June 7 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama kept a promise to take his wife Michelle out for a “nice meal” in Paris after four days of travel in the Middle East and Europe.

The presidential couple, without their two daughters, arrived for supper yesterday at La Fontaine de Mars, a traditional French bistro with red-and-white checked tablecloths that is close to the Eiffel Tower. The restaurant, which opened in 1908, has warm duck foie gras salad with pears for 26 euros ($36) and crème brulee dessert for 9 euros ($13).

“We started to believe yesterday already that he would come there,” said Lotfi Kafi, the 45-year-old owner of the Crep’ and Tea restaurant a few yards away on rue Saint Dominique in the upscale seventh district. “We are very honored.”

Hundreds of people stood behind barriers put up by the French police on nearby streets. Obama, with his wife and their two daughters, earlier took a brief Paris sightseeing excursion, past the Champs Elysees and the Place de la Concorde, across the Seine river and through the Latin quarter. Bystanders cheered and applauded as the motorcade passed.

The Obama family also toured the 14th Century cathedral of Notre Dame for 45 minutes, where a small children’s choir sang for them and they climbed more than 350 steps to reach the top of the landmark.

Obama had said he “would love nothing more than to have a leisurely week in Paris, stroll down the Seine, take my wife out to a nice meal, have a picnic in Luxembourg Gardens,” at a press conference earlier in Caen, Normandy, before taking part in a D-Day ceremony.

French Press Speculation

The French press had speculated for several days on possible landmarks that the Obama family might visit, including the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel Tower and the Quai Branly museum for primitive art.

Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha visited the Eiffel Tower June 5, before the president arrived from Germany. While the family’s schedule hasn’t been disclosed, Le Parisien newspaper speculated they would visit the Louvre and have lunch at French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s Elysee presidential palace.

Today is mother’s day in France and also Sasha’s eighth birthday. Obama is due to end his Paris visit today. The first lady and the girls will return to the U.S. later.

The family is staying at the 19th century residence of the U.S. ambassador, 200 yards away from the Elysee Palace. The mansion, once owned by the Rothschild banking family, has a lush garden with roses and magnolia trees.

To contact the reporter on this story: Helene Fouquet in Paris at hfouquet1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 6, 2009 19:23 EDT