Gi'Raf

Aaaah, so you're in Paris! Which means you're prepared to abandon your diet, your doctor's warnings, and your willpower for the worthiest of splurges: la cuisine française.

While it's nearly impossible to eat poorly in Paris, there is always the risk of inadvertently consuming a mediocre meal. All the cafes and bistros look identical with menus boasting the same quintessential French fare, so how's a foreigner to know the difference between an erotic epicurean experience, and a forgettable hunk of meat??

Well, you don't. You ask everyday French folk (not your concierge). Or, if you're really clever...you ask your fellow Yelpers. Et voila, c'est moi!

Gi'Raf was recommended - no, raved about - by my BF, who grew up in Paris. He told me tales of the massive leg of lamb (souris d'agneau), the endless bottles of wine, the lingering 4-hour meals encouraged by the convivial and charismatic owner, Raf. It was all true, and exactly the type of French food memory you come here to make. When the week was over, our dinner at Gi'Raf stood out as our favorite evening in Paris.

Right away, I loved the ambiance: small, sleek, sexy and with a bit of quirk to keep it unpretentious. The focal point of the L-shaped dining room is the lovely copper bar, stocked exclusively with French wines and liqueurs. There's also wine cave downstairs for special events or a secret make-out session between courses. Pourquoi pas?

Now, for the really, truly incredible food... Most of us ordered the 25€ prix fixe dinner menu (entre, plat, dessert), including some traditional luxuries, a la:

- Croustillant de brie aux pommes et au miel (brie crostini with apples & honey)
- Ravioles aux Truffes blanches (decadent mushroom ravioli with a ridiculously savory mushroom cream sauce)
- Confit de canard et ses pommes de terre en persillade (duck confit casserole)
- Marquise au chocolat et sa crème anglaise (dense chocolate mousse cake).

And this, mes amis, is how you should eat in France. But the lively vibe, the exuberant service, and the sense that you would, if you could, stay until sunrise are the qualities you won't find in just any French bistro. And thus, you will ignore those silly brochures in your hotel lobby, skip lunch, and head straight to Gi'Raf.