Lunch in Paris

In Paris there are a few types of places to eat.

There is the cafe, which usually does not serve much food, but you can get a cup of coffee and a small plate, more of a "snack menu".

A bistro, which usually serves French fare like cassoulet, duck confit, or steak frites and can be also higher end.

Then there is the brasserie, which means "brewery", where you can get a nice croque monsieur or quiche and salad for lunch or dinner with a glass of Kronenborg.
A brasserie serves food all day, so if you are hungry at 3 pm, you can get a meal, unlike NYC, where it's tough to find a late lunch.

And of course there is the restaurant.

A more formal evening, where you will take your dinner indoors w/ a bottle of wine and spend a few hours.
However, there are restaurants that have cafes outside with heat lamps in the winter that you can sit and have your coffee.

Are you totally confused yet?
I am.

Just look at the menu outside before you commit.

I remember years ago, we walked into a restaurant, and all I wanted was some champagne and an appetizer, sort of like I would order at home.

When I asked the server if that was possible, his reply was "Madame, thees is a restAURANT!".

PARDON MOI!

I was young, and too scared to get up and leave (which we should have done right then and there), so I stayed and took my beating, but I did not make that mistake again.

We tend to eat at brasseries or restaurants for lunch, since I need to have a slice of quiche daily and my husband loves a croque madame or monsieur.
They always comes w/ a salade and are reasonably priced.

But what I really want to know is, why do all the chalkboard menus have the same beautiful handwriting?
Do they teach you in school how to write menus with chalk?

Bon Appetit!