ) E mail any comments to WoodyAAL@aol.com

Blog address: woodysrestaurantlists@blogspot.com
　
　
LE COUPE CHOU
11, Rue de Lanneau (near the Pantheon)
Tel: 01 46 33 68 69/01 43 54 36 54
www.lecoupechou.com
Metro: Mauberg Mutualitie

For prices and the menu be sure and check out this adorable restaurant on the web. It is one of the prettiest small restaurants in Paris. An ivy covered gem secluded in the Latin Quarter hills with some of the coziest ambience in Paris, Le Coupe Chou lends itself to a most satisfying evening. The library section is the most appealing room in what seems to be a labyrinth of pleasant dining areas so don’t be fearful of being relegated to this part of the restaurant. The two course menu runs around 26 euros. Three courses are 31 euros. The food is delightful so I would make this a sure stop in Paris. If you like steak tartare I find it to be the best I have ever tasted. Le Coupe Chou is hard to find so bring your map! Just come up out of the metro and turn toward the center of St.Germaine. Go a half block and turn left up the hill. About a block and a half up you will see the tiny street, Rue Lanneau.

　
　
MAISON DE CAMPAGNE.
18 bis, rue Pierre Demours
Tel: 01 45 72 28 51
Metro: Porte Maillot
www.restaurantmaisondecampagne.com

This place is too cute for words and the food is excellent and so artfully prepared. For 26 euros for two courses or 30 euros for three you can sit in this sparkling clean and charming restaurant and have a wonderful meal prepared like a much more expensive restaurant would present their food. My first visit I started with a salad of fine chopped julienne courgettes topped with grapes and pistachios. The olive oil and vinaigrette dressing added just the right combination of flavors. I followed with a perfectly cooked steak and bordelaise sauce accompanied by green beans and mushrooms also sautéed perfectly. I have eaten here about six times. Every meal has been scrumptious. Walk down Avenue des Turnes until you come to the small square called Place Tristan Bernard. Turn left down Rue Pierre Demours and prepare for a nifty experience.

　
L’ARDOISE
28 Rue du Mont Thabor
Tel: 01 42 96 28 18
L’ardoise@yahoo.fr
Metro: Tuileries
Tucked away on the parallel street to Rue de Rivoli you will discover a “tresor” of a restaurant with a 32 euro menu. Each plate is served with such a lovely presentation. The portions are sizeable. I started with a melon and port. I received the entire melon cut in two halves with a large glass of port to pour into the scooped out center. It was a certainly a generous amount. I had a salmon filet cut like a large steak filet. It was wrapped in bacon and placed on a bed of julliened vegetables. I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful the salmon tasted with the bacon. I had never had salmon prepared this way. The meal ended with what seemed to be a crème brulee with fruit and crème fresh served in a martini type glass. I did not have wine as the evening was so warm. Water sufficed My second visit I had the house wine. Always a delightful meal. The room is small but there is a downstairs area.

LESCURE
7 Rue de Mondavi 42-60-18-91
Metro: Concorde
Lescure is a tiny restaurant near the Crillion Hotel and the American Embassy at the Place de Concorde. As you approach the front you see a huge awning and a big menu card outside. This is deceiving as to the size of this establishment. The menu is reasonably priced but the place is so small there is hardly room to change your mind! The itty-bitty room houses the bar, the kitchen, and places for about 36 people to dine. Do make reservations so that you can get a table. They will work you in without one but you may sit with other people (which can be entertaining). You are so close to the other diners even if you get your own table you might as well be sitting with them anyway! Make sure they put you with the French and not other tourists. The food is quite nice but plain fare. I had a great tasting lamb steak. Although the cut was a little fatty it had a lot of flavor. The grilled vegetables served as an accompaniment were so tasty I would go back for those alone. I started with a goat cheese salad that had mounds of goat cheese slathered over the top. If you have to wait to get in this tiny place treat yourself to coffee ahead of time at the bar off the lobby of the Crillion. In the afternoon they have a harpist playing in the lobby bar of this most swank of the Paris hotels.
　
　
　
LES PHILOSOPHES
28 Rue de Vielle du Temple 48-87-49-84
Le Marais district, Metro: St. Paul
In the ever lovely Le Marais area Les Philosophes is an inexpensive place to dine because of its Prix Fixe menu. There is a 16 euros menu for two courses and 20 euro menu for three. (This is now a specific choice.) You can eat from the regular menu without going over budget as the prices are moderate. They have recently refurbished the interior so all is new but still casual. They have finally made a large seating area outside to make an even more pleasant place to dine in temperate weather. The food is excellent and plentiful considering it’s low cost. Be sure and walk over to Place de Voges in Le Marais while you are here to experience this lovely square; once the residential area of royalty. While you are in this section of Paris give yourself a special treat and stop in the gem of a museum called the Musee de Carnavalet ( 23 rue de Sevigne). Le Marais is also the main gay district in Paris so you will find a lot of interesting shops and an eclectic crowd in the area.
　
　
　
LE BISTROT de BRETEUIL
3 Place de Breteuil 45 67 07 27
Metro: Duroc
For 32 euros you get everything at this excellent restaurant in the very up-scale 7th arrendismont. This very attractive restaurant overlooks the Place de Breteuil. The “Place” is a pretty square with a large statute in the middle making for a very tranquil setting. The square is not far from Les Invalides and the Tour Eiffel. When you sit down the staff gives you an aperitif. You are then handed a menu from which you choose an entree, main course and then dessert. (Remember, they will take the dessert choice after you have finished the main course.) A bottle of wine comes with the meal to be split between two people. The dishes are delicious. You cannot go wrong choosing from most of the selections on the menu from the salad with goat cheese as a starter to the crème brulee for dessert. . Fish is done quite nicely here. The portions are a good size and the main course comes with a vegetable. At the end of the meal you are also offered coffee, which is included in the price. I have dined in this restaurant quite frequently and I always enjoy an evening here.
　
　
　
　
THE FLO CHAIN1.BRASSERIE FLO:
7, cour des Petites-Ecuries: Tel 01 47 70 13 59
Metro: Chateau D’Eau
This is one of seven in the Flo chain of restaurants that I am aware of; Brasserie Flo is the first of the group. All of the members of the Flo chain have really good food and usually offer a prix fix menu (usually 32 euros for three courses that include a half bottle of wine) that will be mid-priced by Paris standards. The service will be orchestrated. You will find the waiters in Paris are very well trained. The restaurants will usually occupy historical sites. The people watching is always great. You can be assured of an interesting evening with good food at any of their venues. Brasserie Flo is very pretty. It is decorated in sort of a sepia tone which makes it almost smoky looking. You sort of feel you have dropped in on a 30’s movie set. Although you “own” the table for the evening in most French restaurants you will find the service very well timed. I have not been disappointed by a meal in any of the Flo’s. Don’t forget that coffee always comes AFTER dessert so you won’t look like an American tourist asking where it is when the dessert is served.

　
2. JULIEN:
16, rue du Faubourg St.-Denis: Tel 01 47 70 12 06
Metro: Strasbourg St. Denis
Julien is not in a good area but it is one of my “faves” of the Flo group. The building is preserved by the French historical governing body. The restaurant walls are painted with pastoral murals in beautiful light, pastel colors. You feel like you are in late 1800’s museum. I find Julien one of the more fun of the group. It is open after the theater and tends to get crowded later in the evening. The food is so good and the crowd is so fun to watch that I always enjoy a meal here. You just have to push by prostitutes if you decide to walk back to Les Halles for an after-dinner drink. If you don’t mind the area you will enjoy this place immensely. The restaurant is a short walk from the Metro. The area is safe, just unsavory
　
　
3. LA COUPOLE:
102 Blvd. Montparnasse: Tel 01 43 20 14 20
Metro: Gare Montparnasse
La Coupole is an old, well-known restaurant in Montparnasse that was purchased by the Flo group a few years ago. It was always trendy and still seems to hold on to that reputation. It is a very large restaurant but “the feel” is more compartmentalized so don’t be put off by its size. They have a menu “Quatre Seasons”. It is quite reasonable by Parisian standards. For 32 euros you will have three courses and a half bottle of wine. This includes tip and tax. As it is a seasonal menu it seems likely that it must be changed for each of the four seasons. The food at all the Flo restaurants is reliably good. The wait staff is friendly and very efficient. I would like to have a birthday party here because they dim the lights in the entire restaurant to start the presentation. A parade of waiters singing “Bon Anniversare” escort a large cake and a spouting sparkler. Everyone in the restaurant applauds the birthday person (who says the French are not fun!). The sidewalk cafe seems to be an interesting place to sit and have a drink on a summer day. La Coupole’s location is right on Boulevard Montparnasse so you will have a perch to see the eclectic crowd going by.
　
　
　
　
4. VAUDVILLE:
29, rue Vivienne: Tel 01 40 70 13 59
Metro: Bourse
The Bourse is the Paris stock exchange. Vaudeville was my least favorite of the group. I think it was because my brother ordered oursins and ate it in front of me. When you order cold seafood from a brasserie; which this is, they bring it on a large platter sitting on a bed of ice. The platter is then placed on the top of a stand bringing the whole content to eye level. Oursin is sea urchin. If you haven’t seen sea urchin served cold you are in for a not so delightful experience. They are black blobs with hanging tendrils and polyps dangling from the tendrils. Yuck! Watching my brother consume them spoiled my meal. I am sure the food was as good as the rest of the places in the Flo chain but I need to give this one a second chance, sans oursin. The view of the stock exchange is very nice as it is “en face” of this old and beautiful building. Vaudeville is very, very art deco. This style is not my favorite as far as decor is concerned. Again, the oursin may have colored my experience so I will go again and report back. (I have been again. It is much better without the polyps!)
　
　
　
　
　
5. BOFINGER
5-7 Rue de Bastille 42-72-87-82
Metro: Bastille
This is a very pretty brasserie in the area where the Bastille was formerly located. It is near the very modern and interesting new Paris opera house. Do make reservations so you will be seated on the first floor. They have a no smoking section and it is the prettiest of the downstairs rooms. The first floor is frequented by the tres-chic French yuppie set. To me the second floor makes you feel like you have been relegated to the back room. The second floor room is large and light and very pleasant but I prefer to be downstairs. A brasserie in Paris typically has a large bank of fresh seafood on crushed ice sitting outside so you can peruse your seafood selection before entering the establishment. Bofinger has a large display making the entrance a feast for the eyes. This is an Alsatian brasserie, which means it takes its menu largely from the Alsace-Lorraine area of France. The region is predominately Germanic in feel. As a result you will fine choucroute on the menu (sauerkraut and sausage), which will let you get out the door for a very reasonable price. Otherwise, there are many traditional French dishes and of course the huge seafood selection. You can get a good meal for mid- priced standards here.
　
　
　
6. BOEUF SUR Le TROIT:
34, rue du Colisee: Tel: 43 59 83 80
Metro: FD Roosevelt
A classic old restaurant and part of the Flo chain; this particular one occupies a spot in the upscale part of town. It is very near Rue St. Honore Fauborg. Many of the design houses are occupants of this famous rue. The restaurant itself is still hosting a chic crowd. There is a piano near the entrance of the restaurant. The piano music apparently attracts a smart looking group in the evenings. The food was very good and the decor was right out of an old movie, a little dark but slickly Parisian. There is a prix fix menu, which allows you out the door at a reasonable cost for Paris (about 32 euros) and the location.
　
　
　
7. TERMINUS NORD:
23, rue de Dunerque: Tel 01 42 85 05 15
Metro: Gare du Nord
Located right across the street from the train station, Gare du Nord, this is the lightest of the Flo group. Not the darker, duskier look of all but Julien. Terminus Nord is light and humming. I had a very tasty dinner. Many of the tables lined the far wall so you were close to the other diners. This enabled a pleasant conversation with those patrons on each side. Why come to Paris if you are not going to mix somewhat with the natives? I think this one is worth a look -see. Especially if you are coming back through the station from one of the many day trips you can take out of Paris. We stopped here coming back from the castle at Chantilly. Do go to this magical Chateau near the racetrack in Chantilly and stop for a really nice meal on the way home at Terminus Nord.
　
To continue: Outside the Flo chain
　
L’INSULAIRE
16 rue Gregoire de Tours
Tel: 01 43 54 76 95
Metro: Odeon
I’Insulaire came well recommended by other crews. Remember; crews like cheap so I was a bit suspicious of the quality which can be sacrificed in a quality which can be sacrificed in a seach for "the deal". Well, everyone else had gotten the word on this tine 32 seat restaurant becausethere was a line in front of the door to get in. There are three "menu" prices for three courses. The most economical is 12 euors for an entree, main plate and dessert. You cannot get much cheaper than that. The next step up is 16 euros followed by a 20 euro menu. You even get real red checked cloth tablecloths under your super cheap meal!
The food is plentiful which suits American appetites and good for the price. I had salmon with an herb sauce. The green beans that came with the fish were delicious. I would go back to order green beans as a main course because they were perfectly cooked with lots of flavor. I started with a goat cheese salad. It was large with lots of cheese. I had apple tart with ice cream for dessert. It seemed to be a quarter of a pie. It was warm and delicious. Nothing was overcooked. The only problem is that I did not see any French people here. It is a touristy walking street in St. Germaine which could explain the overwhelming presence of English people. This is a hearty meal for the price so if you are looking to have a “fill er up” meal come here. (I have since eaten here a number of times. It is reliable and the beans are some of the tasties I have had in Paris or elesewhere. Also try their onion soup.

