PARIS - France 2014 - page 265

Tourville and Café des Officiers gather a sea of outward-facing seats for the important
business of people-watching—and fashion-model recruiting.
La Terrasse du 7ème, across the avenue, has a less-pretentious clientele (see listing,
earlier). On Rue Cler, Café du Marché (listed earlier) attracts a Franco-American café
crowd until at least midnight, though the younger-in-spirit L'Eclair cocktail café (a few
doors down at #32) rocks it until 2:00 in the morning. Café Roussillon has a good French
pubatmosphereatthecornerofRuedeGrenelleandRueCler. O'Brien's Pub isarelaxed
ParisianrenditionofanIrishpub,withFrenchmeninsuitstossingdartsanddrinkingpints
(77 Rue St. Dominique, Mo: La Tour Maubourg).
In the Marais Neighborhood
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here . )
The trendy Marais is filled with diners enjoying good food in colorful and atmospheric
eateries. The scene is competitive and changes all the time. I've listed an assortment of
eateries—all handy to recommended hotels—that offer good food at decent prices, plus a
memorable experience.
On Romantic Place des Vosges
(See “Marais Restaurants” map, here . )
This square offers Old World Marais elegance, a handful of eateries, and an ideal picnic
siteuntildusk,whentheparkcloses(useBastilleorSt.PaulMétrostops).Strollingaround
the arcade after dark is more important than dining here—fanciful art galleries alternate
with restaurants and cafés. Choose a restaurant that best fits your mood and budget; most
have arcade seating and provide big space heaters to make outdoor dining during colder
months an option. Also consider a drink on the square at Café Hugo or a pastry at Carette.
$$$ Ma Bourgogne is a vintage eatery where you'll sit under warm arcades in
a whirlpool of Frenchness, as bow-tied and black-aproned waiters serve you traditional
French specialties: blood-red steak (try the brochette de bœuf ), piles of fries, escargot, and
good red wine. Here your waiter is paid to be efficient, not warm and fuzzy. Monsieur
Cougoureux (koo-goo-ruh) has commanded this ship since de Gaulle was sniveling at
Americans. He offers anyone with this topic a free amuse-bouche (“amusement for your
mouth”) of his homemade steak tartare—but you may need to remind him (show him my
picture in this topic). This is your chance to try this “raw spiced hamburger” delicacy
without dedicating an entire meal to it (€42 menu , daily, cash only, at northwest corner at
#19, tel. [phone]).
$$ La Place Royale offers a fine location on the square with good seating inside or
out. Here you can expect a warm welcome and patient waiters, as owner Arnaud prides