These four below are just a handful of burger joints people are talking about, and each boasts super fresh ingredients and boulangerie or homemade buns.

Le Camion qui Fume (trans. the truck that smokes when it cooks) is Paris’ first food truck. Owned by Los Angeles native Kristin Frederick, she uses SoMe to let folks know where she’ll be parked in different parts of Paris, and, where the wait line can be over an hour.

In the 10^th arr. you’ll find Big Fernand, a quirky build-your-own burger bar and Au Comptoir de Brice which serves mini burger sliders in the back of a covered market by Top Chef Brice Morvent – and in the 2^nd arr. hamburger joint Blend uses top butcher Yves-Marie le Bourdonnec’s veal or beef  to create patties blended with cheese, herbs and spices topped with American pastry chef Camille Malmquist’s homemade buns.

Le Camion qui Fume: Website: www.lecamionquifume.com

Big Fernand: 55, rue du Faubourg-Poissonnière, 10th Arr. Tel.: 01 47 70 54 72. Open M-F. Website: www.bigfernand.com

Au Comptoir de Brice: 33, rue du Château-d’Eau, 10th Arr. Tel.: 07 87 36 77 38. Closed Monday.

Blend: 44, rue d’Argout, 2nd Arr. Tel.: 01 40 26 84 57. Closed Sunday. Website: http://www.blendhamburger.com/

Hamburger Route:

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All the wines are either unavailable or very hard to find in the US, and/or they can offer it at a better price than is found in the US. Such bottles that can’t be found in the US are Machard de Gramont Vosne Romanee (36€ TTC), Mille Vignes Fitou Atsuko (44€), or Chais Vieux Bourg BB1 (16€).

Josh is always on the lookout for great bottles of wine for the restaurant, the wine shop boutique and his own cellar – personally selecting each bottle of wine by traveling to the vineyards throughout the year to meet the producers and taste their wines. He says, “I look for delicious wines that are produced by artisans growing organic or biodynamic grapes made with minimal intervention without added chemicals that reflect a sense of place and terroir.”

If you are in Paris, just stop by the boutique to try some wines, read their website/blog to see their latest wine adventures in the vines, get the dates for wine tasting events or visit their website for more details on the Wine Club and shipping.

Spring Boutique

52 rue L’Arbre Sec

M: Louvre-Rivoli, Line 1

Tel: +33 (0)1 58 62 44 30    (from US dial 011 33 1 58 62 44 30)

Website & Blog: http://wine.springparis.fr/

There is no printed menu but everyone loves chatting with David + Jeanine when they come around the room speaking to each table about the day’s choices such as beautiful cru champignons tossed with bright green olive oil and black lava salt flakes from Cyprus, a filet of cod with roasted yellow beets and Pil-Pil (a delicious Basque mayo emulsion of the fish’s gelatin and olive oil) and a rhubarb crumble for dessert. In the evenings, the gregarious crowd spills out onto the sidewalk sharing premium tapas plates of cured meats, Burrata, oysters and grilled sardines served with inventive flair at affordable prices.  Truly one of my favorite addresses in Paris.

Reservations: Advanced bookings recommended.

Address: 45 rue Oberkampf, , 11th arr, Right Bank

Telephone: 01 58 30 38 13

Metro: Parmentier or Oberkampf

Hours + Prices: Open Tues-Sat, lunch prix fix 16-19 e, dinner a la carte 25-40e, and tapas 3,50 – 14e. All wines are served by the glass (4e), pot (15e) and bottle (23.50e)

Aux Deux Amis:

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Frenchie’s Laura Vidal left the financial world of Montreal behind to become one of only a handful of female sommeliers in Paris.

From day one at Frenchie, she’s injected a fresh energy into the dining room, revamped the wine list and let me tell ya’, the words “sit still” aren’t in her vocabulary. She spends each free moment traveling any and all days off to meet winemakers in European vineyards – including a recent two-day tasting trip with Kermit Lynch himself. Emails from Laura hit my inbox at 6 am from the train on her way to Chablis, Champagne and Piedmont, etc. Male chefs and restaurateurs all over the city are flashing big thumbs up telling me that “Laura over at Frenchie is the top!” Quite the feat to impress in a male-dominated food and wine culture.

The list at Frenchie is tightly edited and yet, changes frequently since she deals with the winemakers directly on a first-name basis and falls in love with new wines every day.

