Friday, March 23, 2012

Veg and non-veg Country French

I%26#39;ve searched here for some restaurant suggestions, but would like to hear expert opinions for the following:





I%26#39;m vegetarian (not vegan so cheese and eggs are okay) and my husband is very much a carnivore.





He would like to dine at a country French (and/or bistro) restaurant in Paris.





So my questions:



1) Can you suggest a restaurant that includes veggie options.



2) If I were to order a cheese plate for the main meal and a desert at a typical Paris restaurant - would they think I%26#39;m crazy or worse :-)?





Also, our French is non-existent so although we%26#39;ll be *trying* - it will be a FAR CRY from true communication.





Any tips for restaurants would be appreciated. We haven%26#39;t found a hotel so the area does not matter as long as it%26#39;s central and a walk (far is okay) from the Metro. Not too pricey would be best - but I know we can%26#39;t be picky! Lunch and/or dinner is okay. Thanks!




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An expensive and serious French restaurant would think you odd if you just had cheese and dessert, but little bistros and restaurants would not. The difficulty might be when the menu is a prix fixe with limited choices per course, but they are always posted outside so you can read before you go in.





However, you could easily have an omelette, a salad, various vegetarian options (many places have them) as well as cheese (ah, the cheeses!!!). You will be able to eat very well in the same places that your husband does, though he may order a %26quot;menu%26quot; and you may order from the %26quot;carte%26quot;.





If you are planning a really swish French restaurant experience, just let them know when you book. They will ensure there are vegetarian options available.





Your husband might like to check out the French designations of cooking meat



%26quot;bleu%26quot; (bler)is very rare, still blue in the middle



%26quot;saignant%26quot;(saynon) is bloody, what we would call rare



%26quot;a point%26quot; (ar pwan)is just pink inside, what we would call medium



%26quot;bien cuit%26quot; (be-an kwee) well cooked




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Here is a link to a website that has several little video clips about places to go and things to see in Paris.





This one is specifically about a vegetarian restaurant, but there is also one about a cheese restaurant (Pain Vin Fromage) where you could have a cheese fondue for lunch perhaps.





geobeats.com/videoclips/france/paris/vegetar…





Have fun.




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Country French food would be food from the various former provinces of France, many of them places where French wasn%26#39;t spoken until the mid-to-late 19th century. Look for names like Bretagne, Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Provence, Pays Basque, Savoie, Gascogne etc. etc. in the name of the restaurant or adjective for the regions (as in cuisine Bretonne, Alsacienne, Auvergnate, Provencale, Basquaise, Savoyarde...)




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Merci, everyone for the excellent suggestions. I%26#39;ve found that being pleasant and not jabbering to everyone in English goes a long way for a pleasant stay in Paris. I%26#39;m sure we%26#39;ll have a wonderful time. Thanks again.




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