Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau

Immediate neighborhood

These are the ones we would consider for an improvised meal nearby (apart from Frenchie, La Dame de Pic and Keï of course).

Everyday’s special (in no particular order)

• La Bocca, 59 rue Montmartre, 75002
  A long standing institution with a nice terrace under the trees of the rue Montmartre. Very decent italian food (ze pasta al tartuffo!), moderate prices.
• La Plume, 43 rue Etienne Marcel, 75001
  Really next door to your place. We already mentioned this one in an earlier post. It’s a fancy place, on the noisy side, but with the opportunity for one of the best post-dinner roof-top drink..
• L’escargot Montorgueil, 38 rue Montorgueil, 75001
  Another institution, since 1832, not for the fainthearted, as you will get snails, marrow bones, etc there, among classic french cuisine.
• La Cevicheria, 14 rue Bacheaumont, 75002
  A peaceful street in the Quartier Montorgueil, fish and pisco in any way you want it. Moderate prices.
• Baltard au Louvre, 9 rue Coquillère, 75001
  We go there because of the terrace under the trees. Feels like a week-end out of the city, only it’s 100m away and no traffic jams. The food is classic French brasserie. Anything you see from Corsica is welcomed on your table, as the boss comes from there and has a good selection, including wine.
• Au Rocher de Cancale, 78 Rue Montorgueil, 75002 Paris
  This is the place to enjoy delicious Oysters from one famous origin. Founded in the early 19th century, it became kind of an institution. Nonetheless, the rest of the menu is really nondescript. Go for the Oysters, which can be a nice terrasse pre-dinner aperitif thing.
• La Grille Montorgueil, 50 rue Montorgueil, 75002
  Inspired by the French Massif Central origin of the Chef (La Creuse, if you want to know), very classic and tasty food. Moderate price, nice terrace on the pedestrian streets of the Quartier Montorgueil.
• Au 3 éléphants, 36 rue Tiquetonne, 75002
  Decent thai restaurant in the neighborhood. Green and red curry everything, as one would expect. Inexpensive.
• Le comptoir de la gastronomie, 34 Rue Montmartre, 75001
  Well, that’s where we spend most of our bonuses, in fact not so often in the restaurant, but into the gourmet shop it shares the space with. This place is now managed by the 4rth (or is it 5th?) generation. Their story started in 1894, and it’s been around all along when Les Halles were the active wholesale food market of Paris. And it’s still here now, reinventing itself with the restaurant which would prepare creative and traditional gourmet dishes. This is the sort of place you go to when you like foie gras and the sorts. And the good news is that you can purchase in the gourmet store most of the ingredients they propose on the menu, including the wines.
• Lai’Tcha, 7 rue du Jour, 75001
  A Chinese bistrot Cheffe étoilée Adeline Grattard and Chi Wah Chan, her husband. She actually heads the kitchen there once per week, but we can’t remember what day (it’s indicated somewhere). In the likely case it’s full, they do takeaways, and it’s literally around the corner.

Celebration night

• Kei. 5 Rue Coq Héron, 75001 Paris
  Very fancy haute cuisine by famous Chef Kei Kobayashi. With 3 Michelin stars, on this restaurants which opened in 2011, you can expect nothing less than excellence. Will definitely mark a very special occasion.
• Frenchie, 5 rue du Nil, 75002
  We mention this one, though we know how difficult it is to get a table. Reservation should be secured months ahead (yes, check it out by yourself), and the waiting line starts around 6pm.
• La dame de pic, 20 rue du Louvre, 75001
  One of the many places managed by famous Cheffe Anne-Sophie Pic (over 10 Michelin stars globally, if you can believe it), one of them standing right there. Sophisticated, creative, on the expensive side. For a special guest, or occasion (likely to be both).

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Ze left bank

• Semilla, 54 rue de Seine 75006 Paris (20mn right bank-left bank walk)
  Not exactly haute cuisine, maybe haute bistrot cuisine. Both lively and cosy, usually surprising and delicious food associations. A great opportunity to walk across the Seine at night.
• Azabu, 3 rue André Mazet 75006 Paris (20mn right bank-left bank walk)
  Creative Japanese Teppanyaki cuisine under french influence. On the expensive side. A few counter sitting, from where you can admire the Chef and 3 or 4 tables on street level (best), or it’ll be in the fancy designed basement. An exceptional Sake selection. Azabu has been there for over 20 years, this is not just another fancy joint.
• Ze Kitchen Galerie, 4 rue des Grands Augustins 75006 Paris (20mn right bank-left bank walk)
  Another creative french cuisine restaurant, and an opportunity to have one of the nicest walk along the Quai des Grands Augustins, with a view over Notre Dame and Ze Seine. There is usually a multi-course “degustation menu” which never disappoints. Note: if you have a special home dinner opportunity, Ze Kitchen can accomodate a “chef-at-home” experience (6 guests minimum, on the expensive side, of course).
• Guy Savoy at La Monnaie de Paris, 11 Quai de Conti, 75006 Paris (15mn walk across Ze Seine)
  This one belongs to the Premier league, with this 3 starred restaurants in Paris, and a few others in Paris and Vegas, The food is of course outstanding. On top of this, you get to enjoy your meal in the Palais de la Monnaie, with unique views over Ze Seine. Of course it’s expensive, and of course it’ll make an everlasting impression. One concept in Guy Savoy’s restaurants (La Monnaie as well as Chiberta) is the possibility to privatize a small dinning room for family or professional events.
• Le Petit Saint Benoit – 4 Rue Saint-Benoît, 75006 Paris
  This one has been there for as long as the last three generations of St Germain des Près artists and intellectuals can remember. An institution, which tried to maintain its atmosphere and traditional menu over the last decade (only partly succeeded, but then St Germain des Près is no longer the intellectual Capital it used to be). This is the place to enjoy a Confis de canard, a Boeuf bourguignon, or even, for the most adventurous some Cuisses de grenouilles persillade.
• Le Restaurant – 13 rue des Beaux Arts, 75006 Paris France
  A confidential address, part of the Hotel des Beaux Arts, famous for hosting Oscar Wilde and a very fancy stairwell. Very enjoyable when the small garden/courtyard is open. Quite on the expensive side.

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Ze Olympe

There are Michelin starred restaurants, and there are MICHELIN restaurant. We believe those two belong to an even other categorie, which still needs to be invented (and of course money no object).

• L’Ambroisie, 9 place des Vosges, Le Marais, 75004
  Founded in 1986 by Bernard Pacaud, and now run by his son (under constant father supervision as it seems). Over three decades of 3 stars Michelin rating.
• L’arpège, 84, Rue de Varenne, 75007
  If we had one last meal on earth, we would happily share it with Alain Passard, the Chef of l’Arpège since 1986, a three star Michelin since 1996. This is when I’d tell the story of how I once had lunch AND dinner there on the same day — a very small club I presume. Nah … some other time! 🙂

These two Chefs, they don’t mean business, like Robuchon or Ducasse or Guy Savoy, mentioned earlier, or many others, multiplying their restaurants like hot buns. They mean emotions and creation and harmony. Mind you, we enjoy a meal at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon just like anyone else, but with these two, you get truly to higher levels.