The French think mainly about two things - their two main meals,' one well-fed bon vivant friend in Paris told us. 'Everything else is in parentheses.' And it's true. Eating well is still of prime importance to most people here, who spend an amazing amount of time thinking about, talking about and consuming food. And why not? The cuisine of France is remarkably varied, with a great many regional differences based on the produce and gastronomy of each region. Paris has a considerable population of immigrants from France's former colonies and protectorates, and ethnic food has become as Parisian as onion soup. The nems (spring rolls) and pates imperials (spring or egg rolls) of Vietnam and China, the couscous and tajines of North Africa, boudin antillais (West Indian blood pudding) from the Caribbean and the yassa (meat or fish grilled in onion and lemon sauce) of Senegal are all eaten with relish throughout the capital.

Parisian restaurants usually specialize in a particular variety of food (eg, traditional French, regional French, North African or Vietnamese), whereas brasseries serve more standard French and Alsatian fare. Most restaurants open for lunch and dinner only (from noon to 2.30pm or so and from 7pm or 7.30pm to sometime between 10pm and 11pm). Brasseries usually stay open from morning till late at night and many remain open on Sunday.

Wine is not the only alcohol drunk with meals in France and people don't just drink alcohol with food; it comes before and after too. Meals are often preceded by an appetite-stirring aperitif or pastis, which is aniseed flavoured and turns cloudy when you add water. France's most famous brandies are Armagnac and Cognac. The various other sorts of brandies are known collectively as eaux-de-vie (literally 'waters of life'). Calvados is an apple brandy that ages beautifully. Popular liqueurs include Cointreau, Benedictine and Chartreuse.

Louvre & Les Halles
The area between Forum des Halles and the Centre Pompidou is filled with scores of trendy restaurants, but few of them are particularly good or inexpensive. Streets lined with places to eat include rue des Lombards, the pedestrians-only rue Montorgueil, and the narrow streets north and east of Forum des Halles. There are a number of worthwhile places in the passages couverts in this area. In the Galerie Vero Dodat, Café de l'Epoque at No 35-37 (or 2 rue du Bouloi) has drinks and light meals, while the more elaborate Restaurant Véro Dodat at No 19 has entrees/main courses/desserts and a decent menu. In Galerie Colbert, Le Grand Colbert , which can also be entered from 2-4 rue Vivienne, 2e, has lots of atmosphere. At No 57 in passage des Panoramas, L'Arbre a Cannelle is a lovely tearoom with tartes salees (savoury pies), salads and scrumptious, original 19th-century decor.

Paris is the city of fine food. You can of course go to one of the many restaurants in town. You can also go to one of the typical street markets like rue Mouffetard with their assortment of fine food. The French "cuisine" is world famous. At the high end, you have the French "haute cuisine" with well known star restaurants such as "La Tour d'Argent" beautifully overlooking Notre-Dame and Maxim's near the Place de la Concorde. A multitude of more affordable good French restaurants like Procope provide all kinds of dishes from all regions of France. When looking for a restaurant in Paris, you can always simply make your choice by just walking and looking around. You will surely find good places. Many Parisian cafes and brasseries serve specials of the day. Ethnic restaurants abound too, especially Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian and Algerian . La Fontaine au Chocolat, one of the best chocolate stores not far from the Louvre museum.