Born from the friendship of Sébastien Huillard, an inspired wine merchant, and Javier Calleja Bonilla, a tapas master, Bel Ami is the restaurant everyone’s been waiting for on Place Sathonay: a bistro in its natural state (stone slab floors, a white marble bar, Edison light bulbs) that offers up quality fare. Especially at lunch, when, after a salad of haricots verts in a piquillo pepper jus and black olive powder, we wolfed down: a thick Simmental steak served with thin slices of ultra-buttery potato pressé and pan-fried oyster mushrooms; before strawberries macerated in orange juice, plus elderflower blossoms and a Philadelphia cream cheese mousse. At lunch, it’s tapas galore, even on the sidewalk, with things like Bellota ham, sturgeon ceviche, foie gras mi-cuit, burrata and pesto… // A.S.
FEELING THIRSTY? A Burgundy Aligoté from the Domaine d’Edouard (€6.50 a glass), a Burgundy from the Domaine Dureuil-Janthial (€7), alongside Mon P’Tit Pithon, a Crozes-Hermitage red from Olivier Pithon (€28 a bottle) or a Crozes-Hermitage red from the Domaine Aléofane by Natacha Chave (€36).
PRICE: Menus €18-21 (lunch), tapas €6-15 (dinner).