CAFE MARLEY
Don't forget to have a drink on the veranda at Cafe Marley located overlooking the Pyramid entrance to the Louvre. It is a place "to see and be seen" but also a really good place to lunch. Try the steak tartar. Really wonderful. The wait staff is charming. Be sure and see the Museum of Decorative Arts attached to the Louvre.
　
XVIeme AVENUE
45, ave. Raymond Poincare
Tel: 01 47 27 72 19
Metro: Victor Hugo
If you just want to duck in a nice place in a toney neighborhood for a 9 or 10 euro salad or a hefty three course meal for 22 euros you can take a few block walk down from the Arc de Triomphe or Tracadaro or the nearby Place Victor Hugo to this nice, upscale place to have a quick bite. It has the posh feel of a Costes venue but the price is much more reasonable. I would stop here when you just want to keep your evening a bit shorter but still have a satisfying meal. The courses are large and the service is quick. I had a tomato, basil and goat cheese tart followed by a huge piece of salmon béarnaise on top of a large amount of spinach. The profiteroles were the size of small baseballs.
Enjoy!

RESTAURANT “CHEZ DUMONET” OR OTHER WISE KNOWN AS JOSEPHINE.

117, Rue du Cherche Midi
Tel: 01 45 48 52 40
Closed Saturdays and Sundays.

I was first introduced to this restaurant by French friends. I have been there a number of times since as my friend, Mardi, loves this place. It does have the best beef bourguignon. We usually share the asparagus to start and then share the beef and end up with one Grand Marnier soufflé. This is definitely a place to share because the portions are so large. ( An English man near our table did not know this rule. He ordered a duck for himself. The thing was the size of a small turkey!) They have half portions on the menu for just this reason so it wise to order to share. It also keeps the price much more reasonable. The fact that the waiters are so huggy, kissy with us adds to the desire to go back a lot.

　
L’ENTRECOTE (Le Relais de l’Entrecote)
Metro: Porte Maillot -20. rue Saint-Benoit -01 45 49 16 00
Metro: George V, 15 Rue Marbeuf - 01 49 52 07 17
There are several of these “Steak Only” restaurants scattered around Paris. They are always packed to the rafters so be there at when they open at 7:00 p.m. if you want to get right in. You get at least two servings of steak in a delicious garlicky sauce, a mound of pomme frits, a salad and wine for a very moderate fixed price. Be sure to order one of the scrumptious desserts. The wait staff seems to be most cordial and handle the crowd with aplomb. The restaurant sites themselves are well kept up and look like any nice Parisian “endoit”. I always enjoy having a steak here. I have tried L’Entrecote near the Champs Elysees and the one down from the Etoile many times. You will pay about 23 euros for the meal including a glass of wine. The one located at Port Maillot will have a sign that says Relais de Venise. You will also see the words Entrecote on the red awning. Don't be fooled by the conflicting names. ( It is located very near the metro stop.)
　
　
　
　
THE BUDDA BAR
Metro: Concord
Down the street next to the Crillion
Hotel look for the Budda Bar. Around
10 PM all the “swells” come in for a
drink and to munch the chips on the
table. Dinner will be expensive here
but you need to stop here just for drink
and see the smart crowd or
just to enjoy the ambience of an old
and well known hang out in this ritzy
part of Paris. The music mix is well
known. It seems to be Asian Fusion
You can buy the CD at Budda
Bar or on Amazon.com

　
L’MANGUIRER 51 rue du Theatre
01 45 48 49 16
Also at 20, blvd Montmartre, 46 blvd. Montparnasse, 43 ave. des Ternes, 12 Ave Madrid, 62 av. JB Clement
Metro: Charles Michel
“The place with the green awning.” This is a reliable chain. There are locations throughout the city but the one in the 15th is the one all the crews dip into for an inexpensive but generally good meal. You can get a full three course meal with a glass of wine for around $25. The staff is used to Americans and very friendly.... at least in this location. I have not tried the other restaurants in this chain.
　
　
　
POINTS OF INTEREST…MUST SEES
While taking your tours in Paris you should be sure and see Parc de Monceau. It is one of the prettiest parks in Paris. Just get off at Metro stop Monceau. After visiting the park be sure to walk over to the Musee de Camondo (63 rue de Monceau) and also the Musee Jacquemart L’Andre at 158 Blvd. Haussmann. (Metro Miromoesnil) These are two very special little museums that will make your Paris visit even more special.
　
Also do try FAT TIRE bike tours. Taking a bike tour is a wonderful way to overview the city. No experience needed! Check out the tours and prices at http://www.fattirebiketours.com/ .
This is tres fun and such a delightful way to see the city on a summer day or evening.
　
　
　
AUBERGE DU BONHEUR, The Bois de Bologne
Metro: Porte D’Auteuil or Porte Maillot. Behind la “Grande Cascade”
Tel:01 42 24 10 17 Fax 01 42 88 99 06
Well worth the trek to find this place in the lovely “Central Park” of Paris. It is located right behind the French version of Tavern on the Green, the restaurant La Grande Cascade. La Grande Cascade is located near a charming little waterfall. (Ergo the name La Cascade). The dining here is quite expensive but if you just look behind this lovely building you will find another lovely little establishment where the price is right! A very well priced set menu and a beautiful garden will make your summer evening as pleasant as can be. Have coffee on the terrace at La Cascade and then congratulate yourself on maneuvering out of a pricey meal but remaining in the same cerebral setting by going to the Restaurant de Bonheur. You are across the street from the Paris racetrack of Longchamp. It is probably best to take a cab from the Port Maillot area as it is about a two-mile walk. You may wish to take a cab home for sure as the transvestite prostitutes start to appear at the periphery of the park around 7 PM. You will find the area an interesting sight and not unsafe as the police seem to be out in force tacitly accepting this nightly ritual. It is probably better to “drive it” than walk back to the metro.

CLOISERIE DES LILAS, Ave. Montparnasse
Metro: RR Denfert Rochereau- right across the street from this Metro stop.
Apparently the French movie stars are known to frequent this restaurant. It has the feel of a garden and the service is attentive but it is on the expensive side. HERE IS THE TRICK.... Eat in the small area or that is the first room you enter as you come in the door or in the bar. You hear the same pianist; you eat from the same kitchen and have nearly the same atmosphere for a third of the price. Here is another trick.... figuring out who is a movie star! Most Americans would mot know who is who in the French movie world if we fell on top of them except for all but the most well know. I think you will still enjoy the surroundings, the music and the food. (I suggest you just “cocktail” here. It can be a tad pricey....even in the bar area)
　
　
　
NOS ANCETRES LES GAULOIS
39, Rue Saint Louis-en-l’Ile, Ile Saint Louise, 01-46-33-66-07/12
www.nosancetreslesgaulois.com
A little gimmicky but lots of fun. This restaurant is supposedly taking you back to dining in the era of the Gauls. For about 35 euros you will find yourself surviving an eat-a-thon. You should make a reservation or go very late to get in (or perhaps very early). You enter a packed restaurant to be led into many chambers or caves to dine. If you are claustrophobic you may wish to sit upstairs and not down in the cavernous areas below. You will definitely be sitting with other people unless you bring your own large group so be prepared for a lively evening. Everyone seems to come here to socialize as well as eat great quantities of food.
You start out with a HUGE basket of vegetables and a large basket of bread. Salad dressing on the table allows you to make a salad or munch directly out of the basket and dip in the dressing. At the same time you are seated you are handed a large wine pitcher. Go to the wine keg and fill-er-up! (Actually the wine is pretty good.) When you finish eating the salad your next trip is to a table filled with country sausage and pate. You can take as much as you want. Be cautious however as much more is to come. Then your main course arrives which you ordered on being seated. Lamb chops, leg of lamb, brochette and a couple of other dishes are cooked on a big fire pit. As a result of this style of cooking you get a delicious barbecue flavor to your meat. The main dish comes with a side of vegetables and rice. As if that is not enough an extremely large cheese platter arrives at your table when the main course has been cleared. Again, take as much as you like as this platter is for your table. End with desserts chocolate mousse, crème brulee, or sorbet and then you will waddle out the front door. Check this place out on the Internet.

L’Affiche
49 rue Le Marois
Tel: 01 46 51 93 44
Metro: Porte de St. Cloude
Located in the oh so chic 16 arrendissmont this retro bar brasserie is a favorite
of Anne Marie Rousseau. Besides the reasonable prices I loved the fact that you could choose your side dish. I had lamb with a pepper sauce and a side of green beans. I could have chosen from about six other side dishes. The mound of beans they put on the plate was amazing. We did not have a starter. The portions were very large so we were glad we did not order another dish. I never order a starter in the U.S. and I tend to forget I do not have to have all that food in Europe either. Since my main course was a mere 12 euros the meal was quite reasonable with just a glass of house wine and a coffee after diner. Do drop in this cozy restaurant when you are in this darling area near the Bois de Bologne.

