Mar 25th, 2018, 10:58 PM

Splurge Worthy Paris Restaurants

By Spence David
Image Credits: Spence David
Unique dining experiences despite a student budget.

Pink Mama

This restaurant offers classic Italian vibes in the city of Paris. Walking into the restaurant I am greeted and told I have to wait a few minutes for my table. The inside is Earthy and trendy with a downstairs and an upstairs that is covered with cool colors and strands of flowers hanging from the ceiling. The atmosphere is bumpin' and the feeling is lively. I am starving so I cannot wait to dig my face into the food. The menu includes an array of options from homemade pizzas and pastas to fresh salads and decadent desserts sure to wrap up your meal on a high note like it did mine. The prices are not out of this world expensive and the experience is worth it, especially if you have never been to Italy or if you are craving some Italian food that will make anyone feel like you are in the country. My recommendation would be to start with an antipasto salad and burrata cheese, if you are a cheese lover, then move to the main course where I got the truffle pasta and I finished up my meal with tiramisu. If you are going to splurge, why not do it on a huge meal like most Italian families would have at home?

Price: $$-$$$

Address: 20bis Rue de Douai, 75009 Paris

Hotel CĂ´stes

Making my entrance into the posh restaurant I was swiftly greeted by doormen who were quick to open the doors for me. I entered the dimly lit entrance from a bright blue sky day outside for lunch and immediately developed a feeling of being an A-list celebrity like Brad Pitt, Kim Kardashian, or Leonardo DiCaprio. This also could be from the fact that Hotel Costes is a hotspot for the rich and famous. I made a reservation in advance because much of the time guests are either turned away because the list is full or they have to wait a long time before getting a table. If you decide to wait, you can sit at the bar and order drinks and small bites to hold you over. Taking my seat, I ordered a Manhattan cocktail for a cool price of 24 euros but it was only the finest and I figured if I gonna splurge I might as well go big or go home. Looking at the menu, my mouth was watering thinking of everything from the spicy lobster pasta to the filet tartar and the special club sandwich. I had to strategically decide what I wanted because if there was one thing I knew, I had to save room for the world famous cheesecake highly spoken about by Kim Kardashian and many others. Looking around everyone was dressed like it was fashion week even when it was not, talking amongst themselves and having a good time while still keeping a chic façade. Looking to my left, I realized I was sitting next to Oliver Rousteing, the famous creative director of Balmain having a meeting. Even after eating I could not help but want to stay for hours upon hours to people watch and live like the rich and famous.

Price: $$$$

Address: 239-241 Rue Saint Honoré, 75001 Paris

L’Arcane

After finding this restaurant while searching around on the internet I knew I had to go check it and the food out; the entire evening was one of the best restaurant experiences I have ever had. L’Arcane is a small restaurant in the Montemarte area that is highly rated online but it is not at the center of all the action but definitely worth the trip. Walking up to the restaurant, it was small with only a few tables so I was a bit worried because I did not have any reservations but luckily there was one open table for me and my family to sit at. We went about ordering drinks and when it came to ordering our meal we were caught by total surprise because the waitress told us that the menu is chef’s choice so we just had to decide if we wanted three or four courses and we also had to let her know what kinds of foods we do not like. We each went with the four-course meal and it did not disappoint. Each serving that the waitress brought out was better than the last. I would tell you what we ate but it would ruin the surprise. Believe me, we were sure caught off guard and delighted with what was brought out. The whole restaurant experience shocking and out of this world but unlike anything I have ever had before.

Price: $$$$

Times: 39 Rue Lamarck, 75018 Paris