L'Avant-Comptoir du Marché

Under the arches of the Marché Saint-Germain, where a red plastic pig hangs from the ceiling, L’Avant-Comptoir du Marché (a long zinc-topped bar, a windowed wine cellar) sends forth carnivorous small plates from the mind of Yves Camdeborde: Ospital pig ears, boudin noir from the Béarn, a pork and raspberry ketchup burger on cornbread from Thierry Breton… But that’s not all! The day we went for lunch, we dug into some striking eggplant marinated in soy sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds; then some tasty peas with cilantro; before, as the pan-fried dish of the day, a gigantic flash-seared bluefin tuna steak served with haricots verts, lettuce heart and fried onions; followed by a refreshing sorrel sorbet for dessert. // A.D.

FEELING THIRSTY? Sulfite-free wines: a Savoy white from the Domaine Dupasquier (€5 a glass), a Morgon from Marcel Lapierre (€32 a bottle), a macerated Loire wine from Laurent Lebled (€80)…

PRICE: Dish of the day €12 (lunch), small plates €5-12.