Jason Brandt Lewis wrote:Sadly, I was hoping for something a bit more constructive . . .
What are you looking for, Jason? I love Paris and have gotten by there pretty much annually for the last few years, but it's usually either heading for or coming back from serious wine-country over-indulgence, so I usually just relax and take it easy in Paris. Most of the good eateries I've enjoyed there in recent years have been reccos from RR, and I hope he and sometimes-Parisian Rahsaan and others will pop in.
But if you haven't thought of it already, the wine shop Lavinia is worth checking out, and the small eatery upstairs is pretty nice, especially since you can buy a bottle in the shop at retail, take it upstairs and enjoy it with lunch.
One place I particularly enjoyed (again, thanks to RR), was L'Absinthe at 24, Place de Marché Sainte Honoré, near the Louvre and the Tuileries gardens. It's one of a cluster of reasonably affordable bistros that Chef Michel Rostang operated in addition to the pricey spot that bears his name. For information on the whole group, see
http://www.michelrostang.com.