France has a deserved reputation for its culinary prowess. In 2010, the French Gastronomic meal was inscribed on the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and just last year the French Baguette was also recognised. Food is taken seriously in France, so fans travelling for the Irish Rugby World Cup games there can expect to eat well.
The delight about eating and drinking in France is that it can be as formal or as casual as you wish. You can choose to wait months for a coveted table at starred restaurants, but you will find people walking down the street munching the top pulled from a warm, crispy baguette. Food is very much part of the culture. The French eat seasonally, and they eat well, in general they won’t tolerate subpar food, so if you are wandering in an area looking for a place to grab a bite to eat, busy local cafes, bistros, and restaurants are always a good sign. With that in mind, there is little point in trekking across town when the place on the corner will most probably serve an excellent confit duck but if there is somewhere you particularly have your eye on make a reservation and if you don’t have a reservation, aim to arrive from when they open, the French tend to eat late and the prime dinner tables will be reserved for after 8pm.
Irish fans will find a taste of home on many menus, the French have a soft spot for Irish beef and oysters. According to Bord Bia more than 75 per cent of Irish-grown oysters end up in France, yet to many Irish people’s surprise, Kerrygold has never been exported to our nearest EU neighbour.
The French are also picnic pros. It is very acceptable to visit a fromagerie to pick up some cheese to eat en plein air with any other treats you may have picked up in a neighbourhood market. If the weather is good, and you have the time, I highly recommend finding a park or a spot by the river Seine to people watch and graze.
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I also recommend you save money on water and instead use your euros for other beverages. The water quality in Paris is a source of pride. There are numerous public water fountains dotted all over the city, some even have sparkling water, and you will never have to pay for a “carafe d’eau” anywhere you sit down.
The following is a list of places where I have eaten well, and I have put it together with the Irish rugby fan in mind. There are some suggestions for visitors to Nantes but with a bit of luck we will be in Paris for more than a few games, therefore the capital is the focus.
Nantes
Gwaien
63 Rue de Bel air, 44000 Nantes; gwaien-restaurant.fr
Delicious local restaurant, offering good value set menus featuring thoughtful, tasty, seasonal meat and fish dishes. The setting is calm and refined. There is a terrace for sunny, warm days and a good wine list with a nice selection of wines by the glass. Booking advised.
Little Atlantique Brewery
23 Bd de Chantenay, 44100 Nantes; little-atlantique-brewery.fr
This gleaming industrial brewery has a superb outdoor area with views of the river. The beer is brewed on site and if you want to learn more about the process you can sign up for brewery tours and beer-tasting sessions at the weekend. Beer is the focus and their concise menu complements this; pulled pork sandwiches, cheese boards a surprisingly good desert selection and a nice children’s menu. Good spot for larger groups to gather.
Magmaa Food Hall
15 Rue La Noue Bras de Fer, 44200 Nantes; magmaa-nantes.fr
This food hall offers diners plenty of choice ranging from local fare to international cuisine, there is something here for everyone and the beer is good.
Les Funambules
83 Bd de la Prairie au Duc, 44200 Nantes; lesfunambulesdenantes.com
For the morning after this is a nice brunch spot with plenty of table inside and out, situated on the Île de Nantes beside Les Machines de l’Île
Paris
Classic favourites
La Petite Périgourdine
39 Rue des Écoles; restaurantlapetiteperigourdine.com
Excellent steaks and hearty regional dishes. Don’t miss the ailgot; a mix of equal parts cheese and puréed potatoes, it’s as good as it sounds.
La Jacobine
59-61 rue Saint-André-des-Arts; facebook.com/pages/La-Jacobine
Tucked away in a covered arcade this cosy restaurant servings staple classic French dishes. They also have delicious hot chocolate.
Twists on the traditional bistro
Restaurant 52
52 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris; faubourgstdenis.com
Very classy contemporary restaurant with a charming chef proprietor who really cares about the ingredients he sources and the food and wine he serves. In a cool part of town with some nice cocktail bars close by. Try Le Syndicat (51 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010) or L’Ours Bar (8 Rue de Paradis, 75010) for a cocktail before or after dinner
Le Petit Marché
9 Rue de Béarn, Paris; lepetitmarche.eu
A sister restaurant to Chez Janou and Petite Italien, this place specialises in seasonal French fare with a slightly Asian influence, a mix of modern and classic, its delicious.
Le comptoir du Relais, Avant Comptoir de la Terre and Avant Comptoir de la Mer
Carrefour de l’Odéon Paris; camdeborde.com/en
I adore this trio of restaurants, Le Comptoir du Relais is a classic bistro, with a daily menu and nice tables in Saint Germain, next door are two magic tiny restaurants, one specialising in fish (Avant Comptoir de la Mer) and the other one focused on meat dishes, (Avant Comptoir de la Tere) which I have a slight preference for because the staff have excellent musical taste. If you are lucky you might be treated to all of Celine Dion’s works. The menu hangs from the ceiling on laminated cards. There are daily special dishes, mounds of butter on the counter and jars of pickles. If the beef with foie gras is on the menu don’t miss it. It’s cooked by blow torch in front of you. The tiny kitchens produce pure magic; leave room for dessert. The wine list is excellent, with a superb by the glass selection. If you are lucky, you’ll get a seat and if not just elbow your way to the counter. It’s always great fun.
Secret lunch spot
Le Mouffetard
116 Rue Mouffetard, 75005 Paris
I almost don’t want to tell people about this place as I just discovered it recently. It does a cracking €17 two-course lunch, comprising a simple daily menu, which changes depending on what’s available but there is always a fish dish, a dish of the day and a steak with slow-cooked caramelised shallots, that are so delicious I sometimes dream about them. I recommend main and dessert as who can say no to îles flottantes. On street with quite a few touristy places around this is a secret gem, you can tell it’s the real deal, as the same discerning group of older Parisians eat here every lunchtime.
Late Night
Au Pied de Cochon
6 Rue Coquillière, Paris, France; pieddecochon.com
This restaurant is an institution. Right beside Châtelet-Les Halles, so within easy access of the RER B train line serving Stade de France, this restaurant serves hearty French dishes until the wee hours. It closes at 5am. The dapper waiters suffer no fools; service is pleasant and fast, don’t miss their signature dish of crispy fried pig’s trotter.
Crêpes
Across the city there are late night crêpe stands everywhere, including Crêperie Mouffetard, in the 5th which is right beside the every popular Au P’tit Grec (68 Rue Mouffetard, 75005) which is not a French style Crêperie, but is very good, and La Droguerie (47 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris).
If you want a fancier crêpe, Breizh, with several branches, brings a gastronomic touch to the humble galette. They have excellent cider and I’m always charmed by the individually wrapped Bretagne beurre salé caramels that accompany the bill.
Wine and beer
Paname Brewing Company
41 bia Quai de la Loire; panamebrewingcompany.com
Great brewery with a fine tap room overlooking the canal Ourcq, spacious with a lovely deck, superb beers and a very nice menu. This place is good for larger groups.
Wine Therapy
35 Rue de Montholon, 75009 Paris; wine-therapy.fr
A charming wine bar where Laurent will lead you through a blind tasting to find the perfect wine for your exact state of mind. It’s worth ordering one of the excellent cheese and charcuterie boards too.
Susan Boyle is a drinks specialist and Fulbright scholar who has been living on and off in Paris for two years. She came to practise the language and stayed because of the cheese.
