A no fuss, no frills Franco-Japanese eatery with a cult following. The décor would probably be best described as minimalist, though not in the pretentious sense, but rather in a carefree, undone kind of way. The animated open-kitchen is perfectly suited to the friendly Canal St Martin quartier, and weather permitting, the wall of windows giving onto the street are ideal spots for people watching. Fish lovers will be delighted with the array of raw or easy-over marine life on offer, plates of sashimi (around 18€) and grilled tuna (19€) are a favourite here. Committed carnivores can try the beef in a citronelle sauce, and allow the complimentary amuse-bouche of deep-fried marinated fish to go to their dining partners. The lunchtime menu is good value: 15€ , entrée + plat, plat + dessert, or the full works for 18€. FU

Legion are the high-priced, inauthentic Tex-Mex establishments in Paris, and a quality Mexican restaurant (i.e. Anahuacalli) comes at a price. But for those of us used to eating this type of cuisine back in the States, where it's typically cheap and good, it goes against the grain to pay a premium. That's why Chiaapas is such a great find. Inexpensive and cheerful, this strange little establishment - located next to an aqueduct and sandwiched between the Gare de l'Est and Gare du Nord - proposes both Mexican and Indian cuisine. Staples such as nachos, quesadillas and tacos are on the menu as well as dishes like sincronizada, a wheat tortilla filled with cheese, guacamole and choice of cheese, meat or spicy peppers. Imported Mexican beers are a steal at 3.50€. AM

Bad-boy UK chef Gordon Ramsay has taken up digs at the Trianon Palace, a newly renovated luxury hotel on the edges of Versailles, (where the Treaty of Versailles was drawn up in 1919, in fact). Ramsay has set up two different restaurants: the high-class Gordon Ramsey au Trianon, which seats 30 and offers a distinct fine-dining experience modeled on Gordon's eponymous, and 3 Michelin starred, London flagship restaurant. The more relaxed (and cheaper) brasserie La Veranda has a wonderful view overlooking the centuries-old trees and lush gardens of Versailles and offers classic dishes from breakfast through to dinner (count 50€ per head, including wine). It's quite a paradox for an Englishman (in fact, he's Scottish), and takes surely, quite some pluck, to come to this bastion of French tradition and luxury and dish up his modern interpretation of French cuisine back to the French. But his clientele are not snobby Parisians - who, as the Figaro food critic François Simon pointed out in his review, probably don't even realise that Versailles is a short taxi or train ride away - but rather the hoardes of British and American tourists who make the pilgrimage to Versailles every day.

Apparently, man-about-town Mr Edouard Baer http://edouardbaer.blogspot.com/ doesn’t like to cook. So what he’s done is to take over a comfortable Bastille restaurant (ex Les Amognes) and create a relaxed bistro where he and his buddies can tuck into fresh and tasty Moroccan dishes. Malika et Fatima oversee the regularly changing menu, with set menus between 18€ and 22€, where you too could have the good fortune to sample the Pastilla of the day, a well cooked steak, slow-cooked veal with seasonal vegetables, and finish up, perhaps, with the orange-flower and fruit salad. Miam.

Steak tartar with grenade potatoes, 17€

Raved about in the French press when ex-Bistral owner Arnaud Bradol took over last year, this 3-story wine bar/bistro located just off the place des Victoires was a pleasant surprise during a recent Sunday lunch. Its continuing success is due to a simple idea: the finest produce, simply prepared. A plate of delicious charcuterie, sliced on a vintage hand-worked machine started us off just right, followed by a starter of succulent tuna, rolled in sesame and served with an avocado purée. The highlight (which pretty much everyone in the place was having) was a superb steak tartar au couteau, made with top-grade beef from Desnoyer, mixed with parsley and aged parmesan, and served with roasted grenade potatoes. The pear tarte tatin with fresh cream was a delightfully decadent ending to a satisfying meal. AM

Open for more than fifty years, this Danish institution, located in the tourist mecca of the Champs-Elysées, has been a welcome gastronomic oasis on a street not particularly associated with good eating. Discreetly located upstairs from their more casual Flora Danica (with it’s great summer terrace), this fish restaurant is decorated in a sober style and furnished with many examples of excellent Scandinavian design. The kitchen is run by chef Georges Landriot (formerly of Prunier and Goumard) and has a Michelin star rating; it proposes a superb menu of pristine specialties including marinated herring, salmon grilled ‘unilateral’ style, and juicy reindeer steaks. AM

This classic Parisian restaurant, which was suffering a slightly faded elegance, has been taken over by French superchef Ducasse, the only Michelin-starred chef to hold three stars in three different countries. Designer Patrick Jouin brought his sober, elegant touch to the charming fit-out. With it’s dazzling location, 125 metres above Paris, you can now dine in a world-class, contemporary style inside the most emblematic of the city’s monuments. Expect classic French cuisine with a modern flourish using exceptional ingredients: truffles, scallops, Limousin lamb, Bresse poultry, venison… Lunch is the affordable option, at 75€; for dinner expect to pay between 155€ and 190€ plus wine. Keep in mind the one to two month wait for a table.

Poîlane, the legendary French baker, set up this space next door to their original bakery in the rue du Cherche-Midi to experiment with bar food. The dining concept and decor are elegant and simple – a top-notch tartine, or open-faced sandwich, made with their famous sourdough bread and served at long, thin communal tables. We went straight for the bargain lunchtime formula (12.50€), featuring a sultana laced salad to start, followed by an enticing choice of tartines – ranging from the simple (ham and cheese) to the downright decadent foie gras speckled with raisins, (+2€) and passing by sardines and olive oil with crushed salt, say, or chicken with garlic mayonnaise and capers. Top it off with a glass of wine or a bottle of water, then a coffee to finish, served with delicious Poîlane spoon-shaped biscuits. We couldn’t have been happier. FU

Behold the illuminated sign promising ‘quedubon’. This new gastro bar à vins by the Buttes Chaumont is dimly-lit, spacious and welcoming. Wine is clearly the main draw, with a vast blackboard broadcasting an epic choice, (add a reasonable 8€ opening fee if you want to partake in situ). If the food seems to be taking a backseat – a smaller chalk board with just a handful of options is casually placed on the diner’s table – it is not to be taken lightly. We were delighted with our 16.50€ formule comprising a tasty pea salad with parmigiano reggiano, a succulent confit de canard and an exemplary chocolate tart. The owners of this bargain of a bistro certainly weren’t being over-optimistic when they chose its name. FU

Booking is a must at this cosy bar à vins. Happy regulars crowd in and peruse the walls lined with a great selection of small producer wines; the takeaway prices are scribbled on the front, you add an extra 7€ for drinking in. No space is wasted on a kitchen, with the chef rustling up the dishes of the day up the back. Smoke filled the room at some point during our meal, possibly caused by a magret de canard left under the grill a tad too long. The door was opened and the blunder forgotten in the gay banter of the happy eaters. Go here to soak up the cheer, enjoy the wine and the hearty portions of rustic French fare. FU