She says the best part of her job is the sharing with wine makers, “Learning how they make the wine, what they’ve sacrificed, what they’ve had to go up against, and the choices they made and why and more importantly, their vision of wine and their appreciation of their yearly productions.” Then, there’s sharing that passion with the customers and helping them understand that “behind the label is someone who has worked very hard, someone with a story and a voice. “

Forced to choose one favorite wine region in the world is impossible for her, but she admits, “I am in a serious relationship with Burgundy while entertaining a secret love affair with Piémont, Italy.”

Why is Laura drawn to and so passionate about wine? She answers without batting an eyelash, “It has so many facets – it’s about people, hedonism, geography, geology, history and sharing. I love the fact it’s never the end of the learning process and you can always find humility in a blind tasting.”

From the one place where she could eat and drink all day on Sundays to where she shops for wine, Laura takes us on a local’s foodie tour of her top ten favorite addresses in the city she loves.

Laura Vidal’s Paris

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I could spend all Sunday on the Quai de Seine eating briny oursins (sea urchins) from the  Poissonnerie Soguesa on the rue Montorgueuil. All you need is scissors and a little spoon. That, with a bottle of Alice et Olivier de Moor’s (Chablis) Aligoté “Réversibilité” 2009.

Having wine with the skewer of seared foie gras with roasted red peppers at L’Avant Comptoir in the 6^th arr. Its very discussion friendly and I meet people from all walks of life. I also feel close to Eric & Thomas behind the bar… they are serious food and wine lovers as well as true connoisseurs.

The all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch downstairs or have pizza and beer on the roof of the Mama Shelter Hotel. It reminds me of Montreal, where we used to have a lot of roof top bars and terraces. Nothing beats the panorama of Paris and feeling of being up high closer to the sun with a good beer and pizza. What more can you ask for?

The wine shops Caves Augé in the 9^th and the Caves du Forum out in Reims (Champagne) are two of my favorite places to browse for wine. Caves augé has an enormous natural wine selection and they are specialised in a lot of eau de vie and the Caves du Forum has a passion for Pinot Noir and has imported exclusively some incredible wines from New Zealand and Oregon.

My Favorite wine glass is the ouverture by Riedel with a fine rim and very light.

I love the lunch ambiance at Rino’s and the Italian natural wines selected by sommelière Francesca.

I enjoy Mon Vieil Ami on the Ile St Louis because its open Sunday, the portions are generous and the wine list by Adrien Boulok is amazing. He has a great way with finding little unknown producers that work really well.

Drinks at the Expérimental Cocktail Club is a delicious way to relax after busy Friday night shifts – the best cocktail there is “Curiosité” with gin, lemon and cucumbers made by Mika the barman extraordinaire!

Yam’Tcha for the food, tea pairings and the amazing wine list by the sommelière Sarah. The tea pairing is a fascinating eye opener to how drinks and food are made for each other and really come from the same place (the earth) and the wine list features wines chosen specifically adapted to the food there – especially the delicate Viognier from northern Rhône for the ceviche with vanilla mousse.

My new favorite restaurant is Septime, everything breathes high-end in a very relaxed décor with my favorite Riedel glassware and nice seasonal menus.

Not enough people know about the fabulous and talented Parisian woman cooking side-by-side with Daniel Rose at Restaurant Spring – Marie-Aude Mery – nor that her childhood ambitions involved acting, not cooking. “Acting helped me deal with shyness, opened my mind and was part of my education along with English language, literature and civilization at la Sorbonne.”

When she realized that she needed a “more practical” career – Marie enrolled in the left bank Ferrandi cooking school and joined the kitchen of Guy Savoy’s Bouquinistes as an apprentice – followed by Pierre Gagnaire as commis, and then back with Guy Savoy as Chef de Partie at restaurant Chiberta. Impressive.

After working with some of the biggest Michelin-starred chefs in the industry, fate would change her life in ways she could have never imagined when she met American transplant Daniel Rose in 2007 at his first Spring restaurant – well before his name was emblazoned in the culinary lights of Paris.

She traded in the grand haute temples in posh neighborhoods for the chance to learn from a brilliant young chef working in a tiny kitchen – serving customers in a dining room with only two tables on a dark street in culinary siberia. Marie-Aude have may started out as an assistant to Daniel but today she is more than his right hand in the new kitchen; she’s his best friend and future wife.

