Chez Paris menu entries and their respective English translations:
Escargot Chez Paris (Snails)
Cervelles Braisees avec les Ouefs Brouilles (Braised Brains with Scrambled Eggs)
Turkis En Creme (Turkey in Cream)
Couque du Vin (Rooster with Wine)
Steak Tartare
Duck L'Orange (Duck in Orange Sauce)
Oxen En Brouchette (Oxen on Skewers)
Yeux Frites (Fried Eyes)
Bouilliboise (Fish Stew)
Some of the menu entries are not spelt the correct way the French pronounce them. The correct words are "Cor au Vin", "Duck à l'orange", "Oxen En Brouchettes" and "Bouillabaisse". Plus Turkis en creme, the real word "Turkish en creme" isn't even a proper French dish but Turkish.
This is the first half hour episode to not play special music in the credits.
Airing[]
Despite being a Valentine's Day special, this episode aired 2 days before the day itself.
Cultural References[]
The plane that Cecile and her parents travelled in looks similar to a real-life Boeing 747.
Before they leave, Arnold tells Helga "We'll always have Chez Paris." This is a reference of the famous line in the 1942 film Casablanca, when Rick says to Ilsa before she leaves him: "We'll always have Paris."
Arnold keeps one of Helga's shoes. A reference to the popular fairytale Cinderella.
Continuity[]
This episode more or less has a sequel in "Dinner for Four": Both Chez Paris and Chez Pierre appear, and the table Arnold and "Cecile" shared is the same table that later Arnold, Helga, Gerald and Phoebe are at.
P.S. 118's ZIP code is 96374-0171, which in reality is listed as an Army Post Office code. Also, a number beginning with 96 usually means it's somewhere in the Pacific or Asia.
Helga is seen to be appalling at French as she first repeats a language speech tape quite badly, then she mistakes a place called Joule Chine Salon as a French hair salon which was in English, a dog grooming place (even having dog signs on the windows and a large sign above saying Poodle Parlor), tries to greet Arnold with a poor French accent at the Chez Paris, including saying the French word for Hello (Bonjour), but she pronounces it "Bonsewer", she orders the Cervelles Braisées avec les Oeufs Brouillés (Braised Brains with Scrambled Eggs), much to her disgust and she ends up vomiting and to make matters worse if she had chosen instead the Chez Paris Escargots (Snails) or the Yeux Frites (Fried Eyes), she would have been just as disgusted, and finally she tries to say goodbye to Arnold in French (Au revoir), but winds up pronouncing it "Au Revar".
Arnold seemingly admits to liking Helga: When Helga (as Cecile) asks 'Is there anyone you especially like in your class? Perhaps a smart, funny, beautiful girl?', Arnold replies with 'Helga'. At the very least, Arnold admits to finding Helga to be smart, funny, and beautiful (but doesn’t necessary like her).
Helga nearly screws up (i.e. reveal herself) in that she quotes their teacher, Miss Slovak, in saying "the most beautiful gift can come in the plainest box".
Misc[]
Helga's hair ends up going from poufy to being worn down while she is vomiting in the bathroom for unknown reasons.
As of this episode, Arnold is no longer in love with Ruth, though he later fantasies about her in "What's Opera, Arnold?.
For many fans, this is the first episode of the series that hinted that Helga and Arnold are meant for each other.
