Introduction

I have now been eating in Paris and France for more than 50 years.

Sadly, because of Covid, until our recent visit in October, 2021, we had not visited Paris (or our apartment there) for almost two years.

Remarkably, from what I read during our absence and from what I observed and experienced this Fall, the restaurant scene in Paris has been far less impacted than in New York, for example.

Paris restaurants were also forced to close, but employees and owners received government assistance from Day #1.  Unlike New York, Paris is less dependent on foreign workers, many undocumented, than New York.  When things reopened (then closed and reopened again), the transition to “normal” was quicker and more complete.  To the outsider, Paris restaurants and cafes are full.  Let’s hope Covid conditions allow that to continue.

There are new restaurants, including some notable openings at higher price points than what we used to include in this Diary.   As Paris has more fully embraced American style, many more non-French ethnic choices are available and popular, including Asian, sushi, pasta, pizza, hamburgers, even American barbeque.  The scene is different and the choices immensely broad.  There are fewer options for lower cost traditional French meals, and many of them are no better than serviceable.  To eat truly superior French food in Paris, it is now necessary to be willing to spend more.

October, 2021