Goosewiches to Go

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French Designer Pierre Cardin, 60, takes pride in having brought haute couture to the masses. Now he wants to do the same with haute cuisine. This month Cardin, who owns the famed Maxim's restaurant in Paris, opened a fast-food spinoff called Minim's for gourmet diners whose tastes are richer than their pocketbooks. Says he: "It is a democratic effort to give everybody a chance at happiness."

Located on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, Paris' poshest shopping avenue, Minim's features the miniwich, a two-bite sandwich for seven francs (about $1) that is stuffed with such fillings as goose liver pâté or tomato and Gruyère cheese. For a little more than $3, patrons can partake of "eggplant caviar" in an avocado boat or hearts of palm peppered with paprika. While the $6 to $9 bill for a full meal may be more than at a Burger King in Paris, the price beats the $75 average at Maxim's. Diners can have orders bundled for carry-out or they can sit on stools at small wooden tables overlooked by wall murals depicting nude sculptures.

Cardin plans to sell franchises for some 200 Minim's restaurants worldwide, and 30 of the fancy fast-food shops may open in major U.S. cities by the end of 1984. Early reviews from curious Parisians and tourists who filled Minim's last week were mixed. Said one finicky Frenchwoman who thought her quiche mediocre: "Given the quality of Maxim's, I had expected more." But an American woman said of her Minim's meal, "It was a Maximizing experience."