Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> "Giusi" > wrote:
> >
> > If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
> > de'Auvergne"
>
> Merci, madame. I will present the suggestion to my traveling companion.
> :-)

I can also recommend Thoumieux in the 7th arrondissement on rue
Dominique (Métro: Invalides). Their confit de canard (duck confit),
served with garlicky potatoes, is one of the best anywhere.

Down the street, in the direction of the Eiffel Tower, there is another
restaurant specialising in southwestern dishes, La Fontaine de Mars.
They stock Madiran wines from Alain Brumont, probably the best winemaker
in the region. The top wine is Ch. Montus, but Ch. Bouscassé is almost
as good and much more affordable.

Another interesting place is is the recently restored Pharamond in the
1st arr. on rue de la Grande Truanderie (Métro: Les Halles). They
specialise in Normandy dishes, one of them tripes à l mode de Caen. The
Art Nouveau interior is spectacular.

L'AOC, in the 5th arr. on 14, rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard calls itself
"bistrot carnivore" and that is what it is. The meat, etc. is very
good. They serve roasted bone marrow on toast, among other things.

Le Grand Colbert in the 2nd arr. on rue Vivienne is a good-value (for
Paris) southwestern bistro with a beautiful decor.

If you want to splurge, go to the famous L'Ami Louis in the 3rd arr. on
rue du Vertbois. Everything is prepared as simply as possible, mostly
by roasting or grilling ingredients of the best quality. A single
portion of anything, particularly of foie gras, will easily feed three
or four. They serve great snails, great frog legs, great roast chicken
(maybe the best anywhere), etc. You will pay at least 130 euros a
person, maybe more.

For good food at not so high prices, also consider one of the great
brasseries. Julien, in the out-of-the-way 10th arr. on rue du Faubourg
Saint Denis (Métro: Strasbourg Saint Denis) has a spectacular decor and
good food. Consider also the famous La Coupole in the 14th on
Montparnasse, Bofinger in the 4th near Bastille, Brasserie Flo in the
10th, or Terminus Nord in the 1th.

BTW, reservations are usually needed at all of the above restaurants.

If you want to buy food, go to Lafayette Gourmet, a food hall of
Galeries Lafayette, in the 9th, on blvd. Haussmann, near Opéra Garnier.

For getting around Paris, walk or take métro trains. Purchase a carnet
(pronounced car-neh) of ten tickets for 11.10 euros. A single ticket
costs 1.50 euros.

Bubba