Cafe La Ruche

This quaint, inexpensive French cafe has a pretty patio.

From March 2004 Dirt Cheap Eats

Have your first kiss under the Eiffel Tower--a miniature one, that is--as you scan the dessert counter (delicate chocolate mousse and tangy orange cheesecake for $5.50 each) at this adorable French restaurant. In the spirit of a Paris bistro, dozens of dark wooden tables are squeezed side by side. French street signs and mirrors line yellow walls. Candles flicker on the tables.

If you stick to the daily menu and avoid the specials, it's easy to eat cheap. The potage Parisian ($4.25) is a steaming bowl of authentically French leek-and-potato soup. The spinach quiche ($7.75) comes with a nice-size salad. So does the croque monsieur ($7.75), a hot ham-and-cheese sandwich smothered with creamy cheese. An appetizer portion of escargots for $6.25 might make for good conversation.