A Lunchtime Discovery Seconds Away from the dOrsay
It doesn't look like much from the outside. In fact, you may miss it altogether if you're walking up rue de Lille on your way to the d'Orsay museum. But the Telegraphe is a winner on several counts. It has excellent food at modest prices considering its location - only A block from the museum entrance.
Second, its amazing ambience - pure, largely original art nouveau enhanced by club-like wood wainscoting and lofty, arched stone ceilings. And third, there's the friendly and attentive service, plus the probability that you can get a table in the garden (summers only) or in the glassed-in veranda that overlooks it. The restaurant's odd name comes from its origin as the dining room in a hotel for unmarried women run by the French post office and telegraph system.
In 1905, when the hotel was built, there was much concern over the risks and temptations waiting in ambush for a small town girl coming to work in the big city. There's a historical album available at the restaurant with newspaper clippings and photographs from that era (the young ladies all shown in decorous postures reading, sewing and having tea.) The hotel was long ago converted into apartments. But the dining room was transmogrified into an upscale restaurant.
Now back to the food: you'll find nicely presented updated classics like fish filets en papillote, and slow-simmered wine-based braised beef (both were on the 150 franc prix fixe lunch menu). First courses and desserts were also top notch - especially a wondrous tiramisu. There were no tourists in sight, and the other diners tended to be portly silver-haired gentlemen who looked as if they knew good food and good value. If you're coming to the d'Orsay by car (not a great idea, since there are no parking facilities at or close to the museum) there's an additional reason to choose the Telegraph: a voiturier (parking attendant) at the door.
For 40 FF, he'll whisk your car away during your meal and, if tempted by a substantial tip, will stash it for you for a couple of hours while you roam the museum. This is especially handy if it's raining or so cold that you don't feel like hiking before you get your culture fix.
Telegraphe
41, rue de Lille
75007, Paris
150FF pre fixe menu at lunch,
Dinner will cost approximately double. Tel 331 42 92 03 02
Fax 331 42 92 02 77
Open lunch and dinner, except Saturday evening and all day Sunday
Copyright 2001, Paris New Media, LLC Vic Kramer has been living in France since 1988, when he came for a one year consulting gig in the financial services field, that ended up lasting a decade. He's married to Karen Fawcett - yes, that Karen Fawcett - and also contributes to http://www.worldlyinvestor.com, a site he helped launch.
