We are a family of three who
greatly appreciate the hunt for
a tasty meal. This past
November, we rented an
apartment in the Marais in Paris
and spent five delicious days
eating our way through the city.
As our son said, “Mom, you
are fed through your eyes and
Dad and I are fed through our
mouths.” So, to that end, each
day began with a discussion–a
delicate balancing act between
the visual and the gustatory–of
not only what sites we would
see (or which arrondissement to
wander through), but where we
would dine.
Armed with various restaurant guides
(the website Paris by Mouth and the
book Hungry for Paris are two excellent
resources!) and Pariscope (that lists
all of the weeks cultural offerings) we
plotted our destinations; the only rule
was that we would walk everywhere. I
reasoned that the only way to keep to our
schedule of consuming two large meals a
day–with a few pastries in between–was
to counteract the eating with walking.
Walking from place to place had the
added advantage of stumbling upon
endless unexpected delights.
Without the budget for Michelin
stars and the better-known (and more
expensive) restaurants, we set out
to discover outstanding cooking,
great value, and excellent wine lists.
Mission accomplished.
Tuesday Lunch: L’AOC
184 Rue des Fosses-Saint Bernard
(01 43 54 22 52)
restoaoc.com
Wednesday Lunch: Huitrerie Regis
3 Rue Montfaucon
(01 44 41 10 07)
huitrerieregis.com
L’AOC, near the Institut de Monde
Arab, lives up to its name. AOC stands
for Appellation d’Origine Controlee,
the award designation for a French
agricultural product that meets precise
production and quality requirements. The
warm, old world–Gallic setting featured
simple, ingredient-driven cuisine from the
kitchen and from the open rotisserie at
the entrance. Roasted free-range chicken,
sautéed potatoes, leg of lamb stuffed with
garlic gratin Dauphinoise, and a slice of
roasted bacon. All wonderful.
This tiny outpost of sublime bivalves, set
in the heart of the 6th arrondissement,
may well be the best place for oysters
in Paris. Served with good bread and
Echire butter, plump oysters, sea urchins,
praires, and whole shrimp, the experience
was like a thrilling song of the sea. One
plateau was followed by a second and
then some. Accompanied by pichets de
Sancerre, this meal was an unforgettable
indulgence.
Monday Dinner: Philou
12 Avenue Richerand
(01 42 38 00 13)
Tuesday Dinner: Bistro Paul Bert
18 Rue Paul Bert
(01 43 72 24 01)
Wednesday Dinner: Au Passage
1 bis passage Saint Sébastien
(01 43 55 07 52)
restaurant-aupassage.com
Our first stop was Philou, a relatively
new bistro in the 10th arrondissement.
Seasonal and compelling, the cuisine of
veteran chef Philippe Damas is already
drawing a crowd.
The bustling bistro was filled with locals
and a few tourists. It was the perfect
place to dig into classic bistro fare.
The changing menu is extensive and
seasonally minded (come spring you’ll see
asparagus and morels), and includes fish,
meat and–ever more difficult to find–offal.
The menu consists of small plates ranging
from the standard rillettes, saucisse,
and now-obligatory burrata to more light
and creative fare, made with pristine
products. You must try any of the chef’s
cured or raw fish dishes–the interplay
between the different ingredients sets off
small explosions of flavor, texture, and