What is most often a rocky road with a dead end for couples who work together in high-pressure high-profile restaurants; Daniel and Marie are a unique couple and talented chef team.

Marie Aude says, “I think I helped him realize everything he had in mind for Spring’s future because we both had the tools and skills, but we are good at different things and also have the patience and understanding of each other.”

Well said. Daniel doesn’t just reach for the stars, he stays awake at night charting galaxies yet imagined.

Marie smiles, “He created the first Spring by himself and the new one we did together. I’ve learned to work with him during these 4 years, and understand now all the details that matter to him that have made him a great chef. The best thing is that because we are so complementary and such a good team, we were able to create this new Spring that has now 10 new wonderful characters. So I guess today I am his right hand chef and his partner in crime! He knows that he can rely on me and that I can translate what he needs to the team when he’s not around.”

Her story may have started with Guy Savoy, Pierre Gagnaire and Daniel Rose, but look out world, Marie-Aude Mery is making a name for herself.

From a romantic place to have a drink with Daniel to where she shops for cooking supplies, Marie-Aude takes us on a local’s tour of the city she was born in and loves.

Marie-Aude’s Paris

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My favorite late night wine bar is Le Garde Robe on our street, because the place is so cute and the team adorable, plus they are our neighbors and as we finish work late it is very easy to reach! I really love their selection of biodynamic wines, i love that you never get a headache in the morning if you’ve had too much!

For a romantic night out I would have a drink at the Park Hyatt’s bar then I would have dinner (especially on a hot August night) on the terrace of “Laurent” and during the cold winter months, steak and frites at Relais de l’Entrecote because we both love it so much! Or, the simple great products that you find at Pierre Jancou’s Vivant.

One of my favorite dishes in town is Greg’s signature smoked trout at Frenchie, it is del-i-ciousssss

My idea of a perfect day eating and drinking in Paris would be on Sunday (a day off from the restaurant) and as quiet and easy as possible since my Sundays are dedicated to that. So I would get breakfast either at home with the help of my Fannie Farmer’s Baking Book and “juice” some nice organic fruits and vegetables or I would go to the Rose Bakery on the rue des Martyrs in the 9th for her delicious scones and quiches. Also I like Le Coffee Parisien on the rue Princesse in the 6th for the Eggs Benedict.

I can’t pass up the pistachio gelato at Grom’s that I can take home for later in the night.

I love to have an apero at L’Avant Comptoir, the anchovies and ham croquettes with a glass of white Anjou is heaven.

Le Grand 8 is a great bistro on the side of the Sacré Coeur, so pretty there, a great view of Paris and very friendly owner and staff. Great wine and simple good food. Perfect too as they are open on Sundays.

We love to go to the Bar du Passage (above Alain Senderens), it is open every day and they have a delicious menu for 36e and always great selection of wine.

In the kitchen I can’t live without a well-sharpened knife or a maryse spatula because you never lose a drop with it.  You can find one at E. Dehillerin or Mora.

One of my favorite outdoor markets and food vendor is at the Organic Blvd Raspail Sunday market,  the guy who sells the cider makes delicious crepes de sarrasin that are fun to eat while doing my shopping.

Spending time browsing for cookbooks at the Librairie Gourmande on the rue Montmartre is fun because this is where treasures CAN be found, old books are the best for inspiration because they hold all the basics that allow you to make new recipes. The collection Robert Lafont is my favorite with all the grands chefs Guerard, Gagnaire, Chapel, Senderens … when they were just beginning!

My perfect day in Paris… would start with a late breakfast in a palace, like the George V. Then I’d walk along the right bank Seine river side to the place des Vosges in the Marais for an aperitif on at Ma Bourgogne.

For lunch? I’d stop at the Café Marly overlooking I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid on the Cour Carrée du Louvre before a visit of the Pierre Soulages exhibition at Pompidou Centre.

Afterwards I’d cross the Seine to the St Germain des Pres to visit chocolatier Patrick Roger, before walking the left bank river side back towards the Eiffel Tower – and then cross the bridge to the Trocadero for an aperitif au Café de l’Homme.

Dinner? Bien sur, a dinner at Restaurant Guy Savoy to see what “he” is up to and at the end of the night, an apero and dancing at Queen.

