And, yes, that's Philadelphia Cream Cheese on the cheese tray. A Franco-Asian alliance binds many of the most fashionable restaurants, where the dishes are often from former French colonies, like Cambodian ginger fish wrapped in a banana leaf. Sake and sushi aren't quite as commonplace as coq au vin and pommes frites, but Asian delicacies abound. Paris's Range of Restaurants Paris boasts a surplus of restaurants and cafes. Ultraexpensive temples of gastronomy include Alain Ducasse, L'Astor, Alain Senderens, Taillevent, Pierre Gagnaire, Lasserre, Jacques Cagna, Le Grand V four, and La Tour d'Argent.
Savvy diners confine their trips to luxe places for special occasions.
An array of other choices awaits, including simpler restaurants dispensing cuisines from every province of France and from former colonies like Morocco and Algeria. Paris has hundreds of restaurants serving exotic international fare, reflecting the changing complexion of Paris itself and the city's increasing appreciation for food from other cultures. Your most memorable meal in Paris may turn out to be Vietnamese or West African. You'll also find hundreds of bistros, brasseries, and cafes to choose from. Brasseries are often open 24 hours, including Alsatian establishments that serve sauerkraut with an array of pork products.