Eating in Paris can be hit and miss… Parisian restaurants can range from the sublime to the very ordinary. Generally I find that the very smart, Michelin starred and hard-to-get-into are pretty much what you expect… incredible food, amazing service, sophisticated decors and tantalising prices. These restaurants are not for every night… more for a special occasion… unless you are on a voyage of food discovery.
When I am in Paris, I like to eat at smaller, less known restaurants… where the food is simpler and the experience is more relaxed.
Last week I managed to eat in some very cute restaurants in different parts of the city.
I am a big fan of Asian food… particularly Vietnamese and Cambodian… so last week I tried Le Petit Cambodge… a canteen style, no bookings restaurant near the Canal Saint Martin in the 10th arrondissement.
The no reservation thing is a bit of a nuisance if you are in a group but as I was only 2 it was easy.
This is a place to arrive early, it’s extremely popular and the queues grow long after about 7:30pm.
The food is delicious… fresh, light and with the right amount of tang.
It’s full of gorgeous young things, so Le Petit Cambodge is a great place to people watch as you munch your way through the Bo Bun Nem or the Rouleaux du Printemps .
In total contrast to this restaurant is Grazie, a pizzeria restaurant and cocktail bar in the 3rd arrondissement operated by the clever people who have created the wonderful emporium, Merci.
It’s just down the road… A little browsing… a little pizza… a winning combination.
The pizzas are excellent… not too thick… not to thin… not too cheesy… proper pizzas with just the right amount of tomato sauce.
The restaurant has a New York vibe… if there is such a thing in Paris… and again the people watching is pretty fabulous… xv
For Your Parisian Notebook
Monday to Saturdays… 11:00 – 23:00
20, rue Alibert
750010 Paris
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Daily 12-15:30, 19:30-23
91 boulevard Beaumarchais
(by rue des Arquebusiers)
75003 Paris
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