What is your favorite kitchen utensil for cooking?

La fourchette diapason because it is the prolongation of the hand. Thanks to it, I don’t burn myself and I don’t get dirty.

What one food product can you not live without in your kitchen?

The artichoke. To continue to seduce my guests…

What is the most delicious thing you have eaten recently in Paris, and where was it?

The chocolate cake made by my account manager in our office.

When you are not in the restaurant and are spending a simple evening at home, what do you like to cook?

Côte de boeuf béarnaise, frites.

What inspires your cooking?

The products in the market inspire me.

You know that I’ve always said that my last meal request would be your artichoke truffle soup. What would be yours?

A “saucisson” sandwich with a crunchy baguette.

What do you see as a food trend for 2012?

Diversity

Guy Savoy’s Paris

 

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We’ll start with a light breakfast at the quartier’s best bakery & pastry shop run by a third generation baker for baguettes and croissants hot out of the oven, and then gradually taste our way through the market including cheese from an award-winning craftsman (his Comte and Brie are fabulous!), Provencal olives, meet the family who makes foie gras in the Perigord region (they won the best of 2011 award) and dozens of cured sausages from the Aveyron and Auvergne regions (he too, has bronze, silver & gold medals)… all before our last visit to an award-winning chocolate maker for sinful savory treats. (Do you see an award-wining trend?)

On Saturdays, an added bonus is meeting the vendor who makes his own salted butter caramels made with crème fraiche & hand-harvested fleur de sel as well as seeing the hilarious chicken farmer who crows like a “rooster” while preparing the birds for locals to take home.

Not only will I introduce you to the jovial residents and vendors straight from central casting (many of which are part of my extended family), you will learn: how the 76+ markets in Paris serve the public, the different food regions of France by sampling your way through the products brought in from their farms, how the French shop in the market and shops, and which foods are in season.

Depending on the season, you’ll be seeing gorgeous thick cepe mushrooms from the forests, earthy chestnuts-hazelnuts-walnuts, plump figs-apricots-strawberries, peaches, green and purple globe and baby artichokes and crates of oysters just pulled from the Brittany basins.

I’ll even guide you on how to get the foie gras and cheese home safely and legally.

You’ll have an opportunity to eat, drink and shop for various French foods but first and foremost these walks are informative cultural experiences created so that you come away with a deeper understanding of France’s food, regions, culture and customs.

TOUR DETAILS:

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, 10 am

Duration 3 hours

Tours are private with a two person minimum and limited up to 4 people of your choosing

Tours are 160e per person, tastings included

Exact meeting location details and transportation suggestions will be provided upon reservation

Walks are held rain or shine

MAKING A RESERVATION IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3:

1. Be sure that you are signing up for the correct day, month and year based on the tour dates before completing your reservation. This tour is available Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10 am.

2. Click here to purchase reservations online and let me know which tour you are taking in the note section while registering.

3. You will receive an immediate confirmation at the email address you registered with – this confirmation provides all details related to your walk, along with a brief questionnaire so that I can know more about your tastes, preferences and allergies to tailor the walk as best I can!

CANCELLATION POLICY:

All reservations are nonrefundable. This includes late arrivals and no shows. Tours start promptly, and it is your responsibility to be on time at the correct location a few minutes early, especially if you are not familiar with Paris. For rescheduling a walk, at least seven days notice is needed. Although every effort will be made to reschedule, there is no guarantee that there will be space available.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Questions regarding allergies, children or physical fitness before reserving? You can find answers here on the FAQ page

They tell me that their expectations didn’t live up to the experience.  Just a few of the complaints have been that they’ve crossed town to eat in this highly recommended bistro only to have been left sitting too long without someone taking their order (felt “ignored”), water and wine glasses were not refilled, tables were crammed too close together, no butter for the bread, the kitchen refused to substitute vegetables for frites, steaks were only served bleu (rare), the servers either didn’t speak English (or only spoke English), and then it took what seemed like forever to collect the dirty plates or bring the bill.

I was surprised to hear this because what they’re describing is exactly what a great bistro has always been: set in its ways, moving to its own chaotic rhythm, crowded, harried frenetic service and rare beef – it is why I go, it’s just part of the experience.

Perhaps part of the disappointment is that most folks just don’t realize that a bistro doesn’t function like a restaurant.

