Veg option: Maceo, Paris

Maceo in summary: lots of veg options, very good food, maddeningly frustrating service.

There are a bunch of vegetarian options at Maceo. Three entrees and a number of starters. That's rare at any restaurant, especially in Paris, so it was a real treat.

The food was excellent. We were stated with an amuse boush of white asparagus soup with sesame. I  could have had a whole bowl of this.

 I had the parsnip veloute to start. It was warm and sophisticated with coriander and orange flower oil adding subtle and lovely notes to it.

 For my main, I did a quinoa galette, which was a sort of quinoa cake that was soft inside with a crunchy crust. It was very filling, flavorful, and complemented with beautiful veggies.

 Though I didn't get pictures, we had an excellent cheese course and a tasty dessert.

Then things started to go downhill. We waited an hour after dessert was cleared to get our check. The tables next to us also had long waits, sitting with dirty plates or dessert menus for half an hour. We felt intentionally ignored. When they finally came to charge our card, almost 90 minutes after we finished, IB13 asked if we had done something wrong, and they explained that there had been a theft from the upstairs of the restaurant. I believe this, as we noticed a lot of upset conversation among the waitstaff, but it was still a frustrating night. That said, I don't expect this was typical service. If you are looking for a place with good vegetarian options along with a wide range of non-veggie food, Maceo is definitely a spot to check out.

Make reservations. At 7:30 we were early, but the restaurant was full by the time we finished at 9pm and when we finally left at 10:30.

Cocktails: Prescription Cocktail Club, Paris

Our third night in Paris during this trip, we visited the Prescription Cocktail Club. We had the Experimental Cocktail Club the night before, and while I found ECC better, the drinks at PCC were very good.

I had a Very Old Cuban, which was compared favorably to the one at Experimental Cocktail Club. It was excellent, and IB13 preferred Prescriptions's while I think I preferred Experimental's. I also had a rum and aperol drink called a 23 Jump Street.

The vibe was a bit funkier than Experimental. We sat upstairs in a lounge area with couches and chairs. There was a DJ playing funk, some disco, and a bit of techno. The volume at half that level would have been better. I found this really diminished the ambiance, especially after the perfect music, volume, and song choices at Experimental the night before.

The wait staff were very friendly and prompt. The clientele was a mix of expats and Parisians, mostly young. If you are into craft cocktails, I definitely recommend stopping here. Their menu is creative and the drinks are exceptionally well made. I think the best atmosphere depends on your individual taste. Experimental Cocktail Club was a perfect hit for me, but I can totally understand someone liking Prescription Cocktail Club's feel better.

In any case, you're sure to come away well tended to and happy.

Cocktails: Harry's New York Bar, Paris

Harry's New York Bar in Paris was recommended as a great place for cocktails. It has a very laid back atmosphere and a cool, young clientele. The bartenders were attentive. The cocktails we had were pretty tasty. We have been spoiled with good bars and cursed with bad ones. Both IB13 and I rated our drinks a 6 on a 1-10 scale. He had a bloody Mary, something they are famous for, and I had a White Lady (a gin drink with lemon juice). Both were good, but not great.

It's worth going here for the ambiance. IB13 suggested we go back the next night, but fortunately we ended up at the Experimental Cocktail Club, which we liked better in all respects. Harry's is an institution and worth a stop, but if you are looking for a great cocktail, head over to ECC instead.

Veg Option: La Romantica, Paris

On our first night during this trip to Paris, our concierge recommended La Romantica, an Italian restaurant near Opera. We went over not knowing what to expect except that it had vegetarian options.

I opted for the Leggera Romantica, the "star" of their menu, and I was not disappointed. It was billed as linguine in sage creme with cheese. It turned out to be a crazy great alfredo. First, they start with this giant wheel of parmesan cheese and a bottle of alcohol.

There is a bowl of sorts in the cheese, and they pour the alcohol in there  Then, they light it on fire. They stir it around, melting cheese, and then someone scrapes the softened cheese into a big pile.

That happenes a few minutes before they bring out a pot of hot linguini in butter, which they then pour directly into the cheese bowl. They stir it around and mix in the cheese. Here is my bowl of finished pasta next to the wheel.



It was SO good. So not good for me, but SO good. Basically, it was an alfredo with all the perfect ingredients - great pasta, fresh cream and butter, and amazing cheese.

All we had at this place was a main course. IB13 had a clam linguini which he thought was great, along with some of my pasta. The service was a bit slow (but there seemed to be one waiter and one big party there). There were other vegetarian options on the menu, so if you are in Paris, stop by...and definitely come hungry and save room for this amazing dish.

Cocktails: Experimental Cocktail Club, Paris

We are fans of the craft cocktail over here, and try to find places with them in every city we go to. Now in 2013, Paris seems to be in the earlier stages of developing this scene. One total home run of a place to visit is the Experimental Cocktail Club. It's a bit off the beaten path, and I loved it. The cocktails were truly great. Between the two of us, we had 4 Old Cubans (you really need to get one, it's a rum and champagne drink), and 2 others. I had a great drink called L'Attrape Cœurs (the French name for The Catcher in the Rye), which was a beautifully balanced drink with chartruse, whiskey, lemon juice, and grapefruit zest.  IB13 had the Experience #1, a lovely herbal drink. The Old Cubans were masterpieces, though, which is why we went for seconds.

The Old Cuban

The ambiance was great, as well. It was a cozy place, with exposed walls and beams. There was a DJ which worried us when we walked in, but he played a mix of blues and jazz you've probably never heard but will love, and played it at a level that still allowed conversation.

We really couldn't be happier. Everything was great about this place, and the  cocktails match anything we've had. If you love drinks and are in Paris, it's a must-stop.

Veg Option: 16 Haussmann, Paris

Paris is a hard city for vegetarians. I did my homework before this trip, so we ended up at places with vegetarian options and tasty food. 16 Haussman was one of those places. They are near the Opera district, which happened to be by our hotel, and have vegetarian options marked with a check on their menu.

I had a vegetable panna cotta to start and an artichoke risotto with chestnuts and mushrooms as a main. None of this was surprising or deeply sophisticated, but it was very tasty. The atmosphere and service were good, and though I didn't have dessert, my partner IB13 did. His and those delivered to everyone around us looked great.

Add it to your list of veg friendly places in Paris if you're here.