It is true what you’ve heard about sitting in a Paris café, on their patio or sidewalk. One cup of café, a beer, a glass of wine can “buy” you a table for as many hours as you want. This is especially wonderful on a sunny day—which means that on those days, it’s very hard to find a seat in the outside dining area. After the waiter delivers your treat, you may never see the monsieur again. When you’re finally ready to leave, you’ll have to catch his eye to get your l’addition (bill). (All of the above is especially true in a non-tourist café or restaurant—you may sense a little more “encouragement” to leave an establishment in a tourist area; i.e., the bill delivered with your drink or food. This still doesn't mean you have to leave however..)Waiters in Paris are professionals and respected in their role; they are not working part-time while going to school, waiting for their Hollywood break, etc. They do not appreciate being summoned using the word “Garcon” (boy); they are addressed as “Monsieur,” "Madame," o
r “Mademoiselle.” They definitely know their business, take pride in what they serve, and are knowledgeable about ingredients and methods of preparation.This also reminds me of some tips I learned about choosing a good place to eat. Because Americans traveling in Europe are usually intimidated by the language, guidebooks recommend restaurants with menus in English and ones with English menus in the windows. In those restaurants, you will find waiters who always speak English (most of them do anyway) and other readers (tourists) of guidebooks. These restaurants are not necessarily better and are, more often than not, more expensive.
Clues to discovering the neighborhood spots—there’s usually a hand-written menu en francais in the window or on a slate (l’ardoise), which means that the menu changes daily to highlight the fresh ingredients (above photo). A board that displays a permanent menu (below)—just the opposite.
If the restaurant is empty at 1:00 or 9:00 PM, then it probably doesn’t have very good food, according to the locals. Another valuable hint: lace curtains are a sign of the little mom and pop spots, which are famous for good and less expensive food. When you’re on a budget, eat your biggest meal at lunch, which is always less expensive, and go light or cook at dinner (if you stay in an apartment). And the language? You can solve this issue by carrying a pocket menu decoder.There is little that is truly cheap in Paris (except the .95 Euro cheeseburger at McDonald’s and I’m not above eating there) but prices are more reasonable in the neighborhood bistros (a Russian word meaning “hurry”) or brasseries, which serve food all day (fancy restaurants and many bistros open for lunch and then close during the afternoon before opening again for dinner). Food served in a bistro or brasserie may not be as beautifully presented but it can be delicious. Ordering a la carte or from the standard carte (menu) results in the highest bill. Most places offer a prix fixe or fixed-priced plat du jour (plate of the day) which is a suggested combination of courses and
makes use of the food currently in season. Lucky you if it also includes a glass of house wine.By the way, the cost of an average meal, which is usually two or three courses with at least one glass of wine—or two—and coffee is $25-30. This includes tax and tip (usually 15%); the menu will say service compris (service included). Even if it says service non compris (or not included), you will still see a service charge on the bill. So don’t get caught doing the American thing—leaving another 15% tip on the table. But it is customary to leave a Euro or two depending upon the quality of service. Bon appetit!
PS – The café photo at the top was taken by Suz in the Left Bank area.