　
LE FUMIOR
6 , rue de l’Admiral Coligny, Place du Louvre
Tel. 01 42 92 00 24
Metro: Louvre
Facing the very back of the Louvre is a trendy bar. If you want to see this new IN spot I would suggest you use it as I do….a convenient place to “rendezvous” with your friends as it is easy to find with it’s location directly in back of the Louvre. We have a drink and then go to dinner from our drink. There is a menu but it is mainly a place to have a drink and mingle with the very attractive French Yuppie set. People seem pretty affable here so do try and strike up a conversation. It certainly is a good looking crowd.
　
　
　
ANGELINA
Across from the Tuileries metro stop.
(Also in the shopping center of the Corncorde Lafayette hotel.)
A tearoom across from the Tuilleries in one of the splendid arcades on Rue de Rivole, Angelina’s is known for the hot chocolate served. It is expensive but soooooo rich and good. It tastes like they melted a chocolate bar down and served it to you. It is so rich you may wish to split a pot. You should try the hot chocolate to assuage your sweet tooth.
　

　
LE BISTROT D’EN FACE
24, rue du Docteur Finlay, Tel: 01 45 77 14 59
Metro: Dupleix or Bir Hakeim
Ma Bagorre was the former name of B-Le Bistrot d’en Face. It was on my list as a place that served food from southern France. That has all changed with a new owner and new décor. The same red and white checked curtains remain at the front which is almost all glass. It is so nice when the windows are open in the summer gently blowing the curtains a bit and giving you the feeling that you are dining outside. The restaurant is much more upscale now and very charming. The prices have escalated a bit but the food remains excellent. The main courses run in the 13 euro range while the entrees (appetizers) cost around 9 euros. I started with goat cheese en croute on a bed of lettuce followed by a delicious Cajun chicken. The others at my table raved about the sandre (fish) and the duck. The desserts in the 6 euro range were sinful. The location a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower but hidden on a small side street make it a nice diversion in a touristy area.
　
　
　　
　
THE LATIN QUARTER
Another Area to Explore: Take the metro to Maubert-Mutualitie. With your back to the Seine turn right and then a quick left and go up the hill to see The Pantheon. It is an amazing building that seems to explode out of the ground. The housed remains of many famous Frenchmen are interred here. Or turn left and then take a quick right and go uphill towards The Ecole Polytechnique. You will run in to Rue Descartes that turns in to Rue Mufftard. There are a plethora of cute little restaurants of every type on these series of streets that run one into the other. You can even find Tibetan food! On Rue Mufftard you will find one of several restaurants featuring food of the Savonyard region of France. I call this food you play with. Raclette; a cheese you melt in small ovens. The ovens made specifically for this purpose are plugged into your table. You will be served boiled potatoes and small pickles with your cheese. You melt the cheese and put it on your potato and have fun eating this fun food. You can order thin slices of ham or other accompaniments. Au Piano Muet was the suggested venue but you will find a few other Savonyard specialty places on these streets. As this is part of the Latin Quarter, which is also the student area, you will find that the cost of the food is very cheap. Most places have three course meals for fewer than 20 euros....usually about 14 euros. You can’t take the food too seriously but the area is fun and the food is good for the price. (Try Au Petit Bistrot at 89, Rue Mufftard - it has a three course 14 euro menu.
　

CHALET DES ISLE, Lac Inferieur in the Bois de Boulogne
The Boise de Boulogne is the Central Park of Paris as mentioned before. Look on your map and find the two little lakes stating that they are Lac Superior or Inferior. Lake Superior is the boating lake and despite it’s name is not particularly large. When you get to the side of the lake look for a small barge, which takes you to the middle of the lake for a few euro charge. The barge will take you for a short ride to a small island in the middle of the lake upon which sits the restaurant Chalet des Isle. I have never eaten here but I go frequently for a drink in the afternoon. It is so pleasant to sit on the patio and admire the efforts of the rowers in their rental boats wafting by. The park is a beautiful spot to spend the afternoon and this is a marvelous place to just sit quietly, have a beverage and admire the surroundings.
　
　
　　
DEUX MAGOTS or CAFE FLORE
Metro: Mabillon
These two cafes used to, and sometimes still do, attract the glitterary of the writing world. Hemingway used to “hang” at Cafe Flore as did many of the world’s other famous writers. A drink at either cafe is not cheap but both are good drop off places from the wonderful shopping in the area of St. Germain du Pres. One can sit in these sidewalk cafes and watch the world go by. They say if you sit on the Champs Elysees long enough you will see everyone you have ever known. This area is a little more serene and you will probably see these self same old friends wander over here too! I prefer Deux Magots because it is right on the corner. Either place is a good place to “see and be seen”. Don’t expect warm and ingratiating service but with a big enough smile (and a little more of a “pourboire” - TIP - above the tip included in the price) the waiters do warm up a bit.
　
　
　
　
A HELPFUL HINT Remember; check in any European country to see if the tip is included if it is not clearly marked on the menu if it is or is not......then always leave a bit more for good service.

　
LE SOUFFLE　
Are you in the mood for a Soufflé?
36, rue du Mont-Thabor Tel: 01 42 60 27 19 Fax: 01 42 60 54 98
Metro: Concorde (located near the Crillion Hotel)
LE SOUFFLE is just what its name implies; a restaurant that serves a great variety of soufflés. You can have them as a main course or as a dessert. This light and fluffy meal is a nice change. Le Soufflé also serves the normal fare as a main course but I am not sure why one would not stay with the rational for the restaurants existence. The dining rooms are a little well lit for my taste but I enjoyed the soufflés as a change of pace. The service is very good and the food is well priced. Why not give this place a try as almost no one attempts cooking these at home anymore so this is the place to have a perfectly turned out soufflé.
　
　
　
LE MONTEVERDI
5-7 m rue Guisarde, Tel. 01 42 34 55 90
Metro: Mabillion
I am Italianed out as far as restaurants go so I am a bit jaded about another dish of pasta. However, this restaurant is located in a section that looks like it might be the Paris version of Little Italy. There are lots of Italian eateries in this few square blocks not far from L’Eglise(church) St. Sulpice. I ducked in Le Monteverdi because it was so cozy looking. During a winters day it will be a nice, comfortable place to be warmed by the atmosphere alone. A pianist plays during the dinner hours adding to the kitschy, homey feel to the surroundings. On the way to “les toilettes” I saw several pictures of Generals and Admirals from the American Armed Forces who had dined and enjoyed the time they spent and took the time to comment to the owner via letter and accompanying pictures. If four star military likes it that much what can I say! Besides, the three courses 25 euros menu makes any meal taste better. This is inexpensive for Paris. I started with mozzarella and tomato salad. It was pretty much the standard salad of this type that I have sampled in every Italian restaurant. The portion could have fed two people as it was larger than most. (I chickened out having the terrine of wild boar to start.) I followed by the special Gorgonzola gnocchi. It was saturated with the cheese so it was quite good. Tiramisu was my dessert choice. I would say that this is a nice change from a French meal if you are in Paris for a long time and are looking for a food diversion. This is good wholesome Italian fare, not gourmet but a fine evening meal. ( I have been back and had the huge plate of pesto pasta. Really good.)

A Point to Keep in Mind: Remember that all meal prices quoted include tax and tip unlike the United States. When you keep this in mind the prices are as reasonable as most U.S. restaurants.
(I always suggest everyone leave just one euro more than their portion of the dinner bill for the pourboire (additional tip for good service)
　
　　
　
SEBILLON NEUILLY
20, Ave. Charles de Gaulle
Tel: 01 46 24 71 31
Metro: Porte Maillot or
SEBILLON ELYSEES
66,rue Pierre Charron
Tel: 01 43 59 28 15
Metro: George V
Sebillon Neuilly ( or Sebillon Elysee) is its name and lamb is its game. This is a pretty art deco restaurant/ brasserie which has a really interesting gimmick..23 Euros……all the lamb you can eat! They bring an entire leg of lamb to the table and carve up the whole thing for four of us. It came with white fagoli beans. Make sure to order it rare if you want it pink. They offer even more lamb if you can possibly finish the large portion on the first plate. The lamb was delicious. Take a group and share the feast.
　

Promenade PlanteeA must see.
Take some time to go to the Bastille
to walk the Promenade Plantee;
an elevated path that runs about
three miles to Vincennes. It is a
gorgeous elevated viaduct planted
with flowers and decorated with
trellises. You get a bit of a birds-
eye view of the lovely apartments
along the way. Below the viaduct
are wonderful art shops and studios
as well as cafes for a refreshment.
　
　
　　
　
LA BOUSSOLE
12 Rue Guisarde, Tel. 01 56 24 82
Metro: Mabillon
Right down the street from Monteverdi we found this charming little French bistro. It is light to Moneverdi’s dark charm. The walls are all a light stone with beautiful modern light fixtures that give the “old feel” of the stone walls a very updated look. The front of the restaurant opens into the street. You have a bit of a taste of the south of France with its light, airy charm. The food is very fresh. The first time I was here I had the salmon. I asked them to hold the rice so they gave me a mound of broccoli with a rich butter sauce covered piece of salmon. I started with aubergine (eggplant) in a cheese crust while the others began their dinner with the goat cheese on pastry topping a salad vert. All this for 18 euros. Three courses would have been 23 euros but it was too much food to have dessert although the dessert menu looked good. On subsequent visits I have had the lamb and the chicken main dish. All have been nicely prepared. Wine is not included but the wine menu is varied and the prices are in line with the menu, reasonable.
　
　　
HOTEL COSTES
239 Rue St. Honore
Metro: Concorde
A drink in the courtyard of this chic little hotel makes for a delightful afternoon. The decor alone makes this hotel a worthwhile visit. It looks as if it is out of the late 1800’s but also is modern at the same time. I did not check out the price of a room but I imagine it is in the $300 on up range. A nice glass of Bruilly in the open-air courtyard in the center of the hotel is affordable however. The crowd is very attractive as this is the St. Honore area of expensive shops and designer ateliers. This is such a visual experience that those of you with an eye for the all the interesting will find a feast.
　
　
More Places to dine...
RESTAURANT CHEZ JULIEN
Angle 1, rue du Pont-Louis-Philippe and 62, rue de l”Hotel de Ville
Tel: 01 42 78 31 64 or Fax 01 42 74 39 30
Apparently this darling facade was pictured in an American Express ad. It faces Isle St. Louis and looks like it should be in an ad with its picturesque setting. Reasonably priced with a 32 euro menu (sans wine; but IT is well priced also). The menu includes an entree, main course and dessert. The atmosphere was darkly romantic. You feel as if you are dining in an old French film. The food was delicious. I started with sautéed mushrooms. The sauce on my chicken was delightful. My companions were equally complementary of their main courses. I had a chocolate dessert that was yummy. The service was charming and friendly. I think you cannot go wrong stopping in for a most satisfying meal in visually rich surroundings. (They
have redecorated. The prices have gone up. It is still such a nice setting in the evening that you may want to spend a little more for dinner just for the setting.....and then you may not!

