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By Root 914 0

bar in front, which is where I had my special Willi’s moment: On a fall day in 1995 I was the only person at the bar at about five p.m., so I had the privilege of talking to the bartender with no distractions and could listen in on his conversations with other staff members. There was a lot of anxious chatter because it was Williamson’s birthday (or maybe it was his partner’s; my memory of this detail isn’t entirely clear, but it doesn’t really matter). The staff had arranged for T-shirts to be imprinted marking the occasion, and I was shown one and asked for my opinion (it was great!). Everything about the birthday was a surprise, so there was lots of whispering and numerous calls placed between Willi’s and nearby Juvéniles (47 rue de Richelieu), owned at the time by Williamson and then-partner Tim Johnston (and still a good place for tapas and wine). I had this insider’s view for only about an hour and a half, because by that time the seats at the bar started to fill up. I had to leave, but the staff members sent me on my way with a warm farewell and hugs all around. Willi’s never disappoints, and its limited-edition posters make fine souvenirs. Note: Macéo (15 rue des Petits-Champs) is Williamson’s other venture, a contemporary restaurant named after saxophonist Maceo Parker, which I also very much like.

* Ziryab (on the top floor of L’Institut du Monde Arabe, 1 rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard, 5ème / +33 01 53 10 10 20). I’ve never actually eaten a meal at Ziryab, which specializes in mostly Lebanese cuisine that I hear is quite good. But I have sipped delicious thé a la menthe on the outdoor terrace, where I looked out at the fabulous view and felt I was in one of the best spots on earth.

French Restaurant and Food Guides

If you are a real culinary nut, you may like to review a number of sources to find places to eat, drink, and buy provisions. Let me stress that all these guides are fairly subjective, so if you determine you trust a particular author or team of writers, that seems as sure a guide as any to lead you to places that won’t let you down, be it a modest eatery or a Michelin-starred temple. I generally eat and drink well when I’m in France, if not always fabulously. You will, too, by following trusted advice, understanding the difference between the varieties of French eateries (detailed previously), and reading about regional specialties. You’ll also undoubtedly discover some good places on your own that I hope you’ll share with me!

Regarding the well-known Guide Michelin and Pudlo Paris, I like consulting both. (Though there is a Zagat edition devoted to Paris, I am not generally a fan of Zagat, as I feel the descriptions are not thorough enough, and I concur with Art of Eating publisher Edward Behr, who remarked that Zagat “has all the defects of democracy. It’s a poll. It’s like an average. It’s too smoothed out.… I would prefer to hear a little more in-depth from someone with one point of view.”)

The mighty Michelin has battled some criticism over the last few years, and though it may not be as scrupulously unbiased as the staff likes to claim, I think it has emerged relatively unscathed. For me, the best reason to consult the Red Guide (not to be confused with the Green Guides, which are for touring) is for the Bib Gourmand places, which are awarded this accolade for serving very good food at a reasonable price. Peter Mayle has described these places as not very fashionable and rarely eulogized by the guidebooks. “But they have something about them that I—not to mention a few hundred thousand French customers—find irresistible. A very distinct character, the comforting feeling that you and your appetite couldn’t possibly be in better hands.”

Le Guide Pudlo, compiled by Gilles Pudlowski, restaurant critic and journalist for the French weekly newsmagazine Le Point, is very comprehensive and only recently available in English (distributed by Little Bookroom). It’s organized by arrondissement and features not only the grandes tables but also hundreds of recommendations for specialty gourmet shops,