Rouge Barre 

Classy mouldings, bare brick walls, faded paintings, atelier windows… At Steven Ramon’s place, the dining room is in keeping with the zeitgeist. Packed the day we went, the lunch menu (€30) titillated the senses: porcini mushroom mousseline sprinkled with dried lard, a sharp balancing act between silky and crunchy textures – perfect with the Saint-Chinian “A” from the Domaine Cathala with its delicate peppery notes (€6.50 a glass); a crispy brill steak breaded in Japanese panko, with a parsley crumble for a youthful touch and a classic sauce gribiche that’s actually still à la mode – even better with a rare biodynamic white Rhone from the Domaine Lombard (€6.50); before a very pear-heavy dessert – dacquoise caramelized in salted butter under a cube of pear blancmange, slices of pear over a golden lacelike tuile, vanilla pear coulis, and a pear and sweet spice ice cream. And for lovers of well-made wines: a Sancerre from the Domaine Pierre Prieur (€36), a Saumur-Champigny from Antoine Sanzay (€39), etc. Set menus €23-30 (lunch), menus €66 (food and wine pairings €95), kids €14, à la carte €56-61. // P.A.