The omelet was fluffy and filled with the perfect batch of ratatouille. This got me to start wondering: where is the best ratatouille in Paris? It’s not the type of dish a restaurant builds their reputation on. It’s typically the lowly side dish that accompanies the meat and eggs. But good ratatouille is a meal in itself.

I had a great “provencial pizza” at Kosher Pizza that was essentially a thin crust pizza covered with ratatouille.

Where is your favorite place? How about outside Paris?

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Jazz Music

This are two face to La Bélière. The first is for dinner, where food takes the attention and music provides the backdrop. However, the focus shifts in the late hours as the kitchen shuts down and it becomes a vibrant Jazz bar. The owner’s been known to keep the place open and hopping until the sun rises. So plan on taking your time and possibly staying much later than you expected.

The Menu

Unfortunately there are not a lot of options on the menu for vegetarians. However, don’t let that stop you. Ask for the plate des legumes. This is a selection of vegetables being served with the various dinner plates. Jacques is a master at blending traditional French cuisine with Asian and Mediterranean dishes. You’ll be surprised by the variety. This is usually a good option for vegans as well.

There’s also a tomato/mozzarella mille-feuille salad that is amazing. It comes with ham but simply ask for it “sans jambon”. This is a full meal in itself.

The menu at this restaurant hasn’t changed much over the years; so keep an eye out for the daily specials. This is where Jacques has more room to stretch his culinary muscles. You may also want to make reservations several days in advance and ask for vegetarian options. Jacques speaks English fluently, so you can say hello while you are dining. Actually, everyone that works there seems to speak excellent English.

Dinner should cost between 15-30 euros, depending on your desire for dessert and/or drinks. The meals are large so plan on sharing an appetizer and watch out for the mother of all profiteroles for dessert. She’s a whopper!

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Lebanese cuisine is filled with vegetarian options and Beirut Down Town’s Assiette Vegetarienne features 7 items for the reasonable price of 11.50 euros. It includes hummus, tabouli, labneh, 2 feuilletes (turnovers) of spinach and cheese, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, and pita bread. It’s a nice variety of dishes for dinner. They also offer a variety of vegetarian sandwiches and plates.

I was looking for something different and this seemed like the perfect place for dinner.

I have to say that I was underwhelmed by the food. It didn’t taste as fresh as I would have liked. I felt like some of the items were pre-packaged or made for the previous day’s lunch time rush (I visited it on a Saturday evening).

However, I have to give them benefit of doubt. The asbestos removal construction across the street had made the nearby restaurants seem like ghost towns. I was the only one in Beirut Down Town.

Student Dining

Beirut Down Town is next to the University of Paris and probably does great business during the week when students are hungry. The portions are large, there’s a nice variety of dishes, and the location is convenient.

I don’t know if I would go back again, but I would suggest it for people in the area looking for something other than another cheese sandwich.

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The cafe has matured over the years. The massage chairs have been replaced with more dining tables and an increased attention towards dining instead of dozing. However you can still get your fortune told and enjoy a no stress dinner.

Chef Dean to the Rescue

I’ve mentioned my favorite chef in Paris, Jacques. What I may not have mentioned enough was his partner and sous chef Dean. The two of them created a menu that kept the No Stress Cafe from becoming a one line joke, “hey did you hear about the cafe with back rubs near Pigalle…”. Jacques has moved on to other restaurants and Dean is now the chef of the No Stress Cafe.

I can tell you from experience that Dean is a masterful chef. He has an international approach from his Asian heritage and years of cooking in Paris. His menu at No Stress is a fusion of Mediterranean, French, and Asian recipes.

Vegetarian Options

The standard menu features several vegetarian and vegan options.

• Lasagna Vegetarienne
• Salad La Vegetarienne
• Salad La Chevre Chaud
• Wok Vegetarienne

However, you can also request the Tapas menu to be vegetarian. This is what I had the other night and it was excellent! Dean gave me a bit extra but you can expect an assortment of tempura, pickled vegetables, lasagna, and other seasonal vegetables.

Dean also makes a killer bowl of vegetarian french onion soup. He uses white wine instead of stock and it blows away the french onion soup at Potager du Marais. It’s not on the menu, but he’ll make it the soup of the day if you make your reservation a few days in advance. Tell them Ted sent you.

Eating at No Stress cafe reminded me of sharing a dinner at chez Jacques and Dean. Ample portions of food from around the globe served family style with great affection.

No Stress Cafe

24 rue Clauzel (9°)

01 48 78 00 27

Metro: Pigalle, St. Georges

Cafe

• Overall: 4.5/5
• Location: 3/5
• Taste: 5/5
• Service: 5/5
• Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
• Vegan Friendly: 4/5
• M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

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Restaurant Antalya is that place for me. I work long days and travel across the city to get to work and back. I often don’t feel like cooking when I arrive at Chez Ted. I also don’t want to get a big sit down meal and the thought of another cheese sandwich or panini can make a grown man cry.

Luckily, I discovered Antalya and their vegetarian plate. For only 6.50 Euros, you get tomato couscous, roasted eggplant with veggies, fries, and a salad. It’s a lot of food, it tastes good, it’s fast, and the people are really friendly and welcoming. I also get to watch the latest Turkish soap operas while waiting for the food.

Vegan options?

I wouldn’t suggest this to vegans, the eggplant dish has cheese. I also can’t guarantee that everything there is truly vegetarian. I’ve been afraid to ask if the fries are made in vegetable oil and what goes into the couscous. I can say that after 23 years of being a veggie, I can usually taste the animal fat. I have not found any reason to avoid coming to this favorite little joint on the way home from a long day at work.

