La Butte Chaillot (16ieme)

We'd been reading about this restaurant in various guidebooks and restaurant articles, so thought we'd swing by one night to see what the fuss was all about. It's just a hundred yards off Trocadero, near our apartment, and conveniently located for a post-dinner stroll with Eiffel Tower views.

However, once inside, it feels like a world away. Or perhaps I should say half a world away, or, more precisely, New York City. The food and decor are terrific, but there is something about every single table in the place speaking North American English that makes it all feel a little less Continental. Alas, this restaurant appears to be a victim of the much-feared "curse of the popular guidebook." Even the high prices show that it feels confident in its ongoing popularity.

(yes, yes, I know, we aren't exactly French ourselves, so were net contributors to the problem here. But by generally avoiding the spots that are most popular with the English-speaking crowd, we are helping relieve the pressure)

(Personally, I'm beginning to detect a conspiracy - the Parisian restaurant community may be herding us anglos into a small number of well-known places so they can enjoy their meals in relative peace...)

That said, La Butte Chaillot does have some redeeming qualities. The food, as mentioned, is very good. Guy Savoy puts on a great culinary show, and complements it with a nice wine list. Though I'm no expert on the subject, it seemed like very capable nouvelle cuisine, even a bit on the light side. And the preponderance of Americans in the place did cut down on the cigarette smoke quite a bit.

But in the end it's hard to recommend it to friends visiting Paris, because it doesn't deliver on the experience that everyone is looking for, the Parisian restaurant filled with Parisians.

My prediction: La Butte Chaillot will continue to be mentioned in guidebooks and articles, and will continue to draw a North American crowd, until finally it gets known more for the crowd than for the food. The books will drop it, and it will revert to a very nice neighborhood restaurant.