Best restaurants in Paris and London?

On Feb 15th, at a jazz society fund raiser event in Ft. Lauderdale, Liz and I were lucky enough (in a fluke of the natural world, I might add) to win a pool of cash as well as a week in an apartment in either London or Paris (our choice). We've been to both before but never just the two of us. Any restaurant suggestions that will help us decide? We'd love to head them!

Lucky you.....I have no suggestions, but whatever you choose, have fun. How long do you get to stay?

Fat Duck quacks for me.

Karen - it's a five night stay. A little short but we'll take it.
And thanks Jeff, I've heard of Fat Duck; some say it's in the top five of the best restaurants on the globe.

[Robin Garr]

When are you going to be there, Jon? (Answer privately if you prefer.) Mary and I are going to be in London and Paris briefly later in the spring. Fun if our paths cross!

Robin, the owner of the apartments e-mailed me and said he'd send us an availability calendar by Monday. We have to consider when our daughter's home from college and stuff like that. Even though we have all 2013 to use it, I think we want to go sooner rather than later since I want to avoid high summer and Liz will be back to teaching for the fall semester. Airfares are troubling but that won't stop us!
I'll let you know - that'd be one heck of an offline!

If you like Indian food, Brick Lane (a neighborhood) on the east end of London has the best Indian Food I have ever come across - anywhere! You feel like you are in little India, with restaurants everywhere, surrounded by Sari shops and Indian grocery stores. It is a fun place to walk through even if you aren't into Indian Food. I can't recommend a specific place there, as it has been 8 years since I was in London, but I'm sure the locals will steer you in the right direction. If you take the tube, I believe Whitechapel is the nearest station.

If you like Indian food, Brick Lane (a neighborhood) on the east end of London has the best Indian Food I have ever come across - anywhere! You feel like you are in little India, with restaurants everywhere, surrounded by Sari shops and Indian grocery stores. It is a fun place to walk through even if you aren't into Indian Food. I can't recommend a specific place there, as it has been 8 years since I was in London, but I'm sure the locals will steer you in the right direction. If you take the tube, I believe Whitechapel is the nearest station.

Be careful. These days I would say that 99% of those places are either atrocious tourist traps or non-descript fast food places. I would look very closely at reviews/specific recommendations before choosing one of them.

That said it's a big city and if you're into Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi (and Brick Lane is actually Bengali) food, London clearly beats Paris by a long mile.

If you go to Paris - and you should, why choose dreary London - there are restaurants of all kinds; what type of food do you normally enjoy, how much would you like to spend and do you enjoy or abhor very attentive staff?, are all important questions to my mind. I have lived in Paris, visit regularly and would love to help you out! Having said that both London and Paris are cities where you need a good guide or a recommendation; always book in advance! If you have not, choose a place filled with locals, NOT tourists! Any restaurant in Paris with an English menu is a giant no-no! If the place on the other hand is filled with locals, the food will be good, they would not come if it was not! (That is sadly not the fact in London; locals tend to flock in horrible places every day of the week...)

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Be careful. These days I would say that 99% of those places are either atrocious tourist traps or non-descript fast food places. I would look very closely at reviews/specific recommendations before choosing one of them.

That said it's a big city and if you're into Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi (and Brick Lane is actually Bengali) food, London clearly beats Paris by a long mile.

That is unfortunate, because when I was there (staying for 6 months just to the north of London), it was exactly where the locals would send you and decidedly UN-touristy. That just goes to show - go where the locals tell you. The Brits do love their Indian (sub-continental) food and likely know many good places.

Another place I have heard amazing things about is Ottolenghi, which has a few locations in London (I believe their flagship is in Notting Hill). Mediterranean cuisine that is very produce-driven and vegetarian friendly. If the restaurant is even half as good as the recipes in their cookbooks "Plenty" and "Jerusalem", it would be well worth a visit.

...it was exactly where the locals would send you and decidedly UN-touristy. That just goes to show - go where the locals tell you...

Although as Fredrik says above, not all locals are created equal. Especially in London!

I think Ottolenghi is a great place to eat. Such fun vivid food. Kind of like a kicked-up version of home cooking. Although not sure it's really a destination place, especially when traveling from across the Atlantic! I see it as more of a high-quality simple casual lunch.

Although as Fredrik says above, not all locals are created equal. Especially in London!

Well, obviously! But one would suggest asking locals who actually eat that type of cuisine, rather than the type Frederik was referring to....

[Jenise]

Haven't been to either recently enough to opine, but if you can find Anthony Bourdain's last Paris episode of No Reservations then watch it and choose Paris. In that episode you'll meet and appreciate a lot of Brian Voltaggios currently creating the new hipper style of Paris Bistro.

Thank you, everyone. It's London (mainly due to scheduling) on the 17th of April with at least a day in Paris; I expect we'll stay beyond our five free nights. I am currently looking at your restaurant recommendations and making reservation when possible and getting on waiting list when necessary.
Robin - any intersection with your travels and ours?

A lot of course depends on what you have already experienced (and of course budget). If you haven't been to Paris much, and budget allows, it might make sense to go to go to a classic 2 or 3 star like Taillevent. If budget is more modest, then possibly a classic bistro or brasserie. I think the experience of going to an Allard (some call tired, but the poulet de Bresse is one of the best chickens I've ever tasted) or a Bofinger is kind of essential Paris, even if not pinnacle of dining. If looking for edgier, L'Arpege, Spring, Chateaubriand are the ones I hope to get to someday.
London I have no clue, other than famed places like Fat Duck (which isn't actually in London, but a suburb I believe? )

In Paris, try Caves Petrissans. It is a wine bar, bistro and wine shop all-in-one. You can dine there in the evening with a full fixed price menu, or select the dishes of the day, washed down with a choice from 12-15 different wines by the glass. Food was simple and excellent last time I was there, and the wine list by the glass is great, but you also have the option of selecting any bottle from the ~50 page catalog of the shop and pay the list price plus a corkage fee- a very nice option if you are there with a few like-minded people. The list goes from simple rouges at 6-7 Euros up to DRCs at 2500 Euros. All in all one of the most enjoyable places I have ever visited in Paris, and well worth visiting for anybody interested in wine. One limitation to be aware of- Caves Petrissans is closed on Sundays (not sure about Saturday). Also if you want to dine rather than sample at the bar, it's a good idea to make a reservation- the place was chock full (mostly locals) when we visited, and I was glad we had reserved.

Caves Petrissans, 30 bis Av. Niel, Paris 17; tel 01 42 27 52 03 (Metro Pereire)

[Robin Garr]

Robin - any intersection with your travels and ours?

No, Jon, sadly, we're a month later, and as our Paris visit coincides with a friend's installation as dean of the American Cathedral in Paris, we can't really move it around. Great idea, though!

Robin - I was just about to PM you that we're going to London on the 17th, then Paris on the 23rd of April. If the timing had worked that would have been wonderful! Next time!

Traditional French - aperitif - snails - veal + veg - fruit tart - house wine 70 Euro for two. A favorite of ours and one we intend to visit again.

Le Petit Baigneur, Paris - Restaurant Reviews - TripAdvisor
www.tripadvisor.com › ... › Ile-de-France › Paris › Paris Restaurants
Rating: 4.5 - 38 reviews
Le Petit Baigneur, Paris: See 38 unbiased reviews of Le Petit Baigneur, rated 4.5 of 5 on TripAdvisor and ranked #341 of 8997 restaurants in Paris.

[Robin Garr]

Has anyone been to Vanilla Black in London? It looks like a place I wouldn't mind checking out.

http://www.vanillablack.co.uk/