La Coupole

This famous brasserie was at one time the hot spot for the Paris intellectual, literary, and artistic elite—Hemingway, Aragon, and Picasso, to name a few. Now it caters as much to foreigners than Parisians, but tries to maintain its fantastic ambience. It was our first foray into classic and upscale Brasserie dining. Notably, the menu includes large seafood sections where you can order those towers of shellfish that come to the table on ice.

One thing to note is that La Coupole is huge! It is one giant dining room, filled with benches, that feels alive as there is a constant swarming and running around of waiters and guests between tables. In the center of the restaurant is a sort of server prep station with a giant globular statue atop it—very artsy. La Coupole also still has a dance floor, which is located in the basement. This is where Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir reportedly danced!

http://www.flobrasseries.com/coupoleparis

Related journal entry:
le 5 janvier