After a stint at Eels, Thibault Sizun succumbed to the siren call of retro bistros with old-fashioned names like Chez Janine, opening a neo-bistro of his own in what used to be a historic haunt for Batignolles residents. A dusting off of the space was provided by creative director Michele Bulgherini, who gave the restaurant a classy new look: on the ground floor, you’ll notice oil paintings and drawings (including some by the owner’s grandmother); upstairs, two dining rooms for feasting while surrounded by antiques; plus a boudoir that you can rent out, where people enter after ringing a door bell! It’s all made even better thanks to the bourgeois cuisine of chef Soda Thiam (who used to work at Gare au Gorille), who served all of the following the day we went for lunch: a cheeky pork country terrine served with homemade pickles and good sourdough bread from the nearby Bacillus bakery; incredibly tender braised pork cheeks served with a tearfully good reduction, glazed radishes and an exemplary creamy polenta with fresh herbs; before a diabolically good pear poached in red wine, with honey mousse and sesame crumble… The best soups are made in old pots, as the French expression goes! // Kelly Slatée

FEELING THIRSTY? All the big (and good) names you’ve come to expect: a Burgundy Chardonnay from Fanny Sabre (€10 a glass), a Jura Pinot noir from Guillaume Overnoy (€58 a bottle), a Roussillon Grenache-Syrah blend from Face B (€43)… And for a touch of originality, there’s an impressive collection of magnums of wine (€119-195), including a few gems produced by Stéphane Tissot!
PRICE: Set menus €25-28 (lunch), à la carte €50-60 (dinner).