These could consist of a hard boiled egg, a baguette with ham or a Croque Monsieur, some also have, although usually only at lunch, a very simple cheap menu consisting of one or two dishes often cooked by the proprietor's wife. Service is bustling, usually by the owner who doubles behind the bar, ambience is laminex table tops with perhaps some frilly plastic doilies. The proprietor, his wife and an assistant normally provide all. Bistro A Bistro is a small modest establishment, it includes those thousands of simple places that take up half the footpaths of Paris. They are used for a simple well priced meal in pleasant surroundings with competent waiters bustling around.
Service is fast and prices are low.
Bistros must turn their tables over to make a profit. Brasserie A Brasserie is larger and more elaborate than a Bistro. The menu is reasonably long and well priced. Typical dishes are Fruits de Mer, Choucroute Alsacienne, grills and simple fish dishes. Service is rapid from overworked waiters dressed in black and white.