Lunch in Paris
In Paris there are a few types of places to eat.
There is the cafe, which usually does not serve much food, but you can get a cup of coffee and a small plate, more of a "snack menu".
A bistro, which usually serves French fare like cassoulet, duck confit, or steak frites and can be also higher end.
Then there is the brasserie, which means "brewery", where you can get a nice croque monsieur or quiche and salad for lunch or dinner with a glass of Kronenborg.
A brasserie serves food all day, so if you are hungry at 3 pm, you can get a meal, unlike NYC, where it's tough to find a late lunch.
And of course there is the restaurant.
A more formal evening, where you will take your dinner indoors w/ a bottle of wine and spend a few hours.
However, there are restaurants that have cafes outside with heat lamps in the winter that you can sit and have your coffee.
Are you totally confused yet?
I am.
Just look at the menu outside before you commit.
I remember years ago, we walked into a restaurant, and all I wanted was some champagne and an appetizer, sort of like I would order at home.
When I asked the server if that was possible, his reply was "Madame, thees is a restAURANT!".
PARDON MOI!
I was young, and too scared to get up and leave (which we should have done right then and there), so I stayed and took my beating, but I did not make that mistake again.
We tend to eat at brasseries or restaurants for lunch, since I need to have a slice of quiche daily and my husband loves a croque madame or monsieur.
They always comes w/ a salade and are reasonably priced.
But what I really want to know is, why do all the chalkboard menus have the same beautiful handwriting?
Do they teach you in school how to write menus with chalk?
Bon Appetit!
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Comments
Sam
I'm loving your Paris posts, and am curious about the etiquette around restaurants in Paris.
In a cafe (or any restaurant with outdoor seating), are you typically supposed to seat yourself? Or do you check-in indoors with a maitre d?
In restaurants, bistros, etc - are you making advance reservations, or just dropping in?
We've been to Paris, but found ourselves unsure of the "rules", and with no-so-great French, just felt a little awkward around the whole situation. Ended up eating a lot of street food in order to avoid the discomfort.
Thanks for your insight!