One of the best things about this city is its budget restaurants, often hidden in unexpected places…
Bistrot de Breteuil 3 pl de Breteuil, 7e, M° Duroc, tel: 01 45 67 07 27, open daily, menu 29E. Overlooking the spacious lawns of the avenue de Breteuil, this popular bistrot de quartier boasts an extensive, sun-drenched terrace laid out beneath towering plane trees. Whilst the recently renovated interior is heavy on faux country-style grandeur, it is a welcome improvement on the previously chilly tiled interior and has been opened up to take advantage of the large windows and sunlight. The three-course fixed price menu, which is all that is available, is great value, as it also includes aperitif, coffee, and half a bottle of wine per person, and offers a wide selection of traditional French fare. E
888 4 rue Etienne-Marcel, 2e, M° Etienne-Marcel, tel: 01 42 36 25 17, open daily, menus 9E, 11E, 16E. Recently opened in the heart of the trendy Montorgueil district, this is a restaurant with lounge bar sensibilities. Lofty windows look out onto the terrace and a street destined to become a pedestrian thoroughfare. The interior, with its whitewashed walls, pulsing blue ceilings, deep horseshoe shaped seats and vibrant music creates a chill-out ambiance. Because of the proximity to Les Halles, Chef Yves Julian has created a menu that focuses on copious traditional dishes at inexpensive prices, such as his signature pot au feu terrine, lamb shanks with thyme and a delicious chocolate fondant with cherries. €
Chez Ribe 15 av de Suffren, 7e, RER Champ de Mars, tel: 01 45 66 53 79, open daily, menus 16.90€, 21.90€. This well-priced contemporary bistro occupies a large, strategically located corner location overlooked by sycamore trees and the Eiffel Tower. The sidewalk terrace soaks up every drop of afternoon sun, and the interior, with its old mosaic floor, lemon and oak-colored walls and a safari feel delivered by savanna-patterned chairs and lamps, is airy and bright, thanks to the high ceilings, glass panels and tiered, spacious seating. We skipped the well-priced menus — good value for this part of town — and stuck with the low-priced main courses — our magret de canard arrived cooked to order with generous slivers of tender duck, accompanied by crisp potatoes and puréed celery root, and there were no complaints about the baby coquelet or the beef filet. Our light Cheverny red was fairly priced at 20€. €€
La Tourelle 5 rue Hautefeuille, 5e, M° St-Michel, tel: 01 46 33 12 47, closed Sat lunch and Sun, menus 10€, 14.50€. To find this little treasure anywhere in Paris would have been impressive enough but in the heart of the Latin Quarter made it an exceptional find. Ancient handcrafted tommettes on the floor, exposed cut-stone walls, the hush of low ceilings, and gorgeous wooden booths separated by frosted glass create an intimate and warm dining space that is perfect for autumn. The prices are exceedingly low for a menu that offers freshly cooked family style cuisine without any pretentious frills. Our food arrived quietly and without delay from the gracious staff, haddock rillettes with tomato and lettuce and the delicious gésiers salad. The duck confit made a very good main course accompanied by freshly sautéed potatoes but the pork kidneys and mushrooms were a bit rubbery. A short list of honest regional wines is priced around 8€ a half-liter. We skipped the desserts, which included a sublime de chocolat with candied orange. €
L’Entrepôt 68 rue de Menilmontant, 20e, M° Menilmontant, tel: 01 43 49 59 17, open daily, no food served on Sun, menu 11.50€. A 1930s style, working-class neighborhood bistro, this animated corner restaurant overlooks the hectic rue de Menilmontant on one side, and the sleepy, leafy rue Sorbier on the other. The long terrace is guarded by huge awnings in summer and glowing gas heaters in winter. In the evenings, the flicker of candlelight and an accordionist attracts local couples and happy groups of students watched over by the jovial patron, who democratically spends equal amounts of time serving at the bar, or drinking on the other side with regulars. The food is simple, fresh, and cheap, such as the serviceable pavé of pepper steak with green beans. Wine is well priced, desserts homemade and service friendly. €
Ristorante Il Cantoncino 45 rue Hericart, 15e, M° Charles Michel, tel: 01 45 77 50 51, closed Sat lunch, Sun, menu 14€, 17€. Nestled between a tiny cul de sac and a children’s garden playground, this sympa little Italian restaurant draws a bustling lunchtime crowd thanks to its sunny, quiet terrace and its very reasonably priced menus. Dominated by a large central bar, the red interior has an authentic feel as orders are shouted into the kitchen in Italian. From the menu, we enjoyed the grilled and marinated antipasti of eggplant, zucchini, caramelized onions and roasted peppers as well as the plat du jour of ravioli and basil, served piping hot, although the salmon tagliatelle was disappointingly salty with the pasta having a farinaceous texture. There is a nice selection of well-priced Italian wines. €
L’Auberge de Champ de Mars 18 rue de l’Exposition, 7e, M° Ecole Militaire, tel: 01 45 51 78 08, closed Sat lunch and Sun, menu 17€. Chef Duclos’ intimate, softly lit restaurant has long been a favorite of budget hunters. A stone’s throw away from the Champ de Mars, it has over the years proved to be a model of consistency and price restraint, its three-course menu still only 17€ and even with the supplements for dishes such as the homemade foie gras, it remains one of the best bargains in this part of town. Entrées include an avocado and salmon salad, while main courses range from a duo of monkfish and red mullet or a blanquette of sole with champagne, to old favorites such as veal kidneys with mustard sauce and the creamy Normandy chicken. Desserts tend to follow the classics: nougat glacé, crème brûlée and profiteroles. The wine list is reasonably priced and service charming and assured. €
Price Key: € = up to 20€, €€ = up to 40€, €€€ = up to 60€, €€€€ = more than 60€. Prices are based on the average cost of an entrée, a main course and a dessert and do not include wine. Although every care is made compiling estimates, we cannot assume any responsibility for any fluctuations or changes.
Contact Julie Baker at: parisdining@hotmail.com
