Paris Exposition: Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, 1900

I would return to Paris and have dinner there. I would seek out a delightful little nowhere place in the Marais district and we would order a roasted chicken and a nice bottle of wine. Then we would walk from the Marais to the Metro, and take it to Montmartre. Where we would order a crepe from a crepe-cart wandering around the base of the butte.

Visiting Paris, and dining there is a wonderful experience. The language difference is a problem and the waiters are gruff, but the way the French dine is delightfully civilized. It was the one of the many things that I missed when I returned to the USA, and dined here in this country. French waiters don't buzz you regularly and ask you impertinent questions. They practically ignore you until you flag them down and frankly, that's the way it's supposed to be! I'm taking in the experience, I'm talking with my partner, I don't want to be interrupted! I miss it a lot. There is something utterly perfect about sitting down at a table, disassembling a roasted chicken by hand, drinking half a bottle of fine French wine and then walking across the city and treating yourself to a Nutella-filled fresh-made Crepe and a bottle of Evian.

What do I miss about dining in the USA that I can't get in Paris? Complimentary water. You can trust the tap water in the USA with your life, it's crystal clear and squeaky clean, but you cannot anywhere else. In Europe you have to rely on bottled water. It's not terribly expensive, but it is a glaring difference.

I sometimes muse about starting a restaurant that is designed and run in a truly french style. The waiters aren't gruff, there aren't any language barriers, the water is from the tap and free, but the way the waiters conduct themselves and the pace of dining, that's what I'd like to bring back. What the French have over us is this one thing. It's clearly superior and I wish the American dining experience could measure up.