L'Arpaon

If you needed any additional proof that the 18th arrondissement isn’t lacking in bistrological wonders, consider L’Arpaon from Yann Botbol (who we’d already spotted at Le Servan), Nathan Sebagh (seen at Candide) and Yann Derout (who used to work for Mamagoto). The trio have adopted a formula that has proven its value time and again: a mouthwatering storefront (imperial green), evocative decor that gets straight to the point (bare walls, Thonet chairs, a big mirror) and a kitchen open for all to see. The night we went, all of the following escaped out of said kitchen: cheeky fricassé-style brioche buns filled with tuna, capers, pickled chilies and preserved lemon, plus some smoky harissa to heat things up; langoustine skewers that you assemble yourself, before glazing them in amba mayonnaise (a spicy mango condiment); silky ravioli stuffed with artichokes, Parmesan and walnuts; a truly next-level veal tajine vol-au-vent filled with prunes and almonds; before a light vanilla and pecan creampuff that’ll knock the wind out of you, that’s how good it is! // Brigitte Roy

FEELING THIRSTY? : Around 30 clean wines, sourced from Alsace to the Roussillon: Trinch, a cabernet franc from the Bretons (€7 a glass), a riesling from Les Funambules (€40 a bottle), Clef de Sol, a chenin from La Grande Tiphaine (€48), or a saint-joseph from the Domaine de l’Iserand (€36).
PRICE: : À la carte €33-57.