　　
　
LE BISTROT DU 7eme
55, blvd. de LaTour-Maubourg
Phone 01 45 51 93 08 Metro: Invalides or Champ de Mars
Now here is a deal! For 18 euros you can have a three course meal in a lovely bistro that looks as if it should be twice as expensive especially considering it is in the oh so che- che 7th arrendissmont. As it is located between the Champ de Mars (the park leading up to the Eiffel Tower) and Les Invalides this little bistro is so surprisingly well priced. The food is good for the price; not gourmet but after all this is a 18 euro “menu”. The first time I was here I started with a Greek mushroom salad and ended with chevre cheese for desert. They did not mind that I substituted green beans (haricot vert) for the pomme frites (French fries) with my main course of veal in a mushroom sauce. The menu is extensive and a demi carafe of a light, dry Rhone wine nicely made this place “a find”. interesting but The demi carafe was even too much wine. Do duck in here for a reasonably priced meal in the usually very expensive 7th arrendissmont. (I have eaten here a number of times since this report. Do try this bistro if you are watching your pennies.)
　
　　
　
LE ZINC D’HONORE
36 Place du Marche St. Honore
For a meal in the 17 euros range in the same area walk down to the cafe with the yellow awning. Le Zinc d’Honore at 36 place du Marche St-Honore. The menu board is impossible to read but if you can decipher it you can have quite a nice meal in the “el cheapo” price range. The portions are large. The meal costs 18 euros for three courses. The sauces on the main “plats” and the accompanying vegetables are comparable to those of more expensive brasseries. The desserts are well worth the trip to this salon de tea/brasserie for those alone. The salads are large and the bread is plentiful. This will be a good place to watch your budget. I end up here quite a bit as I like the location in this darling square. The square by itself
a foray from the Tuileries Metro stop. (Put your back to the metro stop and walk straight ahead three or four blocks.) I also think the food is a lot of "bang for the buck". It will impress your friends that 1. You can find this place and 2.That you can have such a good meal at this price.

　
　　
LE GRAND COLBERT
2-4 rue Vivienne
Tel: 01 42 86 87 88 Fax 01 42 86 82 65
Metro: Palais Royal or Bourse
The very fine looking bartender at Le Man Ray recommended this restaurant to me so of course I had to try it. Hop off at the Palais Royal metro stop and walk through this wonderful quadrangle with interesting shops and apartments. Coco Chanel once lived here. Walk past the ever so expensive restaurant, Le Grand Vefour and up to rue Vivienne. Then unbuckle your belt and be prepared for manly-man portions at Le Grand Colbert. No nouvelle cuisine sized portions here! You can have three courses for 28 euros on their “Menu”. This allowed a wonderful view of the most eclectic groups of people I have ever seen entering a Parisian eatery. I found the restaurant quite grand with its high ceilings, tablecloths and set wine glasses yet the patrons were very casual for Paris. Ergo, if you feel like dressing down you won’t be uncomfortable here. The food was quite good and, as I said, plentiful. I started with a glass of wine. They brought olives to enjoy with my drink.. The table was also set with rolls which they kept replacing as you finished each piece. My first course was a large piece of goat cheese that was surrounded by crispy filo dough sitting on a bed of lettuce salad. My next course was carre d’agneau (lamb). The portion was also very large. It came with a big side dish of dauphine potatoes. Grilled vegetables accompanied the lamb. This was quite a meal! The service was very attentive. Le Grand Colbert is not a place to watch your diet. Do gear up your appetite and chow down here sometime! (I suggest Le Grand Colbert for lunch as it has gotten more expensive and a bit touristy after the movie Something’s Got To Give was filmed here. The service is still great and a lot of fun.)
　
　
　
　　
LE CAFE RENARD
Le Jardin des Tuileries
Tel. 01 42 96 50 56 Fax: 01 42 96 28 56
Metro: Concorde
On a beautiful summer night you cannot find a more delightful place to eat than under the beautiful chestnut trees in Le Jardin des Tuileries. You will find four little umbrella covered table areas and their supporting food kiosks in the park but three are mainly for ice cream and salads. Le Café Renard is an actual restaurant where you can have a hot meal. That fact has brought me back again and again because it is the right price for a hearty meal. Sit underneath the umbrellas in the evening and let the candlelight reflect your gaze to the sculptures on the manicured lawn to the side. I like this setting so much I even found myself splashing through a rain storm praying that my silk sundress was washable silk to have another grilled rump steak perfectly cooked. I dipped the thick cut fries in my béarnaise sauce that accompanied the steak. At the cost of 14 euros you are going to enjoy a nice dining experience. This is not gourmet, just a reliable meal deal. Add a mixed salad for 4 euros and a small carafe of Beaujolais Village (two glasses worth) for another 4 euros.
　
　

　
L’ABSINTHE
24, place du Marche Saint-Honore
Tel: 01 49 26 90 04 Fax 01 49 26 08 64
www.michelrostang.com
Metro: Concorde
Place du Marche Saint-Honore is such a cute area that it is well worth taking a gander here. It is a block or two off of Place Vendome near the Ritz Hotel of Diana fame. L’Absinthe is one of the Michel Rostang group of eating establishments. I understand that he is a well-known chef. This place is tres cute especially in summer when you can sit on the square. The fixed price “Menu” for three courses is 31 euros (25 euros for two courses ) The food is interesting in terms of its preparation. The flavors and textures are modern and imaginative for a less expensive restaurant. I found the wine choice selected by our waiter to be most drinkable. I asked for a Brouilly but was led to his choice at the same moderate price. The service on my first visit did start out a bit slowly but picked up quite nicely once the influx of patrons arriving all at once got sorted out. My subsequent visits were all much better in terms of service. I had the duck accompanied by spatzle after starting with a goat cheese salad. The duck was really tasty and a very large portion. One visit I stuffed myself on mushroom pate followed by a wonderful seabass on an artichoke puree.
　
　
　
　
A LA PETITE CHAISE
36 Rue de Grenelle
Tel: 01 42 22 13 35
Metro: Severes Babylone or Metro Bac
This place bills itself as the oldest restaurant in Paris. For a very reasonable 28 euros you will have a delightful three-course meal. (23 euros for two courses.) The portions are large and the preparation is creative. My lamb dish was very flavorful. My second visit I dined on pork medallions in a Camembert sauce. I started with the best onion soup I have ever tasted packed with onions and cheese. As it is certainly an old establishment the room looks elegantly rustic. At night, however, the main room is a little over lit, as is the case in a lot of Parisian restaurants. No hiding your flaws here! It is a historic place to dine in the wonderful area of St. Germaine. For a little side trip wander down Rue du Bac to the Church of the Miraculous Medal. A prayer in front of the alter promises to find your wishes granted.
　

　
　
CAFÉ DE L’ESPLANADE
52 rue Flaubert
Tel: 01 47 05 38 80
Metro: Tour Maubourg
The people who opened the very chic Hotel Costes just opened this also very chic restaurant over in the 7th arrendissmont. Pop out of the metro and turn right to the end of the block. Then prepare yourself for some interesting people watching! This area is very upscale so the patrons reflect the area. The menu is extensive and eclectic. You can go from an inexpensive Croque Monsieur on up the price range. You can order casual meals off the menu and remain in a very reasonable price range. Being a few blocks from Les Invalides the restaurant reflects the military theme with canon ball chandeliers and canons as wall decor. This is a fun and interesting place to eat. Make sure you have a reservation. This place gets packed.
　

　
LE PRE CLERCS
30, Rue Bonaparte
Tel: 01 43 54 41 73
Metro: St. Germaine de Pres
Oh, la, la ladies. I stop here to ogle the good looking waiters and to have a drink at a place that is half the price of Deux Magots up the street by two blocks. I have not tried the food here but it looks like a good place to go for a casual meal. I always leave a big “pourboire” here after eyeing the “eye candy”.

　
LE POUCHON GOURMAND
25, rue du Colisee
Tel: 01 43 59 25 29
Metro: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Some French friends introduced me to Le Pouchon Gourmand located on a small side street of the Champs Elyses. I cannot say that the atmosphere is the most intimate and charming but it is not uninviting. The food however is very good. I had a Turbot bathed in an olive tapanade that was quite delicious. I had started with a goat cheese salad. Both the entrée and main course were a “goodly” size. The main courses ran about 14 euros and the entrees (appetizers) were in the 7 euro range. The French version of beef stew was very tasty. The salmon main dish looked very good. The portions are all quite large. A carafe of the house red rounded out what turned out to be a nice dining experience both times I have visited.
　
　
　
LES GOURMETS DES TERNES
87 blvd de Courcelles
01 42 27 43 05
Metro: Place des Ternes
Closed Sat. and Sun.
A very lovely French couple said that you could have the best steak in Paris at Les Gourmets des Ternes. After having the steak au poivre here I believe them. It seems as if they take a huge filet mignon and cut it in half to serve to each customer. It is served sitting on a liberal pool of the au poivre sauce. Delicious! I started with artichoke hearts in a mustard vinaigrette dressing. This starter can be shared. Whatever you do don’t ask for the steak to be cooked well done. I think they will toss you out on your ear. The owner, Mr. Marie, was a little put off by someone asking for the filet to be cooked medium. I think you can get away with “medium rare” without being asked to leave.
Mr. Marie and his attractive son seem to be carrying on a nightly fight according to my friends. I am not sure what could be the matter but it adds to the interest of the evening. There are no Americans here.
The place is packed nightly so you must make a reservation. The steak au poivre is 22 euros. If you split the artichoke hearts at 7 euros and don’t go crazy with the wine order you can stay under my 30 euro mark.

LE COLIMACON
44, rue Vielle du Temple
01 48 87 12 01
Metro: St. Paul
Web sight-www.lecolimacon.com
Don’t be put off by the front of this small two story restaurant in Le Marias. The food is quite nice and in the 20 euro price range for three courses. It is near Les Philosophes and Au Gamine de Paris. The sauces make the food even better and the potatoes are like the German roasties. The place is packed because it is so inexpensively prices so make a reservation.

A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS IN THE 10TH.

( Metro: Republique )

HOTEL DU NORD

102 Quai de Jemmapes

01 40 0 78 78

www.hoteldunord.org

The canal that runs through the 10 from the 12th (Bastille area) is so charming to stroll that it is well worth going to this restaurant just to experience the canal area in Paris. To add to the experience you will end up in what seems to be a trendy restaurant with an upscale interior and a most delicious menu. The food has a nouvelle feel with larger portions than nouvelle would normally give you. The interior has an almost New York feel. The crowd is young and hip. I would make a reservation so that you know you can get in if you go around 8PM. This was the site of the movie Le Hotel du Nord. Do check out the website. It is fascinating and will give you an idea of the ambiance. The menu changes very frequently. I would definitely stop here.

LE SAINTE MARTHE BISTROT

32 Place Sainte-Marthe

Tel: 01 44 84 36 96

No ambiance here. But do check it out for the food. We shared the ample portions so we had a bit of about seven main course plates. Everything was scrumptious. The square is a bit hard to find so take a map. Also, go in summer when you can sit outside because there is really no ambiance inside. It is about two blocks up from the canal. The food is French with an international twist. You will truly enjoy a meal here.

