Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-18
A DINNER In PARIS.
What One Must Pay in a Moderate,
Respectable Restaurant
LME4L ALA CARTE AT 80 CENTS.
Beefsteak Comes to the Ordinary Consumer
at 40 Cents found.
DUTIES COLLECTED ON ELTABLES
roorRrsroNnENc1 OF THE prsrArcA.l

rcoRREsPoEDENCL OF THE pIsPATcH.1
PARIS, Dec S-Restaurant food in Paris
Is at the same time cheap and not cheap.
Whatever cheapness there is in Partisan
living over that in America consists rather
In higher quality obtained for the same
money than in any actual lowness of price.
This higher quality should be put down to
the minute habits of an old established
mode of life, not to be expected in new
and rich country like America
Something like this has recently been
said by NJ. Paul Deschenels, who came
back from his late mission in America with
favorable impressions of nearly all that we
have and do in the United States. He
reiterates that the cost of living in the
United States is not dearer than in France:
You will say that living is dearer In
America. Yes and no. 1t depends on the
nature OF the expenses. The American ex-
pends more for his rent and for his clothing;
but he spends less for his food. For his
rent the American pays about l6 per cent OF
his entire revenue, the Englishman IL per
cent, the Frenchman S per cent, the Belgian
10 per cent, and the German per cent. On
the contrary, for his food the American pays
only a per cent, whereas the E5Ilishman
pays A per cent, the Frenchman 80 per cent,
the Belgian IS Der cent, and the German 81
per cent. For alcoholic drinks and tobacco
the American spends only per cent, while
the Englishman spends ner cent, and the
Frenchman l3 per cent: These are only ap-
proXimate figures, subject to controversy,
but the general conclusion is exact.
Taxed for Partisan Revenue.
Food is cheaper in America than in
France. This is all the truer of our great
American cities which have the first pick
of the market, when comparison is made
with Paris and its enormous population
subjected to extra octroi duties on every
poEnd of chicken and every box Of straw
berries that pass the barriers This munlci-
pal tax on eatables and combustibles
amounts every year to something like $50,
600, GOO. Twelve millions of dollars are
from wine and liquors, while Sc, 600, 900 are
collected on eatables and IS, 1000 900 more on
fuel. kerosene and OIL On horse food and
proyender alone more than 81, 000, 900 are
annually collected. Thus, not an article OF
food passes the Notifications but is taxed
for the city's revenue.
Asa result beefsteak comes to the ordi-
nary consumer at 40 cents a pound, a good
chicken costs 81 and one good mutton chop
II cents. In what, then, consists the SEEM
ing cheapness of Paris restaurant food?
The answer will be found by studying a
typical Partisan restaurant
A Hint for Pittsburg Restaurateurs.
The Duval restaurants, which are the
property of a single company, are scattered
all over Paris, and they do an enormous
business Their theory is that people of
moderate means will patronize places where
Eomething like the skill, taste and care of
expensive restaurants is exercised on
cheaper foods, served in very small por-
t1ous. The Duvai restaurants are tempting
because they are clean and dainty, and be-
cause the price of each dish is small.
The first charge of 1 cent is for the nap
kin and cloth. This secures fresh ones for
each guest The second charge is for bread,
cents. There is little difference between
the breakfast and dinner card; and what
ever variety there may be outside of great
lines from month TO month will be due 10
tbe Quotations of the provision market
SOUPS are usually clear, thin and cheap
Excepting now and then a sayory pottage
into which peas and patatoes enter freely.
Onion soup is cents, with grated cheese
cents. This soup is favorite, especially at
nights, and in other higher restaurants; it
Is Thought TO fit one for sleep, to make the
stomach clean and the breath sweet the next
morning, while taken with 8 little grated
cheese it is an excellent digestive. Con-