Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [143]
Fodor’s Choice | Le Violon d’Ingres.
$$$–$$$$ | HAUTE FRENCH | Following in the footsteps of Joël Robuchon and Alain Senderens, Christian Constant has given up the star chase in favor of more accessible prices and a packed dining room (book at least a week ahead). And with Stéphane Schmidt in charge of the kitchen here Constant can dash between his four restaurants on this street, making sure the hordes are happy. And why wouldn’t they be? The food is sophisticated and the atmosphere is lively; you can even find signature dishes like the almond-crusted sea bass with rémoulade (a buttery caper sauce), alongside game and scallops (in season), and comforting desserts likepots de crème and chocolate tart. The food is still heavy on the butter, but with wines starting at around €20 this is a wonderful place for a classic yet informal French meal. | 135 rue St-Dominique, Invalides | 75007 | 01–45–55–15–05 | www.leviolondingres.com | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon. | Station: École Militaire
8E ARRONDISSEMENT (CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES)
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée.
$$$$ | HAUTE FRENCH | The dining room at Alain Ducasse’s flagship Paris restaurant gleams with 10,000 crystals, confirming that this is the flashiest place in town for a blowout meal. Clementine-color tablecloths and space-age cream-and-orange chairs with pull-out plastic trays for business meetings provide an upbeat setting for the cooking of young Ducasse protégé chef Christophe Moret. Some dishes are subtle, whereas in others strong flavors overwhelm delicate ingredients. Service is also a little inconsistent, with occasional long waits between courses. Even so, a meal here is delightfully luxe, starting with a heavenly amuse-bouche of langoustine with caviar and a tangy lemon cream. You can continue with a truffle-and-caviar fest, or opt for more down-to-earth dishes like lobster in spiced wine with quince or saddle of lamb with sautéed artichokes. | Hôtel Plaza Athénée, 25 av. Montaigne, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–53–67–65–00 | Reservations essential; jacket required | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed weekends, 2 wks in late Dec., and mid-July–mid-Aug. No lunch Mon.–Wed. | Station: Alma-Marceau
Dominique Bouchet.
$$$–$$$$ | BISTRO | To taste the cooking of one of the city’s great chefs, you no longer need pay for the sumptuous backdrop once provided by the Hotel Crillon: Dominique Bouchet has left that world behind for an elegant bistro where contemporary art brightens cream-painted walls, and he seems all the happier for it. On the menu, refined French technique meets country-style cooking, as in leg of lamb braised in wine with roasted cocoa bean and potato purée, or a chocolate éclair with black cherries and ice cream. Sometimes the dishes can get a touch too complicated, but the warm service makes up for it. If you’re feeling indecisive you might treat yourself to the €98 tasting menu: a succession of six small plates followed by a dessert. | 11 rue Treilhard, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–45–61–09–46 | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed weekends and 3 wks in Aug. | Station: Miromesnil
La Fermette Marbeuf 1900.
$$–$$$ | BRASSERIE | Graced with one of the most mesmerizing Belle Époque rooms in town—accidentally rediscovered during renovations in the 1970s—this is a favorite haunt of French celebrities, who adore the sunflowers, peacocks, and dragonflies of the Art Nouveau mosaic. The menu rolls out solid, updated classic cuisine: try the snails in puff pastry, saddle of lamb with choron (a tomato-spiked béarnaise sauce), and bitter-chocolate fondant—but ignore the limited-choice €32 prix fixe (€24.50 at lunch) unless you’re on a budget. Popular with tourists and businesspeople at lunch, La Fermette becomes truly animated around 9 PM. | 5 rue Marbeuf, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–53–23–08–00 | www.fermettemarbeuf.com | AE, DC, MC, V | Station: Franklin-D.-Roosevelt
Le Bristol.
$$$$ | HAUTE FRENCH | After a rapid ascent at his own new-wave bistro,