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Lapérouse: 51 Quai des Grands Augustins, 6th, M° St-Michel, ☎ 01 43 26 68 04, Traditional French (€€€€€). Open Monday through Friday, noon to 2:30pm and 6 to 10pm; and Saturday, 6 to 10pm. Valet parking.
First opened in 1766, Lapérouse combines traditional French haute cuisine with a luxurious Belle Epoque interior overlooking the Seine. It’s really one of those places that seem to have popped right out of a period film. It was a popular literary café during its heyday, and became famous for its private salons particuliers where couples could dine undisturbed (these can be reserved for €110 per person). There’s a lunch menu découvert (discovery menu) for €30 and a menu dégustation (tasting menu) for €84.
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon: Hôtel Pont Royal, 5 Rue de Montalembert, 7th, M° Rue du Bac, ☎ 01 42 84 70 00. Modern French (€€€€). Open daily, 11:30am to 3pm and 6:30 to 11pm. No reservations accepted. 100% non-smoking.
After spending a few years in retirement, French “Chef of the Century” Joël Robuchon wanted to try something completely different in the world of haute cuisine. The result is L’Atelier, a black, red and chrome restaurant where diners sit on barstools around a central open kitchen to watch the master (occasionally) and his chefs at work. Since its 2003 opening, much has been said in the press about its no-reservation policy, which means the hungry end up waiting on the sidewalk for the next available stool. But the affordable prices, high-quality cuisine and enforced non-smoking rule make up for the wait. It’s the perfect place for solo diners and those who would like to try fine French cooking without the whole starched-tablecloths-and-set-menu routine.
Jardin des Cygnes: Prince de Galles Hôtel, 33, Avenue George V, 8th, M° George V, ☎ 01 53 23 78 50. French/Mediterranean (€€€€). Open daily. Valet parking.
This elegant restaurant has Mediterranean-inspired décor, with hand-painted frescos, and immense floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lush vegetation and intricate mosaic tiling of the courtyard garden (opened for al-fresco dining in the summer). The food takes a similar approach, with a southern touch to the fine French cuisine, and a reasonably priced wine list. The best deals are the evening set menu-carte of €59, or the weekday lunch menu for €46, which includes dessert and coffee. Sunday brunches are accompanied by a jazz pianist.
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée: Hôtel Plaza Athénée, 25 Avenue Montaigne, 8th, M° Alma-Marceau, ☎ 01 53 67 65 00, www.alainducasse.com. Modern French (€€€€€). Open Monday through Wednesday, 8 to 10:30pm; Thursday and Friday, 1 to 2:30pm and 8 to 10:30pm. Closed for August and December holidays.
The multi-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse is one of the hottest chefs in Europe, with virtual demi-god status in Paris (the master himself won’t be in the kitchen, he leaves that to his talented protégé Jean-François Piège). His restaurant in the Hôtel Plaza Athénée serves French classics with a modern twist, and an extensive international wine list. Popular with entertainment industry executives with large expense accounts and models booked into the suites upstairs.
Les Elysées du Vernet: Hôtel Vernet, 25 Rue Vernet, 8th, M° George V, ☎ 01 44 31 98 98, www.hotelvernet.com. French traditional (€€€€i). Open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, for dinner Monday through Friday. Closed August.
Les Elysées is a classic French restaurant in a boutique hotel just off the Champs-Elysées. Its intricate stained-glass ceiling by Gustave Eiffel gives the dining room a fresh, winter garden feel. Lobster and truffles feature heavily on the chef’s terroir menu, but the €45 lunch menu of fresh market dishes (and dessert) is considered one of the best deals in town, so book well in advance. Dinner guests should stop by the hotel’s India-inspired Jaïpur Bar for an intimate digestif or exotic cocktail.
Pierre Gagnaire: 6 Rue Balzac, 8th, M° George V, ☎ 01 58 36 12 50, www.pierre-gagnaire.com. Nouvelle cuisine (€€€€€). Open Monday through Friday, noon to 1:30pm and 7:30 to 9:30pm. Closed mid-July through mid-August. Valet parking.
Chef Pierre Gagnaire’s culinary creativity may not be for everyone, but this is the place for those who appreciate daring flavor combinations. The décor is classic contemporary, comfortable without distracting diners from what’s on their plate. Reservations (a month in advance, ideally) can be made on the web site.
Lucas Carton: 9 Place de la Madeleine, 8th, M° Madeleine, ☎ 01 42 65 22 90, www.lucascarton.com. Modern French (€€€€i). Open for dinner Monday through Saturday, and for lunch Tuesday through Friday. Closed August.
Those who don’t believe in the art of food and wine pairing will change their minds once they’ve tried Chef Alain Senderens’s cuisine, renowned for its ability to complement perfectly the fine vintages from the hand-picked wine list. The sumptuous 1890 Art Nouveau dining room is a listed historical monument, but for those appreciating a more modern atmosphere, the Cercle dining room upstairs has an Uptown New York décor. The lunch menu is available for €79.
Le Train Bleu: Gare de Lyon, 12th, M° Gare de Lyon, ☎ 01 43 43 09 06, www.le-train-bleu.com. Traditional French (€€€€). Bar open weekdays, 7:30am to 11pm, weekends, 9am to 11pm. Restaurant open daily, 11:30am to 3pm and 7 to 11pm.
Le Train Bleu is a Second-Empire-style restaurant built as part of the Gare de Lyon for the 1900 Universal Exposition in Paris. Its luxurious, gilded interior features 42 frescoes of the destinations served by the railway at the turn of the 20th century. Located just across from the train platforms, the restaurant bar is an ideal place to stop for a coffee or pre-departure cocktail. Le Train Bleu also has a non-smoking room and a children’s menu for €15.
Montparnasse ’25: Le Meridien Montparnasse, 19 Rue du Commandant Mouchotte, 14th, M° Montparnasse, ☎ 01 44 36 44 25. Modern French (€€€€€). Closed weekends and August.
Hidden on an upper floor of the Le Meridien Montparnasse hotel, the low-lit dining room of Montparnasse ’25 has an ’80s-jazz-club atmosphere with plenty of black lacquer, smoked glass and artists’ photographs of local legends lining the walls. The creative, modern cuisine is complemented by an international wine list, but be sure to leave room for the cheese! The monumental cartload of matured cheeses, chosen by the restaurant’s in-house cheese expert Gérard Poulard, is considered to be the finest in town.
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