Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [145]
Spoon.
$$$–$$$$ | MODERN FRENCH | Alain Ducasse’s original fusion bistro is centered around a silver screen, a long central, communal table, and some of the superchef’s most fashionable food. The mix-and-match menu hasn’t changed significantly since the restaurant first opened, but you can now order the bento-style lunch for €33 or a more elaborate €80 tasting menu at dinner (€120 with matching wines). Fashion folk love this place for its many vegetable and pasta dishes and its irresistible desserts, such as the cheesecake or the chocolate pizza to share. If you’ve sampled the Spoon concept elsewhere in the world, don’t expect the same here; each branch is tailored to a particular city’s tastes, and what looks exotic in Paris (the Spoon Burger with a slice of bacon or foie gras) might seem humdrum in New York. | 12 rue de Marignan, Champs-Elysées | 01–40–76–34–44 | www.spoon-restaurants.com | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed weekends and Aug. | Station: Franklin-D.-Roosevelt.
Taillevent.
$$$$ | HAUTE FRENCH | Perhaps the most traditional—for many diners this is only high praise—of all Paris luxury restaurants, this grande dame basks in renewed freshness under brilliant chef Alain Solivérès, who draws inspiration from the Basque country, Bordeaux, and Languedoc for his daily-changing menu. Traditional dishes such as scallops meunière (with butter and lemon) are matched with contemporary choices such as a splendid spelt risotto with truffles and frogs’ legs or panfried duck liver with caramelized fruits and vegetables. One of the 19th-century paneled salons has been turned into a winter garden, and contemporary paintings adorn the walls. The service is flawless, and the exceptional wine list is well priced. All in all, a meal here comes as close to the classic haute-cuisine experience as you can find in Paris. There’s an €80 lunch menu, with wines by the glass starting at €10. | 15 rue Lamennais, Champs-Élysées | 75008 | 01–44–95–15–01 | Reservations essential; jacket and tie | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed weekends, last wk in July, and 1st 3 wks in Aug. | Station: Charles-de-Gaulle–Étoile
9E ARRONDISSEMENT (OPÉRA)
Higuma.
¢ | JAPANESE | When it comes to steaming bowls of noodles, this no-frills dining room divided into three sections beats its many neighboring competitors. Behind the counter—an entertaining spot for solo diners—cooks toil over giant flames, tossing strips of meat and quick-fried vegetables, then ladling noodles and broth into giant bowls. A choice of formules (fixed-price menu options) allows you to pair various soups and stir-fried noodle dishes with six delicious gyoza (Japanese dumplings), and the stir-fried dishes are excellent, too. Don’t expect much in the way of service, but it’s hard to find a more generous meal in Paris at this price. There is a more subdued annex (without the open kitchen) at 163 rue St-Honoré, near the Louvre. | 32 rue Ste-Anne, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75001 | 01–47–03–38–59 | MC, V | Station: Pyramides.
Rose Bakery.
$ | BRITISH | On a street lined with French food shops selling produce, fish, baguettes, and monastery cheeses, this British-run café-restaurant might easily go unnoticed—if it weren’t for the frequent line out the door. Whitewashed walls, childlike art, and concrete floors provide the decor, and organic producers supply the ingredients for food so fresh and tasty it puts most Paris lunch spots to shame. French office workers and the area’s Anglos fill the room at lunch to feast on salads, soups, and hot dishes such as delicious risotto, followed by carrot cake, sticky toffee pudding, or comically large lemon tarts. There is also a branch at 30 rue Debelleyme in Le Marais. Weekend brunch is popular, so plan to arrive early. | 46 rue des Martyrs, Montmartre | 75009 | 01–42–82–12–80 | Reservations not accepted | AE, MC, V | Closed Mon. and 2 wks in Aug. No dinner | Station: Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.
11E ARRONDISSEMENT (BASTILLE)