The word bistro is rumored to have come from the 19^th c. Paris Occupation-era Cossacks pounding the communal tables with their fists shouting, “Beestra! Beestra!” (“Quick!” in Russian) to get served quickly… and although it isn’t exactly fast-food, the bistro is a concept where you order from a set menu that has been created by a kitchen specifically so that the plates (and the drinks for those Russians) can go out swiftly.

This type of communal dining with set menus was in the culture long before sitting down in a proper restaurant to choose from courses.

These days, as soon as you’re seated (wedged in-between other tables or in a corner), the server will make sure you have napkins, cutlery and drinking glasses – then leave you with the one and only prix fixe chalkboard menu, propped against anything that will hold it, for just a few minutes so that you can decide what to order.

Since there aren’t usually printed menus for each person, looking over a menu leisurely is not an option. If making a decision takes too long, they’ll take the chalkboard and move on to other customers. Then you’ll be responsible for flagging them down to get it back. Good luck with that one honey.

The meek need not apply here either, you’ll have to cough up a good “s’il vous plait” to be taken seriously to catch their attention – eye contact is not part of French DNA, so waiting for them to notice you isn’t going to happen. You’ll have to speak up.

When you finally get their attention flying between kitchen, bar and tables, you can imagine the eyebrow raised when special requests are made (vegetables instead of frites, sharing plates, half portions, dressing on the side, steaks well-done, no gluten, etc.) They’ll tell you it comes out as it is and if you can’t eat all of it, don’t. The ticketing system and kitchen are not equipped to handle custom ordering. No time for reinventing the wheel.

If your French is rusty – or non-existent, and they happen to speak English, they’ll speak English to speed things up. When I first arrived in Paris, I had a French dictionary on my table translating every word on the menu before deciding and the owner came over and said, “Madame, the kitchen doesn’t have time for your French lesson today, can you please choose something?”

At the very least, their job is to seat you (thankfully you will never hear the words, “Hi! My name is Jenny and I’ll be your server today!), take your order, place carafes or bottles on the table (for you to serve yourself during your meal), bring a basket of bread (served with butter is NOT the norm) and your food (red meat served bleu IS the norm) – but everything after that has to be requested: more water, pot of mustard, an extra napkin, more wine, the bill, etc.

As far as their not taking the plates? They won’t, until you give them the “signal”… placing your utensils face up, side-by-side on the plate.

They don’t want to intrude until you ask to be intruded upon… This is, mes cher readers, Parisian bistro politeness – leaving you to enjoy your meal and table mates.

Can the Bistro Paul Bert have an off day? Sure it can. But it’s the kind of place that if they are slow in bringing the wine, it isn’t a sign of poor service.

Onglet 'bleu' and shallots

So these days, when I am craving a bistro, I know I’m not going to get friendly service unless it is uncharacteristically slow, red meat is served bleu to rare (woo-hoo!), and I order as fast as I can when I have their attention. As a matter of fact, as soon as I am handed a menu I ask for water and wine. Priorities first, non?

I understand though, folks who work hard to save their money to come to Paris knowing they’ll only get a glimpse of the food scene within the scope of a few days – are probably not going to be happy crossing town for frenetic service and a free for all atmosphere. Then again, there are those that look forward to it.

Restaurants Guy Savoy, Septime, Spring and Frenchie are all delicious – but they aren’t providing the same service as a classic Parisian bistro. These guys are easy-going about making substitutions, creating vegetarian meals and giving you lots of time to look over extensive wine lists. While they might faint at the thought – they could even agree to cook your meat well-done.

Morel Mushrooms and Poached Eggs

Although you can find fish and vegetables, bistros are a BIG draw for carnivores craving hunks of rare red meat with frites and wine.

It is why the Bistro Paul Bert is on the best classic bistro list every year – and – why the very same polished elegant dining companions I have at Guy Savoy who discuss the nuances between this briny oyster and that delicate tomato, LOVE coming here for the steak frites.

Braised Lamb Shoulder

The owner of Paul Bert is also entrenched in the local natural wine community (hosting some of the best “industry” wine tastings in town), so I can honestly say that I can’t think of a single person in my circle of friends who would turn down an opportunity to get together at Bistro Paul Bert to laugh too loud and eat and drink too much. My Southern motto is, “Why ‘do’ when you can over-do?” and this place doesn’t disappoint.