　
　
Review to come:
19.75 at 4 rue Saussier Leroy
La Chaumiere
54 avenue /Felix Faure
( I have to dine several times at a venue to put a place on my list. I will return to these.)
Le Petit Retro
5, rue Mesnil….reservations a must. Tel:
01 44 05 06 05. Absolutely one of the most precious interiors. However it may not make the list as it is above 30 euros for dinner. I am going to try it again.
　
　
　

London Restaurant Lists

2009-05-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

WOODY’S LONDON RESTAURANT GUIDE (OR EATING REASONABLY IN LONDON)

E-mail me at WoodyAAL@aol.com with your
comments! I ALSO WRITE LISTS FOR PARIS / ROME / BRUSSELS / BUENOS AIRES , ETC. FOR THESE GO TO WOODYSRESTAURANTLISTS@BLOGSPOT.COM

THIS GUIDE IS MEANT TO HELP YOU EAT FOR LESS MONEY IN THE PLACES THE “NATIVES” GO OR SHOWS YOU HOW TO EAT FOR A REASONABLE PRICE IN A MORE EXPENSIVE RESTAURANT IN LONDON. MOST PLACES WILL COST YOU AROUND $25. (ALL ARE UNDER $50 IF YOU KEEP YOUR WINE INTAKE IN CHECK!) REMEMBER SPENDING $25 FOR DINNER IN LONDON IS EATING CHEAPLY...(P.S. I need to update some prices.)

QUAGLINO’S, 16 Bury Street (589-6767) Tube stop: Green Park
Very trendy yet surprisingly reasonable. The entrees run around thirteen pounds, some under some over by a little. This is very good value by London standards at such a popular place to eat. The service is orchestrated. The crème brulee is fabulous and the food is generally wonderful. The bar is a “happening place” so you can just go for a drink to people watch. There is music so you can use it as an excuse to just mingle with hoi polloi there. When you enter the
restaurant remember that the first desk you get to is for the restaurant’s little boutique where you can buy signature souvenirs with “Q” emblazoned on them. Bypass this desk as the real reservations desk is down the stair near the bar. That will make you look like “you are in the know”. If you are just two you will likely be seated close enough to start a conversation with your neighboring table. At this place you will probably find this to be an interesting experience as Quaglino’s is so very “in”.

MOTCOMBS
26 Motcomb Street(235-6382) Tube Stop: Green Park
This is an upscale place to drink. I would not dine here as the food is a bit on the average side. If you want to mix with a slightly older crowd in the very chic area of Belgravia this is a great place to stop and quaff a brew.

SAL e PEPE, 13115 Pavilion (235-0098) Tube stop: Knightsbridge
A very lively restaurant The waiters yell and have fun, but the chic crowd loves it. Don’t come here if you want a quiet evening. This one is fun, reasonable by London standards, and the food is very good. They always seem to have an asparagus appetizer with lots of asparagus and usually served cold. It is a large portion which you could share. The entrees run around ten to twelve
pounds for most of the dishes. Of course you can always spend more! The place is always full but you can get in if you go early. Londoners don’t usually eat before eight thirty in the evening. (If you are an American that likes to eat early without making reservations you spend a lot of time in London promising to vacate the table by nine.) Everyone always seem to be having a good time here and a lot of the tables are close enough together that you are bound to engage in conversation with the people at the next table. If you want to meet some of the people be sure and open your mouth and speak to them. The English usually won’t start the conversation (opposite of the Irish) but if you initiate the conversation you can be promised a lively discussion.

SIX DEGREES, 56 Frith Street, (734-8300) Tube stop: Leicester Square
WWW.SIX-DEGREES.CO.UK
Located in Soho, this restaurant supposedly attracts the TV/movie crowd. It is usually crowded, especially the bar. Two of the entrance walls have water cascading over smoked glass. The padded formal chairs are wine red while the walls and tablecloths are a creamy ecru. The room has a minimalist charm. The food is a Pacific Rim cuisine featuring main courses and appetizers from many of the countries in the Pacific. They even have a kangaroo dish if you care to dine on Joey. I began with a spinach, purple onion and feta tart. It was elegantly presented in the “Nouvelle Cuisine” stacked style but was a hearty portion. I followed with a wonderfully scrumptious lamb main course. Again stacked, with the lamb rump perched on sweet potato posts. A light but most pleasing mint sauce, a spinach puree, and lamb gravy with a touch of soy accompanied it. This too was a large portion. Even with a glass of wine I left the restaurant paying about $35. Not at all a bad price for London.

THE ENTERPRISE, 35 Walton Street (584-3148) Tube Stop: Knightsbridge
My favorite neighborhood place; a Chelsea hangout. The entrees run about 12 pounds. Since it is “clubby” with lots of locals be
sure and have a reservation for dinner. The bar is really fun because it attracts an upscale and attractive bunch from the “hood”. They always have chips and salsa on the bar for munching. The people who frequent the bar all seem to know each other. They are very nice to strangers so again, speak up. Ask a question. Get to know the natives. These natives all seem to make a very good living so you might make a few connections here too. It never hurts to network in a global economy. The food is good too! The main rooms are small with the bar and dining room seemingly all in one large room. There is bench seating under the windows done up in a pretty fabric. (Don’t worry; they have back cushions.) It is dressy enough to have tablecloths but casual enough to be a little informal. Most of the weekday people seem to be dropping in after work so you will see dressier clothes weekdays.

JULIE’S 135 Portland Road (229-8331, 727-4585) Tube stop: Holland Park
An absolutely darling place. Every room is different. They use the tiny Italian lights to make some of the rooms seem to sparkle. The wall colors are all pretty pastels and each room seems to have a theme. It is very romantic dining. Here is the trick. You can dine in the wine bar section of Julie’s for half the price of the main restaurant and still get the same excellent food as they share the same kitchen. This area is decorated more in sepia tones and is not quite as romantic. You can eat in the wine bar restaurant for around twenty-five dollars. (It is located up the stairs behind the wine bar.) Not so in the main restaurant but this is to be saved for a lovely evening out where there is more on the mind than food so you don’t mind spending a bit more. This restaurant is a little hard to find but it is not far from the Holland Park tube stop. This is worth the look. Take your honey! (Or go with a group; it is still fun.)

RULES, 35 Maiden Lane/ Covent Garden Tube stop: Covent Garden
I almost did not put Rules on my list as it is a bit expensive. I did want to at least tell you about it as Rules is billed as the oldest
restaurant in London. It is also very romantic and charming. There are lots and lots of pictures virtually covering the wall. All are a little askew so if you are a Virgo you won’t be comfortable. I would save this for a winter trip because of the cozy atmosphere. The food is excellent. However I must warn you that it is a furred or feathered menu. You will really enjoy the preparation of the foodeven if you do not normally like game. It is a tad touristy (well-heeled tourists as the entrees run around 16 pounds). It is also a little tough to find. The location is very near the Savoy Hotel so just keep asking people to guide you. Do spend the money some time to try this place.

MIMMO d’ISCHIA, 61 Elizabeth Street (629-0544) Tube stop: Victoria Palace
A Belgravia establishment where the English “Celeb’s” seem to eat. If you stick to the pasta you can get away for a lot less money. The bowls of pasta are the size of hubcaps; they are huge! There are big plates of anti -pasta on the table when you sit down. You could make a meal of the bread and anti-pasta but I don’t think you could really get away with it. It is dressy but an interesting evening out. There are pictures of well-known English lining the staircase. The service is really friendly and attentive. In summer the windows are open creating a comfortable airflow and almost the feeling of patio dining. The rooms have a Mediterranean feel, light and airy… very pleasant.

FINO’S WINE CELLAR, Swallow Street (Marble Arch tube stop) Tube stop: Marble Arch
If you want a big plate of very fresh tasting food try this inexpensive wine bar. The eating room is small and a bit of smoke wafts up from the popular wine bar below but the casual food is good so it is worth a stop. (Just don’t go on Friday night when everyone is there!) The location is right behind Oxford Street and the Dorchester Hotel. It is a block from the Marble Arch. The Italian waiters are lovely and most fun to talk to. The crowd comes from the posh area around the American Embassy several blocks away so it always looks to be an interesting group. Remember, this is a wine bar first and foremost so it is going to be a drinking crowd first and foremost.

P.J.’s,
52 Fulham Road (581-0025) Tube stop: South Kensington or Glouster Road
Another neighborhood place in which you will see the same people time and again. It is a place I duck into for coffee because they have a big Italian espresso machine. The entrees run around 8 pounds and are very good, bistro style meals. I have never not had a good meal here. This is a smart crowd. Lots of “Hooray Henry’s” here. I think you might enjoy people watching in this trendy bistro.

LE BOUDIN BLANC, Sheppard’s Market, Mayfair Tube stop: Green Park
Sheppard’s Market is a darling little walking street area. It is located generally behind the Hilton Hotel that is on Park Lane (adjacent to Hyde Park). There are a number of restaurants in this area but I really recommend this place. The meals are delicious and the prices are very good. It is a small room so I would call ahead for reservations if you hope to dine after 8p.m. The area is so cute that it is worth the foray.

LE PONT DE LA TOUR, 36 Shad Thames, Butler’s Wharf bldg. (403-8403) Tube Stop: Tower Bridge
THE CHOP HOUSE.
CUCINA,

Three Conran restaurants located side by side across the Tower Bridge from the Tower of London. Le Pont de la Tour is the Flagship of the Conran group so hope you are able to qualify for an expense account for this one. However, you can eat in the bar for half the price and the food is good. The piano music starts around 8:00p.m. in the bar. It is fun to go sit in the bar so you can watch all the glitzy people entering the restaurant while eating your much less expensive repast and have fun listening to the music.

The Chophouse next door is less expensive and has terrific English food with a little bit of a Continental flair. You can rely on most of the Conran group venues for excellent food and this is no exception. I think you will like the light, casual decor (blond pine). All these places have outside dining which is a plus.
Cucina is perhaps my least favorite of this threesome because the food, while good, was not special. I have only eaten there once so give it a try. The service was excellent.

MEZZO, Soho, Tube stop: Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square
This is my least favorite because it was so big and crowded. It attracts a very young crowd. The men will like it because the twenty-something’s parade down the long staircase to the dining room in their short, short mini skirts. I found the tables too close together. The fact that the kitchens are visible and seem to cascade down the wall allowing the patrons to see many levels of glass windows looking into the cooking areas is interesting.

BLUEBIRD, 350 Fulham Road (559-1000) Tube stop: Glouster Road or closer/West Brompton or Fulham Broadway
You have to see it... It is a grocery store with the most amazing displays. Everything on the shelves is a work of food art. These jars and bottles will make great hostess gifts back home. They have a cook store and a deli/bistro with side walk tables facing an outdoor fruit stand. The crowd is smart, well dressed, well heeled and checking each other out. Obviously a place to see and be seen. The restaurant upstairs (by elevator one floor up) is very modern. I haven’t eaten here yet but I checked out the prices. The entrees ran about 12 pounds but the choices were interesting. You cannot go wrong with a meal at Conran establishments so I am looking forward to dining here. To eat much more reasonably at Bluebird sit downstairs at the little bistro. They have a selection of salads and other simpler fare as well as a popular bar. The outside seating for coffee will be an amusing afternoon for people watching.

