The Authentic Bistros Of Paris

There may be a bistro on every block in Paris, but distinguishing the good from the disappointing isn't so easy: these little neighborhood restaurants look alike-zinc (or wood or pewter) bar, with small dining room, daily specials on the chalkboard, husband in the kitchen, wife up front. But the 51 bistros profiled here stand apart from the others by virtue of their food, often regional dishes native to the owners' home province, and wine, often a short but well-chosen list from small vineyards with which the owner has a longstanding relationship.

About the Author :
Francois Thomazeau is a sports writer, an author of detective novels, and an editor-three professions requiring inspiration and perspiration (and time spent in bistros). Sylvain Ageorges is a photographer specializing in Paris. He has photographed two previous guidebooks for The Little Bookroom, The Authentic Bistros of Paris and The Brasseries of Paris.

Review :
"No one really knows how the bistro got its name, but the writer Francois Thomazeau and the photographer Sylvain Ageorges know exactly what to look for when they walk into one. In "The Authentic Bistros of Paris," they showcase 50 bistros in all 20 arrondissements. Each gets an atmospheric photograph or two and several paragraphs of text summing up the history and the virtues of the place. The Little Bookroom, a New York press, has published a number of small-format travel books along the same lines, but "Authentic Bistros," a translation of "Au Vrai zinc Parisien," may be the best, because the text lives up to the photographs. Mr. Thomazeau rules out a lot of the places that I might think of as bistros. His bistros are more bars than restaurants, with a few tried-and-true home-style dishes making up the usually very short menu. all have a few things in common. They make a good jambon-beurre (ham and butter on a crusty baguette), and they have soul..." --William Grimes, The New York Times "The Authentic Bistros of Paris, by Francois Thomazeau and Sylvain Ageorges ...[aspires] to capture the cafes and bars where Parisians practice the art of living...[and offers] prose portraits evoking the personality of each place and that of their habitues and neighbors" --The San Francisco Chronicle "In The Authentic Bistros of Paris, writer Francois Thomazeau and photographer Sylvain Ageorges celebrate 51 quintessential Parisian bistros" --Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine "A morning coffee or an afternoon aperitif can be easier to sip by following the maps in The Authentic Bistros of Paris by Francois Thomazeau"--Publishers Weekly "Being prepared for Paris' culinary experience is essential for all food travelers...there are so many fantastic restaurants, bistros, and cafes to choose from it can be quite dizzying. It would have been much better if we had a little handy bistro guide.The Authentic Bistros of Paris is just such a guide. The focus of this book is the food. And let's face it, sitting at a cute bistro can be lovely, but the French have so much to offer in sauces, desserts, wines, bread, and more that is a shame - no a sin - if you don't take advantage of their fine culinary treasures on your next Paris vacation. For you, or for your favorite foodie friend visiting Paris, check out Authentic Bistros of Paris... I may just buy it to reminisce about my last visit. Sigh." --DailyOlive " No one really knows how the bistro got its name, but the writer Francois Thomazeau and the photographer Sylvain Ageorges know exactly what to look for when they walk into one. In " The Authentic Bistros of Paris, " they showcase 50 bistros in all 20 arrondissements. Each gets an atmospheric photograph or two and several paragraphs of text summing up the history and the virtues of the place. The Little Bookroom, a New York press, has published a number of small-format travel books along the same lines, but " Authentic Bistros, " a translation of " "Au Vrai zinc Parisien," " may be the best, because the text lives up to the photographs. Mr. Thomazeau rules out a lot of the places that I might think of as bistros. His bistros are more bars than restaurants, with a few tried-and-true home-style dishes making up the usually very short menu. all have a few things in common. They make a good jambon-beurre (ham and butter on a crusty baguette), and they have soul..." --William Grimes, "The New York Times" " The Authentic Bistros of Paris, by Francois Thomazeau and Sylvain Ageorges ...[aspires] to capture the cafes and bars where Parisians practice the art of living...[and offers] prose portraits evoking the personality of each place and that of their habitues and neighbors" --"The San Francisco Chronicle" " In The Authentic Bistros of Paris, writer Franc ois Thomazeau and photographer Sylvain Ageorges celebrate 51 quintessential Parisian bistros" --"Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine " " A morning coffee or an afternoon aperitif can be easier to sip by following the maps in The Authentic Bistros of Parisby Francois Thomazeau" --"Publishers Weekly " " Being prepared for Paris' culinary experience is essential for all food travelers...there are so many fantastic restaurants, bistros, and cafes to choose from it can be quite dizzying. It would have been much better if we had a little handy bistro guide.The Authentic Bistros of Paris is just such a guide. The focus of this book is the food. And let' s face it, sitting at a cute bistro can be lovely, but the French have so much to offer in sauces, desserts, wines, bread, and more that is a shame - no a sin - if you don' t take advantage of their fine culinary treasures on your next Paris vacation. For you, or for your favorite foodie friend visiting Paris, check out Authentic Bistros of Paris... I may just buy it to reminisce about my last visit. Sigh." --DailyOlive