So while locals love it, some visitors who cross town for it are disappointed. As my grandfather used to say, “Even one cent has two sides.”

I find the staff harried but friendly, the seasonal market cooking and wines delicious, and appreciate the mixed crowd of winemakers, locals and tourists seated on red leather banquettes enjoying themselves. The 34 euro menu for an entrée + plat + and cheese or dessert is one of the best buys in town.

Starters could include white asparagus and aged parmesan, forest mushrooms on poached eggs and foie gras on toast, followed by main dishes of rare onglet steak with shallots and frites, line-caught mackerel, beef cheeks and roasted chicken and puréed potatoes.

If you choose cheese instead of their famous Paris-Brest pastry or Grand Mariner souflée, they’ll sit the wooden cutting board platter in front of you – to serve yourself, bien sur. Imagine at this point in this post being disappointed that they didn’t slice the cheese for you?

When I first moved here in 1989, there were a hundred fabulous bistros like this but sadly, only a few of those are still around. I often long for the old days of the Bistro Mazarin when René was front of house – but when he left, the place just lost its soul and I never went back.

For me, the essence of going out of my way to dine in an authentic bistro like Paul Bert, is more than a meal – it’s a chance to witness the true fabric of a Parisian neighborhood.

Eating here is much the same reason why I love going to someone’s country home where we sit around a large table in the kitchen – you don’t expect fancy, good food is great food, you appreciate a gracious host who has chosen and prepared something fresh and delicious, you enjoy the camaraderie, thankful for the effort put into making the ambiance carefree, and then, and especially then, you are understanding if it isn’t perfect.

Imagine a Michelin-starred restaurant getting this kind of leeway? No wonder more and more of their chefs are leaving to open a pared down bistro.

Bertrand Auboyneau, Owner of Paul Bert

Part of the joy of being a habitual visitor or resident, is finding that one place that you make a connection to, famous eaterie or not, where you always feel welcome and stopping by to say hello becomes the anchor of your day.

It is why Willi’s Wine Bar, Fish, L’Avant Comptoir, Le Baratin, Le Chapeau Melon and Le Verre Volé are perfect examples of places that have had a strong “family” clientele base for years. These places are serving more than food – they are feeding souls.

The bottom line is, a bistro is what it is, and it ain’t nothin’ that it ain’t. A bistro is what you choose to make of it.

In my quartier, the Bistro Paul Bert is MY perfect bistro, a home away from home, a place to catch up with my neighbors around the table, where I derive tremendous pleasure in seeing local folks greet each other warmly by shaking hands and kissing cheeks – and where the host has taken great care in the little details most folks will never notice, such as the background music of glasses clinking and boisterous laughter. True signs of a happy place, and that takes some doing.

With all this around me I don’t even notice imperfections – and nor do they. They take comfort in knowing that we know, that they know, that we know – we aren’t there to be fussy or particular, we are there to just … be.

Bistro Paul Bert

What to Expect: Off the beat location, good for groups, informal, busy, market-driven comfort classics, natural and organic wines.

What Not to Expect: A quiet or intimate date night, fancy, vegetarian choices.

Address and Metro: 18, rue Paul Bert, 11th, M° Faidherbe-Chaligny.

Télephone: 01 43 72 24 01

Hours and Prices: Open Tuesday to Saturday lunch (12 noon – 2pm) and dinner (7:30 – 11pm). 34 euro prix fixe menus.

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When I first called the St. Germain des Pres neighborhood home some 20 years ago, the Left Bank was different than it is today. Not better, not worse, just different.

I remember lots of typical French bistros filled with smoke and local characters leaning on the zinc bar with a rusty glass of red – bartenders patiently listening to the same tall tales told with gusto just the night before – the embodiment of a Parisian bistro. The little side streets were undiscovered and quiet.

Although there are thankfully still some real gems there now, most of the places from 1989 have long been replaced by sushi take-out and Starbucks or are just “tired”, limping along on a fabulous reputation of yesteryear.

My favorite bistro, the Beaux-Arts on the rue Bonapartre, became an art gallery. When Rene retired from the Bistro Mazarin on the rue Mazarine, it just lost its soul. The once tranquil side streets are now bustling with visitors peering into handsomely dressed boutique windows carrying pretty shopping bags. C’est la vie.

