Taste: Paris

A very French feast - For a taste of Paris, nothing beats a classic brasserie. John Brunton suggests six of the best When you book a table at one of the great Parisian brasseries, be prepared for a lot more than a culinary experience. These eateries are genuine cultural monuments in themselves, dating back to the end of the 19th century, when Alsatians fled to the French capital after their region was annexed by Germany in 1871. With opulent art nouveau and art deco interiors, they ooze history and scandalous stories of famous clients such as Picasso, Josephine Baker and Henry Miller. Packed out from morning until night, these foodie institutions buzz with noise as waiters theatrically rush to and fro. While the cuisine does not try to attain Michelin-star standards, the produce is always the freshest possible, prices remain reasonable, and every meal ends up being a memorable occasion. Each neighbourhood of the City of Light has its own landmark eatery, and as most are protected as monuments historiques, these grand brasseries remain a unique slice of Parisian life. Here are six of the best. BRASSERIE FLO Hidden away down a tiny cobbled courtyard near the Gare de l’Est train station, Flo is one of the city’s oldest and most intimate brasseries. Sitting at a wood-panelled table for the signature choucroute – sauerkraut braised in Sylvaner wine, topped with frankfurters, sausages, smoked pork and spare ribs – it’s difficult to imagine its colourful past. Opened as Chez Hans in 1886 as a beer depot for barrels that arrived from breweries in Alsace, it became a favourite bohemian rendezvous for theatre people such as Sarah Bernhardt. But that didn’t stop an anti-German mob ransacking the place just before the outbreak of the First World War. The owner, Monsieur Floderer, meticulously restored the brasserie as a homage to his native Alsace, diplomatically changing the name to Brasserie Flo. The surrounding neighbourhood is still very much the lively theatreland of Paris, and music lovers should check out New Morning (newmorning.com), the best venue for live jazz in town. Open daily 12pm-3pm, 7pm-11pm (12am Fri-Sat). Two-course set menu €28.50. 7 Cour des Petites Ecuries; tel +33 147 701 359; brasserieflo-paris.com CHEZ JENNY Chez Jenny is just off Place de la République, a huge square that has recently been restored to its former glory. This brasserie, though, hasn’t changed since Robert Jenny opened its doors in 1931 as a “temple of Alsatian gastronomy”. The interiors are worthy of an art deco museum, with hand-painted scenes of rural Alsace on the walls, stained-glass windows, tiled floors and red banquettes, while black-jacketed waiters glide between tables, precariously balancing giant seafood platters. Also on the menu are specialities from Alsace such as flammekueche – a wafer-thin pizza topped with crème fraîche, bacon and onions – and desserts like apple strudel and kugelhopf cake, soaked in rum and topped off with cream. Open daily 12pm-12am (1am Fri-Sat). Starter and main from €21. 39 Boulevard du Temple; tel +33 144 543 900; chez-jenny.com TERMINUS NORD The first stop for international travellers arriving into Gard du Nord should be the monumental brasserie right opposite. What was originally the humble station café, Terminus Nord was transformed in 1925 into perhaps the most grandiose of all the city’s brasseries, decorated in a spectacular mix of both art nouveau and art deco styles. Although the billiard room and the opulent salons that hosted afternoon concerts have gone, diners are still surrounded by ornate Belle Epoque chandeliers and sculptures, music hall posters, advertisements and flamboyant frescoes from the Roaring Twenties. The cuisine tries to be more gourmet here, with the menu featuring complex dishes such as veal sweetbreads with succulent morel mushrooms. Still, the best bet – especially if you have a train to catch – is le Plateau du Marayeur, a cornucopia of crab, lobster, langoustines, whelks, shrimps and freshly schucked oysters. Open Tues-Sat 7.30am-12am, Sun-Mon 8am-11pm. Seafood platter from €27. 23 Rue de Dunkerque; tel +33 142 850 515; terminusnord.com LA COUPOLE Having dinner at La Coupole is like stepping back into the decadent 1920s of the bohemian Left Bank. Opened in December 1927 as the biggest restaurant in Paris, the size of the dining room and its emblematic coupole is still breathtaking, not to mention the 32 painted pillars and mosaics. Since the opening cocktail party – at which invitees of the likes of Hemingway, Cocteau and Man Ray consumed 1,200 bottles of champagne between them – La Coupole has been the favourite meeting place for Le Tout-Paris, from Edith Piaf and Yves Montand to artists such as Matisse and Chagall. The cuisine, as well as the ambience, differs from other grand brasseries – although an impressive oyster and shellfish display lines the boulevard, habitués tend to order quirky dishes such as lamb curry, beef flambéed in Armagnac, or a simple but delicious grilled sole with steamed potatoes. Open daily 8.30am-12am (11pm Sun-Mon). Starter and main from €30. 102 Boulevard du Montparnasse; tel +33 143 201 420; lacoupole-paris.com CHARLOT With its art deco furnishings, Charlot seems at first like any other brasserie. But look again at the artwork and you’ll see that, rather than the traditional rural scenes, everything here has a colourful maritime theme. The original owner, Charles Lombardo, known as le Roi des Coquillages – the Shellfish King – came to Paris from the south of France and was determined to create a brasserie that promoted Mediterranean cuisine. Located at the edge of Pigalle, a neighbourhood one block from the Moulin Rouge, the main dining room resembles an old-time cabaret, with mirrors everywhere. Seafood lovers come here from around the world, drawn by dishes such as sea bass flambéed in Pastis, a gargantuan seafood platter, lobster bisque, and an authentic Marseille bouillabaisse. Open daily 12pm-3pm, 7pm-1am. Bouillabaisse €81 for two people, starter and main €30. 12 Place de Clichy; tel +33 153 204 800; charlot-paris.com AU PIED DE COCHON  There are few reminders today that the bustling Les Halles neighbourhood was once, like Covent Garden, the city’s central food market – what Emile Zola described as le Ventre de Paris (the stomach of Paris). But amid the fashion boutiques, shopping malls and trendy restaurants, there still stands Au Pied de Cochon (the Pig’s Trotter), the market’s famous brasserie. Since the liberation of Paris at the end of the Second World War, the restaurant has never closed its doors – it is one of the few that is open 24 hours and is always full to bursting. The clientele ranges from tourists and businessmen during the day to partygoers arriving from midnight to the early hours. Adventurous diners should try the nose-to-tail Tentation de Saint-Antoine – breaded pig’s tail, ears, snout and trotter with a rich Béarnaise sauce – while there are also great comfort dishes such as traditional soupe à l’oignon and crêpes flambéed at your table. Open daily 24 hours. Starter and main €30. 6 Rue Coquillière; tel +33 140 137 700; pieddecochon.com