Tricks for eating out

Going out to a restaurant in the evening tends to be more common in France than in Britain, because the prices are lower, so even students or people with low income can afford frequent restaurant meals.
The problem is the number of vegetarian options being usually low, if not very low (read inexistant...). So here are a few bits of information, born from experience.
Please email me (see Home page) your tricks to be shared! Thank you.
Note: The pieces of advice below are born from experience outside Paris. Being very cosmopolitan and touristy, Paris might differ from what I know and be more vegetarian-friendly.

* Have the Pizzeria reflex ! There are millions of pizzerias (pizza restaurants) in France, and there are usually good value. The French (many with Italians origins) make very good pizzas (especially compared with the usual English pizzas...), the prices are very reasonable, the choice is large (even for veggies), spicy olive oil comes free (always ask for it if it's not on your table, "l'huile piquante, s'il vous plait!"), and red wine is so cheap if you chose the jug servings... For vegan pizzas, either go for the cheapest ones (they wouldn't be topped with grated cheese), or try asking for a vegetarian one but asking without any cheese ("sans fromage"). The good point is: every single ingredient is usually listed under the name of the pizza.

* Everywhere around France, but even more frequently in Brittany, you will find a "Crèperie (pan cake restaurant)". The menu can vary widely, but they all specialize in serving filled savoury and sweet pan cakes, called 'crèpes', or 'galettes' if made with buckwheat flour. Many fillings are vegetarian, with cheese, eggs, potatoes, cream, ... Ingredients going into the filling are listed for each of them.

* Another possibility, for cold evenings, is to go to "fondue restaurants". Don't forget : "Fondue savoyarde" is melted cheese in which you dunk bits of bread, but "Fondue bourguignone" is boiling oil in which you cook little bits of meat!

* Be careful when ordering salads. You might want to check that the chef won't do you the favour of slipping some bits of ham or bacon, not mentioned on the menu.

* If you find yourself in a Snack-Bar place, you could usually have salads, or 'eggy' dishes: omelette (plain or cheesy) or fried eggs, together with chips, probably.

* Don't put too much hope on going out for a Chinese meal without prior enquiries... Chinese (or Thai, etc) restaurants in France usually offer virtually no vegetarian options.

* Indian restaurants usually offer vegetarian dishes (or even vegetarian menus!), but be aware that the average quality is significantly lower than in British Indian restaurants.

* North African restaurants cook very nice Couscous dishes, but you should know that, even for the vegetable couscous, the traditional recipe requires that the vegetables are cooked in meat juice. It usually is cooked this way.

* If you're looking for an afternoon snack, you could find what you want in a Boulangerie-Patisserie. Pasties, pies, "pains au chocolat", croissants, "pains aux raisins" (sultanas and custard pasties), etc. make a large source of vegetarian sweet or savoury snacks. Always ask exactly what is in the savoury pasties. If you're buying special bread, be aware they can include meat, such as "pain aux lardons" (bacon bread), or, in the Toulousean area, "pain aux magrets" ou "pain aux fritons" (duck bread).
Related books: Paris Boulangerie-Patisserie, by Linda Dannenberg and Guy Bouchet.
Boulangerie: A Pocket Guide to Paris's Famous Bakeries, by J. Armstrong and D. Wilson.

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