Antalya is located in the 12th arrindissement. It’s not the most convenient place for tourists. However it’s not too far from Park de Bercy or Bois de Vincennes. It’s a local restaurant that draws a friendly local crowd.

For a fancier Turkish meal, turn around and go a block in the other direction for Angora. Their version of this meal is about double the price and has a lovely starter plate.

Restaurant Antalya

284, rue Charenton (12°)

01 43 44 40 32

Metro: dugommier

Turkish Fast Food

• Overall: 5/5
• Location: 3/5
• Value: 5/5
• Taste: 4.5/5
• Service: 5/5
• Vegetarian Friendly: 3/5
• Vegan Friendly: 1/5
• M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

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Le Bec Fin specializes in couscous and tangines. I chose the vegetarian tangine. I’ve always wanted to see what this form of cooking produced. At first, I thought the plate served was a bit small, but it was a perfect amount when the fluffy couscous arrived at the table. The food is very fresh and carefully prepared.

My friend had the Algerian wine, but thought a traditional french wine would have been sufficient (and cheaper).

Le Bec Fin is very close to the Strausborg arch. Just look for the restaurant with the gleaming tile interior. It’s a nice place for dinner.

Le Bec Fin

15, rue de Faubourg (10°)

01 42 06 62 82

Metro: Strasbourg-St. Denis

Algerian restaurant

• Overall: 4/5
• Location: 4/5
• Taste: 4/5
• Service: 5/5
• Vegetarian Friendly: 4/5
• Vegan Friendly: 3/5
• M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

Crepes, paninis, pomme frites, tartines … nothing in Paris has quenched this craving for me. One night I saught a new cure for this binge. I remembered seeing some falafel stands in the Marais and I was a man with a mission. How determined was I? I passed La Victoire, the perfect vegetarian restaurant without a second thought. I zipped by Jewish bakeries filled with tempting strudels, crepe stands, and the mother of all Jewish delis (only to find out later that they had incorporated a falafel window).

Finally I found eden: rue des Rosiers. I was surrounded by falafel stands with names that reminded me of my taco-shop heroes. I spun around trying to decide between super falafel, falafel king, falafelbertos, el falafelitos, las quatras falafitas… Well maybe I am stretching it a bit. However, there are a few supers” and “kings” on the street. I finally chose one because the cook was tapping on the window, waking me from my daze, and beckoning me in for a treat.

Big shoes to fill

Don’t get me wrong, but I am a jaded falafel eater. San Jose, California has the ultimate falafel experience. All things falafel must be compared to the The Falafel Drive-In’s sandwhich. The falafel balls are the star of the show. They are crisply fried, green and moist on the inside. They fill the pita and the veggies and pita are merely supporting actors. It is fast, friendly, packed, and you think about how good your lunch was for days.

The Verdict

That’s a hard standard to beat. How did Falafel Alley hold up? They are different. Satifying, tasty, vegan, comforting, messy, but different. You have to search for the falafel in this salad in a pita. You’ll get an overflowing pita pocket with some falafel balls, cabbage, roasted eggplant, tomatoes, tahini sauce, and more.

It actually comes full circle to my original taco-shop craving. San Diego burritos are simple. A vegetarian burrito has refried beans, rice, cheese, and maybe guacamole and/or sour cream. The beans are the standout, they are cheap, and filling.

I was shocked by the vegetarian burritos in the San Francisco Bay area. These behemoths can weigh several pounds. They are filled with everything you can imagine, no ingredient stands out, they cost a bit more, and they are too filling. They leave you distended and wishing you had left half of the burrito on the plate. But you stil look forward to the next one. (El Galope in East Palo Alto is by far the best taco shop in the world. Trust me!)

So, back to Falafel alley. Give this area a try if you are craving a hearty dinner on the go, miss the peasant food of your local area, don’t want to spend a fortune (6€), and are on or near the #1 line. Take the St. Paul exit and start meandering towards the center of the Marais.

Angora is a Turkish restaurant. The menu is filled with meat items and two solitary dishes under the vegetarian section. However, Mediterranean food is filled with vegetarian options. They were happy to modify the daily fixed price menu could be created with vegetarian options.

Appetizers

The meal started with a basket of warm Turkish bread. It has a soft texture and a hint of mint. The appetizer plate had a selection of dishes, including dolma, tzatziki, hummus, red pepper spread, phyllo-wrapped feta, and more. Each item provided a few bites and the flavors were perfect.

Dinner

For dinner, I received their vegetarian eggplant dish. The eggplant is roasted and covered with a chunky tomato sauce and soft cheese. Couscous and salad finished the plate. It was a delicious and filling meal.

For dessert, I chose the homemade baklava with pistachio. It was served warm with a honey sauce.

All of this cost a mere 19 euros. I added a bottle of Badoit mineral water for a total cost of 22 Euros.

While Angora is a small restaurant, they have an upstairs room for larger parties. It’s popular and begins to fill up after 9 p.m. You can make reservations, but it isn’t necessary. Angora also serves a great lunch menu at 11 Euros.

Angora, Cuisine Traditionelle Turque

240, Rue de Charenton 75012

Metro: Dugommier

01 44 87 02 08

• Overall: 4/5
• Vegetarian Options: 4/5
• Vegan Options: 4/5
• Value: 5/5
• Location: 4/5