Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
you dine - at a table, bar stool or
comptoir
(counter) - at this pocket-size contemporary bis-
tro on a little-known street on the Latin Quarter's southern fringe.
Lunch is magnificent value and a real gourmet experience. Evening dining is an exquisite,
no-choice
dégustation
(tasting) melody of five courses, different every day.
GASCOGNE
DANS LES LANDES
tapas €8-16; noon-11pm; Censier Daubenton)
Treat yourself to a trip to the Basque Country: Gascogne chef Julien Duboué presents his
artful, tapas-size take on southwestern cuisine, with whimsical dishes that range from
smoked duck with polenta and chili-smothered
xistoria
(Basque sausages) to truffled ar-
tichoke dip, duck neck confit and jars of foie gras. One of the few places in Paris to carry
Basque wines.
TRADITIONAL FRENCH
L'AOC
3-course lunch menus €21/29, mains €19-36;
noon-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm Tue-Sat;
Cardinal
Lemoine)
'Bistrot carnivore'
is the strapline of this ingenious restaurant concocted around France's
most respected culinary products. The concept is Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC),
meaning everything has been reared or produced according to strict guidelines. The result?
Only the best! Choose between meaty favourites (steak tartare) or the rotisserie menu, ran-
ging from roast chicken to suckling pig.
BISTRO
LES PAPILLES
3-course menus from €22/31; noon-2.30pm & 7-10pm Tue-Sat; Raspail or RER Luxembourg)
This hybrid bistro, wine cellar and
épicerie
(specialist grocer) with sunflower-yellow facade
is one of those fabulous Parisian dining experiences. Meals are served at simply dressed
tables wedged beneath bottle-lined walls, and fare is market-driven: each weekday cooks up
a different
marmite du marché
(market casserole). But what really sets it apart is its excep-
tional wine list.
It only seats around 15 people; reserve a few days in advance to guarantee a table. After
your meal, stock your own
cave
(wine cellar) at Les Papilles'
cave à vin.
BISTRO
LE PETIT PONTOISE
