While in Paris, my mother and I had one night set aside for a dinner for just the two of us. After considering several restaurants, we ended up not making a reservation. Given our trip’s busy pace and our lack of sleep, I was tired. That evening we decided to just begin at the destination we had chosen for a drink and then figure out where to have dinner afterwards. After considering a few elegant bars, (Bar Hemingway at The Ritz is closed since The Ritz is under renovation until 2014) my mother chose Le Bar 228 at Le Meurice. She said that the photos on the website reminded her of The Oak Room at the Plaza, which is also currently closed, but remains our special place in New York.

Le Bar 228 certainly had the same feel as The Oak Room, with its wooden bar and elegant surroundings. Despite its superior formality, Le Bar 228 has an even more intimate feel than The Oak Room; the room is smaller, and unlike The Oak Room, there are no windows. The atmosphere inspired me to one day have a library with a bar modeled after this gorgeous room of luscious paintings and wood paneled walls with inlaid gold details. We sat and chatted while sipping champagne cocktails, enjoying the best bar snacks ever, and listening to live piano and bass. The room was cozy and quiet. Although the furnishings were formal and the servers wearing tuxes, there was still a relaxed feeling to the bar.

Le Meurice has an extensive drink menu. Now drinks at Le Bar 228 are not cheap… But in choosing a location in which to have a rare cocktail out, I take the same approach that I do with shopping: one high priced drink in an amazing atmosphere is more valuable to me than 3 cheap drinks in a mediocre setting. A cocktail or a cappuccino is a great way to enjoy surroundings that might not otherwise fit into your budget.

The atmosphere of Le Bar 228 and Le Meurice in general, combined with our weariness, made us want to stay. Le Meurice has a grand and expensive restaurant, aptly named, Restaurant Le Meurice, but we didn’t even inquire about availability. We had noticed several people dining in the open area adjacent to Le Bar 228, and we decided to have our dinner there. I later learned that this dining area is called Restaurant Le Dali, as it boasts Dali inspired decorative touches, including a Dalinien chair with feet in the form of ladies shoes and a lobster on a telephone. The menu was not large, but it featured salads, burgers, and dessert. A good salad appealed to us both that evening, so we ordered a comice pear salad with almonds and Comte cheese and an order of fries. The salad had a wonderful combination of flavors and the fries were just as good as McDonald’s, high praise. I also ordered a chocolate mousse cake. After we finished our meal, we headed back to Le Bar 228 for a nightcap.

I have been to many places where I’ve enjoyed the atmosphere, in Paris and elsewhere, but I can’t say that I’ve ever enjoyed another atmosphere more than that at Le Meurice. As I said to my mother, “I’m ready to be taken up to my room!”

I’d also like to mention that the people watching at Le Meurice was at its finest. I spotted better fashion here than anywhere else on my entire trip; elegant dresses and coats, fabulous Chanel bags… It makes sense, given Le Meurice’s location on the rue du Rivoli, overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries, that it would be filled with fashionable people. Paris Fashion Week shows often take place in buildings surrounding The Tuileries Gardens and The Tuileries are a popular meeting spot for French fashion editors and other fashion lovers.

When it was nearing our departure time at Le Meurice, I asked our server where we could call a taxi. He replied that he would call one for us. When the taxi arrived, he and another gentlemen retrieved our coats and helped us into them. Outside, a black Mercdedes taxi was waiting. A luxurious experience from start to finish. On my next trip to Paris, you can count on me making at least one trip to Le Meurice.