This surprisingly good-value bistro located in the high-rent seventeeth, not far from the Arc de Triomphe, has had the Paris food press buzzing since it was opened not too long ago by Japanese chef Hide Kobayashi. Be forewarned however that no sushi or California rolls are on the menu, rather there's a well-turned out classic French menu from the Robuchon trained chef. For 29€ you get perfectly cooked dishes such as leeks with vinaigrette sauce and a dusting of Guérande salt, entrecôte from Hugo Desnoyer or cod on a bed of puréed mashed potatoes, and standard yet good French desserts including île flottante and tarte tatin. Book in advance, as the tiny dining room is always packed with locals and in-the-know foodies. AM

Opera. Punk. Gypsy. If there are perhaps only a handful of people in the world who can string those three words into a coherent sentence, there is certainly only one that can mount an entire show that boasts all three in equal measure: Emir Kusturica. Already famous for his films Black Cat, White Cat, Underground and Life is a Miracle, the Opera Bastille hosted Kusturica's operatic brain-child last summer with spectacular success. The show is back for one more week of free-range geese, shotgun village weddings and thumping oompah-oompah tunes, blended together in a way that only Kusturica can. JR

Don’t expect bells and whistles in this dirt-cheap hotel in the slightly out-of-the-way Batignolles neighbourhood (17th). Inside two turn-of-the century buildings and set in a garden, the shabby-chic hotel has a bohemian vibe. You almost feel as if you’re in a theatre, with 33 doors each leading to a quirky new set. Most of the original décor has been sourced from the proprietress’s travels around the world or trips to the Paris flea markets. Close to a metro station and just west of Montmartre, this house of kitsch is a little rough around the edges but good fun. It’s worth noting that rooms 16 and 17 have their own balconies, and the rooms off the street are quieter. KDG

‘Health depends on being in harmony with our souls’ says Dr. Edward Bach, the English doctor who invented the Bach Flower Essences system. This collection of 38 organic flower essences is credited with correcting emotional imbalances: negative emotions are replaced with positive. After releasing their first perfume Présence(s) last year, Bach have just released an addictive new scent, Vivacité(s), for summer. Composed of 7 flower essences – gorse, centaurea, hornbeam, white chestnut, larch, mustard, olive tree – the spunky, spicy organic fragrance encourages confidence and enthusiasm. Like Bach’s most famous concoction, the Rescue Remedy, the scent will help you deal with stress: exactly what we need to get through summer in Paris.

Angulas au Pimente d’Espelette et huile d’olive, 14€

When Bath’s first opened on the rue de la Trémoille, right in the heart of the Triangle d’Or, and obtained, within three months it’s first Michelin star, it became an immediate success, as much as for its exceptional, modern take on traditional Auvergnat cuisine, as for the warm welcome from chef Jean-Yves Bath and his son Stéphane. Now they have moved to the residential 17th to a striking, contemporary dining room, dominated by oranges, with made-to-measure furniture and an updated menu, though including many old favourites. Start with the velouté de lentilles garnished with juicy pieces of smoked duck, or the eel with Espelette chilli. Then try the beef fillet cooked in spices, or the lobster bouillabaisse. The lemon soufflé as well as the copious cheese plate were exceptional. This is definitely one of the hot tables of the year for devoted gastronomes! AM

'Pina colada of fresh roasted foie gras, (as part of 3-course prix fixe), 38€'
In a secluded side street of the 17th arrondissement, young chef Jean-Marc Notelet’s latest venture has become a pilgrimage for in-the-know Parisian gourmets. Serving traditional French cuisine, accented by his mastery of world spices, Notelet is creating dishes that are markedly inventive and subtle. Famously quoted as saying ‘not knowing what to cook gets me out of bed in the morning’, Notelet first proved his talent at Reim’s legendary (then) three-star Boyer Les Crayeres, and then at his pre-‘bistronomique’ bistro Le Troyon. A recent tasting of his daily menu offered a number of delicious surprises such as mushrooms with an oyster cream and Corona beer sorbet; scallops on a bed of Jerusalem artichokes, truffles emulsion with shavings of black truffle; ‘tortilla’ of gambas with Indian spices; and an excellent cut of beef, cooked in cinnamon and baby leeks. The dining room is decorated in subtle browns, and the service is friendly and professional. Reserve now.