Casimir Restaurant
Vive Casimir!
The many fans of Chez Casimir, which I dubbed the “perfect bistro” in my last review, may be dismayed to hear, as I certainly was, that it has been sold yet again (to the owners of Glou, Jaja, Bon Vivant, … Read More
Paris restaurant review
Au Trou Gascon Restaurant
Lighten Up!
The name of this restaurant, Au Trou Gascon, might lead you to expect a nice heavy southwestern meal of foie gras, duck confit, etc., and a decor dominated by red-checkered tablecloths and wood paneling. If that’s what you’re hoping for, … Read More
Abri Soba Restaurant
Gourmet Izakaya
Update, November 27, 2024: A return visit proved that Abri Soba is still in excellent form, as demonstrated by the two small plates pictured below: perfectly cooked mackerel with mirin sauce and the breaded and grilled razor clams. We reordered … Read More
Pristine Restaurant
Honoring the Humble
There is rarely anything pristine about a restaurant, but even though I found the name to be rather strange, Pristine had good press and was open on Sunday evening, so I headed over to the ninth arrondissement to meet up … Read More
Caluche Restaurant
Bottles Galore
UPDATE: Caluche has been replaced by Balthazar but still has the same chef. When I arrived at Caluche, a pleasant bistro in the fifth arrondissement, I was not disappointed to find that the wild scene depicted in a colorful painting … Read More
Kitchen 32 Restaurant
Japanese Happy Meal
Choosing a restaurant by looking at its facade and peering through the window is usually not a good idea, but I lucked out the other day when I picked Kitchen 32 for dinner with my friend Jean-Michel. I was probably … Read More
Pagaille Restaurant
High Hopes Dashed
It’s rather worrying when the restaurant you plan to eat at is called Pagaille, meaning “chaos,” but I was confident that that was just some kind of ironic private joke on the part of the owners. Pagaille is one of … Read More
Chez Marius Restaurant
Straight to the Heart
Two Italian journalists who live in Paris told me recently that their favorite Italian restaurant in the city was Chez Marius, so it was rather disconcerting to arrive there for dinner only to discover that the bistro in question, located … Read More
À L’Épi d’Or Restaurant
Bistro Beatitude
There’s no better place to take visiting Americans out to dinner in Paris than an old-fashioned bistro serving the classics of the genre, even if they are Americans who once lived in Paris and know it well, like my friends … Read More
Calice Restaurant
The Parisian Holy Grail
UPDATE, August 14, 2025: The terrace at Calice is still wonderful, and the food and service were even better on our return visit. The menu now offers more traditional starters and main courses but still has a few shareable plates. … Read More