Night 1:    I like to start my first night in Paris on the right foot.  Since I usually stay in the Latin Quarter, I like to stay close by and dine at Le Pre Verre, on rue Thenard (www.lepreverre.com).  It’s the best bargain in Paris with a prix-fixe meal at 28.50 euros.   Recently, the menu featured wild boar, suckling pig, and hangar steak.   There is an extensive wine list.

Night 2:  Near Gare du Nord is Chez Michel.   It features the food of Brittany which means the menu is seafood oriented.  It’s a tiny spot full where you will see few tourists.   The prix-fixe menu has some good choices but many carry a supplement.   It’s worth the trek out to the 10th for this wonderful restaurant.

Night 3:  Time to have a little bit fun and save some money.   Every time I go to Paris I go to Chartier (http://www.restaurant-chartier.com) to experience how the working-class Parisians dined 100 years ago.   The prices are cheap, the waiters can be brusque, and the food ain’t that good.  But you’ll have a good time at the right price.

Night 4:  Chef Christian Constant runs a few great restaurants on rue St. Dominique in the 7th.   My favorite is Café Constant.   It certainly is not a fancy place, but the food is outstanding.   Dine downstairs if you like to people-watch.  Go upstairs for a larger dining room.   Make sure that your reserve the Ile Flotante for dessert as soon as you sit down – it always seems to be the first dessert to sell out.

Night 5:  An Alain Ducasse restaurant for about 100 euros for two?  You bet.  Aux Lyonnais is my choice for a traditional meal representative of the Lyon region of France.   It’s “happiness on a plate” where the menu includes chicken, beef and heavier pork dishes.  Web:  www.alain-ducasse.com

Night 6:  On my last trip to Paris I discovered le Bistrot d’Henri tucked away on a quiet street in the 6th.   It is a small, intimate place that provides a great value.  You can expect to pay about 40 euros each for dinner.  Salmon, kidneys, steak, and sausages are frequently on the menu.   The potatoes are the best in Paris.

Night 7:  I reserve my last night in Paris for my “splurge” meal.   “Splurge” in Paris can mean $1,000 per couple, but not at the candlelit Restaurant 1728 where you can expect to spend about $250 per couple.  It is a fantastically romantic spot.  You’ll find tuna, duck, and other French dishes with an Asian flair.  The food is great but the scenery steals the show.  Website: http://www.restaurant-1728.com