Eating Your Way Down Rambuteau

We had just spent three hours wandering about Paris’s most impressive monstrosity: the Pompidou. The museum visit had begun with a series of appreciative nods for classic modern art works by Matisse and Picasso, and as we strolled about the rooms, chronology and genres rolled by. So, eventually, did all sense of logic. By the time we had reached the end of the museum’s permanent collection, we found ourselves standing confusedly before a nearly blank white canvas. “Sooo….I don’t really get it,” said one of the brave ones among us. “It continues in the tradition of Rothko,” answered another, clearly just as confused but refusing to admit defeat in the face of contemporary art. “The point isn’t so much what the canvas was when it was installed here as much as what it will become as we stare at it. Think: over the years, the dust and particles floating about the museum will change the color of this work. That’s the point.” This from a guy who a few minutes before had been talking about Michelangelo’s great work, the Mona Lisa. Dust or no dust, this oeuvre d’art just wasn’t doing it for me. I declared our museum visit officially over, and we hopped on the escalators that would drop us right on to rue Rambuteau (M: Rambuteau). We had only one thing in mind, and let me tell you, it had nothing to do with pop art, surrealism, or blank canvas-ism. Modern art is exhausting, and all we wanted was some brainless, unchallenging food. We weren’t in the mood for a long, drawn-out lunch involving a crumb sweeper and snooty waiters. Quite the contrary. All we wanted was a nice, rote dining experience that didn’t ask us to question societal constructs, deep meanings, or which fork to use with each course. Luckily, we were in the right place: the area surrounding the Pompidou is full of quick bargain food, though the quality of such joints is often in direct proportion to the price. Here are some highlights: The first question is whether to go east or west coming out of the Pompidou. Do you go for the sounds of sizzling fat emanating from the western corners of les Halles? Or do you prepare to shell out a few extra Euros for the relative tranquility of the eastern part of the Marais? Well, in my group of friends, cheapness tends to trump tranquility, so let’s check out the west first: Just one block west of the Pompidou is Man Ouché (62 rue Rambuteau), the Lebanese stand constantly surrounded by French locals in the know. Those with big appetites can grab a falafel, 3-cheese pita, and a bite of dessert for less than $10. The oven-heated, stuffed pitas are a popular choice, and the tabouleh is the freshest and tangiest on the block. Further east is La Fresque, located at 100 rue Rambuteau. Chock full of French authentics and cigarette smoke, La Fresque offers a variety of hearty French dishes all for around $10. The service is slow, and the interior hot, so take a seat on the terrace so that you can use the extra time to people watch. Between these two eateries are a handful of hot dog/sandwich joints, all offering quick, cheap fare. But before eating in one of these places it is best to take in the window display and really question what you want entering your stomach. A good rule of thumb: if the place advertises with flashing neon and puts stock pictures of its dishes in the window, you probably want to steer clear. Switching directions and heading west from the museum on rue Rambuteau, one quickly notices a change from the frantic vibe of the Pompidou/les Halles area. The locals lift their noses a bit higher as they prance their way towards the Marais, and the prices of surrounding restaurants and shops follow suit, climbing to heights not seen in les Halles. Still, there are plenty of deals to be found along the street: Le Potager (22 rue Rambuteau), famed veggie-friendly restaurant frequented by tourists and locals alike, offers lunch and dinner menus ranging from $10-$15. Vegetarians will be overwhelmed by the number of options, which include mushroom ravioli, veggie lasagna, and a typically tasty soup of the day. Take a seat outside unless you’re particularly keen on listening to the Potager’s perpetual Vanessa Paradis soundtrack. If you want something even quicker than le Potager, cheap gourmet goods can be found at Rambuteau’s best bakery, Au Noisetier (33 rue Rambuteau). The bakery’s namesake baguette (the noisetier) is a crunchy meal in itself, and is priced at an equally tasty $1.50. All of the other desserts and breads on display should also be sampled, albeit not on the same visit. Continuing down the path of decadence, 13 rue Rambuteau brings you to Fromage…ou Dessert, a small cheese shop always beckoning passersby with its ever-so-creative marketing slogans: “Cheese makes a great gift!” “The new aged Gruyere has arrived.” “It’s hot outside—eat goat’s cheese!” Goat’s cheese is definitely available en masse at Fromage…ou Dessert, but all of the other standards are also available. A chunk of cheese may set you back $5 or $6 dollars, but remember: you won’t eat the rest of the day, and you can bet Dr. Atkins will be proud of your purchase. Unfortunately, once you pass Fromage…ou Dessert and cross rue des Archives, rue Rambuteau take on a whole different aura—you’ll be lucky to find a Coke that costs less than $300. No, for a cheap post-Pompidou eat-fest, it’s best to stick to the immediate environs of the museum, where crazy art and reasonably priced food can both be found in abundance. —After working as a reporter and translator in New York, Spain, and Portugal, Jessica Powell moved to Paris to become the editor of an intellectual property magazine. She spends most of her free time trying to make the perfect quiche.