We have had some pretty good meals here in Paris. I find that chicken seems to be a dish they do well and I order it often. Once I had veal in a rich sauce, and while I enjoyed it I did not want to think about that little captive calf pining for a better adult life that never came. Besides, at our age (today with Jayne’s birthday we are both officially in our sixties) we really ought to cut back on meat of all kind, especially red.
But enough of that, this essay is about eating out in Paris, and some of the joys and drawbacks. Among the joys have been friendly waiters and waitresses. I know, your prejudices have told you they are all rude and snooty, but we have found that is simply not true. The other day, for example, we had lunch at a nice place near the Bastille and the waiter identified himself as a former temporary resident of Los Angeles. When we praised the mushrooms that came with the chicken, he even brought out another entire bowl of them at no charge.
He said the chef was pleased he had pleased us!
Now for the disadvantages. It is expensive. I do not think you can count on getting a decent lunch for much less than fifteen euros, which translates to nearly twenty bucks, and that does not include the drinks. When you figure that a value added tax (sales tax) is hidden within the menu price and that all of the workers, from chef down to
dishwasher, are making a living wage, I guess it is not a matter to complain about. If I knew that my waiter in the states was making fifteen dollars an hour minimum and there was no tipping, I wouldn’t mind spending twenty bucks for a meal there either. Such an economic arrangement is far overdue in the USA.
The other disadvantage is space. Parisians have a different concept of the space needed for comfortable dining, and you can easily find your chair pushed tight against the diner’s seat behind you. And the tables are all the size of a postage stamp.
I have yet to be seated at a table that was big enough to hold the plates, drinks, and condiments at the same time. No wonder they eat so slowly here; you have to be careful when picking up your fork so as not to tip over your wine glass.
In sum, eating here is one of the main pleasures of visiting, and the food is absolutely delicious. I wish I could enjoy more of their bread. It is heavenly, but the hard crust can tear up your mouth faster than chewing a whole can of Skol. And the wine? Even the cheap stuff is pretty damn good. French beer isn’t bad either. Heck, you just can’t go wrong with any of it!!!!!
But enough of that, this essay is about eating out in Paris, and some of the joys and drawbacks. Among the joys have been friendly waiters and waitresses. I know, your prejudices have told you they are all rude and snooty, but we have found that is simply not true. The other day, for example, we had lunch at a nice place near the Bastille and the waiter identified himself as a former temporary resident of Los Angeles. When we praised the mushrooms that came with the chicken, he even brought out another entire bowl of them at no charge.
Now for the disadvantages. It is expensive. I do not think you can count on getting a decent lunch for much less than fifteen euros, which translates to nearly twenty bucks, and that does not include the drinks. When you figure that a value added tax (sales tax) is hidden within the menu price and that all of the workers, from chef down to
The other disadvantage is space. Parisians have a different concept of the space needed for comfortable dining, and you can easily find your chair pushed tight against the diner’s seat behind you. And the tables are all the size of a postage stamp.
In sum, eating here is one of the main pleasures of visiting, and the food is absolutely delicious. I wish I could enjoy more of their bread. It is heavenly, but the hard crust can tear up your mouth faster than chewing a whole can of Skol. And the wine? Even the cheap stuff is pretty damn good. French beer isn’t bad either. Heck, you just can’t go wrong with any of it!!!!!
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