THE APPRENTICE, right behind Pont de la Tour, The Chophouse, etc. at Butler’s Wharf Tube stop: Tower Hill
A Counsel training restaurant allows you to get a really good meal served by apprentice chefs and wait staff at a good price. (The main course runs about 8 pounds.) Since the Conrans and other area establishments help sponsor this school you are assured that you will get good value for the money you spend. It is only open on weekdays and takes limited sittings so make sure you make a reservation. The menu changes frequently. It is always an interesting experience in this sparsely modern restaurant.

LE PALAIS du JARDIN, 136 Long Acre (379-5353) near Covent Garden Tube stop: Covent Garden
Le Palais du Jardin is a typical French Brasserie with the cold seafood bar in front just like you see in Paris. A nice bar is near the cold seafood arrangement from which you can crowd watch . They also have sidewalk seating. The food is reasonable and quite tasty in the French style. There are interesting shops on this street that runs into Covent Garden from Leicester Square. You can find some peace and quiet here from the almost overwhelming amount of people in this area.

LE CAFE du JARDIN, 28 Wellington Street, Covent Garden (836-8759) Tube stop: Covent Garden
Pre-theater or after theater this little French Bistro offers a nice meal at a good price. It is located a block from the theater where Miss Saigon is playing and also very near the Royal Opera House. Also very French: from the waiters to the bistro type food you will not go wrong grabbing a bite here. It has a casual atmosphere but typically the style of the French bistro.

BELGO, 50 Earlham Stratum, (813-2233) Soho /Covent Garden area Tube stop: Leicester Square
Be prepared for a crowd when you approach this place. But it is fun! The food is typical of what you will eat in Belgium ; Carbonnade, French-fries, etc. If you arrive at 6:ooPM the roast chicken is 6 pounds. 6:15 p.m. it is 6 pounds 15. , etc. all the way up until 9:00p.m. I believe. You can sit in a room that has picnic style tables and really go casual or you can sit on the saner side where they take reservations and have a nice, quieter place to eat your food. The waiters dress like monks (or so it seemed to me- I guess that is what they were supposed to look like!) I do love carbonnade and waterzooi so it was a nice harking back to Brussels. And you can’t beat Belgian fries! A long list of Belgian beers adds to the attraction. If you have a reservation you can by-pass the line so either call ahead or pass the line to the hostess desk and ask if you can get a table on the restaurant side. (Save yourself the trouble however and tip the Concierge in your hotel to make the call for you.)

RICCARDO’S, 6126 Fulham Road (370-6656) Tube stop: Glouster Road
Very inexpensive. The pasta runs around 4 pounds. The portions can be on the small side. At first I was perplexed at the small size until I went back and read the bottom of the menu which says that all portions are appetizer size so order accordingly. I found, however, that if you order the most expensive items on the menu (only 7 pounds 50 pence) that you get a very good dinner size portion. (Additionally, the portions seem to have grown since my last dinner here.) The food is extremely tasty and well presented for the price. I ordered the grilled vegetable and Gorgonzola cheese appetizer on my second visit and it was so large it was hard to finish the special that I ordered for my main course. The monkfish was topped off with a very delicious but very rich wine/ butter sauce. I changed the new potato accompaniment to the sautéed spinach. The spinach was so nicely prepared that I was glad I had made the switch. It is always crowded because of the good prices so go before 8p.m. or make a reservation.

SOFRIA, 1 St. Christopher’s Place (224-4480) (also at Shepard’s Market) Tube stop: Green Park or Marble Arch
There is another darling walking street right off Oxford Street; a block down from Selfridges Department Store called St. Christopher’s Place. This is an area of a lot of Italian Restaurants and a few other types. Sofria is a Turkish restaurant located both in this area and the other wonderful walking street I mentioned called Shepard’s Market. The food at both locations is inexpensive and very good. The pre-fix menu portions are small so order ala-carte. The food is fresh tasting and it is a change from the ever-present Italian. The shops alone in this area are worth the trip

FLAMINGO, 54 Pimlico Road (730-4484) Belgravia Tube stop: Victoria Station
Seeking a Spanish restaurant? I am not sure how authentic this place is but they have music on Friday and Saturday night and a happy, convivial atmosphere. It is also very reasonable with an inexpensive prix-fixe menu. It looks Spanish and attracts a repeat crowd so check it out for a change.

SOME WINE BARS WORTH DROPPING IN TO SEE AND MUNCH!

CHARCO’S, 1 Bray Place, Near Sloan Square (584-0765) Tube stop: Sloan Square
This is a local wine bar. It is a nice place to drop in late in the afternoon to see the quieter local wine bar crowd. There is a very nice restaurant downstairs. The menu is modern and the food is good yet not particularly pricey.

ORIEL, 51Sloan Square, (730-2804) Tube stop: Sloan Square
Trendy, trendy, trendy.....Downstairs is the wine bar occupied by the chic Sloan Square set. Upstairs, another bar and a nice little bistro with an inexpensive menu if you just want a drop in and eat meal. The people watching is excellent and it is always crowded. The food is very good and creative. The goat cheese appetizer is delish. I had a pepper terrine for a main course the second visit that was so different but oh, so good. Do take a look-see what the “Sloan Ranger’s” and their beau’s are up to these days.

EBURY WINE BAR, 139 Ebury Street, Belgravia (730-5447) Tube stop: Victoria Station or Victoria Palace
Since Belgravia is the Queen’s area you are always going to see an upscale group at this wine bar. It has a nice little restaurant with a well-priced menu. The food is good (more on the wholesome side, not the imaginative fare of a regular restaurant) so it is fairly well known. People in London are no different from the U.S. They will go for value when they are not on an expense account but people in this area are not going to put up with indifferent food.

LE METRO, out the backdoor of Harrods, turn left.28 Basil St. (589-6286) Tube stop: Knightsbridge
Inexpensive but very fresh tasting food. It is a wine bar but the place is small so there is really no separation from the restaurant

LETS BE.................REASONABLE!

MY OLD DUTCH, 221 Kings Road Tube stop:
South Kensington or Sloan Square
If you want to have what seems to be the world’s largest crepe (the size of a large pizza) with an endless variety of toppings for 4 to 6 pounds stop in and fill up!!! Their dessert crepes are decadent but as large as the dinner crepes so take friends to share the dessert. You can go vegetarian or have a combination of veggies and different meat or chicken toppings. These are very tasty and filling. The decor is light pine and very casual. This is a good place to go when you want to save some money and try something new at the same time.

GLAISTER’S GARDEN BISTRO, 4 Hollywood Road, 352-0352 Tube stop: Earls Court or West Kensington or West Brompton
www/glaisters.co.uk (check out the menu and prices)
A London friend showed this darling restaurant to me. Hollywood Road is off of Fulham Road and is the local for several nifty looking restaurants, which I hope to try at a later date. Glaister’s is a find; obviously a place the locals go. The interior is a blend of casual and formal in that you feel like you are in a garden but the tablecloths gives a more dressed up feel to the decor. The waiters are casual but the food presentation is more formal. It is a very pleasant mix. The entrees were reasonably priced in the 8 to 10 pound range. The waiters came by with a basket of really tasty bread about every five minutes. This is unusual for London. I always get the feeling that the restaurants are hoarding the bread as you always have to ask for seconds and it is never placed in a basket on the table. I did think this was an indication of the restaurant working for your business. The waiters were friendly and there for you. Service is included so it was not that they were scrounging for tips. They just had it right! The food was excellent and presented in the style we have become accustomed to in better restaurants; artfully arranged Apparently Lady Thatcher lives very nearby. Who can tell? She may show up!

L’AUTRE, SB Shepard Street, Shepards Market (499-4680) Tube stop: Green Park
It took some convincing to get me to try a restaurant billed as having Polish and Mexican food; especially when it has a French name. When we arrived there I realized I had been at this place before. I thought it had been billed as a wine bar a year or so ago and it is a puzzlement that the emphasis had changed. I ordered what appeared to be a French item on the menu, passing up the Polish and Mexican items even though they were nicely described. I had remembered the food being good and surprisingly my chicken, covered liberally in melted Brie and a Dijon mustard sauce, did not disappoint. We had started with very large mushrooms in butter and garlic, which were very tasty. The others had duck and polish sausage respectively and raved about the food. I am always suspicious (and usually rightly so) when a restaurant tries to do two or more types of food but this one seems to make it work. The restaurant is tiny. It is nice if you can sit outside in the summer as Sheppard’s Market is the darling walking area I described earlier so the people watching is great. The main floor of L’Autre is cute and cozy. If you are relegated to the downstairs you are viewing the cooking and it is a little basic as far as decor is concerned so try to opt for upstairs.

JIM THOMPSON, 617 King’s Road, Fulham (731-0999) Tube Stop: Fulham Broadway
I am not usually a fan of pubs but this one is not like most pubs. For one it does not have the ever present and thoroughly obnoxious pinball machines. Secondly, it is one of the prettiest pubs you will ever come across. The pub itself is very eye pleasing and the restaurant in back is so lovely visually that it is a pleasure to sit and gaze at all the artifacts placed on the walls. The restaurant is mainly Thai/ Malaysian. The artifacts on the walls are from the Spice Islands and meld in with the pastel draped fabric and candlelight to give you an oriental setting. What do I know of Thai food? Very little..... however I do know if food is tasty. The entrees run around 6 pounds. The first time I ate here I started with the tempura fried veggies which were more than one person could eat (although I managed to!) This is a dish to share. I followed with coconut/peanut sauce on grilled chicken with egg-fried rice. Most oriental type restaurants in London serve tee-tiny portions but these seem to be a normal size so the food was filling and Thai-tasty! I really love the fact that the pub has Lowenbrau on tap! Having a beer from Munich on tap is reason enough all by itself to go and sit by the fireplace and quaff a wonderful Munichiner brew.

1 a LAUNCESTON PLACE, London W8 5Rl (phone 937-69120) Tube stop: Glouster Road This place is a little hard to find but yummy, yummy, yummy it is good. The food is really delightful; the atmosphere is upscale but also so cozy and comfortable to be in that I enjoy every moment. It looks like it could be a very stuffy upper crust typically English hideaway for those in the know. You will find the service very friendly. The surprise is that they serve a two-course menu for 13.50 pounds for a really excellent meal! Three courses run about 17 pounds. This all includes service. Wine is separate but you will find the house red is truly delicious. If you can find this darling little hide-a-way I think you are in for a treat. I do always enjoy an evening meal at this darling and hidden establishment. (Last check they had gotten rid of the set price Menu. It may be too pricey now.)

THE BEETLE & WEDGE Moulsford on Thames
Oxfordshire (phone 0491-651381)
If you can find this restaurant you are going to have a great day in the country. Make it a part of your excursion to Oxford and Blenham Palace (a must see). The Beetle & Wedge is a darling Toad Hall like hotel situated right on the bank of the Thames. They have a restaurant on the property in an old boathouse appropriately called The Boathouse. A French woman who knows cooking runs it. Here you will have a delightful meal in a warm and wonderful setting. Have a drink out on the bank of the Thames and watch the boats drifting by. Then have a lovely meal in the warm and inviting atmosphere of The Boathouse. The whole setting is idyllic. It is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon so do make it a point to go out of your way to find Moulsford on the map. The hotel is reasonably priced if you want a little country interlude.

