Ozio

Just around the corner from us in the 16th, on Rue Laurimont, Ozio is a neighborhood Italian with a fun young crowd. Smoky like you read about, unfortunately, but otherwise a nice casual place for dinner. Italian wine in carafes, good big salads, a nice mushroom risotto for me and penne for Maryam.

We were the oldest folks in the place by a few years, other than another table of Americans, but of course that just convinced us that we were acting cooler than our age. Ah, but we were tired, and skipped out on dessert and coffee at about 10pm. The owners were happy, because there were still couples outside looking to get a table. All this on a Monday night.

Recommended for food and ambience, but the smoke does get in your eyes (and hair and clothes).

Restaurant Paul Chene (16eme)

Just around the corner from us, a small, traditional, cosy place with very friendly Maitre d'. Wonderful Salade Peregordine. Good Sole Meuniere and Coquille St. Jaques. But not enough of crowd to create the right ambiance.
-By Maryam

Le Meurice ** (1ier)

Our first night out, and it'll be hard to top. We were a bit concerned when we arrived at 8pm and and were the only diners in room. Egad, had we mistakenly chosen a touristy hotel restaurant? But within 15 minutes the tables started to fill and we were soon surrounded by French-speaking tables each enoying inspired, creative food, one dish more delightful than the next. Le Meurice on Rue de Rivoli is sublime, from the Louis XIV room to the never-ending, yet perfect-in-every-way Menu Degustation. I don't even know how to describe the food. It was just surprising and perfect. The cheese course may have been the richest thing Blach has ever eaten (topping even the fois gras soup in Girona). After we got home and looked it up in Michelin, we realized it was a 2-star. What could a 3 star be?!
-By Maryam