Restaurant in Paris of group of 18 people?

vk2003

There are lots of restaurant suggestions in these pages, but it is difficult to tell whether they will be suitable for me.
I am taking my staff to Paris for the weekend as a thanks for their efforts. I would like to take them all out for a meal on the Saturday night, and am looking for somewhere fairly lively, but with GOOD food, for a party of 18 people. It needs to be closeish to the hotel (not far from Eiffel Tower). I have one gluten intolerant person in the group, and a vegetarian (no fish either). Because there are so many people, cost is an issue, and I would like to cap costs to a degree for a 3 course meal, and half bottle of wine/person. I am thinking about 55€ per person
I have looked into Alcazar, and think this might be a good place, but would be awfully grateful for advice from anyone else with suggestions.
TIA

vk2003

peterbaker

Well not sure if it fits in all respects, but one of my old favorites is Au Pied de Cochon http://www.pieddecochon.com ... had my first oysters there and was tutored informally by a little old man, a regular diner with his dear wife, who happened to see this inexperienced young diner and his young wife (me & the ex!) dithering over what was what in the huge oysters section of the menu ! They were at the next table, and the old man reminds me to this day of pictures i have seen of Toulouse LeTrec ! I still remember him saying "Loosen the oysters ... a leetle pepper ... now many many lemons" (he meant squeeze loads of lemon juice over each...!) ... "Now prepare your mouth with a large sip of the wine, maybe two, but keep some of the second under your tongue, and now ... slip the oyster ... yes like that, with the juice and the taste of the sea, and all the lemons and chew ... yes chew, chew the oyster with the wine! ... Is very good, no? ... oh you have some juice on your chin ... that is normale " Oh do I? Excuse me ! But yes, is very very good!

I returned a number of times, each time feeling more at home, and on the last occasion I can remember we were in a party of about 12 and after an enormous feast my ex won a bet with one of her work colleagues that she could eat a desert bowl full Ferrero Rocher Ambassadors Party style of the biggest cream filled chocolate profiteroles you ever saw. There wasn't a drum roll when the head waiter ceremoniously brought it in, but you might get the general idea !

It was lucky there was no time limit, for about 50 minutes later she finished the last one and to huge applause her colleague was landed with the entire bill!

It is some years now since we were there but I think I can still safely recommend it as one of the old faithfulls ...

Good luck and I am sure you can't go too far wrong whichever you choose !

vk2003

Peter

Many thanks for the suggestion. I have contacted them, and am awaiting a group menu.

Has anyone any experience of LES BOUQUINISTES? This has also been recommended to me.
TIA

nabby

My wife and I were in Paris over the August Bank Holiday and went to Alcazar for dinner on the Saturday night. I had booked it through toptable.co.uk. We found it a really high quality place to go, with great atmosphere, attentive, friendly staff and very good food. Upstairs there is a lounge bar that would be a nice place to relax after the meal, if you were looking for such a location.
I'd definitely recommend Alcazar as a memorable place to go for your meal...

vk2003

Nabby

Thanks for the info. I have booked Alcazar now, as they came up with a good group menu, and the upstairs will give us a relaxation area afterwards.

Cheers