TRATORRIA PARMIGIA
22 James Street
(Tel: 0171-629-0272) Tube
stop: Bond Street
If you want a very inexpensive Italian meal that is plentiful and filling find this tiny restaurant near the entrance to St. Christopher Square. It is not gourmet but the prices are excellent and the food is well worth the cheap price. There are three or four Italian restaurants on James Street. This is one of the first you will come to as you turn off of Oxford Street. It IS very small and the area is very busy on weekends so you may want to call ahead if you find yourself wanting a reasonably priced meal on a Friday or Saturday night. There is outside seating during the summer. You will be find yourself being very neighborly in the winter because the tables ore intimately close. I have eaten here several times. The first time I had pasta. It was thick, spicy and as good as most pastas I have tasted with the spicy tomato sauce. In London they believe in caliente when they advertise spicy. The last stop at Villa Richi I had a chicken with a mushroom sauce, vegetables and garlic potatoes. Every Italian restaurant I have tired in London serves a chicken breast that has been flattened and has a tiny bone at one end of the oval piece. You feel like you are getting a large portion of chicken. My chicken was served this way. The sauce had plenty of mushrooms and gave the chicken a good flavor. The vegetables were al dente and the potatoes were tasty. This is a good place to go if you are tired of sticker shock at most London dining establishments.

WODKA
12 St. Albans Grove
Tel. 020 7037 6513
www.wodka.co.uk
Tube stop: Glouster Road
The first time I ate here a person trying to sell me a multi-level marketing scheme was holding me hostage. There was no way I could enjoy my meal or even remember what it was I had eaten. The second time I came I regretted missing that last meal. I never expect much from Polish fare but this is really good food. It comes artfully stacked in the nouvelle style minus the flaming rosemary sprig. The portions are large and the sauces subtle. I had pork filets topped with a Portobello mushroom cap sitting atop mash.
My dinner partner had chicken Kiev with uncut string beans. You can start with flavored vodkas that set the food off nicely. The main courses run about 12 pounds and the starters are in the 6-pound range. The house red wine was very good. The atmosphere is minimalist bistro. I think you will like a new experience here.

ORSINO, 119 Portland Road
Tube stop: Holland Park Tel: 020 7221 3299
Right down from Julies, the darling restaurant mentioned earlier, you will find a very modern Italian restaurant named Orsino. Try this place for a change of place from the typically English ambiance of most of the others on this list. The clever louvered blinds and light contemporary decor make the room inviting. I would venture back here for the grilled chicken dish that I dined on as it was so tasty.
The accompanying vegetables were scrumptious too. My meal ran about $34. This included an appetizer and wine and coffee.

CAFÉ OLE
119 Upper Street, Islington
Tel: 0207-226-6991
Tube stop: Angel Station
Café Ole belongs to my friend Maggie and her husband Laurie. It is located in a darling emerging area in London called Islington. The area is becoming a mini Hampstead Heath with a young trendy crowd occupying the neighborhood. It is also the home of experimental theater. Try the Kings Head; a theater in a pub. Or take in a show at the Almida. When you walk towards the café from the tube stop you will pass lots and lots of cute little restaurants and shops. In the newly decorated Café Ole you will have a lovely meal at very reasonable prices. Most of the entrees run around 6 pounds. I loved the Rock Around the Plate salad, a large vegetable and pasta salad that tasted very light, fresh and delicious. You can’t go out the door until you have tasted Maggie’s recipe made into the most scrumptious cheesecake.

GIRAFFE, 6-8 Blanford St.
Tel: 202 7 935 2333
Tube Stop: Marlybone
If you want a large but very nice tasting portion at a low price in a very casual atmosphere you will find it at Giraffe. It is a little gimmicky as it features picnic table style dining. The tables are much more upscale than the wooden table of your childhood but, nonetheless, resemble the long table you will find in an American backyard. This allows for a shared dining experience. Sitting next to the other patrons can be a delightful way to get to know some of the English people. (There are individual tables available.) The restaurant is light and airy and nicely appointed with light woods and warm colors.
The food has an oriental flare and has interesting spices and ingredients. As mentioned, the portions are large. The main dishes run 6 to 7 pounds on average. I think you will enjoy saving some money and having a filling and satisfying meal.

LA BRASSERIE
272 Brompton Road
Tel: 020 7584 1668
Tube Stop: South Kensington Station
I am told that this was a hang out for many of the Sloan Rangers at one time. These are the young wealthy girls that populate Chelsea. I am not sure if this group is still in existence under that name as this group was popularized around the time Diana married Charles. The restaurant is still a place where a lot of well-heeled people seem to go for a reasonably priced meal in this oh so trendy neighborhood. The food is great for the price. I had a large portion eggplant dish made with Gorgonzola cheese. I could have eaten a whole pan it was so good. It ran in the 8-pound range. My table partners had wonderful meals. Another friend went a few weeks later and also raved about her meal. All the main courses seem to run in the 8 to 10 pound range. We were able to get in without a reservation. On a weekend, however, I would call ahead.

ARCADIA
25 Kensington High Street
Tel: 020 7937 4393
I have always liked the food at Arcadia. It is a bit more expensive however. You can pull up their menu at TopTable.com. If you keep your wine intake in check and stay away from a dessert you can get out the door fairly reasonably. I think you will enjoy the upscale presentation and the combination of flavors. I had steak tartar one time. It was delicious. Then I found out about Mad Cow disease! I am still here however and fairly normal. As they have beaten the disease in England you can go back to safely having this raw beef dish.
They have added a set priced “Menu”. Three courses run 12.95 pounds. Two courses around 9.95 pounds. That is a deal in London.

COMO LARIO, 22 Hobein Place
Tel: 020-7730-2954 or 020-7730-9046
Tube Stop: Sloan Square
I had passed this restaurant a number of times and had always wanted to try it. It looked very expensive with tablecloths and a line of wine glasses that always appear on the tables of the more pricey places. The slated blinds and light colored woods accompanied by interesting art also added to the ambiance that you see in expensive London restaurants. There is not a menu card in the window so I was not able to determine how much one would spend for a meal. Additionally, its location in the very tony Belgravia area lead me to believe that the prices would be out of line with my budget. My brother and sister in law made reservations here for my birthday so I was at last able to try their fare. To my surprise the menu was VERY reasonable! The main courses ran about 10 pounds ($15 American). The appetizers were prices from 5 to 6 pounds. I started with fried mozzarella that topped salad greens. My main course of grilled vegetables and lamb was perfectly done. Cumo Lario is affordable after all so make a reservation and enjoy a lovely meal.

NANDO’S
117 Glouster Road
www.nandos.com.uk
This chain is a favorite with the crews because it is very inexpensive and serves large portions of chicken and vegetables. I think you will like the preparation as it is a bit spicy and exotic. Don’t dress up as Nando’s is meant to be casual. You can check out the prices and the menu on line. The website will also note the many locations. If you want to save some money and have a “goodly” portion you might want to stop at one of the Nando’s near you.

CARLUCCIO’S Cafe
226 Fulham Road
Tel: 020 7376 5960
e-mail- fulham@carluccios.com
website-carluccios.com
(There is also one right across from the South Kensington tube stop.)
light, bright atmosphere in clear white and blue makes this Italian restaurant a pleasant place to stop for a casual meal.
There is an Italian grocery section that blends into the coffee bar cum restaurant. The wait staff is extremely cordial. They serve large plates of reasonably priced pastas. The Gnocchi al Gorgonzola runs 6.25 pounds. Spaghetti alle Vongola (clams) is 7.25 pounds. Pasta con Fungi (mushrooms) costs 5.95 pounds. Check out their website for a complete menu and a look at the restaurant. It is right across from the Chelsea Hospital and near the beginning of Hollywood Road. Share an antipasto and then dig into a large plate of pasta for your main course . This will get you out the door for a most reasonable price for London.

My newest find:

ALBUM
2 Elystan Street /Chelsea
(A few blocks down from Fulham Road hospital.

Album in on a sweet square at the end of Elystan Street which right angles off of Fulham Road. It is a casual hip restaurant and bar with burnt sienna walls and a warm feel although the tables are sans table cloths.
The menu is what makes you take notice. All of the main courses run about 8 pounds and the appetizers about half that. You do not find those prices in London very much. To make it even better the food, although a casual menu, is very well prepared. The vegetables are “al dente”, the presentation is that of a higher end restaurant, the portions are large and the food tastes good. The lamb burger has a huge side of fries. I started with grilled asparagus done perfectly and followed with a pesto penne pasta that had a light feel and a lovely taste.

Buenos Aires Restaurant List

2008-03-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Woody’s Restaurant List for
Buenos Aires
The Big EZE!

Eating reasonably in Buenos Aires.
Any comments: WoodyAAL@aol.com

EL ESTABLO

Paraguay 489

Cross St. is San Martin

(Near Florida St.)

This is the best steak in Buenos Aires. Typical of a great Argentine steak house you can order all the wonderful sides with the big slab of meat they serve you. The salads are fresh, the creamed spinach to die for and don't forget to slap some fried cheese on your hips while you are at it. Have a house red and sit back and stuff yourself for under $20. I think the lomo is the best cut of meat. The portions are large so share to start out and if you are still hungry you can always order more. If you are crew mention it as they give a bit of a discount.

DORA
Reconquista 1076
Tel” 4311 2891
Info@dorabaires.com
Across from the Sheraton Hotel.
Dora is highly recommended by a diverse number of crews. One of the reasons is that they give a nice airline discount if you mention the airline you work for. The Iberia crew I talked to had this as number one on their list. The other reason is the prices are excellent and the food matches the prices: also excellent. Their specialty is fish which is a bit odd because they have hundreds of Parma hams hanging from the ceiling as decorations. I never saw ham on the menu! The steak in Buenos Aires is usually wonderful as all those gauchos in chaps aren’t rounding up all that cattle on the pampas for their health. One comes to BA for the beef. The beef at Dora will not disappoint (What’s with all those hams!) Dora’s probably has the best creamed spinach in town. It is baked with a cheesy crust. Their salads are fresh and large. Split the side dishes. One person cannot eat the portions they serve. I had their fish for lunch. The portion was so large I was sure they had brought in one fish and his brother for my meal. You can be safe even splitting the main course if you are not supremely hungry.

