"Steve Y" > wrote in message
...
The trick is to eat what, where and when the French eat rather than the
tourists. The common price for lunchtime menu around us is 11.50 Euros
and covers starter/main/cheese/desert/wine. If you are lucky there will
be a choice of starters/mains, in other places you get what you are
given. But this will typically only be available lunchtimes Mon to Fri.
Compared to UK, this seems to good value, not sure how it compares to
US. As a comparison, a typical McDonalds meal would cost you 6.50 Euros.

Another cheap place to eat are the cafteria type self service places in
shopping centres, a common chain is Flunch, their main courses are
typically 6 Euros and you help yourself to veggies.

Go for the set price menus in any restaurant and prices are OK, once you
go à la carte , you start to pay extra.

True. But my favorite lunchtime qzine in Paris and its environs was to hit
a fruit shop, fromagerie, boulangerie and wine-ogerie and do the picnic
thing. Dirt cheap and fabulous.

I'd then pull out all the stops at dinnertime :-)

TammyM