Paris Restaurant Mistakes
here are some lessons learned in Paris Restaurant
Euros
Some restaurant will not accept credit cards
Which is terrifying when a big check arrives
(I took a friend to Paris with me, when she had to contribute to the lunch tab may have marked the down-turn of our trip)
Where to Sit:
We were seated along a side wall facing the front door
and had a view of the entire restaurant, the street traffic and proximity of the wait staff
In other restaurants, we sat just inside of a room with our back to the activity, we could hear wait staff approaching us from behind, could not summon them without twisting around in our seat
If you don’t like where you are seated, ask for something else.
What to Wear
We wore running shoes and were seated back in the empty bar area
(On a trip back from Europe, I recalled a comment from Fran Lebowitz that men wear long pants in European Airports)
Tap Water
Specify Tap Water
It came in a carafe which was spotted with water marks, maybe reused, maybe just not dried and polished, not as nice as a fresh new bottle of water
Ask for une carafe d’eau, which means “a pitcher of (tap) water
Waiter Suggestions (Beware)
Don’t feel compelled to follow the waiter’s suggestions
We were asked: “Would you like a bottle of water?”
We said yes (and bought a big expensive bottle of water)
Coffee
When we want a cup of coffee, we go to McDonalds, our favorite location is quite near the Louvre
It is simple and fast, we are usually in a hurry, with somewhere to be
We don’t want to wait, we don’t want to tip, we don’t want to worry about bistro etiquette
We want a product of a consistent quantity
You may find this Horrifying, to drink McDonald’s Coffee, while in Paris
We feel the same when we see popular American style restaurants (i.e. Five Guys burgers) “packed” with tourists
BUT, a cafe alonge, pan du chocolate and jus d’orange is little compromise
(in fact my early pre-museum visit to a McDonalds in Amsterdam was most enjoyable, with a colorful cast of characters carrying over from the previous evening, complete with an occasional pigeon pecking about under the tables, entering from the open doors)
We saw a McDonalds in Vienna, and it looked inviting.
Paris for the Holidays 