Le Café de Mars

In his cunning neighborhood bistro (a red and blue bar, modern light fixtures, hallucinogenic mosaic tiles), the owner Pierre Marfaing has a little something for everybody. In the kitchen, you’ll find the American chef Gina cooking up fresh market cuisine. The day we went, for €26: a five-spice roasted pumpkin salad with crisp bok choy and plenty of fresh cilantro; a very chic hanger steak marinated in a tangy soy-vinegar mixture, served sliced with potato mousseline, pickled shiitake mushrooms and chopped chives; before an infatuating dessert of chèvre cheesecake, topped with blueberry confit. And to drink, there’s plenty of wine to go around: a nice red Givry from Joseph Drouhin (€8 a glass), a biting Portuguese white Silex (€5.50) or a sparkling Bugey wine from Yves Duport (€25 a bottle). Set menu options €23-26 (lunch), jazz lunches on Saturdays, à la carte €36-44. // A.A.