I have now been in Paris for about two months, but from this point forward, I am making a vow to eat at the student cafeterias (or "Resto U," for restaurant universitaire) that are scattered around the city as often as possible. It is at these dining facilities, very similar to a traditional school cafeteria, that one can get a complete meal for only €2.90, so not only is it filling and (usually) nutritious, but it is also cheaper than pretty much anything else available.
We all heard about the RUs when we arrived in Paris, mainly because they are such a cheap option, but for most of the time since I've been here, I have stuck to baguette sandwiches or kebabs, which usually run in the €5-6 range. I ventured to a Resto U a couple of times with my friends Meredith and Peter, who have been here since September and know the ropes a little better, but for some reason I never made it a regular thing. (Okay, it was just me being lazy -- you have to take a bus to the Resto U, and sandwich places are everywhere.)
Now, though, things are changing. We all finally have student ID cards for the Paris universities, which can be loaded with money to use at the RUs, and on Monday, a couple of friends and I decided to make the trip down the street to the nearest one. They had never been before, but for them,
The meals are structured on a point system. For a complete meal (again, €2.90!), you get six points, and each item is worth a different amount. A typical meal is a fruit or yogurt [1 pt.], a main dish (pizza, chicken and rice, steak and fries) [4 pts.], and a dessert [1-2 pts.]. Water comes in pitchers on the tables for free, and if you go over in points, each additional one costs just €0.55.
So I think by now you'll be able to see why this dining option is so appealing. Granted, it's not the best food in the world, but it's certainly not the worst and there's no beating the price. I'm just happy I can leave the Resto U with a full stomach and a full wallet.
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