Paris_ The Collected Traveler - Barrie Kerper [126]
And some tips to remember:
* At many cafés and casual places to eat, the price for food and drink is different depending on where you sit. If you stand at the bar (known as a comptoir or zinc) the price is cheaper than if you sit in the salle (dining room), which is cheaper than à la terrasse, the prime people-watching spot outside on a sidewalk, garden, or place.
* Haute cuisine is, to my mind, not simply a dining experience; it’s nothing less than an elaborate stage production of the highest caliber. True, it’s very expensive, but properly executed, the experience is sublime and unforgettable—and worth every euro. Ruth Reichl, during her tenure as restaurant critic for the New York Times, frequently reminded readers to keep several points in mind when considering the price of fine dining in France: haute cuisine is extremely labor intensive and requires enormously expensive ingredients; you never have to wait for a table in France because you effectively “buy” a table for the afternoon or evening; economically speaking, French restaurants are completely different from American restaurants, which concentrate on turning as many tables as possible during mealtimes; and prices on French menus include tax and tip, both of which add up to a hefty sum for a nice meal.
* In October 1998, Wine Spectator devoted one entire issue to Paris, and though this was some time ago, I still think the edition included some of the best advice for Americans dining in France today. It remains true that Americans are welcome at the great restaurants of France—as long as they are small in number. The writer explained, “The maître d’ at one three-star restaurant told me, ‘When an American calls, I put him on the waiting list until I see how the reservations are balanced. The French don’t like to eat in a dining room full of Americans, and neither do the Americans.’ ” Americans are often seated at the worst tables, and as many of us are unlikely to return to a particular gastronomic temple and it’s presumed we don’t know much about food, we remain low on many restaurants’ priority list. It helps to know all this, but as the writer reminds us, “Don’t be intimidated; remember who’s paying the bill.”
* If you’re not comfortable making a restaurant reservation by telephone, why not stop in and do it in person? This way, you will be certain that the details are all correct, you’ll have the opportunity to see the restaurant and take a look at the menu, and you’ll establish an early relationship with the staff.
* Odd as it may seem to our capitalist sensibility, many restaurants in Paris, including some high temples of gastronomy, are closed on Saturday for lunch and/or dinner and on Sunday. Be sure to plan accordingly if there is a particular restaurant you have your heart set on visiting. Note, also, that many eating establishments of any type are closed for part or all of August.
* Under the category of “knew it but forgot” is tipping: nearly every bill you receive anywhere in France at any type of eating establishment will include the tip, which is indicated by the words service compris. If you feel you have received exceptional service and you want to tip extra, it is customary to leave no more than a few euros, or 5 percent of the bill’s total. At bars, cafés, and elsewhere, it is also customary to round up your bill to the next euro. Note that if you are paying with a credit card, usually the bill will be brought to you with the total already filled in with no opportunity to leave a tip. If you must put the tip on your card, tell your waiter in advance that you’d like to add a tip to the total, but otherwise just leave the tip in cash. (I once had to leave a wine bar, search for an ATM, and return with the tip, which I felt was necessary because the waiter had really been terrific. The beam on his face when