Bright lights big city
by Julie Baker

Below is a selection of restaurants chosen because of their bustling, companionable ambiance and atmospheric decor. Those wishing to share the Christmas spirit can make a donation to L’Association les Restaurants du Coeur, 221, rue La Fayette, 10e or La Mie de Pain, 18, rue Charles Fournier, 13e, Paris.

Hemingway Bar Hôtel Ritz, 15, pl Vendôme, 1er, Mº Madeleine, tel: 01.43.16.30.30, Tue-Sat from 6:30pm, cocktails from 100F. Back in the 1920s, the fame of the Ritz hotel owed much to its elegant cocktail bar which attracted artists, writers, royalty and movie stars. The glamorous allure still remains, making this the ideal spot for that special celebratory drink. Master barman Colin P. Field reigns over the most sophisticated selection of cocktails in Paris. Try his champagne cocktail, served in an elegant flute with a sliver of fresh ginger: a wonderfully urbane way to toast the New Year.

La Grand Armée 3, av de la Grande Armée, 16e, Mº Etoile, tel: 01.45.00.24.77, open daily. Located a stone’s throw from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the decor of this Costes Brothers’ brasserie brazenly toys with France’s love of military fetishism. The terrace is done up like a Napoleonic campaign tent, life-size soldier-cutouts stand sentry beneath faux-heroic friezes and imperial lions thrust their heads out of light fixtures. The menu is as playful as the decor, offering everything from homemade foie gras and caviar to cheeseburgers, with brasserie staples such as oysters and steak tartare steadying the troops. Try the fried fillet of sandre or perch-pike accompanied by a fresh coriander and tomato salsa that adds a delicate nuance of flavor to the fish, leaving room for the generous profiteroles. eee

Au Petit Riche 25, rue le Peletier, 9e, Mº Richelieu Drouot, tel: 01.47.70.68.68, closed Sun. This delightful jewel-box of a restaurant has retained its superb belle époque decor including flowering candelabra lights, nicotine walls, smoked glass, gleaming brass fixtures, and the smooth hush throughout of time-polished wood. Just off the Grands Boulevards, it’s perfectly located for shoppers and night-time theater-goers. The food is unpretentious, satisfying and well-priced. The 140F evening menu is great value, offering fresh oysters or the excellent soupe de poisson, and such hearty traditional fare as grilled pig’s trotter and blanquette de veau. The selection of sorbets and ice creams was a delight. Service is amiable although they’re definitely not in a hurry. ee

Brasserie Haussmann. 12, bd Haussmann, 9e, Mº Richelieu Drouot, tel: 01.49.49.16.00, open daily. This bright, bustling and friendly brasserie down by the grands magasins is the ideal place for a bite to eat between bouts of shopping during the post-Christmas sales season. The roast of the day served with a beer is a fortifying and good value at 88F. Try the invariable fine soups of the day or one of Chef Jean-Pierre Phily’s fish dishes, such as the lotte served with superb sun-dried tomatoes. Desserts include a delectably light soufflé glacé or a crème brûlée made with amaretto and pistachios. ee

La Boulangerie, 15, rue des Panoyaux, 20e, Mº Ménilmontant, tel: 01.43.58.45.45, open daily. Opened less than a year ago, this wonderfully friendly neighborhood restaurant has already established itself as a favorite hangout for local artists and actors. The lovingly restored interior features mosaic floor, murals and old-style wooden tables and the menu is unbeatable: wholesome, fresh ingredients prepared with care and a sense of innovation and served at incredibly low prices. Try the superb liver pâté or the excellent magret de canard accompanied by sautéed potatoes and apple. For post-party recuperation chill out at the best brunch in town, still only 65F every Sunday. The restaurant will offer affordable feasting throughout the holiday season and a big New Year’s eve street party in association with its sister establishment, the Lou Pascalou café across the square. e

La Maison d’Alsace 39, av des Champs-Elysées, 8e, Mº Franklin D. Roosevelt, tel: 01.53.93.97.00, open daily. The eastern region of Alsace is famous for its colorful public Christmas decorations, so it comes as no surprise that this popular Champs-Elysées establishment attacks Christmas with a gusto and enthusiasm lacked by many of its sedate neighbors. Naturally sauerkraut is the speciality, and is served in many guises, including the traditional Alsatian peasant variety with smoked sausages and pork cuts, as well as the speciality of the house, a thunderously filling version served up with roast suckling pig. ee

Bofinger 3, rue Bastille, 12e, Mº Bastille, tel: 01.42.72.87.82, open daily. Dating from the turn of the century, this celebrated brasserie is a great spot for jovial celebrations. Although it boasts a magnificently-decorated central room on the ground floor with stained-glass ceiling, the atmospheric upstairs rooms with their art nouveau candelabra lights and ornate wood-paneled walls are cozier in winter. There’s a fine 178F festive menu that includes items such as foie gras, oysters, pavé de biche (venison), dessert and half a bottle of wine. And, the Jacquart brut champagne is a steal at 186F. ee.

La Fermette Marbeuf 1900 3-5, rue Marbeuf, 8e, Mº Franklin D. Roosevelt, tel: 01.53.23.08.00, open daily. This is one of the most famous restaurants in Paris in terms of its decor, but be sure to specify that you want the main room when you book, so you can gaze at art nouveau marvels as you dine. We guarantee this will be the closest you’ll ever come to dining inside a gilded cage. Start off with the tasty mussel soup with saffron or a salad of slivers of magret de canard and gizzards. Beef is the house speciality, but if that doesn’t appeal, try the guinea fowl, being sure to leave room for the tarte tatin. The wine list is extensive if on the pricy side and the service efficient, especially considering how hectic it can be. eee