The best sole of Paris at a reasonable price is at Garnier

I don’t know if you like sole, what the Brits call a Dover Sole, a real thick and large fish simply cooked in butter or grilled? For some reason their prices have become astronomical and most often you are being served filets or goujonnettes. What I like is to spend an extensive amount of time preparing it in my plate and looking forward to the first mouthful. So when a faithful friend of mine invited me have lunch at Garnier, across the street from Gare Saint Lazare, and mentioned the soles, I fantasized all week. And I was not disappointed, it is excellent at 47€.

The décor at Garnier is nothing fancy but the fish cuisine is seriously good.

I used to go to Garnier to sit around the oyster at lunch or after the opera since it si a five minute walk from Opera Garnier. It is located across the street from a very FNAC bookstore and my favorite movie theatre in Paris, les Cinq Caumartin. The restaurant is a no-nonsense place with fabulous shells and seafood served on large trays and they have a very cheap Muscadet which I love.

A really beautiful sole

There is a lunch menu with six oysters or tartare of fish, a shoulder of lamb or the fish of the day and a dessert for 29€ which is really unbeatable. Table cloths inside and very charming, young handsome waiters. Ceviche, fish and chips, Daurade are of course the ritual dishes but you can also snails and tartare of beef.

Crêpes Suzette for dessert were great

The baba au rhum is a classics for dessert.

Restaurent Garnier at 111 rue Saint Lazare. Open every day from 8am to 11 pm