Paris_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Lonely Planet [177]
BISTRO DES DAMES Map French €€
01 45 22 13 42; 18 rue des Dames, 17e; starters €6.50-14, mains €13-22; lunch & dinner to 11.30pm; Place de Clichy
This charming little bistro will appeal to lovers of simple, authentic cuisine, such as hearty salads, tortillas and glorious charcuterie platters of pâté de campagne and paper-thin Serrano ham. The dining room, which looks out onto the street, is lovely, but during those humid Parisian summers it’s the cool and tranquillity of the small back garden that pulls in the punters.
LA GAIETÉ COSAQUE Map Russian €€
01 44 70 06 07; 6 rue Truffaut, 17e; starters €1.90-19.50, mains €16-20.50, menus €9.50 & €11 (lunch only), €23 & €27; lunch & dinner to 11.45pm Mon-Sat; Place de Clichy or Rome
This bistro-like restaurant with the oxymoronic name (Cossack Cheerfulness indeed!) is the place for zakouski (Russian hors d’oeuvres), typically drunk with ice-cold vodka. Among the stand-outs are salades de choux blancs aux baies roses (a coleslaw-like salad with bay leaves), the various herring dishes and aubergine ‘caviar’. Hearty mains include chachlyik (lamb kebab; €19) and koulbiaka (pie filled with fish, rice, veg and boiled eggs; €20.50).
À LA GRANDE BLEUE Map North African, Berber €€
01 42 28 04 26; 4 rue Lantiez, 17e; starters €4.50-7.50, mains €10-18.50, menu €10.90 (lunch only); lunch Mon-Fri, dinner to 10.30pm Mon-Sat; Brochant or Guy Moquet
You’ll find unusual barley couscous (€11.80 to €18.50) prepared in the style of the Berbers (Kabyles) of eastern Algeria, as well as the usual semolina variety (€10 to €17.50), tajines (€13 to €23) and savoury-sweet pastilla au poulet (chicken pastilla; €18.50). The rare crêpes berbères (Berber crepes; €8.50 to €11.50) require a minimum of four people. We love the blue and yellow décor, the art on the walls and warm welcome.
LA TÊTE DE GOINFRE Map French, Café €€
01 42 29 89 80; 16 rue Jacquemont, 18e; starters €4-7.50, mains €13-17; lunch & dinner to 10.30pm Mon-Sat; La Fourche
This funny place, whose name translates as ‘Glutton Head’, has a piggy theme, and cute little figurines pepper the joint. As for the joints and other comestibles on the plate, it’s (mostly) pork – from the charcuterie to munch on while you wait for a table to the l’os à moëlle (marrow bone) and confit de porc (pork confit). It’s a lively place, always packed and an evening to experience. Just go with a carnivore.
AU BON COIN Map French, Café €€
01 58 60 28 72; 52 rue Lemercier, 17e; starters €6-9.50, mains €11-17; lunch Mon-Fri, dinner to 11.30pm Tue-Fri; La Fourche
There’s nothing particularly spectacular about this café up from place de Clichy that moonlights as a restaurant four nights a week. In fact, it’s crowded and rather noisy. But if you are looking for solid café food and a quintessential Parisian eating experience, look no further than ‘At the Right Corner’.
JOY IN FOOD Map Vegetarian €€
01 43 87 96 79; 2 rue Truffaut, 17e; starters €5, mains €10, menus €13 & €16; lunch Mon-Fri; Place de Clichy
This cosy little place just northwest of the place de Clichy serves homemade vegetarian dishes including omelettes and savoury tarte. The plat du jour might be couscous or vegetarian gratin and the huge desserts (apple crumble, chocolate cake) are legendary.
LA MAFFIOSA DI TERMOLI Map Italian, Pizzeria €
01 55 30 01 83; 19 rue des Dames, 17e; pizzas & pasta €7.50-9.90; lunch Mon-Sat, dinner to 11pm; Place de Clichy
This place has more than 40 pizzas that are too good to ignore, as well as decent garlic bread with or without Parma ham. It does a thriving takeaway business, too.
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SELF-CATERING
Marché Batignolles-Clichy is excellent for produits biologiques (organic food products).
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OPÉRA & GRANDS BOULEVARDS
The neon-lit blvd Montmartre and nearby sections