CABANA LAS LILAS
Alicia Moreau de Justo 516
Tel: 4313 1336
www.Laslilas.com.ar
Las Lilas is recommended by the book 1000 Places to See Before You Die. It is located in Porto Madera in one of the warehouses that string the water of the River Plata. These warehouses of the former port of Buenos Aires have all been turned into restaurants. It is a wonderful area to dine because you can sit on the terrace or inside and look out over the water and the new construction of the super chic and hip port area. We had been told that Las Lilas was touristy but we did not find that to be so. It seemed populated by well dressed locals. The Argentineans are a very good looking group of people and this group of patrons held up their end of the bargain in the appearance department. The prices are supposed to be a bit higher than other restaurants on the quay. They were a bit higher but not out of sight. Certainly not enough to keep you from trying an excellent meal.
They start you out with a big plate of unusual anti-pasta. There is bread galore throughout the meal. The bread in Argentina is varied with interesting textures and tastes. At Las Lilas they have a person who’s soul job is to keep coming around with more bread. We shared a salad, each had a steak and a lot of fries. We ordered a side of mixed vegetables which were wonderfully prepared in a copper pan. I am not sure of the preparation but the taste was divine. We split a dolche de leche strudel for dessert. A plate of sweets magically appeared after dessert along with a liqueur. With all the bread, anti-pasta and sweet add ons we did not push back from the table hungry.

BROCCOLINO
Esmeralda 776
Tel: 4322 7652
www.broccolino.com
Broccolino is another crew favorite. It bills itself as Italian but you can still get a really good steak. I would go back again for the red sauce on its pasta alone. The pasta with gorgonzola sauce is zesty and tasty. The service was fun and attentive. Their specialty is calamari which they prepare sautéed with a number of herbs to pump up the flavor. I am not a calamari fan so I did not try it. The rest of our group was more into fried calamari so it was not their favorite. It is such a large portion I would split it if you wanted to see if your taste runs to this tubular cut of the squid. The salad was wonderful as they seem to be in Buenos Aires. Again, the portions are large so split the salads and the sides. One reason this restaurant is well liked is the price. Very reasonable. You will feel like you are in a little slice of Italy with it’s green walls and red and white checked table clothes. You will also feel like you are in New York with it’s large tableau of the city on one of it’s major walls. I guess you can feel like you are also in “Little Italy”.

FRANCESCA
Migueletes 840
Tel” 4 776 6760
www.francescaresto.com
Palermo
Palermo is the Soho area of Buenos Aires. It has lots of shopping, restaurants and lovely tree lined streets. It is understood to be one of THE places to live in BA. It is also the home to a lot of lively dining. Our hotel concierge recommended this new restaurant in Palermo and we were glad he did. The place is very modern and very elegant. The service was extremely attentive. One of our party dropped a napkin. Another napkin delivered by tongs showed up in just a few seconds. We had our ubiquitous steak and fries. The waiter recommended the less expensive of the steaks which was a nice surprise. (And a delicious steak it was.) I usually find the waiters only touting the more expensive fare in the U.S They had a lot of other entrees but when in BA we usually head to the divine beef. We split three salads between the six of us. We were glad we did split because one per person would have been too much. The salad had cheese toast on top and was the most interesting mix of greens and toppings I have every had in a salad anywhere. Of course the bread was an interesting mix of breadsticks, varied rolls and flatbreads as it is in this wonderful city. And again, the bread kept coming! We split one dessert among the six of us. We immediately regretted not getting one per person. It was the most delicious dessert I have ever put in my mouth. The dessert was a typical Volcano but it was a Dolce de Leche Volcano. We would have all willingly dived into the middle of it but we had to be polite and share. It came with a side of banana ice cream and a very thin and large banana wafer. While we waited for our cab after dinner the staff brought us a Malamado; liqueur made from the Malbec grape as a port like wine. This restaurant was just a tiny bit more expensive than the less glamorous places we have dined in BA.

IDEAL
Suipacha 384
Tel” 265 8069
Tango on! At 10PM they have a Tango show at this old Buenos Aires tango hall. You have to go just to see the interior. The interior looks like an old speakeasy from the twenties. You can just imagine the people of the city spending hours whiling away the time dancing through all the political upheavals they have had in this, the Argentina capital city. Apparently they give tango lessons quite cheaply before the show starts The lessons begin around 8PM and run about six American dollars. (The peso runs about 3 to the dollar so Americans can still dine and play quite well in BA.) They have dinner before the show. We ate elsewhere but I will try the food here in the future. The Tango dancers are not a young group. They were wonderful to see. You could tell that Tango could keep you in the wonderful shape these people were in as it seems like an athletic dance.

MILIONS
Parena 1048
Te: 4815 9925
www.milionargentina.com.ar
Milions is located in Ricoletta; the most elegant of areas in Buenos Aires. It was recommended by a lady who sells at Casa Lopez at the elegant shopping arcade, Bullrich. She told us that this is a place the people who live in the city frequent. It is in a wonderful old town house. It consists of three levels of restaurant and bars. The top level is a comfy bar with lounging couches. The bottom floor seems to be mainly outside dining under awnings. We ate on the balcony of the second level which looked out on the diners below and the lovely patio area. The restaurant inside was casual enough to have a relaxed atmosphere for dinner. The menu was a nice surprise in that it was a shorter menu with interesting selections. Usually the menus in BA seem to offer such a huge selection that it is hard to make a decision. I had the chicken with a vegetable puree and beans. My friend Mardi had a wonderful duck confit. Our waitress seemed to know when we needed something. She was “on the spot” and like most of the Argentineans; just a lovely person. The crowd seems a bit younger here but eclectic. The bar might be a “scene”. Most things don’t start going in BA until 10 PM or later. I can’t stay awake that late!.

LA BRIGADA
Estadas Unidas 465
Tel” 4361 5557
While this was recommended by people who live in BA with the idea that this is where the locals eat we did not find it to be any less expensive than some of the other restaurants that we tried in the “more expensive” category. We enjoyed our experience in what seems to be a quasi-sports bar. The flags of all the local and not so local soccer teams are displayed all over the walls. All that is missing is the myriad of televisions broadcasting the games. The place is jammed so you have to make a reservation a week or so ahead of time or plan on eating around 9PM. This is not late by BA standards.
We had lomo once more. It was an enjoyable evening and worth a try to eat where the “natives” have an evening meal. With the prices a bit more than some, these must be the more well heeled natives.

PRIME CORTE
Venezuela 1290
Tel: 4381 9138
www.primecorte@ciudad.com,ar
The first time we crossed the largest boulevard in the world to reach this Parilla (steak restaurant) we had a wonderful meal. We split the fried cheese appetizer. You have to try the fried cheese in BA. It is on every menu it seems and is a delightful naughty way to start out your meal. Again we split a really fresh salad. Why can’t we get as good a tomato in the U.S.A.? We also shared the creamed spinach. They do it wonderfully here. My steak was the size of a big mans fist and really a scrumptious filet. They call it “Lomo” which you should ask for if you want to be sure to get a chateaubriand type cut of meat. It ran about $9 American.
The second time we ate here we were twelve rather than ten. What we have found in this fair city is that it is better to take a large group and split it into two tables or more. We think they had a meltdown in the kitchen that night as the steak was not as wonderful and was not cooked per order. To their credit we have found that every time we have gone in a group larger than six to any restaurant the service, which is normally great in BA, has fallen dramatically. You cannot talk to the other end of the table when you are twelve so you might as well order two tables so you can have a pleasant dinner conversation. I would go back to Prime Corte but don’t overwhelm the staff by too large a group.

DON ERNESTO
Carlos Calvo 375
San Telmo
Tel” 4307-6927
Another Parilla ( I looked it up. It means Grill in Spanish) right off the antique street in San Telmo this restaurant has a casual atmosphere. We had lunch here and found the food reliable and, as usual, in large amounts. Again, I had a steak. I am turning into a French fry in BA. I never eat them in the United States but I can’t keep my hands off them in Argentina. I am plumping up quite nicely. Fortunately Argentina is the leading country in the world for plastic surgery and cosmetic work. Lippo anyone????

OLSEN
Gurriti 5870
Tel”4776 7677
Palermo
A taste of Sweden in this cosmopolitan city. 0lsen has the feel of Scandinavia with its blond wood panels and minimalist furniture. A lovely garden outside the glass front gives a garden feel to the whole restaurant. Lunch is about $9 US. You have choices in three categories and they all come together on one plate. This price includes a beverage by the way. We all chose the Caesar salad which came in a tall glass cup. Then we chose different items for the main course and accompaniment. I had pastrami with slaw. I think this is a most pleasant place to have lunch. It came recommended by several people. It is a nice break in the routine of the traditional Parilla.

LA BIELA
Av. Quintana 596
Tel: 4804 4135
www.labiela.com
In Ricolletta, across from the cemetery where Evita and other famous families are interred, is a restaurant called La Biela. It has a lovely, large patio. The menu is casual with some large and interesting salads. It is a very nice place to stop for lunch after a visit to the cemetery. The cemetery is like a small town so it is a must see tourist stop. We are finding that it is cheaper to eat inside than outside by several pesos so check the menu if you are into saving a bit of money. We have stopped here for lunch several times and always enjoyed lunch. They have a lunch special which can be quite good. I like the salads; especially the one that is all tomato, onion and olives.

CAFÉ TORTONI
On Ave. de Mayo
This café is the oldest in Buenos Aires. We enjoy it often in the morning for the tostadas and coffee. The thin sandwiches made of cheese and ham are turning into a favorite breakfast. Grilled cheese and ham sandwiches seem to be a normal breakfast item in this part of Argentina. The atmosphere is old and interesting. I am not sure of the vintage but I would say it is late 1800’s. They have a Tango show here but I am told you might want to attend the one at Ideal rather than at Café Tortoni.

A HINT: Tipping in BA is 10%

El ESTABLO
Paraguay 489
Tel: 4311-1639/0607
We had avoided El Establo because it was touted as being a bit of a crew hangout. (Too many Americans we assumed.) We were wrong to stay away! This was one of the best steaks I have had in this land of wonderful steaks. They grill the beef on a large grill in the back room where we were seated….and they grill it perfectly. We shared a lomo (chateau cut) meant for three. The portions were very large filets. We could not have eaten a large portion individually. We shared a caprese salad, fries and spinach between three of us. Plenty, plenty, plenty. I expected a hugely casual atmosphere with no ambiance at all. The front of the restaurant is quite non-descript. El Establo was actually quite nice. We liked the back room the best. I don’t think I would have enjoyed the front room or the dining area upstairs as much. The back room was more of a “happening place”. I do highly recommend walking down Florida Street (the pedestrian shopping street) to El Establo.

JUANA M
Carlos Pellegrini 1535
Subsuelo
4326-6661
Juanam@fibertel.com.ar
I am not usually a fan of salad bars so I was dragged kicking and screaming to Juana M. After all; why would I want to prepare my own salad when dining out. I can do that at home….if only I would. Juana M has a white, trendy, hip décor and just as trendy, and hip salad bar. The gimmick is that you get a all you can eat salad when you order an entrée. The salad bar is extensive with a lot of offerings you will never see at one stateside. The salads are in smaller bowls so they can fit more on the long table. You can fill your plate with a variety of tastes. You are not bumping into a glass covering as they are not as germ phobic.
The dinner itself was really enjoyable and a big portion. I had chicken as I get a little beefed out in Buenos Aires. The prices as reasonable as they seem to be most places in B.A. The place is packed with beautiful young people so make sure you call for a reservation.

For a great apartment in Recoletta e-mail July Astoul at julyastoul@hotmail.com. She has apartments in this wonderful upscale area of Buenos Aires.