Not long after, sous chefs started to leave the temples of their masters and set up in very central areas – only to leave shortly thereafter – unable to cope with exhorbitant rents and tourists looking for hamburgers, not Michelin-starred resumes and the prices to match.

Alors, where did they go? The risk takers and the brave, set out to change things by opening up in the outer arrondissements where the spaces might have been smaller but the rents were lower. These fringe neighborhoods, believe it or not, were devoid of many places to eat. Locals who once had to travel a bit, now had the chance to eat well and on a budget in their neighborhood.

Sebaste fish at Galopin

Fixed menus were set at low prices, highly-trained cooking techniques were put to use and the quality of products out of this world. Yves Cambdeborde led the way with the legendary La Régalade and Le Comptoir, paving the way and influencing so many greats to follow, earning him the title of Bistro King.

So it was with great interest at lunch yesterday when I overhead a woman at the next table say, “I loved Frenchie, but I don’t get what all the hype is about. Was this really worth the wait?”

She is certainly entitled to her opinion, but with her voice in my air space, I could politely inquire.

How was the food? “Gorgeous!” …and the ambiance? “Super casual! Lots of locals, a bit small though, only a few tables.” …and the service? “Can’t complain.” …the price? “OMG, in Chicago we’d never pay prices that low, how does he stay in business?” Finally, the location? “It was a 10-minute walk from our hotel, kind of far and it took our concierge weeks to get us in.” Ah. Bless her heart.

If she lived in Paris, she’d realize that she just answered her own question. That’s the hype, the new “new”… does the food get better with the hype and wait?… of course not. If it is good now, it will be good next month, even if I have to wait.

Frenchie interior

The subject has made its rounds in the press lately, putting “the hottest new bistro lists” on both the international and local radars. Coupled with press and the economy, a wide audience is competing for the same 20 seats and value menus. It is just as challenging, if not more so, to get into a local favorite as a starred-temple. As a matter of fact, neo-bistros ARE the new temples.

Last week one of the top food magazine editors in the US visiting me from New York City said, “I’ve never seen anything like it Wendy, it is easier to get seats in NYC!”

Frenchie has 22 seats and the phone rings an estimated 300 times an hour, that’s five times a minute. Spring receives 850 reservation requests a day.

Both are getting a verbal beating for not answering the phone, being “too hard to get into” and not being open on the weekend – and when Daniel Rose dared to close Spring for lunch last year to take a short repose, a Spring “regular” he knows posted on Chowhound that Daniel was caving into investors. He bawked, “What, are you kidding me? I just need a break from working 18 hour days during the summer!”

A giant in the internet industry had dinner with me at Frenchie and asked the Chef/Owner Greg why he didn’t just open a bigger place. Greg said, “I’m enjoying what we are doing here, we are doing a good product. Plus, I have a wife, a son, a new baby girl and a new wine bar across the street… there is only so much one person can do!”

When I asked Yves Camdeborde about his L’Avant Comptoir wine bar influencing so many chefs to open others like it, he slapped his sides and beamed, “Great! We need more places like this in Paris!” His Le Comptoir bistro has a never-ending line out front for the first-come first-serve lunch policy between noon and 6pm.

The lunch queue outside Le Comptoir

Agreed. Unless more places like these open, the reservations are going to be tough and few and far between until they do.

The most popular restaurants (casual, great food, good wine, super ambiance, easy location, fair prices, good value) in Paris these days rarely have over 24 seats, making advance bookings imperative.

When it comes to reservations, know that the “best’” places are what everyone wants these days – thus, the new “new”…

Knowing what is important to you personally in terms of location, ambiance, budget, part of town, what days of the week you are visiting and whether innovative or classic cooking turns you on… are helpful first steps in narrowing down your choices.

Traveling to Paris within 3 months?

Contact the concierge at your hotel or apartment rental as quickly as possible for reservation assistance since they are on Paris time and speak the language. Try to create a list that gives them more than a few options in case the top choices are fully booked. Although some restaurants have email, they will answer the phone first – email not so often (if ever!)

UPDATE: Since this first ran last year, bistro-restos such as Vivant, L’Office, Le Galopin, Septime, Au Passage, Verjus and Chatomat have all thankfully opened their doors giving you more choices, but reservations are still absolutely necessary in getting a table.