First up is l’entrée, which is basically a warm-up lap for your taste buds. This isn’t your main course, so don’t go filling up like it’s a potluck.
You’ll often see salade niçoise—a gorgeous pile of tuna, olives, and veggies that makes your desk salad at home cry. Or maybe soupe à l’oignon, a bowl of cheesy, beefy heaven that’s basically a hug in liquid form.
If you spot escargots, don’t freak out. They’re garlicky, buttery, and taste less like garden pests and more like little garlic-drenched miracles. Just don’t think about their tiny feet.
The Main Event: Plats Principaux
Now for the star of the show, the plat principal. This is where you start sweating over choices, but that’s half the fun. Pro tip: you can’t really go wrong, unless you order the mystery meat that’s winking at you from the menu.
A classic is steak-frites—a perfect, juicy steak with a mountain of crispy fries. It’s so simple, yet so smugly French that you’ll feel like you’re in a movie. Another winner is poulet rôti, a roasted chicken that’s so tender it practically sings.
Vegetarians, you’re not left out! Look for ratatouille, a veggie stew so good it made a cartoon rat a celebrity in Paris. Or try a quiche Lorraine, which is just eggs, cheese, and bacon in a flaky crust—basically a breakfast for champions that dressed up for lunch.
